The Sport
July 1857
National Association
NEW YORK -- Despite the July riot in the city, the Association's first season continued without interruption.
The Gotham club of New York looked strong in their opening match, defeating the Eagle club 33-20 on July 7th. Gotham played superbly, scoring multiple runs in every inning except the 2nd and stopping Eagle cold without an run over the last 4 innings. In the game, Gotham CF Cudlipp, went 6 for 7 with 2 runs, while pitcher T.G. Van Cott (home run, 5 runs), 1B Wadsworth (double, 4 runs), and LF Sheridan (4 runs) each had four hits. Van Cott picked up the victory. Gelston led Eagle, going 5 for 8 and scoring 5 runs.
The Putnam and Excelsior clubs of Brooklyn opened their respective seasons on July 14th in a hard fought match won by Putnam 21-14. Putnam's Gesner had 6 hits, with 2 doubles, a triple, and 4 runs to lead the Putnam barrage of 36 hits. Dakin went the distance to pick up his first victory of the season. Catcher Joe Leggett starred for the Excelsiors, with five hits, including a double, and 3 runs.
Eagle rebounded from its loss to Gotham with a 28-16 victory over Empire on July 21st . Gelston led the way, going 5 for 7, while Yates and Houseman each collected 4 hits. Bixby picked up the victory. Empire received good play from Miller, Moore and Hoyt.
On July 29th, Empire lost again, 19-17, this time while hosting Brooklyn's Eckford club. Empire scored often, in every inning but the 8th. However, Eckford kept battling back. A 5-run 9th inning by the Brooklyn team gave them their first lead of the game, 19-15, and a strong defensive effort limited Empire to just 2-runs during their side of the inning. Campbell and Mills had 5 hits each for Eckford while Ward had 6 hits for Empire. Eckford's Pidgeon earned the victory.
Other News
Brooklyn's Harmony club notified the Association that it was disbanding. A Harmony spokesman blamed the club's demise on poor participation by its members. "We have not been able to gather enough players to field a full team for practice so far this year and the Association season is well underway." He urged Harmony members who wished to continue to play the game to join other more active Brooklyn clubs.
Association Standings
Code:
W L PCT GB R RA
KNICKERBOCKER 2 0 1.000 -- 44 41
GOTHAM 1 0 1.000 0.5 33 20
PUTNAM 1 0 1.000 0.5 21 14
EAGLE 2 2 .500 1.0 86 73
ECKFORD 1 2 .333 1.5 47 77
EXCELSIOR 0 1 .000 1.5 14 21
EMPIRE 1 3 .250 2.0 96 95
Massachusetts Game
BOSTON -- Boston's Olympic club won a best-of-three series against long time rival, Green Mountain club during the Independence Day Weekend. The first game began Friday morning, July 3rd. During the first five innings, the Olympics raced out to a 25-10 lead and never looked back, winning 100-82 in 18 innings. Hubbard and Rollins paced the Olympics with 12 aces each. In the field, Fletcher played superb defense, catching three fly balls for outs and soaking seven runners.
The series resumed the following morning on Independence Day. Although the sky was overcast, a crowd of nearly one thousand spectators thronged the playing field at the Commons to view the action. Early on, it looked like the Olympics again would run away with the game, scoring 38 aces during the first ten innings compared to just 18 for Green Mountain. However, the Olympic bats cooled considerably for a long stretch allowing the Green Mountain men to take a 58-52 lead during the top side of the 22nd inning. Green Mountain crossed the century mark during their side of the 30th inning. Chasing 17, the Olympics were only able to plate six as Green Mountain evened the series 1-1 with a 109-98 victory.
In Sunday's final match, the clubs passed the lead back and forth several times before the Olympics finally took control in the 15th Inning, 28-23. From there, the Olympics cruised to a 100-76 victory in 26 innings and took the series from Green Mountain, 2-1. Again, Fletcher looked impressive for the Olympics batting 14 aces and tallying six hands-lost in the field (2 fly outs caught, 4 runners soaked).
On July 11th, the Wassapoag club of Sharon downed Bay State 62-48 in a marathon eight hour, 52-inning match that was finally called because of darkness.
On July 14th, Tri-Mountain edged Elm Tree 102-99 in an exciting 28-inning match whose outcome was in doubt until the final out.
On July 25th, the Winthrop club of Holliston defeated the Union club of Medway 100-71 at the Boston Agricultural Fair Grounds.
On July 28th, Bunker Hill picked up its first match victory of the season, defeating the American club of Boston, 101-88.
Standings
Code:
W L PCT GB R RA
OLYMPIC 3 1 .750 -- 404 361
TRI-MOUNTAIN 2 0 1.000 -- 207 195
WASSAPOAG 1 0 1.000 0.5 62 48
WINTHROP 1 0 1.000 0.5 100 71
GREEN MTN 2 2 .500 1.0 367 331
BUNKER HILL 1 1 .500 1.0 197 193
ELM TREE 1 1 .500 1.0 199 199
BAY STATE 0 2 .000 2.0 142 168
AMERICAN 0 2 .000 2.0 185 201
UNION 0 2 .000 2.0 104 200
Base Ball becoming National Game
The sport of base ball is the current rage in New York and Massachusetts. However, our editors have found that the game has traveled far beyond the confines of New York City and is emerging in a scattered pattern in various locations all over the continent... spread there with the help of America's new and ever expanding railroad network, and accounts of games in such newspapers as the New York "Clipper" and "Porter's Spirit of the Times" and in our monthly publication, "The Sport."
In New York State, places like Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, and Troy all have local teams and the New York game has even slipped across the Canadian border, as both Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario have organized informal base ball clubs.
In Detroit, the Franklin Club was organized this year to play base ball and there are also reports of baseball clubs springing up in Cleveland, Chicago and even in the Minnesota Territory.
Coming Next Month: Base Ball's statistical leaders.