This Month In Baseball
July 1875
Edition 5.4
An Irish Bond In American Game
Foreign Pitcher Accepted As Star
Americans take pride in their National game and its origins. Never tell a true baseball fan that the game of baseball does not belong solely to them and that they are the innovators and holders of its legacy. Still in that sort of thinking, is an obvious short sight that the game has appeal to all people and all nations and crossed over backgrounds and cultures.
The Irish immigrants in the country haven't always had it easy. In Philadelphia these days as the city embraces their National League club, a 19 year old Irish arm by the name of Tommy Bond is having a important impact. Bind was born in Granard Ireland and his father immigrated to Brooklyn when he was a young child, giving him plenty of time to learn how to play the game. Little Tommy was a Brooklyn Atlantics fan growing up but his opportunity would come when manager Lip Pike brought him into the club last season. Bond has won 14 games this season with a 1.68 ERA with 11 strikeouts and a 1.7 WAR. Bond in fact can be argued that he is the best arm on the club, even more then Cy Bentley who is already well established.
"Im just trying to show everyone kid from every background that they can make it in this game" says Bond, "the game shows no partiality and I feel colored or anyone else should be allowed to participate."
Currently there are no official rules in the league that disqualify any single race but the issue has not gone without attention.
The White can dream of their first possible pennant as they sit just one half game out of first place but still have to deal with the giant shadows of New York and Chicago.
McVey Gets Six Hits In Six Tries
Star Pitcher Reminds Everyone He Can Still Swing It
Cal McVey took his position in the outfield in a perfect afternoon in Philadelphia. The New York star was not scheduled as a pitcher and took his secondary position in the outfield. McVey made quite a stir in the offseason and he made the decision to focus more on his pitching then his hitting, a move that was rumored to be frowned upon by the league office. The transition has for the most part been a success as McVey has gone 12-6 with a 2.67 ERA in 18 starts. On the flip side his batting average has dipped to .276 well below his career mark of .366. One should keep in mind however that the league as a whole has had offensive struggles as pitching has dominated the season.
On this day McVey would remind everyone what a talented swinger he really is going 6 for 6 against the Philadelphia Whites and becoming only the 13th player in the history of the league to do so. No one had accomplished the feat in the past to two seasons and out of the 13 times times done, it is Davy Force who has turned the trick three times. The Mutuals and McVey are still playing great baseball and have a real chance to become the first club in league history to repeat as champions.