Quote:
Originally Posted by cinemaodyssey
Jim Foran and one of the Mansells was on the team early in the year. A player named Dodds was a starter for the season, and Shaffer and Martin also appeared in box scores. They could be Orator Shafer and Phonney Martin.
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Skimming the Columbus papers from 1876, "Martin" in the box scores seems to be Martin Nolan, a local. Shafer was "George Schaffer, late of the Philadelphia club", so yes, Orator Shafer. He replaced Foran on the club (Columbus Dispatch, Aug. 14, 1876). George Strief was signed in late July to replace Martin Nolan. Joe Simmons replaced a player identified as West on the club. At some point, Mansell got sick and I think Martin came back to replace him.
Dodds was Samuel Dodds. Mansell is identified as M.R. Mansell and stated to be 18 years old, so that fits Mike Mansell. The catcher was Billy Barnie, from Hartford in 1874 and Keokuk and the New York Mutuals in 1875.
I just located an article published in the Columbus Dispatch on Nov 16, 1876 that was a season recap. It states the team used just 13 regular players during the season. Barnie, Nolan, Dodds, Martin, Burke and Doscher played all season. West was succeeded by Simmons in June. Strief joined in July, Shaffer came in August replacing Foran and Callahan started in September. Mansell seems to have left in late July.
Edited to clarify:
Ed Nolan and Martin Nolan were two different players. Martin Nolan was referred to as Martin in the box scores, as best I can tell. He was a local player who had played in Columbus for a number of years prior to 1876.