Once upon a long ago, the famed Cincinnati Red Stockings, after losing money on their cross-country tour of 1870, seriously considered folding up operations and distributing their players to other clubs. Harry Wright, the Red Stockings' legendary player and manager, was set to go to Boston and start a new Red Stockings team in Beantown. This did not sit well with the pro club already
in Boston, the Tri Mountains, who claimed that the new National Association had promised
them a spot in the loop. After much wrangling, the Board of Directors of the Cincinnati club decided to return for 1871, "on a contingency basis" and make the new NA a ten-club group.
Since then, the Red Stockings had won five consecutive pennants and four Centennial Cups -- with a chance to win a fifth, against none other than Tri Mountains, who had made the playoffs nine times but had never hoisted the trophy.
In the opener, in front of a mad lot at the Palace of the Fans, Reds hurler Bob Black held Boston to four hits (and had three himself) in an 11-4 rout. In Game 2, Boston broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh by scoring twice on Reds errors, then added another trio in a 6-1 win and a tied Cup Final.
The third game was held at the ballpark in The Fens section of Boston (also called "Fen Way Park" by the locals). The Red Stockings quickly found that they had to tangle not just with the Tri Mountains, but also with their fanatical supporters called "The Royal Rooters", led by the imperious Michael "Nuf Ced" McGreevey. Owner of the Third Base bar (“the last place before home”), McGreevey was quick to argue and even quicker to slam his hand on the bar and say, “Enough said!” to clinch an argument.
In the game itself, 43-year-old Sam Woolverton, whose career dated back to the pre-Association days of 1866, socked an RBI single and a two-run triple, which turned out to be the difference in a 3-2 win. But the Red Stockings evened up the series in Game 4, as Dan Brouthers and Bill Black each hit a pair of doubles in a 14-6 victory.
Game 5 would be the last game in Boston for 1886, win or lose. Tri Mountain made sure it was a win as John Schappert, who had never thrown a shutout in his six-year career, held Cincy to seven hits – and no runs, as Boston won, 6-0, putting them a win away from the Cup. “Nuf said!” shouted McGreevey, stating drinks were on the house for the entire team.
A woozy bunch of ball players hopped on the stage coach for the sixth game in Cincinnati. Boston’s fielders – apparently still feeling the effects of the party – committed seven errors while Reds lead-off man John O’Rourke had three hits and two RBI in a 6-2 victory. Series tied!
For Game 7, Tri Mountains sent their 42-year-old ace George "The Charmer" Zettlein to the hill, against equally aged veteran Bill Atwater. But Zettlein failed to charm the Red Stockings lineup, allowing single runs in the second and third innings before Cincy exploded five times in fourth, keyed by Bill Black's bases-clearing double that made it 7-0, Reds. Jim Devlin smacked a two-run inside-the-park HR in fifth -- Devlin appeared to be out at the plate but the Reds did not argue, apparently thinking Boston had suffered enough. In the end, it was 10-2 beating, and the Red Stockings had their fifth Centennial Cup.
Back in Boston, though, Mike McGreevey refused to admit defeat. When chatting with a reporter, he pointed up to a high, empty shelf. "
That's where the Cup is going
next year!" he bellowed, slamming his hand on the bar. "'
Nuf said...!"