Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17
BY JAMES ". BOOTH.

"7O the younger generation Of base bah
fans the name Of George washing
ton Bradley may not be familiar.
When you think of the great stars
OF the past your mind naturally
reverts to A. @. SpaIding, Pop Arson, Wee
Willie Keeler. HonuS Wagner, Christy Mathew
SON. Big I'd Walsh, Chief Bender and similar
bright lights of the diamond who helped TO
make base bali the great game that it is.
The odds are you win not include Bradley.
Yet he Is one Of the unsung heroes of the
national pastime, for back in the days when
base ban was in It's infancy-the first year of
the National League-he hung up a set Of
records which have yet to be shattered.
On July Is, 1875, little over 81 years ago,
Bradley, pitching for st. Louis, held Hartford
to no hits and no runs. It was the first no-hit
game in the National League.
That's right" Bradley told me recently. It
pitched the first no-hit game in the National
League"
There was no egotism in his voice, not even
the semblance o. pride. 1t was q simple,
matter of fact statement.
That first no-hit game was more than Just q
no-Ilit game-not a Hartford batter reached
first base. While more than half century has
passed since Bradley turned in that perfect
game, but I'VE players since then have accom-
plished the feat
John M. WARD of the old Providence Grays
Nationals turned the trick back in 1880; Cy
Young of the Boston Americans came through
with a perfect game on May 5. 1904: Addie
joss of the Cleveland Indians did it on October
2, four years later, and Charlie Robertson Of
the Chicago White Sox on April 80, 1922.
In those early days Of the National League
games were not played every day, as is the Gus
tom now. Instead, Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday were the playing days. Three games
constituted q series.
T.tIrv
Bradley. to the slang expression, was "the
whole works" He pitched all three games,
shutting out Hartford for 81 innings, and
thereby accomplishing an iron man" stunt
that has not been equaled In either the Ma
tiOnal or American League.
On July IL Bradley held Hartford to four
hits and no runs. He licked them on July Is,
holding them down to five safe blows and no
runs. Then on the 18th he pitched his perfect
game
That record has been approached, but never
equaled.
U7ALTER JOHNSON of the Washington
w Senators approached 1t when he shut out
the New York Yankees, September f. and 2,
1903. johnson pitched 81 consecutive innings
against the same club, but the Yankees got
hits in every game.
Cy Young, that famous pitcher Of yesteryear,
pitched % consecutive years in the major
leagues He turned in three no-hit games.
Forty live consecutive innings without run
being scored by opponents was credited to
Young But he was not facing the same team
In all the games and had fair rest between
the i've contests.
Bradley is now O Philadelphia policeman.
He has been a member of the Quaker City
force since he gave up playing base ball, way
back in the 1880's. Although too old for active
service, he still remains on the force. He is
one Of the police guards on duty at City Hall,
his duties consisting chiefly of keeping anbu-
lance chasers, political hangers-on and similar
small fry, the like of which are to be found
congregated in the corridors Of every city hall.
on the move
To look at Bradley one would never imagine