
Roger Connor holds a special place in baseball history. The 19th century Hall of Fame first baseman set the big league record for home runs in a career career home run when he slugged his 123rd 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.