Paul "Little Paul" "Mascot" Radford, Right Fielder

Radford was a Boston native who came into the league with Boston in 1883, and was the starting right fielder as they cruised to the pennant that year.  They didn't like his bat much, though, and he was released to the Grays as their regular right fielder for 1884.  At 5'6" and 148 pounds, he was one of the smallest men on the team, and at 22 he was the youngest player in the daily lineup.  Playing next to the comparatively large Paul Hines, he was referred to as "Little Paul" for much of the year.

The press immediately took a liking to the hustling little right fielder.  In the first week of spring training, the Journal noted that "Radford has been guarding the right field line with praiseworthy zeal and effectiveness, while he has no superior on the nine in fleetness of foot and agility as a baserunner."  He was the bright spot in the team's lackluster loss on opening day, May 1: "The brilliant feature of the game was the magnificent work of Radford in right field, who made some remarkable running fly catches, completing a superb double play with Farrell in a long running catch in Hines' pasture...  He made a most successful debut and received the plaudits of the spectators."  However, the next day, the team decided to get Sweeney's bat into the lineup in right field, and Radford suffered the additional indignity of being sent out to take tickets at the turnstiles.  On several occasions throughout the rest of the year, he sat on the bench while one of the two star pitchers played right field; Sweeney and Radbourn were the two best hitters on the team in May.

On May 12, Radford was the victim of dirty play by King Kelly, "the contemptible sneak of the white-legged champions."  Kelly was playing short, and forcibly obstructed Radford on the way to third, "bringing down a storm of hisses and maledictions from the spectators."

The Journal was still so fond of Radford by May 17 that they ran a special article titled "The Boss Right Fielder", comparing Radford with Crowley, his Boston replacement.  The Journal proudly noted that "Radford's batting record is 220 per cent on single hits, to 160 per cent for Crowley...  By a comparison of their records to date it would appear that 'Little Paul' has at least proven his equality to his mighty successor."  He had his biggest day at the plate on June 14, going 4-7 with two runs in a 15-inning victory, and his two-out double won the game.

Radford had another run-in with King Kelly on August 28.  Kelly was at catcher that day. Radford was on third base, and got caught in a run-down; after "some of the liveliest skirmishing", "Kelly lost his head completely and ran into the diamond with the ball in hopes to corner Radford, but the little 'Mascot' dashed for the plate, and scored on Kelly's poor throw...and there was a season of the most extravagant expressions of amusement."

Despite Radford's baserunning heroics, he was the weakest hitter in the Grays' regular lineup, finishing the year at .197.  His fielding statistics seem fairly good; he was second among right fielders in fielding average, and fifth among all outfielders in assists.  His powerful throwing arm was occasionally put to use for pitching.  With the staff thinned by suspensions and expulsions, he pitched three exhibition games in mid-July to save the few real pitchers for league games.  He also started a meaningless October game against Buffalo and got shelled for five innings before passing the ball to Art Irwin.

After 1884, Radford went on to put together a decent twelve-year career, mostly in right field and at shortstop.  He also pitched ten games over the course of his career.  He went on to be the starting shortstop for the champion Boston American Association team in 1891, playing with Hall-of-Famers Dan Brouthers and Hugh Duffy.  His manager was his old teammate Arthur Irwin.  He followed Irwin to Washington in 1892 and retired from there in 1894.  After the death of Barney Gilligan, he was the last of the team's main players still living.  He finally died in Boston in 1945, aged 84.

copyright Rick Stattler 2002

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