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THE TUCKER-WHEATON CUP PLAYOFFS

NEW YORK LEAGUE SEMIFINALS

• GAME 1: UNI 3-12 ATL – P Olaf Sorensen (ATL) CG, 5 HA, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2/2, 1 R, 2 RBI
• GAME 2: UNI 5-8 ATL – 1B Jackson Wright (ATL) 2/4 (both 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI
• GAME 3: ATL 7-8 UNI – 1B Edward Severson (UNI) 3/4 (all 1B), 1 R, 1 RBI
• GAME 4: ATL 6-7 UNI – 1B Edward Severson (UNI) 2/5 (2B, 3 TB), 2 R, 2 RBI
• GAME 5: UNI 17-9 ATL (10) – 1B Edward Severson (UNI) 4/7 (all 1B), 2 R, 3 RBI, DEF DP
• SERIES MVP: 1B Edward Severson (UNI) – 9/25, 6 RBI, 5 R, 1 2B, 2x PotG

Atlantic opened the series with a comprehensive 12-3 home win, during which they scored 10/12 runs over the first five innings and had an easy time of it from there. Game Two was closer, with Atlantic responding to a Grand Slam by, of all people, Union P Gus Woods, that tied the game 5-5 with three runs in B7 to give the game its 8-5 final and Atlantic a 2-0 lead.

Their season on the line, Union came through in Game Three. Two runs in the 2nd, three in the 4th, and three more in the 7th saw the N.B.B.O.’s best team in one-run games (11-2) win 8-7 and extend their season by at least a day. Union then repeated the trick, beating Union 7-6 the next thanks to three runs in B7, and somehow it was back to the Capitoline Grounds for Game Five.

In Game Five the N.B.B.O.’s “Cardiac Kids” pulled off the 0-2 comeback, and they did so in the most typical Union fashion. Faced with a 7-0 deficit after three innings, Union then reeled off nine straight runs to take a 9-7 lead in T8. Atlantic tied the game 9-9 thanks to a pair of Errors, and after a scoreless 9th the series was decided in extra innings. That didn’t take long – Union sent eight men around the bases in T10, and they were through to the N.Y.L.C.S.

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE SEMIFINALS

• GAME 1: SotO 5-10 TU – 2B James Lanagan (TU) 2/5 (both 1B), 2 R, 3 RBI, SB
• GAME 2: SotO 4-1 TU – P William Berg (SotO) CG, 8 HA, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/4, 1 R
• GAME 3: TU 9-1 SotO – SS Earl Seals (TU) 2/5 (both 1B), 1 R, 3 RBI, DEF DP
• GAME 4: TU 13-14 SotO – SS Peter Jones (SotO) 2/2 (3B, 4 TB), 2 R, 3 RBI, DEF DP
• GAME 5: SotO 7-10 TU – 3B Jelmar Keereweer (TU) 2/3 (both 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI, SB
• SERIES MVP: 2B James Lanagan (TU) – 10/25, 8 RBI, 9 R, 1 2B, 5 SB, 1x PotG

The series opened in exciting fashion. Tied 5-5, Trenton came to the plate in B8 and plated five to take a 10-5 win to start their title defense. The next day they were flummoxed by veteran S.o.t.O. P William Berg, and the visitors needed just five Hits to even the series.

Trenton got even in New Bedford, holding S.o.t.O. one Run on six Hits in a Game Three rout to take back the upper hand and put the hosts’ backs to the wall. Game Four was a classic. It looked like Trenton had their tickets to the N.E.L.C.S. punched thanks to a 13-9 lead after T9, but with their last chance at bat S.o.t.O. scored five times on a series of Bases on Balls, Hits, & Errors to force a winner-take-all contest in New Jersey.

The defending champs, back at home, had the run of Game Five. Ten runs over the first five innings saw them ahead 10-5, and S.o.t.O. was able to offer little in the way of attack during the latter half of the contest as Trenton’s top-ranked defense held firm, and they were through to the next round.

NEW YORK LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• GAME 1: UNI 1-12 MIN – P William Tighe (MIN) CG, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• GAME 2: UNI 2-7 MIN – P Raymond Cross (MIN) CG, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2/3 (both 1B), 1 RBI
• GAME 3: MIN 12-13 UNI – SS William Cruise (UNI) 4/5 (2B, 3B, 7 TB), 2 R, 3 RBI, BB
• GAME 4: MIN 8-11 UNI – 3B William Harris (UNI) 2/5 (both 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI, SAC FLY
• GAME 5: UNI 8-9 MIN (11) – 1B Edward Severson (UNI) 4/6 (all 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI
• SERIES MVP: 1B Paul LaGuerre (MIN) – 9/25, 4 RBI, 7 R, 2 2B

It was an easy opening two games at home for Minuteman, with early leads in both that were never challenged. In the opener they were ahead 6-0 after the 4th, and with William Tighe delivering the ball that was easily enough for the victory even though the hosts piled on runs late. In Game Two Minuteman was ahead 4-0 by the end of the 4th, and the best Union could do was a lone run and six base hits before a consolation run crossed the plate in the 9th.

In N.Y.C., yet again the Union magic hit in their must-win Game Three. Down 12-2 after the end of the 5th, Union scored half a dozen times in the 6th and thrice more in the 7th to make it 12-11, seemingly in the blink of an eye. Then, in B9 Cruise hit a Single that tied the game and he was followed by 1B Ed Severson with a Single that won it. The next day, Union came back from 0-2 to tie their series again. A 6-5 game to Minuteman after two innings in the Morrisania Grounds, Union scored once in the 3rd & 6th and then four times in the 7th to take an 11-6 lead, and the series was going back to Albany.

And then, the magic ran out in Game Five. Behind 7-6 going into the 9th inning of what was a fantastic game, Union managed more late heroics, tying the game on a Sacrifice Fly. After Minuteman went down 1-2-3 in B9 to force extra innings, Union took the lead in T10 on a Single by C Cale Jones. Unfortunately, they gave the lead up in B10 when Minuteman CF John Kinder hit a one-run Double with two out and two strikes against him. Union went down 1-2-3 in T11, and of all things a two-base Throwing Error by the Union CF that occurred when Minuteman LF Frank Tucker tried to advance from first on a fly ball allowed in the winning run.

A Union season filled with close and hard-fought victories had ended in excruciating fashion. Meanwhile, Minuteman was off to the cup final.

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• GAME 1: TU 6-5 SUS – SS Earl Seals (TU) 2/5 (2B, 3 TB), 2 R, 2 RBI, SB, 2 DEF DP
• GAME 2: TU 8-11 SUS – C Oliver Lysiak (SUS) 2/4 (both 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• GAME 3: SUS 7-6 TU – CF John Schultz (SUS) 2/4 (HR, 5 TB), 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• GAME 4: SUS 2-1 TU (11) – P William Hawk (SUS) CG (11.0 IP), 4 HA, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• SERIES MVP: 3B Frank Carter (SUS) – 7/12, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 SB

In Wilkes-Barre, the opener was an exciting game decided in the 9th. Trenton, facing a 4-3 deficit, came to bat in and scored three times on three separate run-scoring base hits to take a 6-4 lead. Susquehanna scored once to make it 6-5 and had a man on second with one out, but a Double Play by the Trenton defense ended the late attempt at a rally to force extras. Game Two was in Susquehanna’s control. The hosts were ahead 6-2 by the end of the 3rd, and as soon as it looked like the visitors might make a comeback when they pulled to within 8-6 in the 8th Susquehanna put up three runs, and that was that. The series was even going to New Jersey.

In New Jersey, Schultz was the hero of Game Three. Behind 6-3 in T7 the Susquehanna CF hit a two-run homer to make it a one-run game, and then in T9 he drew a Base on Balls that started the two-run rally that won the game and put the visitors up 2-1. In Game Four, Trenton’s title defense came to an end in a classic Pitcher’s Duel. Run-scoring Singles by Susquehanna in the 7th and Trenton in the 8th made for a 1-1 tie and Extra Innings. In T11 Susquehanna scored via Error, and the brilliant Hawk set the hosts down in order in B11. Susquehanna had won 2-1, and they were back in the final for the second time in three years.

TUCKER-WHEATON CUP XX FINAL

It was time for the final of Tucker-Wheaton Cup XX.

On paper it was a perfect matchup, one pitting the team that allowed the fewest Runs in the N.B.B.O. – Minuteman (5.2 RA/G) – against the team that sent more men across home plate than any other in the twenty-year history of the competition – Susquehanna (10.3 R/G). Obviously, one side would have to give way.

Ahead of the start of the playoffs the favorite was Minuteman even if they faced #1 Susquehanna, the reasons being the Upstate champion’s Away record and the fact that Susquehanna’s 52-18 record came largely from beating up on the lower ranks of the Inland Championship. However, Minuteman needed five games to beat the underdog #3 seed in the N.Y.L.C.S. while Susquehanna dispatched defending cup winners Trenton Utd. in a four-game N.E.L.C.S. It really could go either way.

GAME ONE (River View Field in Wilkes-Barre, Penn.): MIN 12-23 SUS
P.o.t.G. 3B Frank Carter (SUS) 4/5 (2B, 5 TB), 5 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB
NOTABLE: LF Walter Braden (SUS) 4/6 (2B, 5 TB), 3 R, 1 RBI

In Game One, it was the offense that won out.

This was one of the wildest games in T.W.C. history. With three runs in the 2nd and seven more in the 3rd, Susquehanna jumped out to a 10-5 lead. After the 4th & 5th went by scoreless, the hosts piled on thirteen more runs during their final three times at bat to make quite the statement, one that said they would never be outscored.

Susquehanna had four players with 3+ Hits: Carter, Braden, P Frank Cyphert (3/4, 2 R, 4 RBI), & RF Karl Valentine (3/6, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI). Minuteman P William Tighe had his worst outing of the season in the loss (2.2 IP, 10 HA, 7 ER).

GAME TWO (River View Field in Wilkes-Barre, Penn.): MIN 5-8 SUS
P.o.t.G. SS Stephen Barley (SUS) 2/5 (2B, 3 TB), 2 R, 2 RBI, DEF DP

Game Two was far closer to a normal contest, but it was over early.

Susquehanna responded to a Minuteman run in T1 by sending four across the plate via three Singles and a Sacrifice fly. In the 2nd Susquehanna would score three more times, the key moment a one-run Double by Barley, to take a 7-1 lead. That would be enough for the win because Minuteman plated two runs in both the 4th & 5th but went scoreless after.

GAME THREE (Corning Field in Albany, N.Y.): SUS 5-8 MIN
P.o.t.G. 2B Jules Thomas (MIN) 3/4 (2B, 4 TB), 3 R, 1 RBI, SB

Game Three was another 8-5 affair, but this one went Minuteman’s way to keep the series going.

Minuteman opened the scoring in B1 on a Single by LF Frank Tucker, but Susquehanna quickly took a 5-1 lead with a pair of runs in the 2nd and three more in the 3rd. After a scoreless 4th, the Minuteman comeback began in the 5th when P William Tighe hit a one-run Single to make it a 5-2 game. By the end of the 6th it was 5-4 thanks to a Wild Pitch and a Single by Ralph Carlson, and Minuteman took the lead for good in B7 when 1B Paul LaGuerre followed Thomas’ game-tying Single with another run-scoring Single that made it 6-5 to the hosts. Tucker followed with a third one-run Single, and Minuteman scored a run in B8 to give the game its final score.

GAME FOUR Corning Field in Albany, N.Y.): SUS 2-21 MIN
P.o.t.G. 1B Paul LaGuerre (MIN) 4/6 (2 2B, 3B, 8 TB), 5 R, 6 RBI, 101 GMSC
NOTABLE: LF Frank Tucker (MIN) 5/6 (2B, 6 TB), 4 R, 5 RBI, 99 GMSC

And the series was even at 2-2 after Minuteman proved that they too could pile on the runs.

Minuteman returned a Susquehanna run during T1 with a pair of scores in B1, thanks to a Single by Tucker and a Wild Pitch. The next three innings were scoreless, but Minuteman added three runs in the 5th, the last two scoring on a Double by LaGuerre, to make it a 5-1 game. They then added four runs in the 7th to make it 9-1, and in the 8th they applied the coup de grâce: a twelve-run rally in which LaGuerre provided the exclamation point with a bases-loaded Triple.

Minuteman had forced the series back to Wilkes-Barre with a nineteen-run win, and they would no doubt have loads of confidence for Game Five.

GAME FIVE (River View Field in Wilkes-Barre, Penn..): MIN 10-3 SUS
P.o.t.G. 2B Jules Thomas (MIN) 3/5 (3B, 5 TB), 2 R, 2 RBI, DEF DP
NOTABLE: SS Hugh Mercer (MIN) 2/5 (HR, 5 TB), 2 R, 1 RBI, DEF DP

It was Minuteman who seized the day in Game Five.

After scoring via Ground Out in T1, a Fielder’s Choice and a Double by C Jonathan Rue sent two men across the plate to give Minuteman a 3-0 lead after T2. The teams then traded runs in the 3rd inning, and that’s when Minuteman struck the killing blow: a five-run 4th in which the scoring started with a two-run Double by CF John Kinder and finished with run-scoring Singles by Thomas & LF Frank Tucker. Mercer applied the finish in T5, leading off the inning by hitting the first pitch he saw for an Inside the Park Home Run over the head of Susquehanna LF Lemuel Marquardt.

Well-aware of Susquehanna’s run scoring proficiency, Minuteman couldn’t relax even though they had a 10-1 lead. However, William Tighe had the ball and he kept the record-setting hosts from scoring through the end of the 8th. A nine-run lead going into the final inning was plenty safe, and after Susquehanna scored a pair of consolation runs Minuteman lifted the cup for the first time.

Minuteman’s triumph marked the second cup victory in four years for Upstate New York. It was a most deserved championship for Minuteman, who was the best team in the New York League from the midway point on and beat the #1 team in the N.B.B.O. in the cup final, coming back from 2-0 down to win it.

TUCKER-WHEATON CUP MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
LF Frank Tucker (MIN) – 10 G, .429 (21/49), 17 RBI, 10 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 SB, 0.7 WPA, 0.6 WAR

Jules Thomas may have won P.o.t.G. twice in the cup final, but Tucker’s amazing 15/26 batting with a dozen RBI couldn’t be ignored. He had multiple hits in all five games of the final, and he was a factor in every game including the two losses.

As mentioned, Thomas was excellent during the playoffs…

2B Jules Thoms (MIN) – 10 G, .408 (20/49), 9 RBI, 15 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 BB, 3 SB, 0.6 WPA, 0.5 WAR

…and Paul LaGuerre was also very good:

1B Paul LaGuerre (MIN) – 10 G, .388 (19/49), 14 RBI, 16 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 BB, 0.6 WPA, 0.6 WAR

Tucker, Thomas, & LaGuerre were Minuteman’s three best batsmen during the 1876 season, with Tucker & Thomas making the All-Star Game, and all three did exactly what Minuteman needed them to do during the playoffs.

TUCKER-WHEATON CUP FINAL SUMMARY