Jack Dunn was a pitcher and infielder who won 23 games for the pennant-winning Dodgers in 1899. He managed Providence (Eastern League) to a pennant in 1905, then had his greatest success in Baltimore (Eastern League/International League) starting in 1907 where, as owner-manager, he built the most successful minor league franchise in history. After winning a pennant in 1908 he bought the team from his former manager Ned Hanlon. Known for his ability to size up young players, he never forgot a player or a play. He found and developed players like Lefty Grove, Babe Ruth, Joe Boley, Jack Bentley, Ernie Shore and sold them for $50,000 to $100,000. On the field, the Orioles once posted a 27-game winning streak. In 1914 he fielded the greatest team in the minors. They were 15 games in front when competition from the crosstown Federal League team forced him to sell off his 12 top stars to the majors and temporarily move to Richmond. Starting in 1919, they won seven International League pennants in a row. Dunn declined an offer to manage the Braves in 1928, and that fall had a fatal heart attack while on horseback watching bird dog field trials.
