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With Hall of Famer Harry Wright as their manager, the Boston Red Stockings faced the Troy Trojans on 9/29/1881 with Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe on the hill. In the collection is Wright’s scorecard from that day filled out entirely in his hand and initialed “HW” in the space provided to identify the scorekeeper. Along with Keefe who batted eighth in the Troy lineup is Roger Connor.

In 1881 Connor hit the first grand slam in big league history. Interestingly the hit was of the walk-off variety as Connor’s Troy Trojans beat the Worcester Ruby Legs  8-7. In 1895 Connor hit his 123rd homer to pass Harry Stovey and set a new career home run record. Connor would hold this mark for more than a quarter century until Babe Ruth passed him in 1921.

With a debut year of 1880 and having died in 1931, Roger Connor remains elusive for even the most advanced autograph collectors. Roger Connor’s autograph is not in the collection at this time.

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Roger Connor holds a special place in baseball history. The 19^th century Hall of Fame first baseman set the big league record for home runs in a career career home run when he slugged his 123^rd roundtripper in 1895. Interestingly, Connor never led the league in homers. He totaled 138 for his career, enough to hold the mark for 26 years until Babe Ruth surpassed his total in 1921.

After two years in the minors and in independent ball, Connor got his start in the big leagues playing for the Troy Trojans in 1880. Originally a third baseman, Connor moved across the diamond to take up first base, the primary position for the rest of his career.

In the collection is this letter written to Hall of Fame National League president William Hulbert. Dated October 12,1880 – just after the conclusion of Connor’s first MLB season – it is written by the owner of the Troy Trojans, Gardner Earl. The Trojans boasted five future members of the Hall of Fame on their roster that year, three hitters and two pitchers.

In addition to Connor, Troy had Dan Brouther who held the career homerun mark for two seasons starting in 1887, and Buck Ewing who was the finest catcher of the 1800s. Taking the mound for the Trojans in 1880 was a pair of eventual 300-game winners, Tim Keefe and Smiling Mickey Welch.

Letters from the 1800s with baseball content prove difficult to find. This one written by the owner of Roger Connor’s first big league team to a Hall of Fame pioneer represents a rare artifact.