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AMERICAN & GOTHAM OPEN ’77 WITH A CLASSIC
VISITORS SCORE 7 IN 1ST, BUT HOME SIDE SCORES LAST TO WIN 31-RUN SLUGFEST AT RED HOUSE

NEW YORK CITY (May 1, 1877) - American wanted to start their attempt at baseball’s first three-peat off right, and they did just that by opening the season with seven runs in the top of the 1st at Gotham and making it look like they would win easily. However, Gotham mounted a tremendous comeback and won the day:

2B Peter Boyce opened the game with a Single, and from there the American attack didn’t stop until they’d scored seven runs in T1 – two-run Doubles by 1B William Busby & P Jimmy Everhart the notable hits – to quickly take a big lead. Gotham chipped away at their deficit starting in the bottom of the 2nd, and in B5 they took a 9-8 lead on a two-run Double by SS Jonathan Quarles. With three more runs in B6 on two Singles and an Error, Gotham was ahead 12-8 and looking good.

However, American showed that they had another big rally in them and scored half a dozen times during the top of the 7th on a series of Singles, Errors, a Sacrifice, a Wild Pitch, and a two-run Triple by Franklin Petty. American had taken the lead back (14-12). Thinking that they’d righted the ship and were going to exit Red House with a season-opening win, American put Gotham down 1-2-3 in B7 but coughed the lead right back up in B8, when Quarles tied the game on a two-run Single.

The score 14-14 going into the 9th, American took the lead on a one-run Single by substitute 3B Lorik van Unen. With their third lead of the afternoon in hand, many thought the 2x defending champs would finally secure the win, but with two out in the bottom of the 9th PH Milton Harcar hit a two-run Single to give Gotham a memorable Opening Day victory.

For American, the extremely disappointing loss spoiled a five-hit afternoon by veteran star Boyce…

• AME 2B Peter Boyce: 5/6 (all 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI, SB

…and for Gotham, although pinch-hitter Harcar was the late-game hero it was new leadoff man Quarles who took home Player of the Game honors:

• GOT SS Jonathan Quarles: 4/6 (2B, 5 TB), 1 R, 6 RBI

Interestingly, even though Quarles drove in half a dozen runs he didn’t put in the best performance of Opening Day. That distinction went to Niagara 3B Charles Barrow, who did the following in his A.P.B.L. debut, a resounding and stunning 19-4 home victory over St. John’s:

• NIA 3B Charles Barrow: 4/5 (2B, 5 TB), 3 R, 4 RBI, DEF DP, 77 GMSC

If Niagara can see another handful of performances like that from Barrow this season, maybe they won’t be as mediocre as the Writers Pool has projected them to be.