1873
Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds hosted and exhibition game on October 30th between the National Association champion Boston Red Stockings and the runner up Philadelphia Whites. The Red Stocking won the game 15-9 before 2,000 spectators.
1874
On October 30th, the Boston Red Stockings played the Hartford Dark Blues in a regular season game at Worcester Agricultural Grounds. The Dark Blues won the game 17-11.
1880
The 1880 Worcester Ruby Legs, also known as the Worcesters, joined the National League in 1880 coming from the National Association. The Ruby Legs finished in fifth place with a record of 40-43, 26.5 games behind the Chicago White Stockings. Worcester hovered around the .500 mark for most of the season and an eight-game losing streak at the end their pennant hopes.
Shortstop Arthur Irwin (.259/1/35) and third baseman Art Whitney (.222/1/35) had solid seasons as the Ruby Legs scored more runs than they allowed. First baseman Chub Sullivan (.259/0/0) had a peculiar stat line. Sullivan played in forty-three games, walked four times, struck out six and had no RBIs in 170 plate appearances. Outfielder Harry Stovey (.265/6/28) led the National League in triples (14) and home runs (6).
N. L. Co-Home Run Leader (6)
Harry Stovey (WOR)
N. L. Triples Leader (14)
Harry Stovey (WOR)
The Ruby Legs utilized only four pitchers the entire season. Lee Richmond (32/2.15/243) started 66 games and posted a 32-32 record with a 2.15 ERA. Richmond led the National League in games played (74), games finished (9) and saves (3). Fred Corey (8/2.43/47) started 17 games and finished with a record of 8-9. Tricky Nichols (0/4.08/4) pitched two complete games, both losses. Harry Stovey (0/4.50/3) provided six innings of mop up work. Richmond made history on June 12th when he pitched the first perfect game in major league history, a 1-0 win over the Cleveland Blues.
Perfect Game:
Lee Richmond (WOR)
vs. Cleveland Blues (1-0)
First Perfect Game
Worcester was once again part of history on August 20th when they became the first team to be no-hit at home. Pud Galvin of the Buffalo Bisons kept the Ruby Legs hitless in a 1-0 Bisons victory.
No-Hitter
Pud Galvin (BUF)
vs. Worcester Ruby Legs (0-1)
First Road No-Hitter
1881
Worcester dropped to the bottom of the National League in 1881. The Worcesters finished with a 32-50 record, twenty-three games behind the Chiago White Stockings. Worcester ended May with an 11-7 record but a disastrous July (4-12) and August (3-12) saw the Worcesters fall to the cellar.
Outfielder Buttercup Dickerson (.316/1/31) led the team with a .316 batting average. Fellow outfielder Pet Hotaling (.309/1/35) topped the Worcester nine in RBIs with 35. First baseman Harry Stovey (.270/2/30) and third baseman Hick Carpenter (.216/2/31) both hit two home runs to lead the team.
Lee Richmond (25/3.39/156) was again the workhorse of the Worcester staff starting 52 of the 82 games. Richmond ended the year with a 25-26 record and allowed the most earned runs in the National League (174). Fred Corey (6/3.72/33) started 21 games and finished the year 6-15. Harry McCormick (1/3.56/7) started nine games winning only one of nine decisions. Billy Taylor (0/7.88/0) started one game and allowed 15 hits and 13 runs (7 earned) in his only attempt.
1882
Worcester played their final season in the National League in 1882. They ended the season with an 18-66 record at the bottom of the National League, thirty-nine games behind the Cincinnati Red Stockings. In the penultimate home game of the season, Worcester drew only six fans at the Driving Park Grounds and the end was near.
Scoring runs for Worcesters was at a premium as they tallied just 379 on the year. Harry Stovey (.289/5/26) led the team in both average (.289) and home runs (5). Outfielder Jackie Hayes (.270/4/54) topped the team in RBIs with fifty-four.
The Worcester pitching staff allowed 652 runs with a combined 3.75 ERA. Workhorse Lee Richmond (14/3.74/123) started 46 games and led the National League in losses (33) and earned runs (171). Frank Mountain (2/3.69/29) posted a 2-16 record in eighteen starts while Fred Corey (1/3.56/36) went 1-13 in 14 starts and led the league in games finished (7).
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