4. Ed Delahanty

In May 1888, local observers quickly recognized that Ed Delahanty, who arrived as a member of the Phillies, possessed exceptional physical attributes; however, his initial performance fell significantly short of his potential. A robust and muscular presence at the plate, the young outfielder initially encountered difficulties against major league pitching, managing only a modest .228 batting average during his debut summer. He demonstrated improvements the following year, prior to briefly joining the renegade Players’ League in 1890, a decision that provided a glimpse of his developing batting ability but temporarily hindered his progression toward becoming the dominant offensive player of the decade.

Returning to the Phillies permanently in 1891, a renewed focus unlocked his innate talent. By 1892, "Big Ed" had become the league's most formidable right-handed hitter, leading the National League with 21 triples and a .495 slugging percentage. The following summer, he truly broke through, winning both the home run title with 19 homers and the RBI championship with 146 runs batted in, leading a powerfully explosive Philadelphia lineup that overwhelmed nineteenth-century pitchers.

In the mid-1890s, Delahanty entered an era of exceptional productivity that remains astonishing statistically. He surpassed the rare .400 batting average mark in consecutive seasons, posting .407 in 1894 and .404 in 1895. In 1896, he won his second home run title and became only the second player in baseball history to hit four home runs in a game. He combined this legendary power with notable speed and a strong arm from left field, leading the league with 58 stolen bases in 1898. His peak at the plate came in 1899, when he won the National League batting title with an impressive .410 average and achieved a career-high 55 doubles.

As his athletic successes increased, his personal life began to decline into turmoil. Delahanty battled severe alcoholism and a harmful gambling addiction, which gradually distanced him from his teammates and strained his relationship with management. Following an outstanding 1901 season, where he amassed 2,213 hits and a .348 batting average, he switched to the American League, joining Washington in a desperate attempt to earn a higher salary and pay off his growing debts.

The tragedy that cut his life short remains one of baseball's darkest mysteries. On July 2, 1903, an intoxicated Delahanty brandished a razor and terrorized passengers aboard a train bound for New York, prompting the conductor to eject him at Bridgeburg, Ontario. Stumbling in a drunken stupor across the International Railway Bridge near the edge of the Niagara River, he fell into the water and was swept over Niagara Falls. His body was recovered at the bottom of the falls two weeks later; he was only 35 years old.

Delahanty would enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 via the Old-Timers Committee, and in 1984, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame.