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THE 1858 TUCKER-WHEATON CUP
KNICKERBOCKER TRIES TO KEEP ST. JOHN’S FROM REPEAT CUP WINS

NEW YORK CITY & PROVIDENCE, RI, August (1857) – There were two teams that went 51-19 during the 1858 National Base Ball Organization season: Knickerbocker B.B.C. in the New York City Championship and St. John’s B.C. in the New England Championship. They had the two best run differentials in the N.B.B.O., the two best home records in the N.B.B.O., and the two largest margins atop the standings in the N.B.B.O. Not surprisingly, they were also the final two teams standing in the N.B.B.O. playoffs.

Knickerbocker played Kings County of Brooklyn after they won the N.Y.L. Semi-Final in five games over Victory. What followed was a 3-1 series win in which Knickerbocker outscored Kings Co. 21-11 over the last two games, leaving little doubt as to which was the better of the New York metropolitan area’s two biggest clubs. Second baseman Ray Masters was N.Y.L.C.S. Most Valuable Player thanks to 9/17 (.529) batting with five RBI.

St. John’s was up against Reading Athletic in the N.E.L. Championship Series after this year’s surprise team won the semi-final via three multi-run victories in four games against Trenton United. The N.E.L.C.S. amounted to a stroll for St. John’s, who outscored Reading 25-11 across three easy wins, with second baseman Anderson MacGyver winning M.V.P. honors (7/14, 3 XBH, 8 R, 4 RBI).

That set up a Tucker-Wheaton Cup series between the two teams who were the best in the 48-team National Baseball Organization almost non-stop after the start of June. It was hoped that a cup final between two dominant & evenly-matched teams would result in a much closer series than the St. John’s sweep over Victory B.B.C. last year.

Would that prove to be the case?

The series was a thrilling one that went the full five games. Knickerbocker won the first two and had St. John’s on the ropes, but St. John’s’ experience from last year propelled them to three straight wins to make them the grand champions of the first two seasons of National Base Ball Organization play.

GAME ONE in The Elysian Fields belonged to Knickerbocker from the first pitch. Leadoff hitter Henry Andrews singled, the team scored three times in their half of the first, and it was 5-0 by the end of the third. Knickerbocker scored six more times to make it 11-2 by the end of the middle innings, and thanks to that cushion they were able to withstand a furious St. John’s rally in the late innings to win 11-8. The victors were led by four different players who had two hits each: Andrews, CF Albert Jones, 2B Raymond Masters, and 3B Otis Redding. Pitcher Walter Simon got the win and moved to 3-0 in the playoffs, even though he gave up six Earned Runs.

P.o.t.G.: Jerrick Stoner (3B, StJ) – 3/4, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI

GAME TWO was another one at The Elysian Fields in which Knickerbocker jumped to a big lead early and effectively had the win in the bag before the late-game jitters had a chance to settle in. Once again Henry Andrews led off the first with a hit – this time a double – and that sparked Knickerbocker to two runs in their turn at bat. Three more runs in the second and one in the third gave them a 6-1 lead, and that was all they needed in a 6-4 victory that put them up two games to none. Andrews finished 2/4 with a run and RBI each, while first baseman Shaw Oulton went 3/4 and outfielder Zarek Polakowski went 2/4. Pitcher James Kyle went the distance, giving up one Earned Run while hitting 1/3 with a run & RBI.

P.o.t.G.: James Kyle (P, KNI) – CG, 6 H, 4 R/1 ER, 2 BB, 135 PIT – 1/3, 1 R, 1 RBI

GAME THREE was in Providence, and that was where the tide of the series changed. Now it was St. John’s turn to jump out to a large early lead – one that was 8-2 by the end of the third inning. They didn’t let up, eventually winning the game 14-8 thanks to nineteen hits from their batsmen. Outfielder Clive Wise had four hits and scored five times, while center fielder Richard Kenton knocked three hits and drove in three runs, and catcher Martin Reagan had three hits of his own to go with four RBI. Knickerbocker committed nine errors in the game, and only five of the fourteen runs allowed were Earned Runs. They also allowed seven Stolen Bases – a day the defense wanted to forget.

P.o.t.G.: Clive Wise (OF, StJ) – 4/5, 5 R, RBI, SB

GAME FOUR was the first one in the series that was a real nailbiter. Yet again there were multiple runs by the hosts in the bottom of the first – two by St. John’s. Three more runs in the third and St. John’s was up 5-1. Knickerbocker levelled the score thanks to four runs in the fifth inning, and that was how the score would stay until the end of the ninth. After the first two extra innings went scoreless St. John’s substitute Billy Collins came up to bat with two on and one out in the bottom of the twelfth, and he hit a line drive single between third base and shortstop to bring in Collin Henderson and give the home team a 6-5 victory to even the series.

P.o.t.G.: Morton Helgestad (P, StJ) – CG (12.0 IP), 11 H, 5 R/4 ER, 1 BB, 169 PIT – 2/4

GAME FIVE was back at the Elysian Fields in New York City, and it was figured that The Elysian Fields – the first genuine base ball venue – would be too intimidating for St. John’s given the occasion. However, thanks to three runs each in the third, fourth, and eighth innings St. John’s clobbered Knickerbocker to keep hold of the Tucker-Wheaton Cup. In the deciding game they received three hits from Collin Henderson & Clive Wise, and two each from Ernie Arnold, William Johnson, & Anderson MacGyver. The contest looked over once St. John’s went up 7-2 in the fourth inning, and it was really party time when they ran the score up to 10-2 in the eighth.

P.o.t.G.: Collin Henderson (1B, StJ) – 3/5, 3 2B, R, 3 RBI

In a vote that was no surprise, Tucker-Wheaton Cup M.V.P. went to St. John’s corner outfielder Clive Wise, who hit .500 (12/24) over the five games, with four doubles, six runs scored, six runs batted in, and two stolen bases.

Two years into the history of organized base ball, and St. John’s has been crowned champions of base ball twice.