Louisville Grays

The Louisville Grays were a 19th century baseball team and charter member of the National League, based in Louisville, Kentucky. They existed for 2 years from 1876 to 1877 and compiled a record of 65 - 61.

The Grays were involved in major league baseball's first gambling scandal. The team was in first place in August of 1877, and suddenly lost 7 games against the Boston Red Stockings and Hartford Dark Blues. Boston ended up winning the pennant; the Grays took 2nd place.

Team president Charles E. Chase received two anonymous telegrams. One noted that gamblers were favoring the less talented Hartford team in an upcoming series. The 2nd predicted Louisville would throw the next game versus Hartford on August 21, 1877. The Grays committed a number of suspicious errors and lost that game 7-0. League president William Hulbert investigated, and ordered players to authorize Western Union to release all telegrams sent or received during the 1877 season. All players complied except shortstop Bill Craver , the team's captain.

The telegrams indicated pitcher Jim Devlin , center fielder George Hall, and utility player Al Nichols intentionally lost games in exchange for money. No direct evidence was found implicating Craver. All four were banned from baseball for life, Craver for refusing to comply with the investigation.

The Grays disbanded after the 1877 season.