Beatin was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1866. He began his professional baseball career at age 20 with the Allentown Peanut Eaters in the Pennsylvania State Association. He appeared in 25 games for Allentown, threw 22 complete games, and compiled a 19–5 record with a 1.37 earned run average (ERA).\n', '

After his strong showing at Allentown, a dispute arose between three National League clubs (Detroit Wolverines, Cincinnati Red Stockings, and Indianapolis Hoosiers) over which had the rights to Beatin. The Indianapolis club claimed it had struck a deal with the Allentown club for Beatin\'s services in early July, and Detroit and Cincinnati both claimed to have struck deals for Beatin and catcher Tom Kinslow in late July. The dispute, referred to as "The Beatin Case", became front page material in the Sporting Life throughout the month of August 1887.\n', '

Indianapolis manager Horace Fogel accused both Beatin and the Allentown directorate of having acted "very dishonorably" in the matter and suggested that "this Allentown youth is deserving of the blacklist." In the end, only Cincinnati and Detroit pressed their claims at a hearing before baseball\'s Board of Arbitration. Detroit president Frederick K. Stearns testified and produced telegrams showing that he had closed deals with Beatin and Kinslow on July 20, seven days before Cincinnati claimed to have signed them. Detroit thus established priority to the players, and the Sporting Life described Cincinnati\'s case as having "proved decidedly weak." The Board issued its ruling in September 1887, finding in favor of Detroit.\n', '

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