Today,
in what will probably be the last entry in this long-running thread, I
offer up a “1876 Founders” card as part of an imagined 1976 sub-set for
12-year professional Jack Manning, who started his career as a
19-year-old in 1873 in the National Association, straight through the
early years of the Majors:
Primarily a right fielder throughout his career, Manning was the third
player in Major League history to hit three home runs in a single game
when he accomplished the feat on October 9th, 1884 when his Philadelphia
club played the Chicago White Stockings at Lakeshore Park, a
hitter-friendly ballpark that also had the previous two players (Cap
Anson and Ned Williamson) also hit their three homers there as well.
Over his 12 professional seasons, Manning hit .263 with 922 hits over
3505 at-bats in 833 games, playing for eight teams in three leagues
between 1873 and 1886.