For the 1884 season, he feasted on the upstart Union Association's lack of talent, pitching for the Chicago Browns (which became the Pittsburgh Stogies), and for the Washington Nationals later in the season. He finished with a 28–28 win–loss record, but did have a low 2.43 ERA, and set a few records in that lone season for the Association. Daily struck out a total of 483 batters that season, a record that was surpassed only in 1886 by both Matt Kilroy (513), and Toad Ramsey (499). Among the season totals, he struck out 19 batters in a game, on 7 July, tying Charlie Sweeney. Unofficially, his reported 19 strikeout game was upgraded to 20 when it was discovered that one batter had struck out but reached first base when the pitch got away from the catcher. This meant that Daily did not just tie the record, but broke it instead (Roger Clemens then unofficially tied the mark in 1986). Daily added one more record that season; he set the record for most one-hitters in one season, with four, two of them back to back, which was also itself a record at the time. The record was later matched by Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1915.