Get to Know: Larry Corcoran

Larry Corcoran: Baseball Pioneer

First and foremost, Larry Corcoran was a trailblazer:

• Member of the first rotation ever assembled (a two-man rotation with Fred Goldsmith) for the Chicago Whitestockings
• Supposedly the first pitcher to signal his pitches to the catcher from the mound, shifting a wad of chew when Uncle Charlie was coming to town (it seems like a stretch - pun intended! - that no pitcher had yet thought to signal a catcher; maybe we'll just credit him for being the first to have it documented)
• Switch-pitcher
• Originator of the one, true template for Washington Nationals acquisitions.  Once highly regarded, he had demonstrated his skills were completely eroded (dead arm), then had the Washington Nationals take a flyer on him anyway.  Corcoran performed predictably terribly for the Nats (establishing what everyone already knew) before being discarded.  The likes of Daniel Cabrera, Wily Mo Pena, Eddie Guardado and countless others from the past few years owe Corcoran a tremendous debt of gratitude.
• First pitcher to record two no-hitters
• First pitcher to record three no-hitters

Chicago won six of the National League's first ten pennants (NL began in 1876), staking claim to the title of baseball's first dynasty.