Hardy Richardson

Hardy Richardson
Infielder / Outfielder
Born: (1855-04-21)April 21, 1855 Clarksboro, New Jersey, U.S.
Died: January 14, 1931(1931-01-14) (aged 75) Utica, New York, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 1, 1879, for the Buffalo Bisons
Last MLB appearance
September 10, 1892, for the New York Giants
MLB statistics
Batting average	.299
Home runs	73
Runs batted in	828
Teams
Buffalo Bisons (1879–1885) Detroit Wolverines (1886–1888) Boston Beaneaters (1889) Boston Reds (1890–1891) Washington Senators (1892) New York Giants (1892)
Career highlights and awards
1887 World Series champion NL home run leader (1886)

Abram Harding "Hardy" Richardson (April 21, 1855 – January 14, 1931), also known as "Hardie" and "Old True Blue",^[1][2] was an American professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1875 to 1892 with a brief minor league comeback in 1898. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball, playing at every position, including 585 games at second base, 544 games in the outfield, and 178 games at third base. Richardson played for six major league teams, with his longest stretches having been for the Buffalo Bisons (1879–1885), Detroit Wolverines (1886–1888) and Boston Reds (1890–91).

Richardson appeared in 1,334 major league games, compiled a .299 batting average and .437 slugging percentage, and totaled 1,127 runs scored, 1,694 hits, 305 doubles, 126 triples, 73 home runs, 828 RBIs, and 377 bases on balls. From 1881 to 1888, he was part of the "Big Four", a group of renowned batters (the others being Dan Brouthers, Jack Rowe, and Deacon White) who played together in Buffalo and Detroit and led Detroit to the National League pennant and 1887 World Series championship.