On September 30, 1893, Browns’ second baseman Joe Quinn was honored by The Sporting News as the most popular baseball player in America. That same day, in a doubleheader against the Beaneaters, Quinn collected eight hits, becoming the first player in history to accomplish the feat. The Browns won both games of the doubleheader, 17-6 and 16-4. Quinn, who worked as a mortician during the off season, was inducted into the Australian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013.
“Most popular player in baseball, 8 hits in a Double Header, Australian, mortician in the off season,” said the English teacher. “Now go and write a short story about it.”
What an assignment! Oh, the possibilities.
Somewhere in the story we’d have to slip in, “Kids, he knocked it stiff that day.”