- hand ed ▁Bald win ▁and ▁his ▁" inc endi ary ▁fast ball ▁and ▁sin uous ▁curve , ▁a ▁so - called ▁' s nake ball .' " ▁ ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 9 , ▁Mc Gu ire ▁began ▁his ▁professional ▁baseball ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁with ▁the ▁Ter re ▁Ha ute , ▁Indiana , ▁club . ▁ ▁To led o ▁Blue ▁Stock ings ▁Mc Gu ire ▁made ▁his ▁major ▁league ▁debut ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁with ▁the ▁To led o ▁Blue ▁Stock ings ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Association . ▁ ▁He ▁hit ▁. 1 8 5 ▁in ▁ 1 5 1 ▁at ▁b ats ▁and ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 4 5 ▁games . ▁At ▁To led o , ▁he ▁shared ▁the ▁catch ing ▁respons ib ilities ▁with ▁Mos es ▁Fle et wood ▁Walker , ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁player ▁in ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball . ▁Mc Gu ire ▁and ▁Walker ▁each ▁caught ▁ 4 1 ▁games ▁for ▁the ▁Blue ▁Stock ings . ▁The ▁Blue ▁Stock ings ▁finished ▁in ▁e ighth ▁place ▁( out ▁of ▁ 1 3 ▁teams ) ▁with ▁a ▁ 4 6 – 5 8 ▁record ▁and ▁fol ded ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁season . ▁ ▁Detroit ▁Wol ver ines ▁Mc Gu ire ▁began ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁season ▁playing ▁for ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁Ho os iers ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Western ▁League . ▁ ▁Mc Gu ire ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 1 6 ▁games ▁for ▁the ▁Ho os iers , ▁who