Charles Radbourn

Who was Charles Radbourn?

Charles Gardner Radbourn, nicknamed "Old Hoss", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball. He played for the Buffalo Bisons, Providence Grays, Boston Beaneaters, Boston Reds, and Cincinnati Reds. In 1884, Radbourn became the second National League pitcher to win a Triple Crown; in the process, he broke the single-season wins record, which still stands today. Radbourn was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

Born in New York and raised in Illinois, Radbourn played semi-professional and minor league baseball before making his major league debut for the Buffalo Bisons in 1880. After a one-year stint with the club, Radbourn joined the Providence Grays, leading the team to an 1884 World Series championship. In 1885, when the team folded, the Grays roster was transferred to NL control, where he was claimed by the Boston Beaneaters. Radbourn spent the next three seasons with the club, and finished his MLB career with the Cincinnati Reds after a one-year tenure with the Boston Reds.