The Reach Guide, founded by Major Leaguer turned sporting goods magnet Alfred Reach in 1883, along with the Spalding Guide, founded by Major Leaguer turned sporting good magnet Albert Spalding in 1878, were the annual bibles of baseball.
Both publications prided themselves on providing the most complete chronology of the previous season.
An example of just how complete the Reach Guide could be is found in the 1906 edition.
The entry is about a young pitcher named Gus Bonno.
Bonno was born November 27, 1882 (Baseball reference incorrectly lists his birth year as 1881) in Ohio. Records for his career are spotty. After playing for a semi-pro team in Urbana Ohio in 1901 and part of ’02, late that season Bonno appeared in two games with the Toledo Mud Hens in the American Association. Bonno returned to semi-pro the following season and played for the Paducah Indians in the Kitty League in 1904.
Bonno pitched for the Newark Sailors in the Eastern League and Norwich Reds in the Connecticut State League in 1905.
The Kentucky New Era referred to the Bonno as: “The handsome black haired, black-eyed debonair Italian twirler.” In fact, nearly every contemporaneous newspaper article about Bonno referred to his ethnicity, which underscores the domination of players of Irish and German heritage in 19th and early 20th Century baseball.
Back to the Reach Guide.
On page 160, for the date September 23, 1905:
“Pitcher Gus Bonno at Cincinnati broke his ankle jumping from a second story window of a young woman’s home to avoid being shot by a jealous rival suitor.”
1906 Reach Guide
Bonno recovered enough to join the Augusta Tourists in the South Atlantic in the spring of 1906, but was sold to the Norfolk Tars of the Virginia League at the beginning of season. He continued to pitch until 1911 with stops in the Western League and Bluegrass League.
He passed away in Cincinnati in 1964.
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