14. Bid McPhee

McPhee’s tenure in Cincinnati began in 1882, and over the next eighteen seasons, he became the ultimate lifer, never once donning another uniform. He was far more than a defensive specialist, accumulating 2,258 career hits and serving as a consistent leadoff threat with a keen eye and surprising power for the era. However, his true brilliance was found in the field. He famously resisted the introduction of the baseball glove until the very end of his career, claiming that the leather hindered his ability to feel the ball and make the lightning-fast transitions required at the keystone.

The statistical evidence of his defensive dominance is staggering, even by modern standards. McPhee led the league in double plays turned 11 times and remains the all-time career leader for second basemen in putouts. He was a master of positioning and anticipation, finishing in the top ten in defensive bWAR ten times throughout his career. He wasn't just reacting to the play; he was dictating it, pioneering the art of the double-play pivot and showing a level of durability that saw him average nearly 130 games a season at a time when the schedule was significantly shorter.

His identity was synonymous with Cincinnati baseball during its formative years. Whether he was bare-handedly snaring a liner or navigating the rough-and-tumble baserunning of the 19th century, McPhee was the steady pulse of the organization. He concluded his long journey in 1899, leaving behind a resume that redefined the expectations for his position. He proved that the second base bag could be a place of both high-volume production and elite artistry, a lesson that the game took to heart long after he hung up his cleats.

For decades, McPhee was a forgotten giant of the Deadball Era, but the passing of time only highlighted the magnitude of his achievements. Recognition finally arrived on a national scale in 2000, when he was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Locally, the Reds ensured his place in the pantheon of Queen City greats by inducting him into the franchise Hall of Fame in 2002.