[tm1681]

GOTHAM OUTLASTS HILLTOP IN A N.Y.C. CLASSIC
TEAMS COMBINE FOR 35 RUNS & 43 HITS; GOTHAM’S ARNOLD & BILLON THE STARS

NEW YORK CITY (May 10, 1866) – The season is only in Week Two, but already the National Base Ball Organization has been given what might end up being its game of the year thanks to a Hilltop-Gotham classic in New York City on Thursday:

This game had EVERYTHING: 35 total runs, 43 hits, 17 combined fielding errors, and seven lead changes.

Gotham raced out to a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the 1st, but eight Hilltop runs made it 9-4 in the top of the 2nd. Gotham then made it 9-8 in their half of the 2nd and had an 11-10 lead by the end of the 3rd. Hilltop scored three unanswered runs over the middle innings to take back the lead and enter the late stage ahead 13-11, but Gotham once again roared back. After going up 14-11 in the top half of the 7th, Hilltop allowed Gotham to take a 15-14 lead on a combination of hits & errors in the bottom half. The visitors then took the lead back in the 8th on a 2-run single by P Xanthus Komninos, but in the bottom of the 8th the lead went straight back to Gotham on a 2-run double by Alexander Arnold. Gotham then received an insurance run via wild pitch, and they needed it because after scoring a run in the top of the 9th Hilltop had the tying run on 3rd when Richard Kenton hit a fly out to CF to end the game.

Hilltop was led by All-Star C Morris Jennings, who was 4/6 with a pair of doubles, a pair of runs, and one R.B.I, but the stars of the game wore Gotham’s clothing. Two in particular stood out: SS Alexander Arnold & LF Luc Billon.

ARNOLD

• B1: Single to LF off R. Frazee (stole 2B, scored)
• B2: 1-run Single to CF off R. Frazee (scored)
• B3: Fly Out to RF off F. Mills
• B5: Single past 2B off F. Mills
• B7: Single b/w 1B & 2B off F. Mills (scored)
• B8: 2-run Double to LF off X. Komninos (scored)
• TOTAL: 5/6, 2B, 4 R, 3 RBI, SB, 6 TB

BILLON

• B1: 2-run Single to RCF off R. Frazee (scored)
• B2: 1-run Single to CF off R. Frazee (scored)
• B3: 2-run Double to LF off F. Mills (scored)
• B5: Fly Out to CF off F. Mills
• B7: 1-run Single to LF off F. Mills (scored)
• B8: Reached via Base on Balls by X. Komninos
• TOTAL: 4/5, 2B, 4 R, 6 RBI, BB, 5 TB

For the two thousand people in attendance, everyone received their money’s worth. For Hilltop, it was an extremely disappointing loss littered with miscues. For Gotham, it was a thrilling victory that continued their run of mostly positive results to start the 1866 season.