Hoss Radbourn, The Grays and a Lady
ProJo scribe Ed Achorn just released a new book, Fifty-nine in ’84, which tells the story of Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn’s 1884 season with the Providence Grays when he won 59 consecutive games. Old Hoss was indeed a character, something that can be seen even in the stills captured in this video:
But there’s more than baseball in the book. Achorn also writes about the history and atmosphere of 1880’s Providence and writes extensively about Radbourn’s romance and eventual marriage to Carrie Stanhope, “the alluring proprietress of a boarding house with shady overtones, a married lady who was said to know every man in the National League personally.”
Marc-
Are you one of those guys who has played for the modern day Providence Grays when they play the throwback games? My brother in law played for them and it looked like a crazy games, starting with wearing flannel in July. Never mind the lack of gloves and 40 ounce bats.
Patrick, Nope, not me. My old time baseball was in the 1980’s…Would be fun, though….even if this southpaw’s paw has gone south!