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NEL WINS ALL-STAR GAME IN PITTSBURGH
DOMINANCE DURING MIDDLE INNINGS SEALS THE VICTORY; GRAFF TAKES HOME MVP HONOR

PITTSBURGH (Aug. 3, 1868) – A 6-0 run during the middle innings saw the Northeastern League repeat as victors at the Tenth All-Star Game in Pittsburgh on Monday afternoon:

The ASG started out as an even contest, level 1-1 after three innings thanks to dueling tallies in the 2nd inning – a double by Brynjar Rasmussen (OF, CON) and a single by Arran Duffy (2B, ALL) providing the scoring.

It was the middle innings where the NEL took control of the game. In the bottom of the 4th run-scoring hits by Anthony Mascherino (SS, SHA), Nelson Townsend (OF, STJ), and Falco van der Vaart (C, MB) gave the NEL 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the 5th Wilbur Graff (1B, L.E.) scored on a passed ball to make the score 5-1. Then, in the bottom of the 6th Thomas Maloney (OF, M.B.) singled in Peter Boyce (2B, AME) to put the NEL ahead 6-1.

The New York League mounted a four-run rally in the top of the 7th – the key hit a 2-run triple by Harold Price (SS, F.C.) – to slash to deficit to a single run, but the NEL answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning on singles by Graff, James Badner (2B, G.M.), & Thomas Paddock (P, PIO) to put the game away.

All-Star Game X Most Valuable Player honors went to Lake Erie 1B Wilbur Graff. His line for the afternoon:

• 3/3, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI

Graff had key extra-base hits in the 5th & 7th innings and he also scored runs in both, making him the main factor in the NEL’s second consecutive All-Star Game victory.

17,639 witnessed the game in Pittsburgh’s Recreation Park, the largest crowd ever for a base ball game.