The Chronicle
May 1874
Edition 4.5
Spalding Loves To Play The Field
Boston's Most Talented All Around Player Thriving
One of the most interesting and enigmatic personalities in the game is the young 23 year old star of the Boston club, Mr. Albert Spalding. No doubt that Spalding has some of the very best baseball talent the game has to offer and whether it is with the his arm or with the bat, he seems to be a step ahead of everyone else.
Boston manager Harry Wright often wishes his star player would concentrate more on his pitching and getting batters out. Spalding however insists that he plays the outfield on days he is not throwing as he seems to enjoy his time out there just as much or more then all the tension when he is pitching. Spalding is a .326 career hitter with 100 career RBI and a .756 career OPS. He also seems to know where the opponent is going to hit the baseball and positions himself in advance to make plays a normal outfielder would never get too.
On the mound Spalding is having one of his best seasons as his 1.80 ERA is much better then his career 3.75 mark. Jim Britt has added much needed support to the pitching rotation and Spalding more then ever seems to be having fun. The team as a whole has benefited greatly as Boston is off to their very best start going 12-3 and sitting on top of the American League.
"It just looks like a different club this season" says Philadelphia manager Dick McBride. "they are not beating themselves like they usually do."
A great deal of credit needs to go to Spalding, who in his free time has a number of business ventures going and is proving to be quite the innovator at his ripe young age within the Boston community.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he ran for President" says teammate Ezra Sutton. Unfortunately he will have to wait at least 17 years to be eligible. In the meantime Boston just may keep on winning.
Candy Continues To Get Better
Sweet Array Of Pitches Working For Cummings
The Mutuals of New York are off to a good start in 1874 and seemed as determined as ever to regain the pennant. The club has caught most of the attention of the New York fanbase as teams like the Atlantics and Eckfords cant seem to get out of their own way.
The pioneer for the club making the biggest impact has to be star pitcher Candy Cummings. Cummings of course is famous for bringing in his curve ball to the game and making ti famous. In 1872 when the Ware native introduced the pitch, there was immense doubt and even some ridicule for the abnormal pitch. Cummings however to his credit stayed stubborn and kept throwing it and even teaching it to others. With practice comes perfection, and in time Cummings has made the pitch close to perfect.
From an ERA of 3.62 in his rookie year to 2.79 last year and this year brining it all the way down to 2.11, the pitch has been harder and harder to hit. Cummings had compiled almost 50 strikeouts in just over 2 seasons and at this point pitchers all over the league are studying the pitch and its late diving action. Teammate Ed Stratton has learned to throw the pitch and has brought his ERA down from 4.14 to 2.37, the difference is obvious.