and became the team captain until he threw a baseball at an opposing pitcher following a groundout; he was later fined $25 ($ in 2011). On the season, he recorded nine home runs—good for third in the American Association. Burns's 19 triples were enough to tie him with five others for the league lead, and his 140 games played were tied for the league lead with teammate Blondie Purcell. After playing in 79 games for Baltimore in 1888, Burns was transferred to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms by Harry Von der Horst, the owner of both clubs. While he was playing for the Bridegrooms, the New York Clipper described Burns as "the noisiest man that ever played on the Brooklyn team. His voice reminds one of a buzz-saw." Burns remained with the Bridegrooms for the 1889 season. He recorded team highs in on-base percentage, batting average, and home runs, while the Bridegrooms, with an 89–48 record, became American Association champions. In the 1889 World Series, the Bridegrooms played the New York Giants of the National League. Burns hit a three-run home run to win the fourth game of the series, giving Brooklyn a 3–1 series lead. However, the Giants would take the World Series after winning five straight games. In 1890, the Bridegrooms had moved to the National League. Burns, now 26, led the league in home runs (13) and RBI (128). He hit for the cycle on August 1, 1890—becoming the first Bridegroom to do so. The team won the National League pennant, and faced the Louisville Colonels in the 1890 World Series. The series ended in a 3–3–1 tie: bad weather led to the cancellation of more games. After the 1891 season, Burns' 1892 RBI total was third in the league, and his hits, doubles, triples, and batting average marks were the second highest on the Brooklyn team, now named the Grooms. In 1893, between games of a doubleheader, a teammate of Burns, Tom Daly, was sleeping in center field when Burns stabbed Daly with a penknife. Daly awoke and turned on the knife, leading to a severed tendon which kept Daly out for two weeks. Burns' 1894 batting average (.355) was the highest of his career; his hit and run totals were also the second highest in his career. Burns continued to play for the club until 1895, when he played for the New York Giants. In his final