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TWO FIVE-STAR DEBUTS ON WEDNESDAY
UTICA’S ELLIS, PORT JERSEY’S BROWN EACH TALLY FIVE HITS IN THEIR FIRST NBBO GAME

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. & PHILADELPHIA (May 5, 1869) – The 1869 NBBO season started with a bang on Wednesday afternoon, as a pair of debutantes had never-before-seen debuts during the afternoon.

First up was new Utica SS “Foxman” Ellis. His team brushed aside hosts Binghamton by the score of 17-8, and while OF Johnnie Sands hit 4/6 and C George Menghini drove in four runs it was Ellis whose performance stole the show in his first NBBO game:

• T2: Leadoff Single past SS off M. Hales (R)
• T3: Single past 2B off M. Hales (SB)
• T5: 1-run Single past SS off M. Hales (R)
• T6: 1-run Single to LF off R. Schoettler (R)
• T7: Fly Out to SS off R. Schoettler
• T9: Single to CF off R. Schoettler (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (all 1B), 4 R, 2 RBI, SB, 1 DEF DP

Over in Philadelphia, Port Jersey lost 14-10 at Quaker State but one massive silver lining was the performance of new CF George Brown, also playing in his first NBBO game:

• T2: Leadoff Double to RCF off R. Gill (R)
• T3: 2-run Double to RCF off R. Gill (R)
• T4: Single to RCF off R. Gill
• T6: 1-run Triple to LCF off R. Gill (R)
• T9: Leadoff Single past SS off L. Zimmerman
• TOTAL: 5/5, 2 2B, 3B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 9 TB

With their performances, Ellis & Brown became the first two players in NBBO history to collect five hits in their first game in the NBBO. Ellis, a New Jersey native, joined Utica last November, while Brown left Upstate New York to join Port Jersey last December. Both players impressed enough during preseason training that they were put straight into the middle of their teams’ lineups.