So Dan Collins of Louisville has been the top pitcher since coming into the league in 1874. He has led in strikeouts in every professional season and has a 73-29 lifetime pitching record. So who is this player? He had a lifetime won-loss record of 1-1 in reality - why does he import in OOTP as a great player? (He was similar to this the last time I played an 1871 league, so this isn't new or some fluky talent jump.) What is known about him in reality?
Here's the entire Nemec biography of him, from the third volume of his set,
The Rank and File of 19th Century Major League Players. (Probably a better title than
Here's All The Guys Who Played Like One Game.)
Quote:
|
Dan Collins was purloined from the semipro Empires when Chicago visited St. Louis in May 1874. A brilliant debut in the box against champion Boston was followed 10 days later by a shameful 38-1 loss to New York in which he was yanked after just two innings. Released soon thereafter, he finished the 1874 season in New Orleans, where he was reportedly one of the first curveball pitchers seen in those parts. Collins began 1876 with the independent St. Louis Reds. It is impossible now to fathom what motivated Louisville to prod him to jump the Reds in later July to serve as its 10th man. Collins later returned to New Orleans and played for the Robert E. Lee club and later the Clarkes until shortly before his death at 29. The New Orleans Times-Picayune's obit said he "was of an open handed, warm hearted disposition, and did not leave much to support his wife and three children after his death."
|
So, a southerner who was a reserve player for a handful of games. Oh, and in his 11 career innings pitched he had zero strikeouts. I'm thinking there must be a typo or something in the database.
However, he does provide my league with a solid narrative hook. He and Sam Weaver are both becoming strikeout pitchers just in time - for whatever reason Jim Devlin and Tommy Bond, the actual guys who filled that role, never seem to develop correctly. So I suppose it's good that someone does.