It is agreed that all players will be paid a flat $500.00 fee, but many clubs, notably Chicago and New York, pay their top player over that amount. The League victory is promised a “jeweled loving cup exceeding $1,000.00 for possession of a season.” Players on the victorious team are to receive $100.00 bonuses.
It was assumed, by the Eastern press, that one of the four “Atlantic” clubs would win the league. It was also assumed the two “Western” clubs, despite the history of the Cincinnati Kings, would simply battle for last place. To the shock of many, the Chicago Browns battled the Boston Unions until the last week of the season for the inaugural pennant.
Boston had the steady bats of 3B Alton Emch and C Norman Lent, who hit .500 and .476 respectively, which proved the difference down the stretch. They were able to take advantage of the fact that league games sometimes had two weeks stretches between games to keep fresh and ready. Boston’s Richie Alaibilla is hailed as the best hurler in the league and Alton Emch, who had a 30 game hitting streak at one point, is unsurprisingly declared the top Batsman.
Chicago was hurt by Horacio “Charmer” Pfahlert being injured before the last series of the season. A line drive fractured his hand in early September, and the Browns were forced to start amateur Mac Tomehak against the Kings. Chicago goes 1-3 against the Kings while Boston finished 2-2.
More shocking to the Eastern Press was the showing of the Philadelphia Brotherhood—who won their first game of the season before losing their next 25 in a row. So embarrassed were the backers by the 3-37 showing, the club—which just 4 seasons earlier had been declared “National Champions”—disbanded for lack of support by the locals. Aron Mousser regarded as the man who “invented” the shortstop position appears in 9 games, hitting .154. After promising an easy pennant at the start of the season, he is replaced by a younger Marlon Bosshart, who can only manage to hit .173 with 19 errors in 35 games. The ace of the squad is Tony Amuso, who has a 2-8 record.
On May 12, Chicago battered Philadelphia 26-3, with Second baseman Henry Parnell lacing 6 hits. As was the tradition of the time, Philadelphia starter Newton Peckenpaugh went the distance—one of five games he surrendered at least 20 hits.
At the mid-season league meeting, a motion to require all playing fields to be surrounded by chicken wire “for the protection of the spectator” is voted down, as is a proposed rule to require players to wear gloves. The Eastern clubs feel the glove rule is against tradition and would make a mockery of the players “true” abilities.
Brooklyn outfielder Moises Crytser became the first man to hit 2 home runs in a game on August 25. He “circled the bases with such speed, the retrieval of the ball by the outfielders appeared to take place in a fine molasses.”
Cincinnati’s Tory Claessens, a key part of the Base Ball Kings tour of 1869, loses 5 decisions by 1-run.
A.J. Helmuth, after his Kings finish in 5th place, sells his interest to Max Von Schriber for $4,000.00. Helmuth retains the deed to the Cincinnati Avenue Grounds where the Kings play and makes more money as landlord than team owner. Helmuth was, interestingly enough, key in defeating a motion the prior season that would have required league members to own the park they played in.
Just a week after the season ends, the Great Chicago Fire occurs. The Chicago Browns will go dormant for 2 years.
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Empire League Standings
Team W L PCT GB Home Away XInn 1Run
Boston 28 12 .700 - 15- 5 13- 7 0-3 3-7
Chicago 25 15 .625 3.0 14- 6 11- 9 4-1 12-4
New York 25 15 .625 3.0 14- 6 11- 9 5-2 7-3
Brooklyn 22 18 .550 6.0 12- 8 10-10 4-3 7-7
Cincinnati 17 23 .425 11.0 11- 9 6-14 3-4 3-8
Philadelphia 3 37 .075 25.0 2-18 1-19 1-4 2-5