bᵻfˌoːɹ hɪz tˈaɪm wɪððə hˈuːʒɚz, hiː hæd plˈeɪd pɹəfˈɛʃənəli fɚðɪ ˈiːst sˈædʒɪnˌɔː ɡɹˈeɪz ʌvðə nɔːɹθwˈɛstɚn lˈiːɡ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi θɹˈiː.
Before his time with the Hoosiers, he had played professionally for the East Saginaw Grays of the Northwestern League in 1883.