The Big Bang: A Larger Baseball Universe Starting From Nothing in 1857 - Page 65

tm1681 · 05-30-2026, 11:24 AM

AMERICAN BASEBALL RECAP: JULY

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (July 31, 1881) – The end of July and the space between the two All-Star Games means that there are a scant few weeks left in the season. Here are how the pennant races stand with 10-15 games remaining:

AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS

The conferences, at least across the top half, are now basically equal in strength after the Metropolitan Conference produced three of the A.P.B.L.’s four best teams during July. However, the Metro still has the two worst teams in the league and the only two that have been eliminated from Founders Cup contention.

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

The St. John’s July was a bit deceiving. They were only 13-11 but had a +35 Run Differential, so some bounces didn’t go their way. Still, they’re going to have to fight off three teams who are within a week’s worth of wins if they want to take another pennant.

Niagara shot two places up the standings with an outstanding July during which All-Star OF’s Charles Barrett (.361) and Reginald Roper (.355) both hit over .350, and they’re now within two games of St. John’s. Mass. Bay had an iffy July marked by fielding issues, but they’re still just three games out of 1st and their next three series are against teams around .500 or notably under it. Shamrock also had a tough time in July because parts of their lineup hit the skids, but they remain within five games of the leaders and an upcoming home series vs American should prove to be a nice tonic.

The other four teams remain mathematically alive for the postseason, but at 10-11 games out of 1st none have a realistic chance of snatching the pennant at the last moment. Of the four, Pt. Jersey is likeliest to spoil others’ Founders Cup hopes – they have series against Kings Co. & Excelsior remaining – because #1 Robert Goodman has taken the Win in eight of his last ten starts and they have the second-best Run Differential in the Colonial Conference, so they’ve played better than their record.

METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

Excelsior is, without doubt, the best team in the league right now. Their July record left them 35-15 since June 1st, as all three of their Greenhorns have proven to be excellent additions and B.o.t.M. Troy Oberst went nuts with the bat over the last four weeks. They have the third-ranked attack and top-four fielding, which is an extremely dangerous combination.

Orange had a fine July that leaves them within striking distance of Excelsior should they falter, with Andrew Miller (22-14, 3.09, 105 K) making his first All-Star Game and RF Jonathan Cobb (.369, 38 XBH, 71 RBI) having his best season yet. Surprising Tiger has leaped up to 3rd, with SS Martin Prince (.360, 52 RBI, 5.0 WAR) having his finest campaign, 2B Griffin Gray (.336, 45 RBI, 27 SB) making his 1st All-Star Game, and Howard Boley (.354) batting over .350. Kings Co. had a nightmarish July that caused them to fall from 1st to 4th after their offense took a slumber that led to a monthly RD of -48, and with that form it’s hard to see them turning it around and taking the pennant.

Knick is eight games back, but with 12/15 remaining games away from home their postseason chances are slim to none. What was tipped to be a pennant-winning season for Gotham instead will see them bow out of contention with roughly two weeks left on the schedule. American & Quaker State are preparing for next year.

A.P.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Troy Oberst (LF, EXC) – .480, 1.317 OPS, 33 R, 49 H, 11 2B, 9 3B, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 8 BB, 2.3 WPA, 2.5 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Robert Goodman (PtJ) – 8-5, 3.10 ERA, 101.2 IP, 8 CG, 34 K, 3.8 K/BB, 1.24 WHIP, 2.3 WAR, NO-HITTER

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Charles Blaise (1B, EXC) – .317, .847 OPS, 18 R, 32 H, 8 2B, 5 3B, 19 RBI, 3 BB, 11 SB, 1.3 WPA, 0.9 WAR

Oberst managed to outdo either of Garfield Koonce’s first two months with an unbelievable slash line of .480/.523/.794 over 24 games during July, leading the league in just about every contact-related category. That meant Shamrock 3B William Dickerson’s amazing month (.444, 1.168 OPS, 27 RBI, 11 SB, 2.1 WPA, 2.2 WAR) had to be cast aside, and two other players who hit above .400, Martin Prince (.404) & Solomon Springs (.404) didn’t even merit the briefest of consideration for B.o.t.M.

Goodman took P.o.t.M. because of his winning run over the second half of the month and his No-Hitter. Tomoharu Mukai had the most Wins (9) but a 3.54 ERA. George Burroughs had the best ERA (1.88) but was 5-7. John Ratican had the most Strikeouts (46) but went 5-6. Walter Johannessen had the best Win% (7-1) but walked more men than he struck out (12 to 8).

This wasn’t Charles Blaise’s best month, but he was the best of the Greenhorns during the month thanks to the strange skillset he has for a 1B that made him one of three Excelsior Greenhorns to make the All-Star Game, an A.P.B.L. first. The G.H. trio of he, 2B C Frank Clark, & 2B Johnny Holcombe has been simply fantastic this season.

A.P.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .418 by Garfield Koonce (1B, Kings Co.)
OPS: 1.020 by Garfield Koonce
Home Runs: 5 by Jesse Noss (3B, Flour City)
Runs Batted In: 76 by Garfield Koonce
Runs: 88 by John Meier (LF, Orange)
Stolen Bases: 62 by John Meier
Batsman WPA: 5.3 by Garfield Koonce
Batsman WAR: 5.0 by Martin Prince (SS, Tiger S.C.)

Wins: 23 by Bertram Landreth (Knick)
ERA (150+ IP): 2.54 by John Ratican (Newark)
Strikeouts: 129 by Nicholas Banfield (Alleghany)
Complete Games: 30 by Bertram Landreth
WHIP (150+ IP): 1.16 by Andrew Miller
Pitcher WAR: 7.4 by Howard Burns (St. John’s)
Pitcher rWAR: 8.9 by Willie Gray (Tiger S.C.)

NATIONAL BASE BALL ORGANIZATION REGIONAL LEADERS

NEW YORK LEAGUE

BROOKLYN: Atlantic at 40-20 (Continental 7 GB; Bedford & Eckford 9 GB)
NEW YORK CITY: New York A.C. at 39-21 (Metro 2 GB; Hilltop 4 GB; Mutual 5 GB)
UPSTATE N.Y.: Frontier at 40-20 (Syracuse 3 GB; Minuteman 5 GB; Utica 8 GB)

BROOKLYN: A five-game sweep vs Nassau Co. to end July has just about wrapped up another pennant for Atlantic. Before that their lead was five games with fifteen to play, but now that they have a seven-game cushion with ten left it’s hard to see how they can be beaten.

NEW YORK CITY: A 15-8 July featuring Charles Rhodes’ greatest month yet has put N.Y.A.C. back in first place. There are still three other teams in the thick of the fight and most of their remaining series are against the bottom four, but with the way Rhodes is pitching it’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Metropolitan coming from behind to take the pennant.

UPSTATE N.Y.: Frontier is still in 1st, but danger is lurking. Syracuse was 15-8 during July, while Minuteman went 8-2 over their last ten games during the month. Syracuse’s last two series are at Columbia and vs Eagle, so they have the schedule advantage. However, it could be the final-week series between Minuteman & Frontier that decides who takes the pennant.

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE

COASTAL: National at 41-19 (Maryland 3 GB; Philadelphia B.C.C. 5 GB, Trenton Utd. 9 GB)
INLAND: Susquehanna at 41-19 (Squirrel Hill 4 GB; Lancastra 5 GB; Pioneer 9 GB)
NEW ENGLAND: Quinnipiac at 37-23 (S.o.t.O. 2 GB; Portland 7 GB; Granite 8 GB; Green Mtn. & Oceanic 9 GB)

COASTAL: An 18-5 July punctuated with a sweep of Lord Baltimore to end the month has National looking like the best team in the N.E.L. right now. However, Maryland remains a major threat due to the emergence of new #1 Hamilton Wiggins (11-6, 2.35, 31 K, 145 IP). Also, National ends the season at Philadelphia B.C.C., which could cause their pennant chase to crash at the last hurdle.

INLAND: Susquehanna and Squirrel Hill were both 13-10 last month, while Lancastra was 15-9. That means there will be a three-way race for the Inland pennant, something that didn’t look possible after Susquehanna’s 14-1 May. Lancastra hosts Susquehanna next week, and that series could go a long way to deciding who takes the pennant.

NEW ENGLAND: Quinnipiac & S.o.t.O. switched spots again, meaning the end-of-May leaders were back on top at the end of July. Both teams have a series against Portland remaining, and with the seven-time pennant winners 8-2 over their last ten games there’s a slight chance the men from Maine could come out of nowhere, stun the top two, and grab the pennant.

N.B.B.O. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMEN OF THE MONTH
NYL: Manuel Romeiras (RF, MUT); .410, 1.095 OPS, 26 R, 41 H, 15 XBH, 1 HR, 32 RBI, 5 BB, 14 SB, 2.4 WPA, 1.3 WAR
NEL: Chester Dudek (2B, NAT); .412, 1.065 OPS, 25 R, 40 H, 9 2B, 4 3B, 28 RBI, 12 BB, 4 SB, 2.1 WPA, 1.5 WAR

PITCHERS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Charles Rhodes (NYAC); 11-4, 1.53 ERA, 129.1 IP, 13 CG, 1 SHO, 73 K, 10.4 K/BB, 0.91 WHIP, 5.1 WAR, 6.0 rWAR
NEL: Ben Lauppe (NAT); 11-3, 1.66 ERA, 119.0 IP, 9 CG, 1 SHO, 68 K, 4.9 K/BB, 1.17 WHIP, 3.4 WAR, 2.8 rWAR

GREENHORNS OF THE MONTH
NYL: William Webb (CF, VIC); .365, .925 OPS, 38 R, 42 H, 13 XBH, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 7 BB, 9 SB, 1.5 WPA, 1.5 WAR
NEL: Luther Isaacson (3B, LE); .351, .844 OPS, 134 OPS+, 19 R, 33 H, 7 2B, 16 RBI, 13 BB, 2 SB, 1.9 WPA, 0.9 WAR

N.B.B.O. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .394 by James Burke (CF, Philadelphia B.C.C.)
OPS: 1.065 by James Burke
Home Runs: 3 by many different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 78 by Scott Lyons (C, Susquehanna)
Runs: 88 by John Porretta (2B, Susquehanna)
Stolen Bases: 60 by Jack Anastasio (RF, N.Y.A.C.)
Batsman WPA: 6.0 by Francis Smith (CF, Metropolitan)
Batsman WAR: 4.4 by James Burke & William Denham (3B, Continental)

Wins: 26 by Charles Rhodes (N.Y.A.C.)
ERA (150+ IP): 1.76 by Charles Rhodes
Strikeouts: 167 by Charles Rhodes
Complete Games: 30 by Charles Rhodes
WHIP (150+ IP): 1.01 by Charles Rhodes
Pitcher WAR: 11.2 by Charles Rhodes
Pitcher rWAR: 12.0 by Charles Rhodes

COASTAL BASEBALL CONFERENCE LEADER

Bridgeport at 42-18 (Capitol City & Essex Co. 9 GB; Highlander 10 GB)

Two wins from the remaining ten games are all Bridgeport needs to put the seal on their third consecutive C.B.C. title. Their two remaining series are at home vs Capitol City & Sportsman’s, and with a 19-6 home record it shouldn’t take more than 3-4 games into the Week Thirteen schedule before the trophy is theirs.

C.B.C. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Hiram Trout (1B, HIGH) – .394, .981 OPS, 30 R, 37 H, 9 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 6 BB, 1.5 WPA, 1.3 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Robert Murphy (BRI) – 7-2, 2.51 ERA, 68.0 IP, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 34 K, 3.1 K/BB, 1.10 WHIP, 1.5 WAR, 1.9 rWAR

C.B.C. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .375 by Euan Graham (1B, Bridgeport)
OPS: .972 by Euan Graham
Home Runs: 3 by Calvin Masters (SS, Highlander)
Runs Batted In: 78 by Louis Beane (SS, Bridgeport)
Runs: 87 by Jacob Overfield (3B, Bridgeport)
Stolen Bases: 41 by Robert Werstler (CF, Bridgeport)
Batsman WPA: 4.8 by Jacob Overfield
Batsman WAR: 3.3 by Jacob Overfield

Wins: 23 by Erasmus Kelschenbach (Highlander)
ERA (150+ IP): 2.19 by Edward Koch
Strikeouts: 128 by Erasmus Kelschenbach
Complete Games: 19 by Erasmus Kelschenbach
WHIP (150+ IP): 1.25 by John Baker
Pitcher WAR: 5.0 by John Baker
Pitcher rWAR: 4.9 by John Baker

PHILADELPHIA CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE LEADERS

EAST: Minerva at 48-12 (clinched pennant)
WEST: Schuylkill at 40-20 (Overbrook 7 GB; Merion 8 GB; Mercantile & Penn 9 GB)

EAST: Minerva decided a 17-5 June just wasn’t good enough so they went 19-4 during the month of July, securing their place in the Liberty Bell Classic in the process. They are now 36-9 since June 1st, and if Minerva can win eight of their ten games during the series against Frankford & Pt. Richmond they’ll have the best single-season record in P.C.B.L. history.

WEST: Schuylkill was outstanding during July, with a 17-6 record that saw them gain six games on the competition and make them almost certain to repeat as West Philadelphia champs. Schuylkill’s remaining series are vs Merion and at Penn, so they can’t become complacent. After all, West Philadelphia is known for late-season chaos, if nothing else.

P.C.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Paul Ward (SS, FRA) – .404, 1.073 OPS, 33 R, 44 H, 11 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 29 RBI, 10 BB, 1.1 WPA, 2.0 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Bud Forster (MIN) – 10-1, 2.83 ERA, 114.1 IP, 9 CG, 4.0 K/BB, 9.6 H/A, 1.18 WHIP, 2.5 WAR, 3.2 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Paul Ward (SS, FRA)* – P.C.B.L. Batsman of the Month
*Also won G.o.t.M. for May

P.C.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .375 by James Niven (CF, Overbrook)
OPS: .955 by John Smith (Independence)
Home Runs: 2 by nine different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 69 by Fred Pietrangelo (1B, Minerva)
Runs: 86 by Jonathan Auriemma (2B, Minerva)
Stolen Bases: 56 by Jonathan Auriemma
Batsman WPA: 5.8 by Jonathan Auriemma
Batsman WAR: 4.7 by Paul Ward (SS, Frankford)

Wins: 25 by Bud Forster (Minerva)
ERA (150+ IP): 2.18 by Robert Nygren
Strikeouts: 134 by Oliver Greene (Frankford)
Complete Games: 27 by Robert Nygren
WHIP (150+ IP): 1.16 by Bud Forster
Pitcher WAR: 7.3 by Robert Nygren
Pitcher rWAR: 8.8 by Robert Nygren

tm1681 · 05-30-2026, 09:55 PM

1881 A.P.B.L. ALL-STAR GAME
GAME HOSTED BY ORANGE; EXCELSIOR TIES RECORD W/ SIX PLAYERS; RECORD SEVEN GREENHORNS

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (Aug. 1, 1881) – There are fifteen games left to play in the season, and that means it’s time for the annual American Professional Baseball League All-Star Game!

Rosters for the A.P.B.L.’s Midsummer Classic aren’t the same as those in its N.B.B.O. counterpart, but it should be noted that they were changed for this year’s game:

• Twenty-four players per conference
• Roster places 1-4 go to Pitchers – two for each rotation place
• Roster places 5-20 go to Batsmen – two for each position
• Roster places 21-24 go to one Pitcher, Corner Infielder, Middle Infielder, & Outfielder

It was the Metropolitan Conference’s turn to host the game this time around, and since St. John’s won the Founders Cup last year the league champs wouldn’t be hosting for the first time since 1877. The decision was made to grant hosting duties to Orange B.B.C., whose home, the Upper Manhattan Grounds, was a fine venue that held over 12,000 spectators.

Fifteen out of sixteen teams were represented at this year’s game, with 25-50 American deemed unworthy of having any player present. Fourteen teams had multiple players present, while Alleghany was the only team that sent one player to Manhattan.

The Colonial Conference roster was led by St. John’s with five nominees, but Flour City, Niagara, & Shamrock sent four players each. The big surprise in the CC roster was Flour City RF Floyd Hoffman, who had a .208 Average and -0.9 WAR over 142 Plate Appearances in 1880 but was batting .361 (.863 OPS) through 75 games, all starts, in 1881, perhaps the biggest year-to-year improvement in A.P.B.L. history.

Red-hot Excelsior led the Metropolitan Conference with a record-tying six nominees, with 38-37 Knick sending five players, all legitimate All-Stars. The most surprising member of the M.C. roster was Quaker St. CF William Wimple, who logged a Batsman WAR between 0.0 & 1.0 in each of the first three years after his team’s move up from the N.B.B.O., but saw his Average jump eighty points (.241 to .321) and his OPS 152 (.620 to .772) to earn his place among the sport’s best players.

Thanks to the increased roster sizes there were no glaring omissions from the rosters in this year’s All-Star Game. The only big debate was over which Excelsior Pitcher, if either, was deserving to go, because even though both Elmer Seabold (19-14, 3.16) & Jonathan Reitz (22-12, 3.59) had great Win-Loss records their secondary statistics were average by comparison.

Also, due to the increased roster size there was a record number of Greenhorns present at the Upper Manhattan Grounds.

With the Metropolitan Conference hoping to win the game for the fourth consecutive year, these were the All-Star Game rosters, with total All-Star appearances between the pre-1871 N.B.B.O. & A.P.B.L. noted and starters marked red:

Here are the number of nominees who represented each team:

• ALLEGHANY: 1 (Strong)
• AMERICAN: None
• EXCELSIOR: 6 (Blaise, Clark, Hill, Holcombe, Oberst, & Seabold)
• FLOUR CITY: 4 (Breland, Dugas, Hoffman, & Noss)
• GOTHAM: 2 (Johnson & McLaughlin)
• KINGS CO.: 3 (dos Santos, Koonce, & Williams)
• KNICK: 5 (Burns, Dyke, Hathaway, Landreth, & Murray)
• MASS. BAY: 2 (Duke & Quarles)
• NEWARK: 2 (Fetterman & Ratican)
• NIAGARA: 4 (Barrett, Hudspeth, Mukai, & Roper)
• ORANGE: 3 (Cobb, Meier, & Miller)
• PT. JERSEY: 2 (Dixon & Eastman)
• QUAKER ST.: 2 (Durand & Wimple)
• SHAMROCK: 4 (Aldridge, Collier, Dickerson, & Sullivan)
• ST. JOHN’S: 5 (Burns, Cannon, Evans, Jensen, & Nalley)
• TIGER S.C.: 3 (G. Gray, W. Gray, & Prince)

Given their level of performance during June & July, Excelsior deserved a record-tying six All-Stars. They also became the first team ever to send three Greenhorns to the All-Star Game. Knickerbocker & St. John’s both sent five All-Stars, although Knick 1B Gerald Burns was one of the last three named to the M.C. roster.

The seven Greenhorns to be nominated were a new record, although the only starter was Frank Clark. Those seven were part of a class of eighteen first-timers (CC: 7, MC: 11). The elder statesman in Manhattan was Konrad Jensen, who was making his 20th All-Star Game appearance, while Garfield Koonce, Babe Johnson, & Gerald Strong were all in double figures.

As for the game itself, this was how it turned out:

For the fourth consecutive year, the Metropolitan Conference came out on top.

The home side got out to a quick start, scoring twice in B1 on Singles by Excelsior teammates Elijah Hill & Troy Oberst. The Colonial Conference tied the game (2-2) in T4 on a Sacrifice Fly and a Single by Reginald Roper, but the Metropolitan Conference came straight back at the C.C. with a four-run rally featuring two-run Singles by Alfred Williams & William Wimple that gave them a 6-2 lead.

That lead proved to be untouchable. The M.C. went up 7-2 on a one-run Double by Wimple in B6, and after a run-scoring Ground Out brought the visitors back to within four (3-7) in T7, the M.C. sealed the win on a Sacrifice Fly by Wimple in B8.

Wimple, who finished the game with four Runs Batted In, took home a well-earned Most Valuable Player trophy.

• MC SUB William Wimple: 2/2 (2B), 1 R, 4 RBI, SAC FLY, 3 TB

Considering the struggles he had gone through during his first three seasons in the A.P.B.L., making the All-Star Game for the first time and then taking the M.V.P. honor in his debut completes a most fantastic turnaround for Wimple, one of two players, the other being LF Harold Durand, who have been bright spots during an otherwise miserable Quaker St. season.

The pitchers of record were Willie Gray with the Win and Howard Burns with the Loss.

Attendance at the Upper Manhattan Grounds was 12,412, and it was a clear, 78-degree afternoon with winds blowing right to left at 10-15 mph. It was a beautiful afternoon for baseball, and the Metro Conference fans went home happy.

tm1681 · 05-30-2026, 09:56 PM

CORNARO & SMITH STAR IN MERCURY MAULING
METROPOLITAN ALL-STARS HAVE BIG AFTERNOONS AS TEAM WINS BY A BAKER’S DOZEN

NEW YORK CITY (Aug. 3, 1881) - Metropolitan has a golden opportunity to take back first place in the N.Y.C. Championship thanks to a five-game series at N.Y.L.-worst Mercury, and they made no mistakes in the series opener at Hunt’s Point.

Susquehanna was in complete control straight from the opening inning. They went ahead 1-0 on a Passed Ball in B1, and then Metro had the lead straight from the opening inning, as the visitors scored twice in T1 on a two-run Single by star CF Francis Smith. With two more Runs in T2 via Ground Out & Passed Ball followed by four in T3, Metro had an 8-2 lead by the end of the early innings.

The lead only grew from there. A one-run Single by Smith in T4 made it a 9-2 game, Runs in T5 via Error & Wild Pitch made it 11-2, and another Run in T6 on a Single by 1B Zeke Cornaro put the visitors ahead by ten at 12-2. With three more Runs in T8 on an Error and run-scoring Singles by Smith and C Mark Lehmann, Metro secured a thirteen-run away win.

The result gave Metro #1 Abraham Evans his 20th Win of the 1881 season.

• MET P Abraham Evans: CG W (20-12, 2.94), 9 HA, 2 R/2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

The visitors received an excellent performance from All-Star 1B Cornaro…

• MET 1B Ezechiele Cornaro: 4/5 (2B, 3B), 5 R, 1 RBI, BB, 7 TB

…and 2x Batsman of the Year Francis Smith finished the game with five Hits & RBI each.

• T1: 2-run Single to CF off J. Watson
• T3: 1-run Single past SS off J. Watson (R)
• T4: 1-run Single to RCF off J. Watson (SB)
• T5: Single to RF off J. Watson
• T6: Pop Fly Out to 2B (3 out)
• T8: 1-run Single to RF off R. Wolford
• TOTAL: 5/6 (all 1B), 1 R, 5 RBI, SB

Cornaro’s 4/5 day left him with a .370 Average and a .970 OPS, 63 Runs, 38 Extra Base Hits (29 2B, 8 3B, 1 HR), 49 RBI, and 3.3 WAR with nine games remaining. However, his Average & OPS are only second best in the team as Smith’s 5/6 performance left him batting .380 with a .995 OPS, 87 Runs, 41 Extra Base Hits (21 2B, 18 3B, 2 HR), 58 RBI, 36 Stolen Bases, and 4.4 WAR. Cornaro & Smith have been two of the very best Batsmen in the New York League in 1881.

New York A.C. suffered a very surprising 20-11 home loss to Harlem, so Metro (38-23) is now just one game behind N.Y.A.C. (39-22) for 1st place in New York City after 61 of 70 games have been played. At 17-44, Mercury, the worst team in the N.Y.L.

tm1681 · 05-30-2026, 09:56 PM

ISKENMEIER CRAFTS CYCLE VS MERION
SCHUYLKILL CF BECOMES 3RD IN PCBL HISTORY TO PERFORM FEAT; TEAM ONE WIN CLOSER TO PENNANT

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (Aug. 3, 1881) - West Philadelphia leaders Schuylkill opened their series against third-place Merion knowing they have a chance to grab the West pennant this week, and thanks to a late rally they took the opener and came one step closer to doing just that.

The first Runs of the game came during the second inning, when both teams scored a Run each: Merion on a Ground Out and Schuylkill on a Fielder’s Choice to Home Plate that the runner beat. The visitors went ahead 3-1 in T3 thanks to a one-run Single by LF Sidney Crowder and a Sacrifice Fly, and they increased the lead to 4-1 in T5 via Error.

The sixth inning was when the Schuylkill comeback began. In B6 a one-run Double by 3B William Greene and a one-run Single by Roy Myers cut the visitors’ lead to one (4-3). Then, Schuylkill turned the game on its head with a seven-run rally in B7 that featured two big Hits: a two-run Inside the Park Home Run by CF Helmut Iskenmeier and a two-run Double by LF Harrison Comstock. Now ahead 10-4, Schuylkill had the win wrapped up, and two late Merion tallies never put the hosts in danger.

Helmut Iskenmeier’s Home Run in the seventh didn’t just give Schuylkill the lead, it completed the Cycle.

• B1: Triple to CF off R. Benson
• B3: Single to RCF off R. Benson
• B6: Leadoff Double past 3B off R. Benson (R)
• B7: 2-RUN ItP HOME RUN TO CF off R. Benson
• B8: Ground Out to P (1 out)
• TOTAL: 4/5 (2B, 3B, HR), 2 R, 2 RBI, CYCLE, (10 TB)

The Cycle by Iskenmeier was the third in P.C.B.L. history:

• #1: Joseph Sizemore (Spartan) vs Minerva on May 27th, 1876 (4/5, 1 R, 5 RBI)
• #2: Francis Stickrod (Merion) vs Schuylkill on July 24th, 1879 (4/5, 2 R, 5 RBI)
• #3: Helmut Iskenmeier (Schuylkill) vs Merion on August 3rd, 1881 (4/5, 2 R, 2 RBI)

The historic performance left Iskenmeier a .322 hitter (.808 OPS) on the season, with 56 Runs, 24 Extra Base Hits (15 2B, 8 3B, 1 HR), 64 Runs Batted In, and 2.7 WAR with a little less than two weeks left on the schedule.

The win, combined with Overbrook’s 4-3 home loss vs Germantown, has given Schuylkill an eight-game lead atop the West Philadelphia standings with nine games remaining. With two more wins, a win and an Overbrook loss, or two Overbrook losses, Schuylkill will repeat as East Philadelphia champions.

tm1681 · 05-30-2026, 09:57 PM

LEWIS STARS IN THRILLING WIN OVER SotO
SALEM CF TOTALS FIVE HITS, FOUR RUNS, & FOUR RBI AS LATE RALLIES WIN A 33-RUN GAME

SALEM, MASS. (Aug. 5, 1881) - Sons of the Ocean entered the third game of their series at Salem B.C. in The Crucible needing a win to keep pace with Quinnipiac or pull up to a tie for the New England lead, and they were on track for the result until two late rallies by the home team changed the outcome.

Once S.o.t.O. had finished scoring four Runs in T6 they had a 14-10 advantage. Given the offensive output of the previous five inning that wasn’t a safe lead, but it was one that New England’s second-place team should have been able to hold on to.

However, Salem came up to bat for their half of the 7th and used a six-run rally to take a 16-14 lead, with the key hits a three-run Double by CF George Lewis and a two-run Home Run by PH Jonathan Atwood that gave the home side the lead. After the visitors stranded a runner on 3rd in T8, Salem sealed the win with Runs on a Single by 1B Patrick Nagtegaal, Double by Lewis, and Single by 3B William Winship to go ahead 19-14 and pin a crucial defeat on S.o.t.O.

The victors received a fine performance from Winship that included a Home Run…

• SAL 3B William Winship: 3/6 (HR), 3 R, 5 RBI, 6 TB

…but the man of the hour in the famous Crucible was CF George Lewis.

• B1: Single past SS off W. Petrie (R)
• B2: Single past 3B off W. Petrie
• B4: Single to LF off W. Hardy (R)
• B6: Fly Out to RF (1 out)
• B7: 3-run Double to LCF off W. Hardy (R)
• B8: 1-run Double to LCF off C. Deeney (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2 2B), 4 R, 4 RBI, 7 TB – 92 GmSc (B: T-5th)

Lewis’ big day at the ballpark was the fifth-best performance by an N.B.B.O. Batsman this season, one that raised his Average to a career-high .333 (.831 OPS) with 54 Runs, 31 Extra Base Hits (24 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR), 64 RBI, and 1.9 WAR for the season.

The loss was especially frustrating for S.o.t.O. as Quinnipiac lost 11-10 vs Portland in extra innings, which meant that they would have moved into a tie for first place in New England had they held that 14-10 lead. Instead, S.o.t.O. remains one game behind Quinnipiac with seven remaining.

Salem is in last place and out of playoff contention, with their remaining goal being to avoid becoming the first team in baseball history to finish a season last in their league, conference, or region while having a positive Run Differential. Salem is currently one game out of seventh place with a Run Differential of +38.

tm1681 · 05-31-2026, 12:45 PM

NYC WILL BE DECIDED IN FINAL WEEK OF SEASON
HILLTOP, METRO, & NYAC ARE TWO GAMES APART WITH FIVE LEFT TO PLAY

NEW YORK CITY (Aug. 8, 1881) - There is one week remaining in the N.B.B.O. season. Some of the regions – Brooklyn, Inland, & Upstate – have already been decided. A couple of regions – Coastal & New England – are still in play but with one team very likely to take the pennant. That leaves one region – New York City – where the pennant is entirely up for grabs.

With five games left on the schedule, here is what the New York City Championship standings look like:

New York Athletic Club is in first place with a record of 41-24, and they are followed closely by Metropolitan with their 40-25 record and Hilltop of Yonkers with their 39-26 record. All three teams have been playing at roughly the same level over the past ten games, with Hilltop & Metro going 6-4 while N.Y.A.C. was 5-5.

Mutual appears to be mathematically alive at five games back, but for reasons that will be discussed in detail below they have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

New York A.C.’s final series will take place at Baltic. N.Y.A.C. has a 20-10 away record, the best in the New York League. Meanwhile, Bedford is 15-15 at home. That means the leaders should take three out of the five games and finish 44-26.

Metropolitan & Hilltop will be playing against each other over the final five games, with Metro hosting at Hamilton Square. Hilltop is under .500 away from home while Metro has a decent home mark, so Metro will be favored to win three games. That means if N.Y.A.C. does the expected at Baltic then a 3-2 split in the Hilltop v Baltic series would put N.Y.A.C. in the playoffs.

If N.Y.A.C. goes 3-2 at Baltic, Metropolitan would need to go 4-1 vs Hilltop to force a one-game playoff or take a 5-0 sweep to win New York City outright. On the other hand, Hilltop would need a 5-0 sweep just to force a playoff. However, if N.Y.A.C. falters at Baltic, who is 6-4 over their last ten games, then the chances of season-ending chaos increase significantly. For instance, if N.Y.A.C. goes just 1-4 at Baltic then a Hilltop v Metro series in which Hilltop takes the series 3-2 would see the New York City Championship end in a three-way tie, all three teams finishing the season 42-28.

As mentioned, Mutual still appears mathematically alive but in reality they aren’t. If N.Y.A.C. were to somehow be swept at Baltic and Mutual swept last-place Mercury to put the two teams on the same record at 41-29 they could also finish with the same 41-29 mark as either Metro or Hilltop, but that would mean the other team got the upper hand in the series and finished the season with a record better than 41-29. Thus, Mutual’s season is over.

New York City is where all N.B.B.O. eyes will be for the final week, and hopefully the fans are treated to a fantastic finish.

tm1681 · 05-31-2026, 04:38 PM

EXCELSIOR NEEDS WALKOFF HIT TO BEAT AMERICAN
APBL’S HOTTEST TEAM BLOWS SIX-RUN LEAD OVER FINAL INNINGS, BUT WINS IT AT THE END

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Aug. 9, 1881) - Excelsior opened their series against American, the worst team in the A.P.B.L., on Tuesday, and with a league-best 30-7 home record they figured the upcoming three games would be easy wins. Instead, the opener proved to be anything but.

American scored first in T1, but Excelsior responded immediately with a five-run rally that saw run-scoring Hits from 2B Johnny Holcombe (Single), SS J.B. Chessman (Single), & RF Charles Smith (two-run Double) in addition to a run-scoring Fielder’s Choice. After American went down 1-2-3 in T2, Excelsior scored two more Runs on a Sacrifice Fly and a Single by 1B Charles Blaise in B2, and with a 7-1 lead it looked like the hosts were well on their way to an nice and simple afternoon.

After the next two frames went by without incident the teams traded Runs in the fifth, and then the sixth went by scoreless to leave Excelsior with an 8-2 lead. In T7, American scored three Runs, the key Hit a two-run Double by RF Harold Heffron, to make it an 8-5 game. After Excelsior scored on a Double by LF Troy Oberst to go ahead 9-5, American scored twice in T8 to cut the deficit to two (7-9). Then, American stunned the home crowd with a ninth-inning rally, C Samuel Tedesco’s run-scoring Single giving them a 10-9 lead.

Faced with the possibility of an embarrassing loss, Excelsior put two men on the basepaths with one out before one was sent home via Passed Ball to tie the game 10-10. Then, Oberst hit a Double past the American 3B to send in Smith and win the game for Excelsior, their hides collectively saved.

Oberst’s late heroics made him part of a trio of Excelsior Batsmen who had fine afternoons.

• EXC 1B Charles Blaise: 4/5 (all 1B), 1 R, 1 RBI
• EXC SS J.B. Chessman: 4/5 (all 1B), 1 R, 1 RBI, SB
• EXC LF Troy Oberst: 3/6 (2 2B), 2 R, 2 RBI, 5 TB, GW HIT

The win was Excelsior’s fifth in a row, and it bumped their record up to 50-29, good for a four-game lead atop the Metropolitan Conference with Orange in second place. American has the worst record in the A.P.B.L. at 26-53.

tm1681 · 05-31-2026, 04:38 PM

EVERHART MYSTIFIES SHAMROCK IN SHUTOUT
AMERICAN #1 HOLDS BOSTONIANS TO THREE HITS, TEAM FINALLY HAS SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE

BOSTON, MASS. (Aug. 13, 1881) - Shamrock & American played the second game of their series at Boston’s South End Grounds on Saturday afternoon, and after unexpectedly winning the opener American won again, this time via Shutout.

There was little offense to speak of here. The two teams had eleven Hits between them (AME: 8, SHA: 3), and the only Runs of the game were scored in the eighth inning, when a Double by RF Harold Heffron put the visitors ahead 1-0 and a two-run Double by 2B William Herron made it a 3-0 game in favor of American.

From there, American #1 Jimmy Everhart closed out an excellent Shutout.

• AME P Jimmy Everhart: SHO (14-25, 3.93), 9.0 IP, 3 HA, 2 BB, 8 K – 87 GmSc (P: T-2nd)

It has been a difficult season for the 3x All-Star as the quality of the American roster hit a new low. He was 24-20 with a 2.70 ERA, 130 Strikeouts, and 7.3 WAR over 373 innings in 1880, but this season Everhart is just 14-25 with a 3.93 ERA even though he has an equal mark of 130 Strikeouts and a higher total of 7.6 Pitcher WAR. This is due to the significant fall-off of the fielding behind him, which has been the worst in the A.P.B.L. this year.

The loss eliminated Shamrock (43-40) from cup contention, for they are now eight games behind Colonial Conference leaders St. John’s (51-32) with seven left on the schedule. American (29-54) has long-since abandoned any Founders Cup hopes, but after consecutive victories they are now just one game from catching of fellow Philadelphians Quaker State for worst record.

tm1681 · 05-31-2026, 04:39 PM

NEW YORK CITY GOES TO A PLAYOFF
NYAC DOES THE EXPECTED AT BALTIC, BUT METRO WINS FINAL FOUR GAMES TO MOVE INTO TIE

NEW YORK CITY (Aug. 14-15, 1881) - The final games of the N.B.B.O. season were played on Sunday, and as it turned out they were not actually the final games of the season.

As mentioned, going into the final week of the season the New York City pennant was up for grabs with Hilltop, Metropolitan, & New York Athletic Club within two games of each other. New York A.C. would play their final series at Baltic, while Metro would be hosting Hilltop. There was potential for a three-way tie if results broke a certain way.

Here were how the first four games of the two series went:

• NYAC 11-6 BAL: P Charles Rhodes (NYAC): CG W, 9.0 IP, 11 HA, 6 R/2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
• NYAC 7-6 BAL: PH James Kaufmann (NYAC): GW 2-run Triple in B8
• NYAC 7-8 BAL (10): P Martin Hales (BAL): CG W, 10.0 IP, 11 HA, 3 ER, 2 K – 3/4, 2 RBI, GW HIT
• NYAC 10-9 BAL (12): 2B Melvin Greenawalt (NYAC): 2/4 (GS), 2 R, 4 RBI, 5 TB – 2 DP

• HILL 13-10 MET (11): 3B Fox Ellis (HILL): 3/5 (all 1B), 2 R, 3 RBI, SAC FLY – 2 DP
• HILL 1-5 MET: P Abraham Evans (MET): CG W, 9.0 IP, 5 HA, 1 R/0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• HILL 10-11 MET (10): 3B Jacob Abbiate (MET): 3/5 (2B), 1 R, 4 RBI, SAC FLY, 4 TB
• HILL 3-5 MET: LF William Parsons (MET): 3/4 (all 1B), 0 R, 2 RBI, SAC BUNT – OF AST

There was high drama through the first four days of both series. Multiple one-run games. Multiple extra-inning games. Walkoff wins. Fans couldn’t have asked for more, but it was nerve-wracking for the teams taking part.

That left the top three with the following records:

• #1: New York A.C. at 44-25
• #2: Metropolitan at 43-25
• #3: Hilltop at 40-29 (eliminated)

With one game left in the season, a one-game playoff was still possible. This was how the two games went on the final day:

Incredibly, Charles Rhodes didn’t have his best stuff, Metropolitan demolished Hilltop, and New York City ended in a tie.

It should also be noted that, to their credit, Mutual finished the season in third place after their home sweep of Mercury.

The above meant there would be a one-game playoff on Monday, and it was Metropolitan who would be hosting it at Hamilton Square by virtue of the fact that they won the season series vs N.Y.A.C. 6-4.

Metropolitan had a 21-14 home record, while N.Y.A.C. had a 23-12 away record and Charles Rhodes with the ball. That made the visitors the favorites, but in a winner-take-all game that didn’t mean anything. It was time to decide who would be the New York City champion.

Metropolitan did it! Charles Rhodes was in good form and struck out five Batsmen, but Metro stars Zeke Cornaro and Francis Smith combined for five Hits and the hosts won to deny N.Y.A.C. their fifth straight pennant and take their first since 1875.

This game was decided in the seventh inning. With the score 2-1 to Metro, Smith put the hosts ahead 3-1 via Single before LF David Phillips hit a crucial two-run Double giving Metro a 5-1 lead that an N.Y.A.C. attack ranked only 30th in the N.B.B.O. wouldn’t be able to threaten. The 4,200+ in attendance had watched the home team take a memorable victory, and it was on to the playoffs for the first time in six years.

With the New York City Championship decided, it was time for the first edition of the newly renamed Adams Cup.

tm1681 · 05-31-2026, 04:40 PM

SEMI-PRO SEASON OVER; PLAYOFFS SET
NATIONAL IS NBBO #1; BRIDGEPORT CBC CHAMPS AGAIN; MINERVA VS SCHUYLKILL IN THE LBC

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (Aug. 16, 1881) - After an extra day of baseball, the season for the leagues below the A.P.B.L. is complete and it’s time for postseason play after another memorable year of baseball has been written in the books.

Here are the seedings in each of the semi-professional competitions:

ADAMS CUP PLAYOFFS (N.B.B.O.)

• N.Y.L. #1: Frontier B.B.C. at 46-24 (+79 RD)
• N.Y.L. #2: Metropolitan B.B.C. at 45-26 (+88 RD)
• N.Y.L. #3: Atlantic B.B.C. at 44-26 (+125 RD)

• N.E.L. #1: National B.C. at 49-21 (+167 RD)
• N.E.L. #2: Susquehanna B.C. at 45-25 (+209 RD)
• N.E.L. #3: Quinnipiac B.C. at 43-27 (+69 RD)

• All series are best-of-five; N.Y.L. has Home Field Advantage in final

National is the overall #1 for the first time, and they most definitely earned it after a 26-9 second half that saw them take the Coastal pennant over two other excellent teams: Maryland & Philadelphia B.C.C. However, it’s the New York League champion who will have Home Field Advantage for the cup final, and if Atlantic (Home: 28-7) or Frontier (Home: 26-9) comes out of that half of the bracket it could very well be a death sentence for whoever ends up the N.E.L. champion.

COASTAL BASEBALL CONFERENCE

• Champions: Bridgeport B.C. at 50-20 (Highlander 12 GB; C. & A., Capitol City, & Essex Co. 14 GB)

Bridgeport won one fewer game than last year, but this year’s title was a much easier one to take as no other team offered up much of a fight for the pennant over the second half of the season. Bridgeport has now been crowned C.B.C. champions three years in a row after going 34-36 during the inaugural season, and it makes one wonder if, perhaps, they should make the step up to the N.B.B.O. before long.

LIBERTY BELL CLASSIC (P.C.B.L.)

• #1 SEED: Minerva B.C. at 54-16 (+231 RD)
• #2 SEED: Schuylkill B.C. at 47-23 (+113 RD)
• Series is best-of-five

Minerva fell one positive result short of equaling the best record in P.C.B.L. history but they were still the best team in the league by a considerable margin, with seven more Wins than any other team and a Run Differential nearly 115 Runs better than anyone else. They will be heavy favorites in the L.B.C., but this is their first trip to the series while Schuylkill played in it last year, losing to Frankford Arsenal in four games.

tm1681 · 06-01-2026, 02:42 AM

METRO CONFERENCE RACE TOO CLOSE TO CALL
EXCELSIOR & ORANGE TWO GAMES APART WITH ONE WEEK LEFT; TIGER HAS FAINT HOPES

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (Aug. 15, 1881) - The 1881 A.P.B.L. season is about to enter its final week and both conferences have yet to be decided, although one is much closer than the other.

In the Colonial Conference, St. John’s has won their last five games to push their lead atop the conference to five games over Niagara and six over Massachusetts Bay with six remaining. Their next series is at last-place Newark, so it’s likely that St. John’s will have yet another pennant in their hands by the end of the day on Thursday.

That means the Metropolitan Conference is where all of the excitement is at. With six games remaining, this is the top three:

• #1: Excelsior B.B.C. at 51-33 (+60 RD)
• #2: Orange B.B.C. at 49-35 (2 GB; +45 RD)
• #3: Tiger S.C. at 46-38 (5 GB; +81 RD)

The major matter of note here is that Excelsior & Orange open the final week of play with a series against each other, and Excelsior is hosting. Excelsior is a league-best 31-8 at home while Orange is 23-19 away, so Excelsior should win two of three games. That would leave them needing just one win or an Orange loss over the final three days to secure their first pennant in four years.

However, Excelsior has lost their last three games while Orange won their pair of outings over the weekend, so a series win by Orange is entirely possible. If that were to happen, then the Metro pennant would be completely up for grabs when Excelsior hosts Pt. Jersey (39-45) and Orange hosts Alleghany (39-45) for the final weekend.

An Orange series win at Excelsior also has the potential to bring Tiger into the mix. They host one-time Metro leaders but now struggling Kings County to start the week, and a sweep combined with a 2-1 or 3-0 Orange series win at Excelsior would leave all three teams just three games apart going into the final weekend. Tiger’s problem: they end the season at St. John’s, and there’s a small chance St. John’s will still need a result to clinch the Colonial Conference title. In any event, this has been by far the most successful of Tiger S.C.’s four seasons in the A.P.B.L.

No matter which way the Metropolitan Conference finishes, what is known is that it will be won by a team that has undergone significant improvement after struggles in recent seasons.

tm1681 · 06-03-2026, 12:04 AM

EXCELSIOR & ORANGE FINISH TIED; PLAYOFF NEEDED
RESULTS OVER FINAL WEEK LEAD TO FIRST TIEBREAKER GAME IN APBL HISTORY

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Aug. 22, 1881) - One week ago, this news service detailed how the Metropolitan Conference pennant race was far from over even though there was only one week remaining in the season, and that there was the significant possibility for a season-ending tie. As it turned out, that hypothetical tie became a reality.

To start the final week of the A.P.B.L. season, Excelsior won their first two games vs Orange while Tiger Social Club split the first two games of their home series vs Kings County. That left the Metropolitan standings as follows:

• #1: Excelsior at 53-33
• #2: Orange at 49-37 (4 GB)
• #3: Tiger S.C. at 47-39 (6 GB; eliminated)

Tiger S.C. was out of playoff contention, and all Excelsior needed was either one win or a single loss by Orange over the final four days of play to take the Metropolitan Conference pennant.

This was the result of the final game of the series between Excelsior & Orange:

• ORA 7-4 EXC - 2B Charles Whitehad (ORA): 3/5 (all 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 4 SB – DP

Charles Whitehead’s three Hits and four Stolen Bases spurred Orange to a victory that kept their season alive and had them three games back of Excelsior with one series remaining in the 1881 season. For that final series, Excelsior would be playing at home vs Port Jersey, while Orange would be at home vs Alleghany.

Here was how the first two games of both series finished:

• PtJ 15-2 EXC – 2B Vincent Dixon (PtJ): 3/6 (2B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 4 TB – DP
• PtJ 3-1 EXC – 2B Vincent Dixon (PtJ): 2/3 (2 2B), 2 R, 1 RBI, BB, 2 SB, 4 TB – 2 DP

• ALL 4-5 ORA (10) – CF George Hopp (ORA): GW Double in B10
• ALL 4-5 ORA (14) – 3B Lorne Brown (ORA): 3/6 (3B), 1 R, 1 RBI, 5 TB, GW HIT

Excelsior lost both games, Orange won both games, and the teams were now just one game apart with one to play.

The first Pt. Jersey win at Excelsior was a demolition job, but what made the second win rather unbelievable was that Dixon’s two Doubles were the only two Hits Pt. Jersey had on the entire afternoon, while Excelsior finished with ten. Meanwhile, both of Orange’s wins were as dramatic as they can get, especially Saturday afternoon’s fourteen-inning affair that only went to extra frames because of a run-scoring Double by All-Star LF John Meier in the bottom of the ninth.

The above meant the Metropolitan Conference season would be decided on the final day…or would it? Excelsior would finish 1st with a win or an Orange loss, but with an Excelsior loss and an Orange win the two would finish with the same record at the end of the 90-game season and would have to play the first one-game playoff in A.P.B.L. history.

The results:

• PtJ 11-4 EXC (10) – Excelsior led 4-1 entering T9
• ALL 6-8 ORA – Orange scored five Runs in B8

With another day of incredible drama in the two series, Excelsior lost again, Orange won again, and the two teams finished the season tied for first place after Excelsior had a four-game lead with four games remaining.

At Carroll Park in Brooklyn, for eight innings it looked like Excelsior would wrap up the Metropolitan Conference title without much issue. Going into the ninth they were ahead 4-1 and #2 Jonathan Reitz was having an easy time of it. Then, Reitz collapsed, allowing Runs via Ground Out and two-run Single by possible B.o.t.Y. Dixon while issuing three Bases on Balls to let Pt. Jersey tie the game 4-4. Next, in T10 Reitz allowed four Runs while only getting one man out before substitute P William Stewart came in, only to allow three more. A 4-1 lead had turned into a disastrous 11-4 loss.

Meanwhile, Orange spent a good chunk of their afternoon looking like they were going to lose. With the score 3-3 entering the 5th inning, Alleghany took the lead in T5 on a Single by SS Gerald Strong and then went ahead 6-3 on a two-run Single by 2B James Statum in T6. That was the score going into the bottom of the 8th, when Orange sensationally took the lead with a five-run rally, the Runs scoring on a two-run Double by 1B James Cline, an Error, a Base on Balls, and another Error. Orange substitute P Lindsay Busker then retired Alleghany without a runner getting past First Base, and Orange had stolen the victory.

After the results of the final day, this was what the Metropolitan Conference standings looked like:

Excelsior & Orange had finished with identical 53-37 records, and there would be a one-game playoff to decide a pennant winner for the first time in A.P.B.L. history. The host would be Excelsior, since their 2-1 series win vs Orange to start the final week meant they had a 4-2 record against them for the season.

Even though they lost their last four games, Excelsior would be favorites in the winner-takes-all game. They had a league-best 33-12 home record, while Orange was 24-21 away. Excelsior also had a superior record in close games, going 13-8 in one-run contests and 3-1 in Extra Innings, while Orange went 10-11 & 5-3 respectively. Another factor: Excelsior would be giving their All-Star #1, Elmer Seabold, the ball while Orange would be having #2 Walter Bertelli pitching since their All-Star #1, Andrew Miller, pitched on the final day.

And the one-game playoff was won by…

EXCELSIOR, in yet another dramatic game filled with twists and turns at the end of the Metropolitan Conference season.

After the first inning and a half went by scoreless the hosts hit Orange with a four-run rally in B2, the Runs scoring on a Single by CF Henry Arnold, two-run Triple by RF Charles Smith, and one-run Single by 2B Johnny Holcombe. Then, Orange hit right back with a four-run rally of their own in T3, their Runs scoring on an odd run-scoring Double Play, a two-run Single by 3B Lorne Brown, and a one-run Single by 2B Charles Whitehead.

Both pitchers settled down quite nicely after the twin outbursts, and that was the last of the scoring until the 8th inning. With the score still 4-4, Orange took the lead in T8 on a run-scoring Double by Brown, and after both teams went down 1-2-3 in their next time to bat Excelsior’s season hung in the balance. Then, with one man out in B9 PH David DeWalt, a fourth-year backup INF who had 32 Plate Appearances all season, hit the first Home Run of his career, a shocking Inside the Park homer to the gap in Left-Center Field that tied the game 5-5. P Elmer Seabold followed with a Single, Holcombe hit a Double that moved Seabold over to 3rd, and then 7x All-Star 3B Elijah Hill took his bat and hit the game-winning Single that drove in Seabold and sent Excelsior to the Founders Cup for the first time since the retirement of Jim Creighton.

The end of the A.P.B.L. season could not have possibly been any more dramatic in one half of the competition. Now, the main question to be resolved was this: could Excelsior recover in time to credibly take on St. John’s in the Founders Cup?

tm1681 · 06-03-2026, 12:05 AM

Ya couldn't make it up...

tm1681 · 06-05-2026, 08:12 PM

THE NINTH LIBERTY BELL CLASSIC
SCHUYLKILL LOOKS TO AVENGE LAST YEAR’S LOSS, BUT MINERVA THE CLEAR FAVORITES

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (Aug. 16-19, 1881) – The eighth Liberty Bell Classic went according to predictions. Frankford Arsenal, the #1 seed even though they needed to win a one-game playoff to make it, went up against Schuylkill, who managed to top West Philadelphia with a +9 Run Differential, and beat them with three multiple-Run victories in four games.

Frankford wasn’t able to make it back to defend their title this year. Not that they weren’t good enough – their 43-27 record was actually better than 1880’s cup-winning team. Instead, they were stuck watching a rival in East Philadelphia have one of the greatest seasons in league history. On the other hand, Schuylkill DID make it back thanks to a red-hot second half that saw the team gradually put a good bit of distance between themselves and the rest of the West pack.

This year’s entrant from East Philadelphia was a newcomer: Minerva. After years of being favored to win the East by the Writers Pool and falling short, doing so by one game both of the previous two years, they finally took their first pennant with a historic season led by the best top-to-bottom lineup in P.C.B.L. history.

Minerva’s opponents would be repeat West Philadelphia champions Schuylkill. However, this wasn’t the team that eked out results by the skin of their teeth like they did last year. Schuylkill’s attack was now one of the best in the league, and combined with the league’s second-best fielding it made for a team that was extremely dangerous over the second half of the season.

A brief summary of the two halves of this year’s Liberty Bell Classic field…

EAST PHILADELPHIA: There was little doubt about who would take the pennant in East Philadelphia. After last year’s heartbreak in which they blew a two-game lead with two days left and then lost a one-game playoff to Frankford Arsenal, Minerva flew out to a 28-7 first half and an eight-game lead. By the end of the season that turned into a 54-16 record – second-best in league history – with a +231 RD and an eleven-game final margin between themselves and runners-up Frankford.

Minerva was a tremendous all-around team, but they were at their very best on offense. Their attack led the league in Runs, Average, On-Base Pct., Slugging Pct., OPS, Doubles, Triples, Extra Base Hits, Bases on Balls, Stolen Bases, AND Win Prob. Added. It was the most dominant lineup in league history, one that had numerous stars and was led by veteran 2B Jonathan Auriemma. If that wasn’t enough, #1 Bud Forster had an ERA under 3.00 while leading the league in K/BB Ratio & WHIP.

MINERVA B.C. KEY PLAYERS

• Jonathan Auriemma (2B): .342, .782 OPS, 99 R, 116 H, 12 2B, 6 3B, 47 RBI, 67 SB, +12.1 ZR, 6.6 WPA, 3.9 WAR
• Edward Dobbs (LF): .338, .921 OPS, 84 R, 100 H, 37 XBH, 1 HR, 64 RBI, 31 BB, 13 SB, 5.6 WPA, 3.0 WAR
• Martin Horst (3B): .322, .858 OPS, 85 R, 100 H, 26 2B, 13 3B, 1 HR, 74 RBI, 17 BB, 3.3 WPA, 2.3 WAR
• Bud Forster (P): 28-8, 2.94 ERA, 340.1 IP, 26 CG, 140 K, 4.7 K/BB, 3.7 K/9, 1.15 WHIP, 7.6 WAR, 7.5 rWAR

WEST PHILADELPHIA: This looked like a four-to-six-team race at the midway point, with Overbrook & Schuylkill tied for top spot and others nearby. Then, the defending West champs reeled off a 25-10 second half while the other contenders wilted, and in the end Schuylkill took their second straight West pennant by seven games, with Overbrook finishing in second place.

This was far from last year’s Schuylkill team that became the first in any league to make the postseason with a Run Differential in the single digits. Their attack shot up from 12th/16 in 1880 to 3rd/16 in 1881, led by a career year out of nowhere from 41-year-old LF Harrison Comstock and supported by several productive Batsmen in the middle of the lineup. They also had the second-best fielding in the league, and #1 Albert Smiley had a fine season.

SCHUYLKILL B.C. KEY PLAYERS

• Helmut Iskenmeier (CF): .312, .776 OPS, 67 R, 96 H, 18 2B, 8 3B, 1 HR, 66 RBI, 16 BB, 3.1 WPA, 2.8 WAR
• Harrison Comstock (LF): .339, .810 OPS, 74 R, 107 H, 20 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 60 RBI, 30 SB, 5.9 WPA, 2.5 WAR
• William Williams (2B): .291, .684 OPS, 69 R, 91 H, 19 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 54 RBI, +12.4 ZR, 2.9 WPA, 2.5 WAR
• Albert Smiley (P): 23-10, 3.30 ERA, 272.2 IP, 21 CG, 39 K, 1.2 K/BB, 1.3 K/9, 1.28 WHIP, 3.4 WAR, 3.4 rWAR

Minerva would be heavy, heavy favorites for the ninth Liberty Bell Classic. After all, they had a historic season and were the best team in the league by seven games. If there was one thing in Schuylkill’s favor it was that the two teams’ records over the second half of the season were just one game apart: Minerva was 26-9 while Schuylkill was 25-10. That opened up the potential for a more competitive series than casual fans might presume.

Would Minerva finish their historic year by lifting the cup? Or would Schuylkill make up for last year’s defeat and win it?

GAME ONE (Thomas Holme Field – ATT: 4,796)
SCH 3-8 MIN – LF Edward Dobbs (MIN): 2/3 (2B), 3 R, 1 RBI, BB, SB, 3 TB

The opener of L.B.C. IX was all Minerva. The hosts scored twice in B1 via Error and Single by Dobbs, once in B2 on a Triple by 2B Jonathan Auriemma, and three times in B3 on an Error, a Ground Out, and a Triple by RF George Veach. Ahead 6-0 after the opening stanzas, Minerva was never troubled after that, responding to a pair of Schuylkill scores over the 5th & 6th with two of their own over the 6th & 7th, and with an 8-2 lead the favorites had the win in the bag.

GAME TWO (Thomas Holme Field – ATT: 4,802)
SCH 9-3 MIN – LF Harrison Comstock (SCH): 3/6 (2B), 1 R, 3 RBI

In Game Two, Schuylkill proved they weren’t going to be a mere bump on Minerva’s march to history. With the score 2-1 to the hosts after five innings, Schuylkill stepped to the plate for T6 and took the lead with a three-run rally that featured run-scoring Hits by Comstock & SS Tobias Steinke. They followed that up with five more Runs in T7 thanks to more run-scoring Hits by Comstock & Steinke and a one-run Single by P Jasper Austin. The visitors had a 9-2 lead, and in short order the series was even.

GAME THREE (River Bend Park – ATT: 3,405)
MIN 14-1 SCH – 2B Jonathan Auriemma (MIN): 2/6 (both 1B), 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB

Minerva was clearly bothered by their six-run home loss in Game Two, because they hammered Schuylkill at their grounds to make up for it. Multiple Runs in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th, & 9th made for a thoroughly dominant victory by the visitors. Auriemma led the way, C Leonard Sanders was 3/5 (2B, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI), SS Archie Bell hit 3/6 (1 R, 2 RBI), LF Ed Dobbs was 4/6 (2 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI), and Bud Forster (CG, 3 HA, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) was at his best. Minerva was one win from their first title.

GAME FOUR (River Bend Park – ATT: 3,424)
MIN 9-1 – 3B Martin Horst (MIN): 3/5 (2B), 1 R, 3 RBI, 4 TB – DP

Minerva’s place in Philadelphia baseball history wasn’t going to be denied.

The game was tied 1-1 after four innings, but two Minerva tallies in T5 on a Single by Horst put them ahead 3-1, and two innings later came the title-clinching rally: five Runs on a Single by Edward Dobbs, a Single by Horst, a Single by Leonard Sanders, and a two-run Triple by CF James Lynch. Minerva had taken the 1-1 tie and turned it into an 8-1 advantage, and with another Run in B8 they put the finishing touches on an incredible season.

Minerva’s 1881 campaign was the best in P.C.B.L. history. While they didn’t have the best record in the league’s nine-year existence, the 1876 Philadelphia B.C.C. team that went 55-15 lost in the L.B.C. to the nearly-as-great 52-18 Frankford Arsenal. That meant the best title winners until this year had been P.B.C.C.’s 1877 team, which went 53-17 before winning the L.B.C. vs Queen Village in five games. Minerva was one victory better during the season, and one game faster in taking the title.

Minerva’s 1881 team, and especially their lineup that led the league in eleven offensive categories, will be talked about by Philadelphia baseball fans for generations.

LIBERTY BELL CLASSIC MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
LF Edward Dobbs (Minerva): .500 (9/18), 6 R, 4 2B, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB, 13 TB, 1x PotG

Dobbs continued his rise to a status as one of the best Batsmen outside of the A.P.B.L. with his performance in the L.B.C. The Player of the Game in the opener, Dobbs scored and drove in Runs during all four games, displaying batsmanship that was simply excellent and left him far and away the best Batsman on either team during the series. However, it should be noted that the series win really was a team effort by Minerva, as all eight of their regular Batsmen hit at least .200 and drove in at least three Runs over the four games.

On the whole, Dobbs’ 1881 made him a likely target for A.P.B.L. teams during the winter. After starting 23 games as a 21-year-old in 1878, Dobbs spent all of 1879 in the Reserves before being placed in the lineup for the 1880 season. His response? Runner-up for Batsman of the Year with a .333 Average, an OPS over .900, and 3.4 WAR. His numbers in 1881 were almost identical, and at the age of 24 he still has his best years ahead of him.

LIBERTY BELL CLASSIC SUMMARY

tm1681 · 06-05-2026, 08:33 PM

ADAMS CUP I: THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (Aug. 16 to Sep. 6, 1881) – The season is over, the playoff tickets have been punched, and it’s time for the first edition of the Doc Adams Cup, named after the current President of Knickerbocker B.B.C., the man who also wrote the basic rules & regulations of the sport – innings per game, players per team, etc. – that every team plays by.

The 24th, and final, edition of the Tucker-Wheaton Cup felt like a “Who’s Who” of the most successful N.B.B.O. clubs from the previous decade. Atlantic had taken five pennants in the ‘70s, N.Y.A.C three, Utica four, Philadelphia B.C.C. four if the P.C.B.L. was included, Susquehanna seven, and Portland six. The six teams in the field had also combined for five cup titles. In the end, it was a team yet to win it all, Atlantic, who won the Cup Final in four games over Portland.

The inaugural edition of the Adams Cup had a couple of interesting wrinkles to it.

The New York League…cup holders Atlantic were basically start-to-finish pennant winners, with the N.Y.L.’s best offense leading the team to yet another Brooklyn pennant. In New York City, Metropolitan’s fantastic final series vs fellow contenders Hilltop forced a playoff vs New York A.C. which they then won, giving the team its first pennant and trip to the playoffs in six years. Upstate, Frontier used their 26-9 opening half to take control and see off tough challenges from Minuteman & Syracuse to make it to the playoffs for the second time.

The Northeastern League…Thanks to an offense that hit its stride over the second half and fantastic pitching from Ben Lauppe, National won the Coastal Championship for the second time and finished 1881 with the #1 overall record in the N.B.B.O. Susquehanna did the usual and slugged their way to 1st in the Inland Championship, but the competition was just as tough as last year as, once again, three other teams finished within four games. In New England, Portland finished .500 or worse for the first time since 1868, which made for a wide-open pennant race that was won by Quinnipiac and its powerful attack for their first New England title and trip to the playoffs.

Thanks to having the #1 overall record and a 26-9 second half, National were the favorites. However, the N.Y.L. champs would have the Home Field Advantage for the final, and with Atlantic’s 28-7 home mark the best in the N.B.B.O. it made the defending champs feel like co-favorites. However, it was small Upstate club Frontier that was the N.Y.L. #1. Would any of those three take the title, or would red-hot Metro, 3x champs Susquehanna, or debutants Quinnipiac be the ones to lift the brand-new trophy?

NEW YORK LEAGUE

BROOKLYN: Atlantic was tied for the lead after Week One, alone at the top by the end of May, and led the rest of the season. They had the pennant clinched in Week Thirteen, but a notable concern is that they were swept at Bedford in their final series, with the last two losses coming by eight Runs each with their regulars in the lineup.

Atlantic had the #3 overall offense in the N.B.B.O. at 8.4 Runs per Game, and their fielding was in the top ten. The All-Star combo of SS Ben Gagliardi & LF Herb Verrett were outstanding over July & August, RF MacKenzie Wilson nearly took the New York League RBI Title, and #1 Thomas Onstad had another fine season.

ATLANTIC B.B.C. KEY PLAYERS

• Ben Gagliardi (SS): .336, .859 OPS, 60 R, 83 H, 21 2B, 8 3B, 51 RBI, 46 SB, +16.6 ZR, +3.7 WPA, 3.8 WAR
• Herb Verrett (LF): .361, .893 OPS, 70 R, 103 H, 23 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR, 62 RBI, 10 SB, 3.5 WPA, 2.9 WAR
• MacKenzie Wilson (RF): .311, .845 OPS, 70 R, 95 H, 20 2B, 14 3B, 1 HR, 73 RBI, 24 BB, 3.3 WPA, 2.5 WAR
• Thomas Onstad (P): 23-13, 3.48 ERA, 328.0 IP, 23 CG, 121 K, 2/4 K/BB, 3.3 K/9, 1.28 WHIP, 4.9 WAR, 4.8 rWAR

NEW YORK CITY: The pennant race went to the final week, then to the final day, and then to a one-game playoff after N.Y.A.C. lost at Bedford and Metropolitan hammered Hilltop on the final day. Metropolitan beat N.Y.A.C. at home in the N.Y.C. Championship playoff, making them pennant winners for the first time since 1875.

Metro was a two-man gang on offense, with 1B Zeke Cornaro & CF Francis Smith surrounded by a bunch of decent Batsmen. That left the team 3rd overall in Average but just 17th in Runs per Game. Where they made up for any lack of offense was in Pitching & Defense, with a Team ERA ranked 10th overall and a group of fielders ranked 5th, led by SS Frank Morrison.

METROPOLITAN B.B.C. KEY PLAYERS

• Francis Smith (CF): .382, 1.022 OPS, 104 R, 130 H, 30 2B, 22 3B, 2 HR, 67 RBI, 38 SB, 7.1 WPA, 5.4 WAR
• Ezechiele Cornaro (1B): .376, .972 OPS, 78 R, 117 H, 31 2B, 11 3B, 1 HR, 59 RBI, 22 BB, 5.4 WPA, 3.7 WAR
• Frank Morrison (SS): .318, .748 OPS, 42 R, 85 H, 17 XBH, 1 HR, 42 RBI, 13 BB, +27.0 ZR, 1.9 WPA, 3.7 WAR
• Abraham Evans (P): 23-13, 2.99 ERA, 337.1 IP, 26 CG, 1 SHO, 89 K, 0.9 K/BB, 1.30 WHIP, 3.1 WAR, 5.1 rWAR

UPSTATE N.Y.: A 26-9 first half, the best in the N.Y.L., gave Frontier a five-game lead at the halfway mark. That was the key to their success, as Minuteman & Syracuse were excellent during the last four weeks of the season but that early gap Frontier created allowed them to finish 1st by three games over both contenders in the chase.

Frontier’s talisman was #1 Ed Pelham, who won 20+ games for the sixth straight year and had his best season in 1881. On offense they had two excellent Greenhorns: C William Butcher & 1B Austin Hunter. They also had ever-dependable veterans like 3B William Rockford & CF George Whaley.

FRONTIER B.B.C. KEY PLAYERS

• William Butcher (C): .362, .868 OPS, 64 R, 104 H, 24 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 68 RBI, 20 BB, 3.1 WPA, 3.3 WAR
• George Whaley (CF): .307, .765 OPS, 71 R, 96 H, 15 2B, 9 3B, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 39 SB, 3.5 WPA, 2.4 WAR
• William Rockford (3B): .314, .810 OPS, 69 R, 94 H, 27 XBH, 60 RBI, 25 BB, 18 SB, 3.6 WPA, 2.2 WAR
• Edward Pelham (P): 28-9, 2.49 ERA, 343.1 IP, 25 CG, 1 SHO, 68 K, 2.5 K/BB, 1.25 WHIP, 6.8 WAR, 6.8 rWAR

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE

COASTAL: After seven weeks Maryland was atop the standings at 24-11, with National one game back and defending Coastal champs Philadelphia behind by five. National pulled even by the 5th of July and never looked back, finishing with a 26-9 second half that gave them the best record in the N.B.B.O. for the 1881 season.

National’s offense was only 22nd in Runs, but it was closer to the bottom third during the opening half of the season. The main factors of their 49-21 record were their #2 overall pitching and their #1 overall fielding, which led the N.B.B.O. in Errors, Fielding Pct., Efficiency, and Zone Rating.

NATIONAL B.C. KEY PLAYERS

• Chester Dudek (2B): .348, .890 OPS, 70 R, 102 H, 20 2B, 11 3B, 69 RBI, 24 BB, +11.4 ZR, 2.7 WPA, 3.8 WAR
• James Kinney (3B): .338, .873 OPS, 88 R, 110 H, 26 2B, 15 3B, 47 RBI, 12 BB, 6 SB, 3.5 WPA, 3.6 WAR
• Oscar Harrington (1B): .320, .775 OPS, 41 R, 79 H, 16 2B, 2 HR, 59 RBI, 15 BB, 3 SB, 2.9 WPA, 1.7 WAR
• Ben Lauppe (P): 28-13, 2.31 ERA, 355.0 IP, 30 CG, 1 SHO, 171 K, 3.9 K/BB, 1.12 WHIP, 9.0 WAR, 10.3 rWAR

INLAND: Susquehanna took yet another pennant, but for the second year in a row it was a closer finish than they’re used to. A 14-1 May led many to assume the race was over, but some poor form after the midway mark let Squirrel Hill move to within two games. Susquehanna clinched with five games remaining, but they ended their season by going 1-4 at Scranton.

Susquehanna introduced yet another new star to the N.B.B.O. in 1881: 2B John Porretta, who would probably win B.o.t.Y. if James Burke didn’t play for P.B.C.C. Adding him to an attack featuring C Scott Lyons, SS Stephen Barley, & John Schultz just didn’t seem fair. And, of course, they had William Hawk, who had 20+ Wins for the 8th straight season, as their #1.

SUSQUEHANNA B.C. KEY PLAYERS

• John Porretta (2B): .356, .965 OPS, 97 R, 114 H, 44 XBH, 1 HR, 91 RBI, 20 BB, 38 SB, 5.9 WPA, 4.6 WAR
• John Schultz (CF): .326, .822 OPS, 96 R, 115 H, 23 2B, 14 3B, 1 HR, 62 RBI, 42 SB, 5.3 WPA, 3.6 WAR
• Scott Lyons (C): .332, .811 OPS, 61 R, 104 H, 27 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 86 RBI, 18 BB, 4.1 WPA, 2.8 WAR
• William Hawk (P): 23-11, 2.78 ERA, 346.0 IP, 28 CG, 3 SHO, 132 K, 4.1 K/BB, 1.16 WHIP, 7.9 WAR, 8.1 rWAR

NEW ENGLAND: Quinnipiac had the lead by the end of May, but a poor June saw S.o.t.O. take over 1st place. Quinnipiac then righted the ship, took the top spot back by mid-July, and held it the rest of the way, ultimately besting S.o.t.O. by four games to take the first pennant in club history.

With a top-ten offense (9th overall) and top-five pitching (4th overall), Quinnipiac had no shortage of talent, especially young talent. Their best Batsman was 23-year-old, 2x All-Star LF Francis Edwards, 23-year-old 3B Columbus Young hit .352, and Greenhorn C Lamberto Porcatello hit .340. Still, they had fine veterans, including 2B Charles Taylor & #1 Vilhelm Adriansen.

QUINNIPIAC B.C. KEY PLAYERS

• Francis Edwards (LF): .364, .945 OPS, 69 R, 112 H, 28 2B, 12 3B, 1 HR, 69 RBI, 22 BB, 6.2 WPA, 2.7 WAR
• Columbus Young (3B): .352, .847 OPS, 82 R, 116 H, 23 2B, 7 3B, 51 RBI, 17 BB, 16 SB, 2.0 WPA, 2.0 WAR
• Charles Taylor (2B): .320, .796 OPS, 79 R, 101 H, 21 2B, 7 3B, 60 RBI, 23 BB, 25 SB, 5.4 WPA, 2.2 WAR
• Vilhelm Adriansen (P): 17-18, 2.64 ERA, 323.1 IP, 21 CG, 2 SHO, 40 K, 1.2 K/BB, 1.31 WHIP, 6.3 WAR, 6.4 rWAR

ADAMS CUP FORMAT & NOTES

SEEDING

• N.Y.L. #1: Frontier B.B.C. at 46-24 (+79 RD) – 2nd playoff appearance (1879)
• N.Y.L. #2: Metropolitan B.B.C. at 45-26 (+88 RD) – 6th playoff appearance (1857, 71, 73-75)
• N.Y.L. #3: Atlantic B.B.C. at 44-26 (+125 RD) – 7th playoff appearance (1870-71, 76-78, 80)

• N.E.L. #1: National B.C. at 49-21 (+167 RD) – 2nd playoff appearance (1878)
• N.E.L. #2: Susquehanna B.C. at 45-25 (+209 RD) – 10th playoff appearance (1868, 71-72, 74, 76-80)
• N.E.L. #3: Quinnipiac B.C. at 43-27 (+69 RD) – 1st playoff appearance

FORMAT

LEAGUE SEMIFINALS

• #2 vs #3; #2 seed has Home Field Advantage
• HH-AA-H; day off after Game Two & Game Four

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• #1 vs L.S.F. winner; #1 seed has Home Field Advantage
• HH-AA-H; day off after Game Two & Game Four

TUCKER-WHEATON CUP FINAL

• N.Y.L. champion v N.E.L. champion; N.Y.L. has Home Field Advantage
• HH-AA-H; day off after Game Two & Game Four

National had the #1 overall record, the best second half, and they finished the season by going 8-2 over their final ten games. Everything pointed toward them as the favorites. However, the N.Y.L. having Home Field Advantage for the final meant that if one of the two strong home teams – Atlantic or Frontier – made it through they might find themselves on equal footing.

tm1681 · 06-05-2026, 08:36 PM

NEW YORK LEAGUE SEMIFINALS

GAME 1: ATL 8-0 MET – P Thomas Onstad (ATL): SHO, 9.0 IP, 5 HA, 1 BB, 3 K
GAME 2: ATL 2-7 MET – 1B Ezechiele Cornaro (MET): 2/4 (2 2B), 2 R, 2 RBI
GAME 3: MET 3-8 ATL – CF Harold Lally (ATL): 2/4 (2B), 1 R, 2 RBI, 3 TB
GAME 4: MET 10-8 ATL (10) – LF William Parsons (MET): 4/6 (2 2B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 6 TB
GAME 5: ATL 3-2 MET – P Thomas Onstad (ATL): CG W, 9.0 IP, 8 HA, 2 R/1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
SERIES M.V.P.: P Thomas Onstad (ATL): 3-0, 0.67 ERA, 27.0 IP, 3 CG, 1 SHO, 7 K, 3.5 K/BB, 0.74 WHIP, 2x PotG

As hot as Metropolitan was to end the season Atlantic cooled them right off in the opener, with Onstad’s brilliant work with the ball and fine fielding keeping the hosts off the scoreboard. Metro evened the series in Game Two, using a five-run rally in B5 to take control as Atlantic’s high-powered offense faltered.

At the Capitoline Grounds, Atlantic won Game Three but it wasn’t really decided until the eighth inning, when Atlantic stepped to the plate with the score 4-3 and ended the contest with a four-run rally to end Metro hopes of a comeback. Metropolitan forced a Game Five back at home with late heroics, tying the game 8-8 in the 8th on a Triple by Cornaro and then winning it in the 10th on a two-run Single by Metro legend Francis Smith.

And the cup holders survived thanks to a tremendous performance by Onstad in Game Five. He held the likely Team of the Year combo of Cornaro & Smith to a combined 0/8, and after Metro scored in B9 to pull to within a Run he calmly induced the final Out of the game on a lazy flyball to the Center Fielder.

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE SEMIFINALS

GAME 1: QUI 7-5 SUS – P Vilhelm Adriansen (QUI): CG W, 9 HA, 3 ER, 1 K – 1/4 (HR), 1 R, 3 RBI
GAME 2: QUI 6-7 SUS – 3B Columbus Young (QUI): 2/4 (both 1B), 1 R, 2 RBI, BB
GAME 3: SUS 3-7 QUI – P Vilhelm Adriansen (QUI): CG W, 5 HA, 1 ER, 1 K – 2/4, 1 R, 1 RBI
GAME 4: SUS 9-5 QUI – SS Stephen Barley (SUS): 3/5 (2B, 3B), 2 R, 1 RBI, BB, 2 SB, 6 TB
GAME 5: QUI 15-7 SUS – CF Isaac Mitchell (QUI): 3/4 (2B), 2 R, 5 RBI, 2 HbP, 4 TB
SERIES M.V.P.: P Vilhelm Adriansen (QUI): 3-0, 3.00 ERA, 27.0 IP, 3 CG, 3 K, ∞ K/BB, 1.04 WHIP, 2x PotG

Quinnipiac showed everybody they weren’t content with having made the playoffs for the first time, stunning Susquehanna in the opener. Even more stunning: it was a three-run Home Run by Adriansen, a Pitcher with a career .188 Average, that permanently tiled the game in the visitors’ favor. Game Two wasn’t pretty, but Susquehanna evened the series by scoring seven Runs on just Seven hits, with their Run in B6 via Sacrifice Fly proving to be the difference.

In New Haven, Quinnipiac took the series lead with a Game Three win in which Adriansen again led the way with excellent pitching and unlikely hitting that put the playoff newcomers one win from the N.E.L.C.S. However, Susquehanna wasn’t going to bow out unless it was at home, with their four-run rally in the 7th inning of Game Four forcing a decider in Wilkes-Barre.

Sensationally, the playoff newcomers slammed Susquehanna on their turf in Game Five to advance to the N.E.L.C.S. Mitchell took the P.o.t.G. honor, but they also saw All-Star LF Francis Edwards bat 4/5 (2 RBI) and every player, #1 Adriansen included, finish the game with at least one Hit.

NEW YORK LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

GAME 1: ATL 13-14 FRO (10) – C William Butcher (FRO): 2/5 (2B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 3 TB
GAME 2: ATL 3-9 FRO – SS Jack Johnson (FRO): 2/4 (3B), 1 R, 2 RBI, 4 TB
GAME 3: FRO 9-0 ATL – P Edward Pelham (FRO): SHO, 9.0 IP, 3 HA, 0 BB, 1 K
SERIES M.V.P.: LF Fred Corr (FRO) – .500 (6/12), 5 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB, 8 TB

The opener was an old-fashioned barnburner with too much action to recall here. Tied 8-8, Atlantic scored twice in T8 to take a 10-8 lead, then Frontier responded with a five-run rally in B8 to take a 13-10 lead, but then Atlantic scored three times in T9 to tie the game 13-13, BUT THEN Frontier won it in 10 on a Single by CF George Whaley. Frontier ended Game Two quickly, responding to an Atlantic tally in T1 by scoring nine unanswered Runs by the end of the 4th, placing Atlantic’s cup defense in serious trouble.

Frontier secured passage to their first cup final in a stunner at the Capitoline Grounds. They scored six times in T1, the big Hit a two-run Home Run by Johnson, and then watched Pelham deliver a masterpiece against the N.Y.L.’s #1 offense, holding Atlantic to just three Hits during a game in which Frontier was never in any trouble.

The defending champions were out, and the Upstate #1 was off to play for a cup championship for the first time.

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

GAME 1: QUI 4-9 NAT – SS James Gentile (NAT): 3/5 (2 2B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 5 TB
GAME 2: QUI 8-6 NAT – 1B Oisin Hamilton (QUI): 2/4 (HR), 2 R, 2 RBI, 5 TB – 2 DP
GAME 3: NAT 7-16 QUI – 1B Oisin Hamilton (QUI): 4/5 (2B), 1 R, 4 RBI, SAC BUNT, 5 TB
GAME 4: NAT 14-6 QUI – RF Walter Little (NAT): 2/3 (both 1B), 1 R, 5 RBI, SAC BUNT, 2 SAC FLY
GAME 5: QUI 5-18 NAT – LF Henry Pittman (NAT): 5/6 (2B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 6 TB
SERIES M.V.P.: CF Francis Brown (NAT) – .500 (11/22), 5 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB, 15 TB

National took the opener thanks to two big innings. After Quinnipiac scored twice in T6 to take a 4-2 lead, National responded with a five-run rally that put them ahead 7-4 and then followed that up with two more Runs in B7 to clinch the win. The New England upstarts brilliantly evened the series in Game Two. After a three-run National rally put the hosts ahead 5-3 to end the 6th, Quinnipiac scored five times over the 8th-9th, the big hit a two-run Double by C Luca Porcatello that gave them the lead, to turn the result around and surprise the overall #1 with an 8-6 victory.

And then the playoff newcomers found themselves one win away from the cup final thanks to another late eruption. Down 4-3 going into B7, Quinnipiac clobbered National with a nine-run Rally capped by a two-run Single from Hamilton that gave the hosts a 12-4 lead. They would add four more Runs in B8 to go ahead 16-4 and put the overall #1’s season on the ropes. However, National wasn’t going to go down quietly. They roughed up Quinnipiac pitching with 18 Hits in Game Four, taking control over the middle innings and ensuring there would be a winner-take-all game back at George Washington Stadium.

In Game Five, National showed everyone why they were the #1 overall team in 1881. They pummeled Quinnipiac and their #1, Vilhelm Adriansen, scoring six times in B1 and thirteen times over the first four innings to take a 13-2 lead. National would only add to the lead from there, going on to win by a Baker’s Dozen to advance to a cup final for the first time.

ADAMS CUP FINAL

It was time for the final of Adams Cup I. For the fourth straight year the N.B.B.O.’s final series would be top seed vs top seed.

National was the #1 overall team during the season with a 49-21 record, while Frontier came in 2nd overall at 46-24. National’s Run Differential was far superior, a +167 that was 3rd overall vs Frontier’s +79 that was 8th. However, Frontier did have one big thing in their favor: Home Field Advantage, and to go with that a 26-9 home record that was 3rd in the N.B.B.O.

GAME ONE (Fort Ontario Park in Oswego, N.Y. – ATT: 2,352)
NAT 15-6 FRO – 2B Chester Dudek (NAT): 5/6 (all 1B), 2 R, 1 RBI, SB – DP

An even game early, National dominated the opener from the 4th inning on.

The visitors started well – three Runs in T1 and two in T2 giving them a fast 5-0 lead. Then, Frontier plated four in T2 and a pair in T3 to take a 6-5 lead. After that, National’s likely P.o.t.Y. Ben Lauppe settled down and the visitors took control.

National scored lone Runs in T4 via Error and T5 via Sacrifice Fly to take a 7-6 lead. In T6 National sallied forth with the game’s key rally: four Runs on an Error, a two-run Single by SS James Gentile, and a Single by C Charley Craig to put them ahead 11-6. National then scored two Runs in T8 on run-scoring actions by Lauppe & LF Henry Pittman, and with two more Runs in T9 on a Triple by CF Francis Brown National had scored the games last ten Runs to win the opener.

GAME TWO (Fort Ontario Park in Oswego, N.Y. – ATT: 2,353)
NAT 12-2 FRO – 3B James Kinney (NAT): 3/5 (2B), 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, SB, 4 TB

Game Two was another lopsided National win vs one of the three best home teams in the N.B.B.O.

Frontier scored first in this one – a Run in B1 on a Single by C William Butcher. After that, National scored the next dozen. They started with six in T2 via Single by Francis Brown, Single by Charley Craig, two-run Double by Kinney, Single by Chester Dudek, & Double by RF Walter Little. They added two Runs in T4 on a Sacrifice Fly and a single by 1B Oscar Harrington. In T6 National sealed the win with a four-run outburst that featured a three-run Double by Brown that gave them a 12-1 lead and Frontier zero chance at a comeback.

After two stunning home losses, Frontier was on the brink and National was on the cusp of their first title.

GAME THREE (George Washington Stadium in Washington, D.C. – ATT: 7,701)
FRO 7-4 NAT – 2B Bertram Wagner (FRO): 2/4 (2B, 3B), 1 R, 2 RBI, SAC BUNT 5 TB – 2 DP

Fine work in the late innings kept Frontier’s season alive.

With game even at 2-2 going into the 7th inning, Frontier took the lead in T7 on a Single by 3B William Rockford. National went down 1-2-3 in B7, and then Frontier made it a 5-2 game in T8 thanks to a two-run Double by CF George Whaley. The visitors then extended the lead to 7-2 in T9 on an Error and a Double by Wagner. In B9 a two-run Double by James Kinney was all National could manage, and by a final margin of three Frontier had their first ever win in a cup final.

GAME FOUR (George Washington Stadium in Washington, D.C. – ATT: 7,768)
FRO 4-6 NAT – 3B James Kinney (NAT): 3/4 (2B), 1 R, 4 RBI, 4 TB

And this year’s number one team took title number one on home soil.

National took the lead in the opening inning and never faced any serious danger. They scored twice in B1 on Singles by Kinney & Oscar Harrington, and they responded to a Frontier run in T4 with a four-run rally, with Kinney’s three-run Double giving the hosts a commanding 6-1 lead.

Harrington’s Double would stand as the championship-clinching moment, for Frontier scored three times in T8 on an Error and Singles by William Butcher & George Whaley to make it a two-run game (4-6). However, in T9 Frontier could only put one man on base and he went no further than 2nd, and that meant National were winners of the 1st Adams Cup.

National’s first N.B.B.O. championship comes at the end of a strange road that started when they joined the competition in 1871. During their first seven years in the Coastal Championship they struggled, finishing last twice and somehow avoiding last place in 1877 with a record of 24-46. When the A.P.B.L. took Newark, Pt. Jersey, Quaker St., & Tiger S.C. for its first round of expansion and Olympic left to help Sportsman’s found the C.B.C., National immediately filled the vacuum created by the five departures and doubled their win total in 1878, going 48-22 and taking their first Coastal Championship pennant. After falling to 35-35 in 1879 they shot back up to 48-22 in 1880 but fell one game short of Philadelphia B.C.C. in a fantastic pennant race, and in 1881 they were back on top of the Coastal as the single best team in the N.B.B.O.

It probably won’t be long before the A.P.B.L. expands again, and now that National has established themselves as one of the premier clubs in semi-pro baseball it seems certain that they are destined for the professional ranks.

ADAMS CUP MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
3B James Kinney (NAT): 9 G, .422 (19/45), 10 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 15 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB, 27 TB, 2x PotG

4x All-Star James Kinney was good in the N.E.L.C.S. but fantastic in the Adams Cup Final, batting 11/20 with eleven RBI over the four games. He was easily the National’s best Batsman in the final and their best over the whole of the playoffs, as Francis Brown followed up his M.V.P. performance in the N.E.L.C.S. by going 3/18 in the final, although his three Hits were key ones that drove in seven Runs.

Infield partner Chester Dudek also had an excellent postseason…

2B Chester Dudek (NAT): 9 G, .375 (15/40), 9 R, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 6 BB, 1 HbP, 3 SB, 18 TB, 1x PotG

…and likely N.E.L. Pitcher of the Year Ben Lauppe had a fine postseason as well:

P Ben Lauppe (NAT): 3-2, 2.53 ERA, 42.2 IP, 4 CG, 13 K, 2.2 K/BB, 2.7 K/9, 1.36 WHIP

He didn’t take any Player of the Game honors during the two series National took part in, but Lauppe was a steady presence who didn’t have any bad outings against the best the N.B.B.O. had to offer.

ADAMS CUP SUMMARY

tm1681 · 06-05-2026, 08:46 PM

FOUNDERS CUP XI: THE OLD VS THE NEW

PROVIDENCE, R.I. & BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Aug. 24-31, 1881) – Last year’s Founders Cup saw St. John’s roll into the series fresh off the best second half in A.P.B.L. history: 36-9, and 32-5 over their last 37 games. They were paired with a Knickerbocker team that had taken their third straight Metropolitan Conference pennant and had the tools to take them out, but St. John’s historic run continued on, and they won Founders Cup X in six games.

St. John’s was back to defend their title. 2nd in the Colonial Conference after 45 games, they once again raised the quality of their play over the second half of the season, saving their best baseball for August and eventually running away with Colonial title. Meanwhile, Knickerbocker failed to take the Metropolitan Conference pennant for the first time in four years, as a combination of aging stars and struggling offense proved to be their undoing.

Instead of Knick, it was Excelsior who made it out of the Metropolitan after Kings County looked like they would be the new pennant winners at the halfway point. Having struggled to find a clear identity after the retirement of Jim Creighton, Excelsior went all-in on attack, signing three outstanding Greenhorns who blossomed over the second half of the season, and raced to the Metropolitan title thanks to one of the A.P.B.L.’s top offenses.

St. John’s had a bit of a peculiar look to them this time around. They didn’t receive undoubtable Team of the Year production from household names like Joseph Evans & Konrad Jensen. Instead, they had an extremely well-balanced lineup filled with capable Batsmen from the leadoff spot to the eighth man. Also, even though Howard Burns had a dip in form, George Cerven, back in pro ball after five years in the N.B.B.O., had a brilliant season as the St. John’s #2 to help carry the pitching load.

Given the seeding and how the two teams ended their seasons, St. John’s would be the favorites to win the series and repeat as champions. However, Excelsior’s home Winning Pct. of nearly .750 meant if they could hold the line in Brooklyn just one win in Providence would see them lift the cup. Statistics also made this appear to be a somewhat even series on paper, with Excelsior having particular advantages in batsmanship.

Would St. John’s successfully defend the cup and win their fourth A.P.B.L. championship? Or would Excelsior, with its trio of young stars, come through and win a title for the first time in club history?

OVERVIEW

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

At the midway point of the season St. John’s was second in the Colonial Conference, part of a group of four teams – Niagara, Mass. Bay, Shamrock, & St. John’s – within two games of each other. Over the next five weeks St. John’s was the best of the four, taking a two-game lead by the end of July. August was where they really took control, going 11-4 to end the season and finish 1st by seven games.

St. John’s didn’t have a historic second half like last season, but they entered the Founders Cup, once again, playing their best baseball at the best time to do so. Howard Burns didn’t have another 30-Win season, but signing George Cerven proved to be a brilliant bit of business as he was outstanding after William Hoy faltered to start 1881. Offensively, Konrad Jensen & Joseph Evans took a step back from their usual production, but St. John’s still had one of the best attacks in the league thanks to fine seasons from Cletus Cannon & Rudolph Decker.

ST. JOHN’S B.C. LINEUP

• C Joseph Nalley: 80 GS, .279, .682 OPS, 56 R, 91 H, 22 XBH, 4 HR, 56 RBI, 12 BB, 8 SB, 0.6 WPA, 1.9 WAR
• 1B Konrad Jensen: 90 GS, .311, .783 OPS, 89 R, 122 H, 24 2B, 6 3B, 68 RBI, 40 BB, 64 SB, 5.4 WPA, 3.8 WAR
• 2B Cletus Cannon: 88 GS, .309, .824 OPS, 86 R, 112 H, 42 XBH, 3 HR, 54 RBI, 24 BB, 65 SB, 3.0 WPA, 4.0 WAR
• 3B Eamonn Higgins: 65 GS, .309, .816 OPS, 50 R, 82 H, 24 2B, 5 3B, 52 RBI, 31 BB, 9 SB, 4.2 WPA, 2.0 WAR
• SS Richard Frazier: 40 GS, .312, .780 OPS, 29 R, 50 H, 15 XBH, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 10 BB, 4 SB, 1.6 WPA, 0.7 WAR
• LF Joseph Evans: 90 GS, .311, .820 OPS, 84 R, 122 H, 30 2B, 14 3B, 75 RBI, 27 BB, 38 SB, 4.5 WPA, 3.5 WAR
• CF Rudolph Decker: 90 GS, .303, .773 OPS, 71 R, 110 H, 34 XBH, 1 HR, 42 RBI, 22 BB, 52 SB, 1.0 WPA, 3.5 WAR
• RF John Montgomery: 44 GS, .309, .746 OPS, 28 R, 55 H, 13 2B, 3 3B, 26 RBI, 5 BB, 7 SB, 0.9 WPA, 0.9 WAR
• P1 Howard Burns: 24-17, 3.32 ERA, 374.0 IP, 30 CG, 0 SHO, 148 K, 2.9 K/BB, 1.39 WHIP, 8.7 WAR, 3.6 rWAR
• P2 George Cerven: 25-9, 3.19 ERA, 322.0 IP, 27 CG, 1 SHO, 91 K, 1.3 K/BB, 1.32 WHIP, 2.6 WAR, 6.1 rWAR

METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

Halfway through the season Kings Co. was the best team in the league and had an offense that looked like it couldn’t be stopped. Orange, Knick, & Excelsior were the three teams behind them, all within five games. Then, Kings Co. had a miserable July while Excelsior went on a tear, and the latter took the lead while the former fell to 4th. Excelsior held the lead until their final-week collapse, but redeemed themselves in the one-game playoff vs unfortunate runners-up Orange.

Excelsior made the Founders Cup on the strength of their lineup, which had the best Average & OPS in the league. They also made it thanks to the best class of Greenhorns in A.P.B.L. history: the All-Star trio of Frank Clark, Charles Blaise, & Johnny Holcombe. Their Pitching Duo was comparatively weak statistically, but both were groundball-heavy P’s who let the opposition hit the ball to their fine-fielding 2B/SS combination, Holcombe & J.B. Chessman.

EXCELSIOR B.B.C. LINEUP

• C Frank Clark: 68 GS, .306, .694 OPS, 42 R, 89 H, 14 2B, 1 HR, 48 RBI, 11 BB, 4 SB, 1.4 WPA, 2.1 WAR
• 1B Charles Blaise: 91 GS, .339, .893 OPS, 91 R, 132 H, 48 XBH, 1 HR, 60 RBI, 50 SB, +11.0 BsR, 5.0 WPA, 5.0 WAR
• 2B Johnny Holcombe: 91 GS, .319, .832 OPS, 76 R, 122 H, 33 2B, 13 3B, 70 RBI, 24 BB, 11 SB, 4.1 WPA, 4.5 WAR
• 3B Elijah Hill: 91 GS, .326, .779 OPS, 86 R, 134 H, 37 XBH, 1 HR, 58 RBI, 7 BB, 9 SB, 4.9 WPA, 4.2 WAR
• SS J.B. Chessman: 91 GS, .313, .751 OPS, 58 R, 115 H, 26 XBH, 1 HR, 52 RBI, 20 BB, +14.7 ZR, 1.7 WPA, 4.4 WAR
• LF Troy Oberst: 91 GS, .361, .939 OPS, 93 R, 146 H, 56 XBH, 1 HR, 57 RBI, 22 BB, 220 TB, 5.9 WPA, 5.5 WAR
• CF Henry Arnold: 85 GS, .276, .740 OPS, 57 R, 98 H, 39 XBH, 1 HR, 58 RBI, 16 BB, 4 SB, 0.6 WPA, 2.2 WAR
• RF Charles Smith: 80 GS, .310, .771 OPS, 39 R, 95 H, 28 XBH, 2 HR, 61 RBI, 13 BB, 4 SB, 3.1 WPA, 1.6 WAR
• P1 Elmer Seabold: 22-17, 3.27 ERA, 371.0 IP, 30 CG, 1 SHO, 107 K, 1.2 K/BB, 1.27 WHIP, 2.7 WAR, 2.2 rWAR
• P2 Jonathan Reitz: 25-17, 3.62 ERA, 360.0 IP, 25 CG, 0 SHO, 66 K, 0.7 K/BB, 1.38 WHIP, 2.0 WAR, 0.9 rWAR

FOUNDERS’ CUP FORMAT & NOTES

SEEDING

• #1: St. John’s B.C. at 56-34 (+106 RD)
• #2: Excelsior B.B.C. at 54-37 (+41 RD)

FORMAT

• HH-AAA-HH Schedule
• One day off after Game Two & Game Five
• #1 seed has Home Field Advantage

WIN-LOSS

• H2H: St. John’s won season series 4-2
• LAST 10: St. John’s 8-2, Excelsior 3-7
• MONTH: St. John’s 12-8, Excelsior 11-10
• 2ND HALF: Excelsior 30-16, St. John’s 29-16
• PYTH: St. John’s 53-37, Excelsior 48-43
• HOME: Excelsior 34-12, St. John’s 29-16
• AWAY: St. John’s 27-18, Excelsior 20-25
• 1-RUN: Excelsior 14-8, St. John’s 13-10
• X-INN: Excelsior 3-1, St. John’s 4-5

RANKINGS

• RUNS SCORED: St. John’s #2 (6.9 R/G), Excelsior #4 (6.7 R/G)
• RUNS ALLOWED: St. John’s #2 (5.7 RA/G), Excelsior #9 (6.2 RA/G)
• AVERAGE: Excelsior #1 (.299), St. John’s #4 (.289)
• ON BASE + SLG: Excelsior #1 (.749), St. John’s #3 (.727)
• STOLEN BASES: St. John’s #1 (277), Excelsior #12 (98)
• WIN PROB. ADDED: Excelsior #1 (22.9), St. John’s #2 (20.7)
• BATSMAN WAR: Excelsior #1 (27.4), St. John’s #2 (21.0)
• EARNED RUN AVG: St. John’s #9 (3.34), Excelsior #14 (3.51)
• STRIKEOUTS (P): St. John’s #3 (2.9 K/G), Excelsior #13 (2.0 K/G)
• BASES ON BALLS (P): St. John’s #8 (1.6 BB/G), Excelsior #16 (2.3 BB/G)
• OPPONENTS’ AVG: Excelsior #4 (.267), St. John’s #11 (.286)
• OPPONENTS’ OPS: Excelsior #8 (.690), St. John’s #10 (.702)
• ERRORS: St. John’s #1 (3.8 E/G), Excelsior #6 (4.2 E/G)
• ZONE RATING: St. John’s #4 (+6.6), Excelsior #5 (+3.2)

Just like last year, based on their finish to the season and the fact that they had Home Field Advantage, St. John’s entered the series as the favorites. However, the teams looked fairly even on paper and Excelsior’s amazing 34-12 home record meant their odds of winning all three games in Brooklyn were decent, meaning it might take just one win at Olneyville Field to lift the cup. But…there was one more point in St. John’s favor: unlike last year, they won the season series against their opponents.

tm1681 · 06-05-2026, 08:47 PM

FOUNDERS CUP XI

GAME ONE (Olneyville Field in Providence, R.I. – ATT: 10,647)
EXC 5-17 StJ – 3B Eamonn Higgins (StJ): 5/6 (all 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI

St. John’s opened the series by deciding the best way to beat opponents with a great attack is to score loads of early Runs.

Excelsior scored in T1, and that was the only time they led all afternoon. St. John’s began their day on offense with a six-run rally, scoring on a pair of Errors, a Fielder’s Choice, and three run-scoring Hits. The hosts then plated a pair of Runs in B2 to take an 8-1 lead. Excelsior scored again in T4, but all that did was cause St. John’s to respond with four more Runs to take a 12-2 lead, and they were well on their way to a huge victory in Game One.

Four St. John’s players had 3+ Hits: the outstanding Higgins, Rudolph Decker (3/6, 2 R, RBI), John Montgomery (3/5, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI), & Joseph Nalley (3/5, 2 R, 2 RBI). The surprising thing: they scored 17 Runs without stealing a single base.

GAME TWO (Olneyville Field in Providence, R.I. – ATT: 10,718)
EXC 6-7 StJ – LF Joseph Evans (StJ): 2/4 (2B), 1 R, 2 RBI, BB, 3 TB, GW RUN

Excelsior had the Game Two win in the bag, until they didn’t.

The early innings ended with the game level at 3-3. Excelsior then took the lead in T5 via Error, went ahead 5-3 in T7 on a Single by J.B. Chessman, and increased the lead to 6-3 in T9 on another run-scoring Single by Chessman. Then, disaster struck.

Needing at least three Runs to keep the game going, St. John’s cut the deficit to two (6-4) on a Single by Eamonn Higgins with one out. Joseph Evans followed him with a two-run Double that tied the game (6-6). After P Joseph Reitz walked and hit the next two Batsmen, Cletus Cannon came up to bat and watched C Frank Clark mishandle a pitch from Reitz, giving Evans enough time to sprint in from third and score the game-winning run.

St. John’s had won both home games and was now ahead 2-0.

GAME THREE (Carroll Park in Brooklyn, N.Y. – ATT: 10,001)
StJ 8-9 EXC – 2B Cletus Cannon: 2/5 (HR), 3 R, 2 RBI, 3 SB, 5 TB

And now, it was Excelsior’s turn to win via late rallies.

With the score a level 2-2 after five innings, St. John’s took the lead in T6 on a Triple by Konrad Jensen and then put up a four-run rally in T7 that was propelled by a two-run Inside the Park Home Run from Cannon. Now enjoying 7-2 lead, the result looked safe. However, in B8 Excelsior slashed the St. John’s lead to two (7-5) thanks to a two-run Triple by Johnny Holcombe and a run-scoring Single by Frank Clark.

St. John’s scored one more time in T9 to go back ahead by three (8-5), and again their lead looked safe. Excelsior grabbed their bats for their last chance to steal the victory, and after Henry Arnold’s Double made it a two-run game (8-6) J.B. Chessman hit a run-scoring Single to cut the deficit to just one (8-7). Then, Charles Smith hit a Single that tied the game (8-8) and saw Clark thrown out trying to score the winning run. Now with two out, PH Fred Pascarelli hit a Single past the 2B on the first pitch he saw, with Chessman streaking in and scoring the winning Run for Excelsior.

Thanks to another unlikely comeback, the series was now 2-1 to St. John’s.

GAME FOUR (Carroll Park in Brooklyn, N.Y. – ATT: 10,051)
StJ 5-11 EXC – CF Henry Arnold (EXC) – 2/4 (3B), 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, 4 TB

It took a while to secure the result, but Excelsior evened the series.

Going into B4 behind 2-1, Excelsior scored three times to take the lead, with the key hit a two-run Double by Troy Oberst. The hosts then added a pair of Runs in B7 on a Triple by Arnold and a Single by Frank Clark to go ahead 6-2. St. John’s responded with three Runs in T8, John Montgomery’s two-run Double making it one-run game again (5-6).

Then, Excelsior sealed the win. A five-run rally in B8 that saw Elijah Hill & Frank Clark Hill hit two-run Doubles put them ahead 11-5, and with a six-run lead they were able to breathe easy. The victory was theirs.

The series was now even 2-2.

GAME FIVE (Carroll Park in Brooklyn, NY – ATT: 10,103)
StJ 19-3 EXC – 2B Cletus Cannon (StJ): 4/6 (2B, 3B), 5 R, 3 RBI, BB, 3 SB, 7 TB

St. John’s took the all-important Game Five by crushing the best home team in the league at their grounds.

This was a contest for about five innings. The teams scored a pair of Runs each during the 5th to leave the score 6-3 in favor of St. John’s. Then, St. John’s demolished their hosts.

In T6, St. John’s scored via Sacrifice Fly to take a 7-3 lead. Then, a five-run rally in T7 made it a 12-3 game – Runs scoring on two Errors, a two-run Single by Konrad Jensen, and a Single by Rudolph Decker. Two more Runs in T8 on another Jensen Single and an Error made it 14-3, and then came the finisher: a second five-run rally in T9, this one with the Runs scoring on a Home Run by Decker, a Single by Howard Burns, a Single by Cannon, and a two-run Double by Jensen.

How dominant was St. John’s? Konrad Jensen finished with five Hits (5 1B, 2B) and six RBI, and he didn’t earn Player of the Game honors. Meanwhile, the team had seven Stolen Bases. It was a classic St. John’s performance when they needed it most.

The series was now 3-2 in favor of St. John’s, with St. John’s one win away from repeating as A.P.B.L. champions.

GAME SIX (Olneyville Field in Providence, R.I. – ATT: 10,661)
EXC 7-10 StJ – 2B Cletus Cannon (StJ): 4/5 (2B, 3B), 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 SB, 7 TB

There was one big question heading into Game Six: Could Excelsior, just 20-25 away from home during the season, take a win at St. John’s and force a Game Seven?

The answer was no.

Excelsior got on the scoreboard first when J.B. Chessman hit a run-scoring Double in T2, but St. John’s responded with a five-run rally, the big moment a three-run Triple by Cannon, to take the lead. Two innings later St. John’s added three more Runs on a Single by Cannon, a Single by Joseph Evans, and a Sacrifice Fly, and with an 8-1 lead they had one hand on the cup.

The visitors made a valiant attempt at a comeback. They scored twice in T7 on a Single by Henry Arnold, three times in T8 on run-scoring Hits by Troy Oberst & Elijah Hill combined with a Passed Ball, and one more time in T9. Unfortunately, a St. John’s tally in B7 on a Single by Eamonn Higgins followed by another run-scoring Single by Higgins in B8 made the gap too big for Excelsior to close, and when PH Leonard Zaroff hit a hard line drive to Right Field that was caught by John Montgomery for the final out, the celebrations began at that venerated home of champions: Olneyville Field.

For St. John’s, they had become the first team to defend their title since American in 1876, and in total it was their ninth top-level championship – five in the N.B.B.O. and four in the A.P.B.L. – in a quarter-century of league baseball. Their latest triumph was yet another for the collection, one that far surpassed that of any other club in existence.

When the National Base Ball Organization was founded in 1857, New York City & Brooklyn were the centers of the sport. In twenty-five years, and arguably well before that, St. John’s Baseball Club had turned Providence, Rhode Island into the Mecca of baseball

FOUNDERS’ CUP MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
2B Cletus Cannon (StJ): .500 (15/30), 15 R, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 1 BB, 9 SB, 25 TB, 3x PotG

It’s hard to overstate how incredible Cannon was during the Founders Cup. Aside from the regular playoff series counting statistics, he had an OPS of 1.349, an OPS+ of 266, and a WAR of 0.9 over just six games (13.5/90 G). He hit 8/11 with two Doubles and two Triples over the last two games. HE SCORED TWO AND A HALF RUNS PER GAME BY HIMSELF. He was so brilliant that Konrad Jensen hit .483 (14/29) with five Extra Base Hits (3 2B, 2 3B) and ten RBI and still only received M.V.P. votes on a small minority of Writers Pool ballots.

The M.V.P. honor was a capstone on the best season of Cannon’s six-year career. He set new highs for On-Base Pct., Slugging Pct., OPS, Doubles, Triples, Home Runs, Bases on Balls, Stolen Bases, Win Prob. Added, Zone Rating, & Batsman WAR – eleven major categories – while making the All-Star Game for the second time. Previously, Cannon had played an important role for St. John’s, but now he was a key cog in their ruthless winning machine.

FOUNDERS' CUP SUMMARY

06-03-2026, 12:05 AM	#1293
tm1681 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,755	Ya couldn't make it up... __________________ Logo & uniform work here Thread about my fictional universe that begins in 1857 here

06-05-2026, 08:33 PM	#1295
tm1681 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,755	ADAMS CUP I: THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA NORTHEAST U.S.A. (Aug. 16 to Sep. 6, 1881) – The season is over, the playoff tickets have been punched, and it’s time for the first edition of the Doc Adams Cup, named after the current President of Knickerbocker B.B.C., the man who also wrote the basic rules & regulations of the sport – innings per game, players per team, etc. – that every team plays by. The 24th, and final, edition of the Tucker-Wheaton Cup felt like a “Who’s Who” of the most successful N.B.B.O. clubs from the previous decade. Atlantic had taken five pennants in the ‘70s, N.Y.A.C three, Utica four, Philadelphia B.C.C. four if the P.C.B.L. was included, Susquehanna seven, and Portland six. The six teams in the field had also combined for five cup titles. In the end, it was a team yet to win it all, Atlantic, who won the Cup Final in four games over Portland. The inaugural edition of the Adams Cup had a couple of interesting wrinkles to it. The New York League…cup holders Atlantic were basically start-to-finish pennant winners, with the N.Y.L.’s best offense leading the team to yet another Brooklyn pennant. In New York City, Metropolitan’s fantastic final series vs fellow contenders Hilltop forced a playoff vs New York A.C. which they then won, giving the team its first pennant and trip to the playoffs in six years. Upstate, Frontier used their 26-9 opening half to take control and see off tough challenges from Minuteman & Syracuse to make it to the playoffs for the second time. The Northeastern League…Thanks to an offense that hit its stride over the second half and fantastic pitching from Ben Lauppe, National won the Coastal Championship for the second time and finished 1881 with the #1 overall record in the N.B.B.O. Susquehanna did the usual and slugged their way to 1st in the Inland Championship, but the competition was just as tough as last year as, once again, three other teams finished within four games. In New England, Portland finished .500 or worse for the first time since 1868, which made for a wide-open pennant race that was won by Quinnipiac and its powerful attack for their first New England title and trip to the playoffs. Thanks to having the #1 overall record and a 26-9 second half, National were the favorites. However, the N.Y.L. champs would have the Home Field Advantage for the final, and with Atlantic’s 28-7 home mark the best in the N.B.B.O. it made the defending champs feel like co-favorites. However, it was small Upstate club Frontier that was the N.Y.L. #1. Would any of those three take the title, or would red-hot Metro, 3x champs Susquehanna, or debutants Quinnipiac be the ones to lift the brand-new trophy? NEW YORK LEAGUE BROOKLYN: Atlantic was tied for the lead after Week One, alone at the top by the end of May, and led the rest of the season. They had the pennant clinched in Week Thirteen, but a notable concern is that they were swept at Bedford in their final series, with the last two losses coming by eight Runs each with their regulars in the lineup. Atlantic had the #3 overall offense in the N.B.B.O. at 8.4 Runs per Game, and their fielding was in the top ten. The All-Star combo of SS Ben Gagliardi & LF Herb Verrett were outstanding over July & August, RF MacKenzie Wilson nearly took the New York League RBI Title, and #1 Thomas Onstad had another fine season. ATLANTIC B.B.C. KEY PLAYERS • Ben Gagliardi (SS): .336, .859 OPS, 60 R, 83 H, 21 2B, 8 3B, 51 RBI, 46 SB, +16.6 ZR, +3.7 WPA, 3.8 WAR • Herb Verrett (LF): .361, .893 OPS, 70 R, 103 H, 23 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR, 62 RBI, 10 SB, 3.5 WPA, 2.9 WAR • MacKenzie Wilson (RF): .311, .845 OPS, 70 R, 95 H, 20 2B, 14 3B, 1 HR, 73 RBI, 24 BB, 3.3 WPA, 2.5 WAR • Thomas Onstad (P): 23-13, 3.48 ERA, 328.0 IP, 23 CG, 121 K, 2/4 K/BB, 3.3 K/9, 1.28 WHIP, 4.9 WAR, 4.8 rWAR NEW YORK CITY: The pennant race went to the final week, then to the final day, and then to a one-game playoff after N.Y.A.C. lost at Bedford and Metropolitan hammered Hilltop on the final day. Metropolitan beat N.Y.A.C. at home in the N.Y.C. Championship playoff, making them pennant winners for the first time since 1875. Metro was a two-man gang on offense, with 1B Zeke Cornaro & CF Francis Smith surrounded by a bunch of decent Batsmen. That left the team 3rd overall in Average but just 17th in Runs per Game. Where they made up for any lack of offense was in Pitching & Defense, with a Team ERA ranked 10th overall and a group of fielders ranked 5th, led by SS Frank Morrison. METROPOLITAN B.B.C. KEY PLAYERS • Francis Smith (CF): .382, 1.022 OPS, 104 R, 130 H, 30 2B, 22 3B, 2 HR, 67 RBI, 38 SB, 7.1 WPA, 5.4 WAR • Ezechiele Cornaro (1B): .376, .972 OPS, 78 R, 117 H, 31 2B, 11 3B, 1 HR, 59 RBI, 22 BB, 5.4 WPA, 3.7 WAR • Frank Morrison (SS): .318, .748 OPS, 42 R, 85 H, 17 XBH, 1 HR, 42 RBI, 13 BB, +27.0 ZR, 1.9 WPA, 3.7 WAR • Abraham Evans (P): 23-13, 2.99 ERA, 337.1 IP, 26 CG, 1 SHO, 89 K, 0.9 K/BB, 1.30 WHIP, 3.1 WAR, 5.1 rWAR UPSTATE N.Y.: A 26-9 first half, the best in the N.Y.L., gave Frontier a five-game lead at the halfway mark. That was the key to their success, as Minuteman & Syracuse were excellent during the last four weeks of the season but that early gap Frontier created allowed them to finish 1st by three games over both contenders in the chase. Frontier’s talisman was #1 Ed Pelham, who won 20+ games for the sixth straight year and had his best season in 1881. On offense they had two excellent Greenhorns: C William Butcher & 1B Austin Hunter. They also had ever-dependable veterans like 3B William Rockford & CF George Whaley. FRONTIER B.B.C. KEY PLAYERS • William Butcher (C): .362, .868 OPS, 64 R, 104 H, 24 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 68 RBI, 20 BB, 3.1 WPA, 3.3 WAR • George Whaley (CF): .307, .765 OPS, 71 R, 96 H, 15 2B, 9 3B, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 39 SB, 3.5 WPA, 2.4 WAR • William Rockford (3B): .314, .810 OPS, 69 R, 94 H, 27 XBH, 60 RBI, 25 BB, 18 SB, 3.6 WPA, 2.2 WAR • Edward Pelham (P): 28-9, 2.49 ERA, 343.1 IP, 25 CG, 1 SHO, 68 K, 2.5 K/BB, 1.25 WHIP, 6.8 WAR, 6.8 rWAR NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE COASTAL: After seven weeks Maryland was atop the standings at 24-11, with National one game back and defending Coastal champs Philadelphia behind by five. National pulled even by the 5th of July and never looked back, finishing with a 26-9 second half that gave them the best record in the N.B.B.O. for the 1881 season. National’s offense was only 22nd in Runs, but it was closer to the bottom third during the opening half of the season. The main factors of their 49-21 record were their #2 overall pitching and their #1 overall fielding, which led the N.B.B.O. in Errors, Fielding Pct., Efficiency, and Zone Rating. NATIONAL B.C. KEY PLAYERS • Chester Dudek (2B): .348, .890 OPS, 70 R, 102 H, 20 2B, 11 3B, 69 RBI, 24 BB, +11.4 ZR, 2.7 WPA, 3.8 WAR • James Kinney (3B): .338, .873 OPS, 88 R, 110 H, 26 2B, 15 3B, 47 RBI, 12 BB, 6 SB, 3.5 WPA, 3.6 WAR • Oscar Harrington (1B): .320, .775 OPS, 41 R, 79 H, 16 2B, 2 HR, 59 RBI, 15 BB, 3 SB, 2.9 WPA, 1.7 WAR • Ben Lauppe (P): 28-13, 2.31 ERA, 355.0 IP, 30 CG, 1 SHO, 171 K, 3.9 K/BB, 1.12 WHIP, 9.0 WAR, 10.3 rWAR INLAND: Susquehanna took yet another pennant, but for the second year in a row it was a closer finish than they’re used to. A 14-1 May led many to assume the race was over, but some poor form after the midway mark let Squirrel Hill move to within two games. Susquehanna clinched with five games remaining, but they ended their season by going 1-4 at Scranton. Susquehanna introduced yet another new star to the N.B.B.O. in 1881: 2B John Porretta, who would probably win B.o.t.Y. if James Burke didn’t play for P.B.C.C. Adding him to an attack featuring C Scott Lyons, SS Stephen Barley, & John Schultz just didn’t seem fair. And, of course, they had William Hawk, who had 20+ Wins for the 8th straight season, as their #1. SUSQUEHANNA B.C. KEY PLAYERS • John Porretta (2B): .356, .965 OPS, 97 R, 114 H, 44 XBH, 1 HR, 91 RBI, 20 BB, 38 SB, 5.9 WPA, 4.6 WAR • John Schultz (CF): .326, .822 OPS, 96 R, 115 H, 23 2B, 14 3B, 1 HR, 62 RBI, 42 SB, 5.3 WPA, 3.6 WAR • Scott Lyons (C): .332, .811 OPS, 61 R, 104 H, 27 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 86 RBI, 18 BB, 4.1 WPA, 2.8 WAR • William Hawk (P): 23-11, 2.78 ERA, 346.0 IP, 28 CG, 3 SHO, 132 K, 4.1 K/BB, 1.16 WHIP, 7.9 WAR, 8.1 rWAR NEW ENGLAND: Quinnipiac had the lead by the end of May, but a poor June saw S.o.t.O. take over 1st place. Quinnipiac then righted the ship, took the top spot back by mid-July, and held it the rest of the way, ultimately besting S.o.t.O. by four games to take the first pennant in club history. With a top-ten offense (9th overall) and top-five pitching (4th overall), Quinnipiac had no shortage of talent, especially young talent. Their best Batsman was 23-year-old, 2x All-Star LF Francis Edwards, 23-year-old 3B Columbus Young hit .352, and Greenhorn C Lamberto Porcatello hit .340. Still, they had fine veterans, including 2B Charles Taylor & #1 Vilhelm Adriansen. QUINNIPIAC B.C. KEY PLAYERS • Francis Edwards (LF): .364, .945 OPS, 69 R, 112 H, 28 2B, 12 3B, 1 HR, 69 RBI, 22 BB, 6.2 WPA, 2.7 WAR • Columbus Young (3B): .352, .847 OPS, 82 R, 116 H, 23 2B, 7 3B, 51 RBI, 17 BB, 16 SB, 2.0 WPA, 2.0 WAR • Charles Taylor (2B): .320, .796 OPS, 79 R, 101 H, 21 2B, 7 3B, 60 RBI, 23 BB, 25 SB, 5.4 WPA, 2.2 WAR • Vilhelm Adriansen (P): 17-18, 2.64 ERA, 323.1 IP, 21 CG, 2 SHO, 40 K, 1.2 K/BB, 1.31 WHIP, 6.3 WAR, 6.4 rWAR ADAMS CUP FORMAT & NOTES SEEDING • N.Y.L. #1: Frontier B.B.C. at 46-24 (+79 RD) – 2nd playoff appearance (1879) • N.Y.L. #2: Metropolitan B.B.C. at 45-26 (+88 RD) – 6th playoff appearance (1857, 71, 73-75) • N.Y.L. #3: Atlantic B.B.C. at 44-26 (+125 RD) – 7th playoff appearance (1870-71, 76-78, 80) • N.E.L. #1: National B.C. at 49-21 (+167 RD) – 2nd playoff appearance (1878) • N.E.L. #2: Susquehanna B.C. at 45-25 (+209 RD) – 10th playoff appearance (1868, 71-72, 74, 76-80) • N.E.L. #3: Quinnipiac B.C. at 43-27 (+69 RD) – 1st playoff appearance FORMAT LEAGUE SEMIFINALS • #2 vs #3; #2 seed has Home Field Advantage • HH-AA-H; day off after Game Two & Game Four LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES • #1 vs L.S.F. winner; #1 seed has Home Field Advantage • HH-AA-H; day off after Game Two & Game Four TUCKER-WHEATON CUP FINAL • N.Y.L. champion v N.E.L. champion; N.Y.L. has Home Field Advantage • HH-AA-H; day off after Game Two & Game Four National had the #1 overall record, the best second half, and they finished the season by going 8-2 over their final ten games. Everything pointed toward them as the favorites. However, the N.Y.L. having Home Field Advantage for the final meant that if one of the two strong home teams – Atlantic or Frontier – made it through they might find themselves on equal footing. __________________ Logo & uniform work here Thread about my fictional universe that begins in 1857 here

06-05-2026, 08:46 PM	#1297
tm1681 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,755	FOUNDERS CUP XI: THE OLD VS THE NEW PROVIDENCE, R.I. & BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Aug. 24-31, 1881) – Last year’s Founders Cup saw St. John’s roll into the series fresh off the best second half in A.P.B.L. history: 36-9, and 32-5 over their last 37 games. They were paired with a Knickerbocker team that had taken their third straight Metropolitan Conference pennant and had the tools to take them out, but St. John’s historic run continued on, and they won Founders Cup X in six games. St. John’s was back to defend their title. 2nd in the Colonial Conference after 45 games, they once again raised the quality of their play over the second half of the season, saving their best baseball for August and eventually running away with Colonial title. Meanwhile, Knickerbocker failed to take the Metropolitan Conference pennant for the first time in four years, as a combination of aging stars and struggling offense proved to be their undoing. Instead of Knick, it was Excelsior who made it out of the Metropolitan after Kings County looked like they would be the new pennant winners at the halfway point. Having struggled to find a clear identity after the retirement of Jim Creighton, Excelsior went all-in on attack, signing three outstanding Greenhorns who blossomed over the second half of the season, and raced to the Metropolitan title thanks to one of the A.P.B.L.’s top offenses. St. John’s had a bit of a peculiar look to them this time around. They didn’t receive undoubtable Team of the Year production from household names like Joseph Evans & Konrad Jensen. Instead, they had an extremely well-balanced lineup filled with capable Batsmen from the leadoff spot to the eighth man. Also, even though Howard Burns had a dip in form, George Cerven, back in pro ball after five years in the N.B.B.O., had a brilliant season as the St. John’s #2 to help carry the pitching load. Given the seeding and how the two teams ended their seasons, St. John’s would be the favorites to win the series and repeat as champions. However, Excelsior’s home Winning Pct. of nearly .750 meant if they could hold the line in Brooklyn just one win in Providence would see them lift the cup. Statistics also made this appear to be a somewhat even series on paper, with Excelsior having particular advantages in batsmanship. Would St. John’s successfully defend the cup and win their fourth A.P.B.L. championship? Or would Excelsior, with its trio of young stars, come through and win a title for the first time in club history? OVERVIEW COLONIAL CONFERENCE At the midway point of the season St. John’s was second in the Colonial Conference, part of a group of four teams – Niagara, Mass. Bay, Shamrock, & St. John’s – within two games of each other. Over the next five weeks St. John’s was the best of the four, taking a two-game lead by the end of July. August was where they really took control, going 11-4 to end the season and finish 1st by seven games. St. John’s didn’t have a historic second half like last season, but they entered the Founders Cup, once again, playing their best baseball at the best time to do so. Howard Burns didn’t have another 30-Win season, but signing George Cerven proved to be a brilliant bit of business as he was outstanding after William Hoy faltered to start 1881. Offensively, Konrad Jensen & Joseph Evans took a step back from their usual production, but St. John’s still had one of the best attacks in the league thanks to fine seasons from Cletus Cannon & Rudolph Decker. ST. JOHN’S B.C. LINEUP • C Joseph Nalley: 80 GS, .279, .682 OPS, 56 R, 91 H, 22 XBH, 4 HR, 56 RBI, 12 BB, 8 SB, 0.6 WPA, 1.9 WAR • 1B Konrad Jensen: 90 GS, .311, .783 OPS, 89 R, 122 H, 24 2B, 6 3B, 68 RBI, 40 BB, 64 SB, 5.4 WPA, 3.8 WAR • 2B Cletus Cannon: 88 GS, .309, .824 OPS, 86 R, 112 H, 42 XBH, 3 HR, 54 RBI, 24 BB, 65 SB, 3.0 WPA, 4.0 WAR • 3B Eamonn Higgins: 65 GS, .309, .816 OPS, 50 R, 82 H, 24 2B, 5 3B, 52 RBI, 31 BB, 9 SB, 4.2 WPA, 2.0 WAR • SS Richard Frazier: 40 GS, .312, .780 OPS, 29 R, 50 H, 15 XBH, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 10 BB, 4 SB, 1.6 WPA, 0.7 WAR • LF Joseph Evans: 90 GS, .311, .820 OPS, 84 R, 122 H, 30 2B, 14 3B, 75 RBI, 27 BB, 38 SB, 4.5 WPA, 3.5 WAR • CF Rudolph Decker: 90 GS, .303, .773 OPS, 71 R, 110 H, 34 XBH, 1 HR, 42 RBI, 22 BB, 52 SB, 1.0 WPA, 3.5 WAR • RF John Montgomery: 44 GS, .309, .746 OPS, 28 R, 55 H, 13 2B, 3 3B, 26 RBI, 5 BB, 7 SB, 0.9 WPA, 0.9 WAR • P1 Howard Burns: 24-17, 3.32 ERA, 374.0 IP, 30 CG, 0 SHO, 148 K, 2.9 K/BB, 1.39 WHIP, 8.7 WAR, 3.6 rWAR • P2 George Cerven: 25-9, 3.19 ERA, 322.0 IP, 27 CG, 1 SHO, 91 K, 1.3 K/BB, 1.32 WHIP, 2.6 WAR, 6.1 rWAR METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE Halfway through the season Kings Co. was the best team in the league and had an offense that looked like it couldn’t be stopped. Orange, Knick, & Excelsior were the three teams behind them, all within five games. Then, Kings Co. had a miserable July while Excelsior went on a tear, and the latter took the lead while the former fell to 4th. Excelsior held the lead until their final-week collapse, but redeemed themselves in the one-game playoff vs unfortunate runners-up Orange. Excelsior made the Founders Cup on the strength of their lineup, which had the best Average & OPS in the league. They also made it thanks to the best class of Greenhorns in A.P.B.L. history: the All-Star trio of Frank Clark, Charles Blaise, & Johnny Holcombe. Their Pitching Duo was comparatively weak statistically, but both were groundball-heavy P’s who let the opposition hit the ball to their fine-fielding 2B/SS combination, Holcombe & J.B. Chessman. EXCELSIOR B.B.C. LINEUP • C Frank Clark: 68 GS, .306, .694 OPS, 42 R, 89 H, 14 2B, 1 HR, 48 RBI, 11 BB, 4 SB, 1.4 WPA, 2.1 WAR • 1B Charles Blaise: 91 GS, .339, .893 OPS, 91 R, 132 H, 48 XBH, 1 HR, 60 RBI, 50 SB, +11.0 BsR, 5.0 WPA, 5.0 WAR • 2B Johnny Holcombe: 91 GS, .319, .832 OPS, 76 R, 122 H, 33 2B, 13 3B, 70 RBI, 24 BB, 11 SB, 4.1 WPA, 4.5 WAR • 3B Elijah Hill: 91 GS, .326, .779 OPS, 86 R, 134 H, 37 XBH, 1 HR, 58 RBI, 7 BB, 9 SB, 4.9 WPA, 4.2 WAR • SS J.B. Chessman: 91 GS, .313, .751 OPS, 58 R, 115 H, 26 XBH, 1 HR, 52 RBI, 20 BB, +14.7 ZR, 1.7 WPA, 4.4 WAR • LF Troy Oberst: 91 GS, .361, .939 OPS, 93 R, 146 H, 56 XBH, 1 HR, 57 RBI, 22 BB, 220 TB, 5.9 WPA, 5.5 WAR • CF Henry Arnold: 85 GS, .276, .740 OPS, 57 R, 98 H, 39 XBH, 1 HR, 58 RBI, 16 BB, 4 SB, 0.6 WPA, 2.2 WAR • RF Charles Smith: 80 GS, .310, .771 OPS, 39 R, 95 H, 28 XBH, 2 HR, 61 RBI, 13 BB, 4 SB, 3.1 WPA, 1.6 WAR • P1 Elmer Seabold: 22-17, 3.27 ERA, 371.0 IP, 30 CG, 1 SHO, 107 K, 1.2 K/BB, 1.27 WHIP, 2.7 WAR, 2.2 rWAR • P2 Jonathan Reitz: 25-17, 3.62 ERA, 360.0 IP, 25 CG, 0 SHO, 66 K, 0.7 K/BB, 1.38 WHIP, 2.0 WAR, 0.9 rWAR FOUNDERS’ CUP FORMAT & NOTES SEEDING • #1: St. John’s B.C. at 56-34 (+106 RD) • #2: Excelsior B.B.C. at 54-37 (+41 RD) FORMAT • HH-AAA-HH Schedule • One day off after Game Two & Game Five • #1 seed has Home Field Advantage WIN-LOSS • H2H: St. John’s won season series 4-2 • LAST 10: St. John’s 8-2, Excelsior 3-7 • MONTH: St. John’s 12-8, Excelsior 11-10 • 2ND HALF: Excelsior 30-16, St. John’s 29-16 • PYTH: St. John’s 53-37, Excelsior 48-43 • HOME: Excelsior 34-12, St. John’s 29-16 • AWAY: St. John’s 27-18, Excelsior 20-25 • 1-RUN: Excelsior 14-8, St. John’s 13-10 • X-INN: Excelsior 3-1, St. John’s 4-5 RANKINGS • RUNS SCORED: St. John’s #2 (6.9 R/G), Excelsior #4 (6.7 R/G) • RUNS ALLOWED: St. John’s #2 (5.7 RA/G), Excelsior #9 (6.2 RA/G) • AVERAGE: Excelsior #1 (.299), St. John’s #4 (.289) • ON BASE + SLG: Excelsior #1 (.749), St. John’s #3 (.727) • STOLEN BASES: St. John’s #1 (277), Excelsior #12 (98) • WIN PROB. ADDED: Excelsior #1 (22.9), St. John’s #2 (20.7) • BATSMAN WAR: Excelsior #1 (27.4), St. John’s #2 (21.0) • EARNED RUN AVG: St. John’s #9 (3.34), Excelsior #14 (3.51) • STRIKEOUTS (P): St. John’s #3 (2.9 K/G), Excelsior #13 (2.0 K/G) • BASES ON BALLS (P): St. John’s #8 (1.6 BB/G), Excelsior #16 (2.3 BB/G) • OPPONENTS’ AVG: Excelsior #4 (.267), St. John’s #11 (.286) • OPPONENTS’ OPS: Excelsior #8 (.690), St. John’s #10 (.702) • ERRORS: St. John’s #1 (3.8 E/G), Excelsior #6 (4.2 E/G) • ZONE RATING: St. John’s #4 (+6.6), Excelsior #5 (+3.2) Just like last year, based on their finish to the season and the fact that they had Home Field Advantage, St. John’s entered the series as the favorites. However, the teams looked fairly even on paper and Excelsior’s amazing 34-12 home record meant their odds of winning all three games in Brooklyn were decent, meaning it might take just one win at Olneyville Field to lift the cup. But…there was one more point in St. John’s favor: unlike last year, they won the season series against their opponents. __________________ Logo & uniform work here Thread about my fictional universe that begins in 1857 here