Joe Blong

Joseph Myles Blong

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Debut May 4, 1875
• Final Game October 6, 1877
• Born September 17, 1853 in St. Louis, MO USA
• Died September 17, 1892 in St. Louis, MO USA

BR page

Biographical Information

". . . regarded as one of the greatest all-around players on the diamond." - from Joe Blong's obituary in Sporting Life, Sept. 24, 1892

Joe Blong was born and died in St. Louis, playing his entire major league career there as well. He was in the National Association in 1875 and the National League in 1876 and 1877. A two-way player, he was below average in both hitting and pitching, although he was sure-handed in the outfield. In 1877, he went 10-9 on a team that played under .500. Blong holds the career record for most innings pitched without allowing a home run. He went 320 1/3 innings without allowing a dinger.

A web page about Joe Blong says he attended Notre Dame in the 1860s along with his brother, where they both played on the baseball team. Afterwards, Joe played on amateur teams in St. Louis with his brothers, two of whom played on the St. Louis Brown Stockings team before it joined the NA.

One source says he was removed from the team in 1875 (along with Trick McSorley) for "crooked play". Flint and McSorley. The page says that Blong, McSorley, and others left the Brown Stockings to go to the Covington Stars. Joe's brother, Andy, was part of Brown Stockings management, and most likely had a role in the move. So it is not completely clear whether Joe engaged in crooked play or whether that was an accusation which came about in the midst of an angry break-up. In any case, after a short while in Covington, Joe left the club under unclear circumstances to go play in Indianapolis. Blong was again kicked out of baseball in 1877, accused of crooked play along with several players, including Davy Force. Force came back, but Blong never did. He played with other (apparently amateur) teams thereafter.

Source: Joe Blong.