On July 15, 1876, during the NL’s first season, Bradley pitched the league’s first no-hitter, defeating Hartford 2-0. That year, the perpetually grinning righthander pitched every one of St. Louis’s 64 games and led them to a second-place finish with 45 wins. His 16 shutouts set a ML record tied only by Grover Alexander 40 years later. Brought to Chicago the next season to take over the pitching for Al Spalding, he was far less effective, and for the rest of his career played at third base as often as he pitched.
