Joe Start

Joe Start
First baseman
Born: (1842-10-14)October 14, 1842
New York City, U.S.
Died: March 27, 1927(1927-03-27) (aged 84)
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
May 18, 1871, for the New York Mutuals
Last MLB appearance
July 9, 1886, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
Batting average.299
Hits1,417
Runs852
Teams
  National Association of Base Ball Players
Enterprise of Brooklyn (1859–1861)
Brooklyn Atlantics (1862–1870)
  League player
New York Mutuals (18711876)
Hartford Dark Blues (1877)
Chicago White Stockings (1878)
Providence Grays (18791885)
Washington Nationals (1886)
  League manager
New York Mutuals (1873)

Joseph Start (October 14, 1842 – March 27, 1927), nicknamed "Old Reliable",[1] was one of the most durable regulars of baseball's earliest era, and one of the top first basemen of his time. He began his playing career in 1859, before the formation of organized leagues and before ballplayers received payment for their services. He continued to play regularly until 1886, when he was 43. Start's career spanned countless innovations that transformed the game in fundamental ways, but he adjusted and continued to play at a high level for almost three decades. Baseball historian Bill Ryczek said that Start "was the last of the pre–Civil War players to hang up his cleats."[2]

  1. ^ Caldwell, Jay, "William White, Defining Race in America", NegroLeaguesHistory.com, November 13, 2017
  2. ^ Ryczek, William, "My Favorite Nineteenth Century Player: Joe Start", Society of American Baseball Research 19th Century Committee, Summer 2018