Joe Borden

Joseph Emley Borden, aka Joe Josephs, (May 9, 1854 – October 14, 1929), nicknamed "Josephus the Phenomenal", was an American professional baseball starting pitcher for two seasons. Born in the Jacobstown section of North Hanover Township, New Jersey, he was playing for a Philadelphia amateur team when he was discovered by the Philadelphia White Stockings of the National Association (NA) in 1875. The White Stockings needed a replacement for a recently released pitcher, and were awaiting the arrival of a replacement. During his short, seven-game stint with the team, he posted a 2–4 win–loss record, both victories recorded as shutouts. On July 28 of that season, he threw what is thought to be the first no-hitter in professional baseball history.

When the NA folded after the 1875 season, Borden signed a three-year contract with the Boston Red Caps. On April 22, 1876, Borden and the Red Caps were victorious in the first National League (NL) game ever played. Later that season, on May 23, he pitched a shutout, which some historians claim was the first no-hitter in Major League Baseball. Known for having an eccentric personality, he played under different surnames, such as Josephs and Nedrob, so as to disguise his involvement in baseball; his prominent family would have disapproved had they known. After he was released from the Red Caps as a player during the first season of his contract, he worked for a short period of time as their groundskeeper until he and the owner agreed to a buyout of the remainder of his contract. It was mistakenly claimed that he died in 1889, in the Johnstown Flood. His official death date is recognized as occurring in 1929 when he was 75 years of age.

Early life Joseph Emley Borden was born on May 9, 1854, in Jacobstown in North Hanover Township, New Jersey into a wealthy family. The fourth of John H. and Sarah Ann (Emley) Borden's six children, his father was a shoe manufacturer. Borden moved to Philadelphia in 1870. He joined the J.B. Doerr club by 1875, an amateur baseball club that played several teams around Philadelphia. It is claimed that his family would have been embarrassed that their son was playing baseball for money, and would have disapproved. To hide his playing career, he assumed several various last names, such as Josephs and Nedrob, which is Borden spelled backwards. Borden lost the next three games he started before defeating the St. Louis Brown Stockings, and future Hall of Fame pitcher Pud Galvin, 16–0 on August 9. Before the season, Borden signed a three-year contract worth $2000 a season ($ current dollar adjustment) with the Boston Red Caps of the NL. The club had high expectations that he could adequately replace Albert Spalding who had recently departed for the Chicago White Stockings. In addition to his swiftly moving fastball, he also delivered a curveball that moved down and away from right-handed batters; both pitches he delivered from a low arm angle. According to Lee Allen, baseball historian and writer, the scorecard shows that Borden gave up two bases on balls, which were counted as hits in the final score. Furthermore, on June 6, the New York Clipper did not report an occurrence of a no-hitter in their summary of the game, though the box score did have differing stats in other categories than what the Daily Globe had reported. Due to his erratic pitching and behavior, he was released from the team by August. Borden reportedly found work stitching baseballs in Philadelphia. The Sporting Life magazine corrected the error in its June 19 issue, stating he was alive and living in Philadelphia. On February 7, 1891, Borden married Henrietta S. Evans, the daughter of publisher Henry S. Evans. The couple had two children, Richard, who died as a baby, and Lavinia. Borden worked as a banker with the Guarantee Trust and Safe Deposit Company and the Philadelphia representative for the U.S. Shipping Board. He was an amateur boxer and trained at Philadelphia Boxing Academy. He also kept hunting dogs and won exhibitions.