In 1892 Dummy Hoy, now 30 years old, and a four year veteran returns to the District. The landscape has greatly 
changed since he left in to play for the 1890 Brotherhood team in Buffalo. The rival American Association is dead and, the League, the National League, to non-baseball fans, rules the baseball world. Washington is one of the twelve teams and in the hands of the Wagner brothers. In fact this article could easily be called Dummy Hoy vs. George Wagner.
Hoy is one of several former American Association players drafted by the new 1892 Washington National League franchise.[i] In the draft Washington acquires, Henry Larkin, Frank Foreman, Phil Knell, George Shoch, George Wood, Dummy Hoy and Charlie Duffee.
Frank Foreman, Jim McGuire and Tommy Dowd are the holdovers from the Washington 1891 AA team. From Philadelphia AA Washington got Henry Larkin a reliable although aging 1b and Jocko Milligan a catcher. From St Louis AA Dummy Hoy. Hoy batted .292 in 139 games for St. Louis Browns managed by Charles Comiskey.
By the end of spring practice Hoy is once again the most popular player on the team.[1] Once again in 1892 Hoy bats leadoff and plays center field on opening day.
12 May, Washington loses a doubleheader to the Chicago. In the second game Henry Larkin-1b is fined $10 for arguing with Umpire Thomas Lynch. Washington is 9-12 and 7.5 games back.[2]
George Wagner addresses some issues with the press. Dummy Hoy he feels is playing for records then for the club. He is weak on grounders and his throws are off. He is not taking chances on the bases and his hitting is weak.” Manager Arthur Irwin is behind the signing of Yank Robinson,[3] he wanted to give him the opportunity to show that he could play good ball. Tommy Dowd will be retired to the bench. George Wagner calls Pittsburgh a “banner ball town.”[ii]
George Wagner vs. Dummy Hoy
Dummy Hoy is the most popular player on the team, well liked by the fans. During spring training Washington offered Hoy $3,000, take it or leave it. Hoy, wanted $3,500 or he would walk and return to his government job. Hoy had signed for that amount with the now defunct Philadelphia AA club and thought it a fair price. The Wagner’s, having received Hoy from the assignment committee, offered what they thought was a fair price. The fans were outraged and called the new owners cheap, some things never change. Wagner blinked and Hoy was signed for $3,500. Despite batting .279 in the first half the Wagner’s ask Hoy to take a pay cut or be released, he kicked but agrees to the pay cut.
16 July The Senators lose at home to Cleveland 6 to 4. Cleveland’s three unearned runs in the second is the difference. Jesse Duryea pitches well, allowing eight hits but Washington makes seven costly errors, two by Yank Robinson-3B. Jim McGuire has accepted a reduced salary, Dummy Hoy is still kicking.
George Wagner is quoted in Pittsburgh Times about his support for the twelve team league. He also talks about the need to keep salaries in check, “It is certain that a general reduction of salaries will be made before next season comes.” He is taken to task in the press for his policy of changes and turnovers. Some feel Washington would be stronger if it had just stayed with its original roster.
Hoy bats .282 in 1892 with an OBP of .376 and 60 stolen bases, all close to his normal numbers. This in the Sporting Life, “The dead mute, Washington outfielder, Hoy, is learning to talk. So far his vocabulary consists only of swear words for use against umpires.”
The Senators lose 93 games and have three different managers.
1893
Hoy returns while once again is in center field but he is batting second on opening day.
13 May, the Senators defeat the Baltimore Orioles 12 to 10. Kirtley Baker gets the start for Baltimore and pitches a great game until the eighth when Washington breaks through on six singles, two doubles and a triple to score seven runs. Baker gave way to Crazy Schmidt. Jesse Duryea started but is soon replaced by Charley Esper who gets the win. The front part of the Senators lineup did the damage today with Dummy Hoy-Cf getting four hits. Washington is 9-5.
19 May, a 9-7 loss to the New York Giants. The Senators are drawing large crowds in New York. Great fielding is the highlight of the game. Dummy Hoy-CF made a great diving play in the eighth inning, after the catch he rolled over several times but is not hurt. Joe Mulvey-3b and Henry Larkin-1b also made great stops. Joe Sullivan had a hit taken away from him by Pugnacious Piggy Ward-2b. Charley Esper pitches a good game but is hurt by four errors, the Giants only scored two earned runs and there questionable calls by the umpires. Al Maul has been pitching well of late. This is the team’s fourth consecutive loss; their record is 9-9.
19 July, a 14 to 3 loss at home against Philadelphia. The Phillies have no problems with Charley Esper and go on to win in a rout. Old reliable Gus Weyhing gets the win.
Al Maul hurt himself in practice last week by stumbling and falling down, he is day to day. Jesse Duryea is once again ill and did not even appear in uniform. Otis Stocksdale has been signed and ordered to fill in by Manager Jim O’Rourke. Joe Mulvey is hobbled by a weak ankle. Sam Wise was hit in the arm in the Pittsburgh series and having trouble with it. With Mulvey out, Wise is playing third with Cub Stricker taking his place at second. Duke Farrell has done well behind the bat. Joe Sullivan[4] had a good western trip. For Dummy Hoy, a right hand held up by the umpire is for stakes, the left hand for balls.[5]
30 September The press reports that Dummy Hoy may end up playing for Cincinnati in 1894. This might be Paul Radford’s last year in baseball. He plans on joining his father in business. Pitcher George Haddock has declined an offer from Washington. He does not want to play for a tail end club.
5 0ctober George Wagner marries Miss Sallie Reese of Philadelphia. Gus Schmelz it is announced will be manager in 1894.[6]
The new Manager for the Senators, Gus Schmelz will be criticized for his hiring of “experimental players.” It is noted that Gus is a baseball man but also something of a showman. According to the press, “Given the hole the Wagner’s have dug the team needs such a man.” The Washington club has put claims on a lot of minor leaguers. Count Campau has already been claimed by New Orleans and Piggy Ward with Milwaukee.
Despite the financial depression that hangs over the nation, League President Nick Young states that the old war debt from the merger with the American Association has been paid off. The Wagner’s have received all the money owed them from the League for sale of their Philadelphia interests and are said to have recovered all of their loses from last year in the District with interest. They have expressed no desire to sell the team but it is clear that baseball in the District will not be popular with the alien owners.
Dummy Hoy has the worst season of his career batting just .245 in 130 games. On 17 November 1893 he is traded to Cincinnati for pitcher Mike Sullivan[7]Mike Sullivan was on Washington’s.
[1] For some reason the Wagner’s disliked popular players.
[2] Thanks to a modest five game winning streak.
[3] Yank Robinson took the pledge to refrain from drinking when signed.
[4] Sullivan is accused by some in the press of having a “swell head.”
[5] There is an ongoing debate that Hoy originated the balls and strikes calls by umpires. The evidence to support this seems weak and this is not the place to conduct the debate. This is one of the few references to an umpire altering his calls for Hoy.
[6] James O’Rourke was criticized for playing Stricker at second and Wise at third but the most significant problem was the failure to bench Larkin from first when it was clear that he could not stay sober while playing. The Wagner’s offered Dummy Hoy for pitcher Mike Sullivan but Comiskey turned them down.
[7] The deal was made while Comiskey was waiting for his train to depart.
[i] This is the draft of surplus players from the merger of the National League and the American Association. Most of the better players have already signed. In this instance the Wagner’s are late to the starting line and don’t even draft the best players from their Philadelphia AA roster.
[ii] The Wagner’s are unable to open a meat packing business in the District because the market is too small. There are better opportunities in Pittsburgh and some talk that the Wagner’s may sell their interest in the Senators and take over Pittsburgh. Nothing comes of it.
*The Flynn’s have written two books about baseball in D.C.
