Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Caruthers debuted with a four-hitter for the Browns in late 1884. Caruthers, who stood 5\'7" and weighed 138 pounds, led the team to its first pennant the following year. He led the league in wins (40), ERA (2.07), shutouts (6) and winning percentage (.755) in 1885, and was 30–14 for the 1886 champions after a lengthy contract dispute which he conducted from Paris, earning him his nickname. In 1886, he also played right field when not pitching, batting .334 to place him among the league\'s top five hitters, and leading the league in on-base percentage. On August 16 of that year, he became the fourth pitcher to hit two home runs in a game, while also getting a double and a triple; after the last he was thrown out at the plate, ending the game, in trying for a third home run. In 1887, despite battling malaria, he again led the league in winning percentage with a 29–9 record as the Browns won their third consecutive title; he also batted .357 with 73 runs batted in, while finishing second in the league in slugging percentage for the second consecutive year.\n', '

After the team\'s 1887 postseason loss, during which the team was criticized for its recreational activities, his contract was sold to Brooklyn by team owner Chris von der Ahe, who largely blamed Caruthers, an expert billiards and poker player, for the failure.\n', '

Caruthers posted a record of 29–15 in 1888, though his batting average dropped to .230; in 1889 he again led the league in wins (40), shutouts (7) and winning percentage (.784) as the team captured its first title, but rarely played in the field when not pitching. Brooklyn changed leagues following the 1889 season, joining the National League. Caruthers\' 175 wins during six Association seasons would stand as the second-best total in the league\'s ten-year existence, behind Tony Mullane\'s 203 wins in seven seasons; Caruthers\' league ERA of 2.62 was the best of any pitcher with at least 2,000 innings, and put him behind only Ed Morris and Will White among those with 1,500 innings.\n', '

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