Category: Fred Dunlap

It's Been Too Long Since I've Mentioned Fred Dunlap

7/20/2015

The King of Second Baseman

Fred Dunlap, whose picture is above given, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1858, and began his career as a ball-player with the Gloucester Club of Gloucester, N.J., in 1874. The following year he played short-stop for the Cregar Club of Camden, N.J., and he filled the same position with the Kleinz Club of his native city in 1876. His first professional engagement was with the Auburn Club of Auburn, N.Y., with whom he played sixty-eight games during the season of 1877, and gained quite a reputation as a second-baseman. He commenced the season of 1878 with the Hornells of Hornellsville, N.Y., and on their disbandment in August of that year he was promptly secured by the newly-organized Albany Club, with whom he has since played. Although he is one of the youngest professionals in the fraternity, it would be hard to find his equal as a second-baseman, he being a sure catch, and, besides covering more ground than any player we know of, he plays with rare judgment and goes for every ball that comes anywhere near him, no matter how hot it may be, some of his catches and stops being extraordinary. He is also a very good batsman, and can go the circuit of the bases in lively style. He is a reliable, hard-working and sharp player, and his quiet gentlemanly bearing and modest way of doing his work have made him a general favorite.

-New York Clipper, July 19, 1879

What's amazing about this short bio of Dunlap is that it appeared in the Clipper the season before he made his major league debut (a season in which he led the NL in doubles and was probably the best second baseman in the League). It's kind of like, today, when we read a profile on the next hot prospect that's coming up. Except that this was 1879.

The other really interesting thing is what a nice, young man they make Dunlap out to be. And he may have been a nice kid in 1879, although I doubt it. I believe that Dunlap's personality was formed long before he started playing professional baseball and the Clipper is just giving us gloss. It wouldn't be long before Dunlap's true nature was revealed.

Now, I don't want you to think that Dunlap was some kind of evil monster because he wasn't. Dunlap was, simply, a rather selfish human being. He was self-centered and cared only about himself. He was both greedy and miserly. But, again, he wasn't evil. Dunlap's main concern was Fred Dunlap and the protection and preservation of Fred Dunlap. And given his background as an orphan who stated that he never had a home or a family, it's understandable.

Dunlap was a great ballplayer. As I said, he was probably the best second baseman in the League as a rookie. He was probably the best player in the League by the age of 23. His first seven years as a major league player are fantastic. Throw out 1884 and you're still looking at one of the best players of his generation. The leg injuries that he suffered, starting in 1887, really destroyed his career but that doesn't change the fact that from 1880 through 1886, Fred Dunlap was a star.

But he wasn't a quiet, reliable, modest gentleman.

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Fred Dunlap Was Batman

12/24/2014

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Batman

Fred Dunlap of the Clevelands was in [Philadelphia] Sunday, having been called home by the sickness of his mother. He says he does not like Cleveland any too well, and will not play there next season unless he gets his terms.

-New York Clipper, September 24, 1881

Look, nobody likes Fred Dunlap more than I do but he was a complete jerk-off. He was always a problem. I don't think the man was ever happy and he was probably a miserable human being. It was just his nature. It was who he was. He was a hell of a ball-player but a terrible teammate and employee.

Dunlap's parents were both dead by the time he was ten years old. He grew up an orphan and never really had a home after his folks died. While he stayed with relatives, Dunlap himself said one time that "home" was merely a place where he went to eat and sleep. The rest of his time he was outside playing baseball. Just on its face, that's an interesting story but if you look at it deeper you see that Dunlap is revealing a bit of himself in it. He told us himself that he grew up without a home and without a place where he belonged, where he was safe, and where he was loved. It's actually a very sad story that's masquerading as a tale about a young boy's love of baseball.

And, yes, I love to psychoanalyse Fred Dunlap. It's too easy. His misanthropy, greed, miserliness, selfishness, constant challenging of authority, lack of satisfaction, and just his general unhappiness in spite all of his success all stems, I believe, from the death of his parents. In a way, he's kind of like Batman.

Fred Dunlap

Seriously, Dunlap grew up without feeling loved and safe and that manifested itself in his constant battles with baseball management over money. He always, without fail, fought for every last penny he could get out of his club and you have to give him credit because it worked. He was, for several years, the highest paid player in the major leagues. And this also manifested itself in the fact that he didn't waste the money he earned. He was cheap and a smart businessman, although I may be repeating myself there. He didn't waste his money on women, liquor, and gambling like most of his contemporaries and I think that all came from a desire to feel safe. Money represented safety to Dunlap. It represented security. And he fought for his money. He saved his money. He invested his money wisely. Money is not love and it doesn't buy happiness but it does make a lot of problems go away. For the orphan Dunlap, it represented everything he didn't have or everything that had been taken away from him.

And that above squib is all about money and it is fascinating and telling that Dunlap used the excuse of a sick mother, who didn't exist, to bolt the Clevelands in an attempt to squeeze more money from the club. Dunlap was the best rookie in the major leagues in 1881 and was arguably the best second baseman. In 1882, he was without a doubt the best second baseman in the majors and was, from 1882 to 1884, arguably the best player in baseball. Dunlap knew how good he was, he knew what his talent was worth, and he wanted to be paid what he was worth. It's fascinating that Dunlap himself, in 1881, ties that desire to his sick and dying parents.

This was the first time he pulled this stunt but it wouldn't be the last. He would do this again and again. He was always asking for more money. He was always unhappy about his situation. He was never satisfied. In the end, the money that he was chasing didn't make him happy. I didn't bring him love. It didn't bring back his parents. It didn't stop the leg injuries that ended his career. It didn't stop a national economic downturn that destroyed his investments. He was chasing ghosts and didn't know it. He was chasing the shadows that frightened him when he was a child and you can never catch a shadow.

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It's Been Too Long Since I've Mentioned Fred Dunlap

Fred Dunlap Was Batman

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