New York World

Twenty Years a Player

One of the first great players to don a Reds uniform, Bid McPhee spent all 18 years of his major league career with Cincinnati. Only four other players have played more games as a second-sacker than "King Bid," who was considered the best second baseman of the 19th century. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000, McPhee led his league in double plays 11 times and posted the best fielding average in nine seasons. In 1987, the New York World ran this profile article about the great second baseman.

John Alexander McPhee, or "Biddy," as he is familiarly called, the second baseman of the Cincinnati Reds, is a record-breaker in the tenure of service on the diamond, as well as in his standing for playing. His engagement for this season makes 20 years that he has been regularly engaged in the sport. He has outserved several generations of players, and has played with all of the leading baseballists of his time.

He was born in Massena, New York, November 1, 1859. His father was a Scotchman, and his mother came from a prominent Yankee family of Puritan stock. John T. Brush, president of the Cincinnati club, was also born in Massena, New York. Although about the same age, Brush and McPhee never knew each other until Brush became the owner of the Cincinnati club.

He has had many chances to go to other clubs, but his many friends in Cincinnati and his great liking for the city of his adoption keep him here. He is a great home favorite and has been the recipient of many presents from admiring friends in this city.

A few days ago action was taken by McPhee's local admirers for the purpose of presenting him a substantial testimonial in recognition of his long and faithful service with the Cincinnati team.

Testimonial to McPhee

Subscriptions to this are now pouring in. The Chamber of Commerce, W.W. Peabody, vice president of the B.O. & S.W. RR; Samuel Bailey, former United States Sub-Treasurer, and many other prominent persons are taking an active part in the affair. Substantial, indeed, will be the testimonial, as rumor has it that a house and lot will be presented to him.

For many years McPhee was recognized as the only player in the league playing an infield position who did not use a glove. It has been in the last season or two only that he resorted to the use of a glove, which was brought about by an injury to his left hand that left that member tender.

While he has been for many years looked upon as the "King" second baseman, he is so graceful and accurate in his position that many plays from McPhee are not called great because his action is quiet and unassuming and the baseball public has become used to them.

When McPhee was seven years old his family removed to Kaithsburg, a small hamlet of 1,700 inhabitants in western Illinois, where Park Wilson, the great backstop of the New York club, was born and reared. Wilson's father was running a dry-goods store in the town, and McPhee was for some time a clerk and an all-around helper in the store. Both Wilson and McPhee played with a local team called the Ictorias. They were called by the fans the "fly-catchers."

The team sent East for uniforms and played all the clubs of the surrounding towns, being a leading feature for the county fairs at that time. This club won the first prize in the district league. The prize was a nickel-plated bat. McPhee was at that time playing behind the bat, and was a good catcher. He was the youngest player in the team, being only 16 years of age. In 1877 he and Elmer Rockwell were signed by the club at Davenport, Iowa, and they constituted what was then known as a crack battery, with Rockwell in the box and McPhee behind the bat.

In the Davenport club McPhee also played second base and in the right field in 1878. In 1879 McPhee did not play ball, but secured a position as clerk in a commission house in Davenport. In the spring of 1880 he went to Akron, Ohio, and played second base in the semi-league club that played the Cleveland club on off days.

In the autumn of 1880 O.P. Caylor formed the American Association and sent Charlie Jones, the old left fielder of the Reds, to Akron, to sign McPhee, Sam Wise, and Kemmler, the two latter being now out of the business, while McPhee is still playing with Cincinnati. McPhee lives in this city with his parents, who have resided here since 1884. He is a man of excellent habits, always takes good care of himself, smokes and drinks very little, and spends most of his time at home.

McPhee on How to Play

When asked how to play second base, McPhee said he played it no different than anyone else. He said that a good shortstop is a great help to the second baseman, and when the two understand each other well they can cover much more ground and do it safely.

Of course, there is much depending on all members of the team playing well together, but no two men, not even the batteries, can mutually help each other more than the second baseman and the shortstop. McPhee said when he was playing ball he always tried to avoid accidents. While he always wanted to win, yet he would prefer to be credited with an error than with an injury, and for that reason he has only been out of the game on account of disabilities for three weeks during his long career of 20 years.

He says the batters are getting things down so fine now that they can fool all the fielders, usually hitting the ball as they please and driving it where least expected — formerly the fielders would take certain positions for the right-handed men and other positions for the left-handed men, but now there is no such thing as catching the batter by shifting around in this manner. There was also much interest in studying certain batters who were known to drive the ball in given directions, but now the batter hits to dodge the fielders, and this part of the...