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EXCELSIOR HAMMERS LEADERS ATLANTIC 22-0
CREIGHTON PITCHES SHUTOUT & BATS 4/5; FIVE OTHER EXCELSIOR BATSMEN WITH 3+ HITS

BROOKLYN (June 1, 1870) – It was an afternoon to remember for Excelsior fans at Carroll Park, as the 2,240 in attendance watched their team absolutely crush top-of-the-standings Atlantic in the first game of their Week Six series:

It was an extraordinary team performance by Excelsior. No fewer than six players had 3+ hits for the rampaging hosts. Here are the first five:

• Harold Cunningham (2B): 3/6 (all 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI
• Ralph Hunt (RF): 3/5 (all 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• James Shepherd (SS): 3/4 (all 1B), 2 SAC FLY, 3 R, 2 RBI
• Ben Smith (LF): 3/6, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI
• Obelix Tsiaris (CF): 3/6, 2 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI

The final Excelsior player with a gaggle of hits on the afternoon? Of course, it was none other than Jim Creighton, and he did far more than excel with the bat:

• 4/5 (all 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• CG SHUTOUT, 7 HA, 1 BB, 8K

Creighton’s performance was easily the best by a single player in the NBBO this season, and one that raised his record for 1870 to 8-4. Meanwhile, poor Walter Banks, a 2x All-Star who struck out just a dozen times last year, was sat down three times on strikes by Creighton.

The result keeps Atlantic comfortably in first place, although the gap between them and Excelsior is now three games.