Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn's Grave – Bloomington, Illinois - Atlas Obscura
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Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn's Grave

Evergreen Memorial Cemetery
Bloomington, Illinois

A giant wooden statue of one of the greatest pitchers in 19th-century baseball. 

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Charles Radbourne Public Domain
The stump has not been removed due to a bug infestation. martinavasil (Atlas Obscura User)
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A giant wooden statue of Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn carved from the stump of a tree stands in the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

Radbourn was born in Rochester, New York, but his family soon moved to Bloomington, Illinois, where he was raised. In 1878, Radbourn joined the Peoria Reds as a right fielder and pitcher. He pitched professionally for 11 years in the National League and the Players League. During that time he won 310 games and lost 191 for a winning percentage of 61.9.

In 1884, when Radbourn was playing for the Providence Grays, he won between 59 and 62 games (accounts of his record differ). During the summer of 1884, Old Hoss is said to have struck out 411 men. In 1882. 1883, 1884, his three best years, he had 147 wins and 56 losses. No pitcher has ever equaled this record in their best three years. The plaque attached to the back of his monument has a complete record of Radbourne’s winnings.

Know Before You Go

There's no admittance from dusk to dawn. The cemetery is closed on major holidays.


There are several other large wood carving in the cemetery from downed trees.


 

baseball graves trees
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