The Big Bang: A Larger Baseball Universe Starting From Nothing in 1857 - Page 20

tm1681 · 11-29-2024, 03:26 PM

TWO FIVE-STAR DEBUTS ON WEDNESDAY
UTICA’S ELLIS, PORT JERSEY’S BROWN EACH TALLY FIVE HITS IN THEIR FIRST NBBO GAME

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. & PHILADELPHIA (May 5, 1869) – The 1869 NBBO season started with a bang on Wednesday afternoon, as a pair of debutantes had never-before-seen debuts during the afternoon.

First up was new Utica SS “Foxman” Ellis. His team brushed aside hosts Binghamton by the score of 17-8, and while OF Johnnie Sands hit 4/6 and C George Menghini drove in four runs it was Ellis whose performance stole the show in his first NBBO game:

• T2: Leadoff Single past SS off M. Hales (R)
• T3: Single past 2B off M. Hales (SB)
• T5: 1-run Single past SS off M. Hales (R)
• T6: 1-run Single to LF off R. Schoettler (R)
• T7: Fly Out to SS off R. Schoettler
• T9: Single to CF off R. Schoettler (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (all 1B), 4 R, 2 RBI, SB, 1 DEF DP

Over in Philadelphia, Port Jersey lost 14-10 at Quaker State but one massive silver lining was the performance of new CF George Brown, also playing in his first NBBO game:

• T2: Leadoff Double to RCF off R. Gill (R)
• T3: 2-run Double to RCF off R. Gill (R)
• T4: Single to RCF off R. Gill
• T6: 1-run Triple to LCF off R. Gill (R)
• T9: Leadoff Single past SS off L. Zimmerman
• TOTAL: 5/5, 2 2B, 3B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 9 TB

With their performances, Ellis & Brown became the first two players in NBBO history to collect five hits in their first game in the NBBO. Ellis, a New Jersey native, joined Utica last November, while Brown left Upstate New York to join Port Jersey last December. Both players impressed enough during preseason training that they were put straight into the middle of their teams’ lineups.

tm1681 · 11-29-2024, 03:26 PM

AMERICAN HAMMERS NEWARK; ALL-STARS FEAST
AMERICAN’S 1-4 BATSMEN COMBINE FOR 17 HITS; DAVIS & VERSTEGEN FINISH WITH 5 EACH

PHILADELPHIA (May 6, 1869) – Defending Coastal champions American opened the season with a disappointing home loss to Newark by the score of 11-9. They did plenty to make up for that on Thursday afternoon:

It was a spectacular day for the American offense, and in particular the four All-Stars that make up the first half of their order: 2B Peter Boyce, 1B William Busby, CF Willie Davis, & 3B Werner Verstegen. Together, the four did the following:

• #1 Werner Verstegen (3B): 5/7 (all 1B), 3 R, 0 RBI, 2 SB
• #2 Peter Boyce (2B): 3/7 (all 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI
• #3 Willie Davis (CF): 5/5 (all 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• #4 William Busby (1B): 4/6, 1 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI
• 1-4 BATTERS TOTAL: 17/25, 1 2B, 12 R, 7 RBI, 2 SB, 1 BB

The four players, who have fifteen All-Star Game appearances between them, struggled in yesterday’s opener but obviously had cured whatever was ailing them in time to play game number two.

In addition to the above, OF Frazer Daly was 3/3 with three runs scored and three driven in and C Greg Monroe was 3/6 with a pair of runs. It was an outstanding day for the American offense.

tm1681 · 11-29-2024, 03:27 PM

ATLANTIC ROUTS ECKFORD; BRESCIANI 6 FOR 7
SECOND-YEAR SS HAD BEEN 1/10 OVER PREVIOUS TWO GAMES; P SORENSEN HITS HOME RUN

BROOKLYN (May 8, 1869) – Atlantic BBC won their fourth consecutive game to open the season on Saturday afternoon, with a simple, quick, & effective demolition of visiting Eckford of Greenpoint at the Capitoline Grounds:

Every Atlantic player except 1B Leroy Weld had multiple hits, including substitute OF Edgar Chilvers, every player except Weld scored a run, and every player except OF William Lantz had at least one RBI.

However, one player stood above the rest, and that player was second-year Atlantic SS Marcel Bresciani:

• B1: Single to LF off H. McLachlan (R)
• B2: Leadoff Single past 2B off H. McLachlan (R)
• B2: Infield Single off I. Shimmin (R)
• B4: Infield Single off I. Shimmin
• B6: Leadoff Single to CF off I. Shimmin
• B7: Fly Out to LF off I. Shimmin
• B8: 1-run Single to RF off I. Shimmin
• TOTAL: 6/7 (all 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI

It was also a memorable day for Atlantic’s pitcher, Olaf Sorensen. He allowed ten hits and six runs with his pitching, but Sorensen was 4/6 with the bat, driving in five runs and belting a two-run homer in the bottom of the 7th inning. On any other day Sorensen would have earned Player of the Game honors, but Bresciani’s six-hit effort was the higher hand.

Looking the other way, it was a miserable day for Eckford and their pitcher Hamish McLachlan, who allowed eleven hits and eleven runs (7 ER) while recording just five outs before he was replaced.

tm1681 · 11-30-2024, 05:28 PM

M.M.’S SCOTT HAS 5 HITS & 5 RUNS AT SPORTSMAN’S
MERRIMACK LEADOFF MAN SLUGS THREE EXTRA-BASE HITS IN HIS 1ST START FOR CLUB

FALL RIVER, MASS. (May 22, 1869) – Merrimack Mills and Sportsman’s met at Fall River’s Buffington Field for a contest that proved to be an exciting one on Saturday afternoon, with the home team coming out on top:

While Sportsman’s earned the win, Merrimack OF & leadoff batsman George Scott took the Player of the Game honor thanks to some spectacular work with the bat:

• T1: Leadoff Single to CF off J. Marks (R)
• T3: Leadoff Double to LF off J. Marks (R)
• T5: Leadoff Single b/w 1B & 2B off J. Marks (R)
• T7: Leadoff Triple to RCF off J. Marks (R)
• T8: Leadoff Double to CF off L. Taylor (R)
• T9: Fly Out to 1B off L. Taylor
• TOTAL: 5/6, 2 2B, 3B, 5 R, 0 RBI, 9 TB

Scott was the only batsman for either team to finish the game with more than two base hits or two runs scored. What was far more unique was the fact that he started five different innings with base hits, an NBBO first.

Scott, who is in his fourth year with Merrimack but his first with their senior squad, was making his first NBBO start, and certainly made quite an impression.

tm1681 · 11-30-2024, 05:29 PM

NABORS’ HIT STREAK GOES TO 40; ENDS THERE
VICTORY STAR’S STREAK IS THIRD-LONGEST IN NBBO HISTORY

TROY, N.Y. (May 21-22, 1869) – On one day, Victory BBC’s superstar SS Henry Nabors became the third player in NBBO history to take a Hitting Streak to forty games in length. On the next day, the streak ended at forty games.

During Friday afternoon’s 4-2 home loss to Flour City, Nabors finished his first three appearances with a pair of flyball outs and a strikeout. In what proved to be Nabors’ final time to bat in the bottom of the eighth he hit a leadoff single past the second baseman, making him the third player in NBBO history with a forty-game Hitting Streak.

Saturday’s game was another home loss to Flour City, this one a much rougher 18-6 drubbing. Nabors hit into a Ground Out, a Fly Out, and another Ground Out of Jonathan Goodman in his first three plate appearances before, again, a final chance with the bat in the bottom of the eighth. However, Nabors hit into a Double Play and his streak was over at forty games.

Nabors’ streak registers as the third-longest Hitting Streak in NBBO history:

• #1: Cormack Alexander (K.C. & Q.S.) – 42 games over 1867-68 (ended 5/22/68)
• #2: William McQuaid (F.C.) – 41 games over 1862-63 (ended 6/28/63)
• #3: Henry Nabors (VIC) – 40 games over 1868-69 (ended 5/22/69)

Interestingly, Nabors’ streak ended exactly one year to the day that Quaker State 1B Cormack Alexander’s newly established record Hitting Streak of 42 games came to its own end.

In three NBBO seasons and three weeks, Nabors has made three All-Star Games, been named to one NYL Team of the Year (1868), and established one historically long Hitting Streak. He has already established himself as the most talented player in Victory BBC history, and the 28-year-old Nabors should have another five to ten years to build his legacy.

tm1681 · 11-30-2024, 05:29 PM

BRADFORD DRIVES IN SIX AS FLOUR CITY POUNDS VICTORY
VETERAN CATCHER HAS BEST GAME OF CAREER IN DOUBLE-DIGIT F.C. WIN

TROY, N.Y. (May 22, 1869) – Early-season Upstate NY leaders Flour City improved to 11-3, as dominant work during the middle innings in Troy’s Rensselaer Park saw the visitors win by an even dozen:

The Flour City win was overshadowed by the fact that Victory star Henry Nabors’ forty-game Hitting Streak came to an end, but star P Jonathan Goodman hit three singles to make up for allowing five Earned Runs and the clear F.C. Player of the Game was their new catcher, Lorenzo Bradford:

• T1: 1-run Single past 2B off W. Johannessen
• T3: 2-run Triple to RCF off W. Johannessen (R)
• T5: 1-run Single to CF off W. Johannessen (R)
• T6: 1-run Single past 2B off F. Hamilton (R)
• T7: Fly Out to CF off F. Hamilton
• T9: 1-run Double to CF off F. Hamilton
• TOTAL: 5/6, 2B, 3B, 3 R, 6 RBI, 8 TB, 99 GMSC

Bradford was the only player for either team other than Goodman to finish the game with more than two base hits or two runs scored.

This was the best performance in the career of Bradford, an eleven-year veteran who joined Flour City in February after stints with Portland (1858-61), Mass. Bay (1862-65), & Empire (1866-68). The 1865 All-Star & Team of the Year member is batting .367 with nineteen RBI through fourteen games so far in 1869.

tm1681 · 11-30-2024, 05:30 PM

NATIONAL BASE BALL ORGANIZATION MAY RECAP

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (June 1, 1868) – The end of May means teams have completed Week Four of the 1869 NBBO season. Here is how the competition looks after the initial portion of the schedule:

REGIONAL LEADERS (20 of 70 games played)

• BROOKLYN: Excelsior, Kings Co., & Nassau Co. tied at 12-8 (Atlantic 1 GB)
• NEW YORK CITY: Gotham at 15-5 (Knickerbocker 3 GB)
• UPSTATE NY: Flour City at 15-5 (Niagara & Utica 3 GB)
• COASTAL: Shamrock at 16-4 (American 4 GB)
• INLAND: Sportsman’s at 13-7 (Alleghany 1 GB)
• NEW ENGLAND: Granite at 15-5 (St. John’s 4 GB)

Shamrock has the best record in the NBBO thanks to – surprise, surprise – the best pitching & defense in the competition. The three 15-5 teams are all near the top of their leagues in Runs Allowed. Granite’s 15-5 is a huge surprise given they were 30-40 last season. It’s hard to imagine them staying in front of St. John’s, whose defense has had bizarre struggles, all season.

Alleghany is not destroying the Inland opposition like the Writers Pool had predicted. Their offense has been disappointing – 8th in the NEL in Runs & 6th in Batting Average. Their defense has been worse – 15th in Efficiency & 18 in Runs Allowed.

It’s early but it looks like Brooklyn will be this year’s most exciting regional championship, especially when considering that Continental is in 5th place with a 9-11 record but a Brooklyn-best +45 Run Differential.

BATTERS OF THE MONTH

• NYL: Mario Fusili (1B, SYR) – .446 AVG, 1.062 OPS, 22 R, 37 H, 11 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 22 RBI, 8 BB, 2 SB, 0.5 WPA, 1.1 WAR
• NEL: Franklin Petty (CF, L.E.) – .447 AVG, 1.188 OPS, 28 R, 42 H, 10 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR, 27 RBI, 4 BB, 8 SB, 2.3 WPA, 1.6 WAR

Fusilli’s steady bat earns him BotM for the 1st time after leading the NYL in both Average & OPS over the first four weeks of the season. The defending Batsman of the Year has started 1869 very well.

Petty, also taking his first BotM honor, is somehow looking like he will improve on his 5.4 WAR season from last year after putting up one of the best opening months an NBBO batsman has ever had.

PITCHERS OF THE MONTH

• NYL: James Goodman (F.C.) – 11-0, 1-81 ERA, 109.2 IP, 11 CG, 0 SHO, 5 BB, 38 K, 0.97 WHIP, 3.4 WAR, 5.5 rWAR
• NEL: Tom Hauser (AME) – 8-4, 1.87 ERA, 105.2 IP, 11 CG, 1 SHO, 3 BB, 12 K, 1.07 WHIP, 1.5 WAR, 3.7 rWAR

Goodman, who somehow had never won PotM before, finally joined a team that had an offense to back up his pitching, and the results were astounding. Eleven wins is a May record, and he nearly matched Jim Creighton strikeout for strikeout. After one month he leads the NBBO in Wins, ERA, CG, WHIP, WAR, & rWAR.

It is a bit of a surprise that neither Shamrock pitcher – Tom Ricks or Thomas Smith – took the NEL BotM honor, but Hauser won as many games as Ricks or Smith while having an ERA nearly a full run lower than either pitcher.

NEWCOMERS OF THE MONTH

• NYL: Ralph Knight (2B, F.C.) – .360 AVG, .827 OPS, 22 R, 32 H, 7 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 0 BB, 2 SB, +2.3 ZR, 1.1 WPA, 0.6 WAR
• NEL: Washington Kihlstedt (P, SPO) – 7-4, 3.51 ERA, 100.0 IP, 9 CG, 0 SHO, 9 BB, 15 K, 1.25 WHIP, 1.5 WAR, 3.1 rWAR

Flour City has a second monthly award winner after Knight had a fine debut month, both offensively & defensively, for the Upstate leaders. He has already formed a steady middle infield partnership with Harold Price.

Kihlstedt spent five years in the Sportsman’s reserves developing and waiting for his chance to be a regular pitcher, and through four weeks the 23-year-old has made the most of it.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

• Average: .457 by Willie Davis (CF, AME)
• OPS: 1.188 by Franklin Petty (CF, L.E.)
• Runs: 35 by Willie Davis (CF, AME)
• Home Runs: 6 by William Busby (1B, AME)
• RBI: 30 by William Busby (1B, AME)
• Stolen Bases: 19 by Konrad Jensen (OF, STJ) & Manuel Romeiras (CF, HAR)
• Batter WPA: 3.8 by John Carlton (OF, GRA)
• Batter WAR: 1.9 by Willie Davis (CF, AME)

• ERA: 1.81 by James Goodman (F.C.) over 109.2 IP
• Wins: 11 by James Goodman (F.C.)
• Complete Games: 11 by James Goodman (F.C.) & Tom Hauser (AME)
• Strikeouts: 42 by Jim Creighton (EXC)
• WHIP: 0.97 by James Goodman (F.C.) over 109.2 IP
• Pitcher WAR: 3.4 by James Goodman (F.C.)
• Pitcher rWAR: 5.5 by James Goodman (F.C.)

tm1681 · 12-01-2024, 04:58 PM

DUFFY'S SIX HITS FUEL BIG ALLEGHANY WIN
CONVERTED OUTFIELDER SLUGS THREE XBH; TEAMMATE HARRIS DRIVES IN HANDFUL OF RUNS

WILKES-BARRE, PENN. (June 2, 1869) – Alleghany’s disappointing offense sprang to life this afternoon, as they visited Susquehanna for the first of their five-game series and battered their hosts for nine innings at River View Field:

Every Alleghany starter except CF Joe Thatcher safely reached base and scored, but their star batsman was easily OF Arran Duffy, who had the best game of his career batting against Elmer Seabold & Anthony Moritz:

• T1: Single past 3B off E. Seabold
• T2: 2-run Triple to RF off E. Seabold
• T4: Single to LF off E. Seabold (SB)
• T5: 1-run Double to RCF off E. Seabold (R)
• T7: Double past 1B off A. Moritz (R)
• T8: 1-run Single past 2B off A. Moritz (R)
• TOTAL: 6/6, 2 2B, 3B, 3 R, 4 RBI, SB, 10 TB, 97 GMSC

The performance raised Duffy’s average to .351 with 22 RBI so far in his first season as an outfielder, after he worked hard during the preseason to learn a new position so second base could be opened up for Henry Harris.

Speaking of Henry Harris, the second-year player & first-year regular had quite a game of his own, going 3/5 with one run scored and a team-leading five runs batted in.

The result improved Alleghany’s record to 13-8, while last season’s Inland champions fell to 6-15.

tm1681 · 12-01-2024, 04:59 PM

G.M. BEATS QUINNIPIAC WITH 18-RUN 8TH
TEAM SETS RECORD FOR RUNS IN AN INNING; P UNGER GOES 4/4 WITH 4 RBI; CURRY DRIVES IN FIVE

NEW HAVEN, CONN. (June 3, 1869) – Going into the top of the eighth inning of the game between Green Mountain & Quinnipiac at Davenport Field the score was 5-4, with G.M. leading. Then, chaos:

The eighteen-run eruption by Green Mountain established a new record for runs scored in an inning, and it left Quinnipiac wondering just what in the world happened.

Here is how the top of the eighth unfolded:

• B1: #8 C. Patterson (CF) – reached via Error by 2B A. Allen (SB, R)
• B2: P Will Unger – 1-run Single to CF (R)
• to 2B via Fielding Error
• B3: #1 A. Tillstrom (OF) – 1-run Double to LF off O. McLoughlin (R)
• B4: #2 F. Eccelino (OF) – 1-run Single to CF off O. McLoughlin (R)
• to 2B via Fielding Error
• B5: #3 Roy Myers (1B) – Fly Out to CF off O. McLoughlin
• B6: #4 W. Curry (C) – 1-run Single past SS off O. McLoughlin (R)
• B7: #5 D. George (2B) – Double to LCF off O. McLoughlin (R)
• B8: #6 W. Leone (3B) – 2-run Single to RF off O. McLoughlin (R)
• to 2B via Fielding Error
• B9: #7 E. Brown (SS) – reached via 1-run Error by OF J. Hull (R)
• B10: #8 C. Patterson (CF) – 1-run Triple to RCF off S. Baker (R)
• B11: P Will Unger – 1-run Triple to RCF off S. Baker (R)
• B12: SUB A. Ames (OF) – Ground Out to 3B off S. Baker
• B13: #2 F. Eccelino (OF) – 1-run Double to LCF off S. Baker (R)
• B14: #3 R. Myers (1B) – Single to LF off S. Baker (R)
• B15: #4 W. Curry (C) – 3-RUN HOME RUN to LF off S. Baker (R)
• B16: #5 D. George (2B) – reached via Error by 2B A. Allen (R)
• to 2B via Wild Pitch
• B17: #6 W. Leone (3B) – reached via Base on Balls by P R. Turner (R)
• B18: #7 E. Brown (SS) – 1-run Single to RCF off R. Turner (R)
• B19: #8 C. Patterson (CF) – 1-run Single past 2B off R. Turner (R)
• B20: P W. Unger – 2-run Double to CF off R. Turner (R)
• B21: SUB A. Ames (OF) – 1-run Single past SS off R. Turner
• B22: #2 F. Eccelino (OF) – Single to LF off R. Turner
• to 2B via Fielding Error
• B23: #3 R. Myers (1B) – Ground Out to 2B off R. Turner
• TOTAL: 23 BATTERS, 18 R, 16 H (4 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR), 7 E, 1 WP, 2 LoB

It was pure torture for Quinnipiac. Of the eight errors their fielders committed over the course of the contest seven occurred during the top of the eighth, and as a result only 4/18 runs scored were declared Earned Runs for the pitchers involved. For the 1,500 or so in attendance, the inning felt like watching sheer lunacy.

As one would expect when a team scores two dozen runs on 28 hits, Green Mountain saw a number of great performances from their batsmen today:

• #2 Fredo Eccelino (OF): 4/7, 2B, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, 8 TB
• #4 Will Curry (C): 5/7, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, 8 TB
• #6 Wesley Leone (3B): 3/5, 2B, 3B, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 6 TB
• #8 Charles Patterson (CF): 3/6, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 5 TB
• P Will Unger: 4/4, 2B, 3B, 4 R, 4 RBI, BB, 7 TB – CG, 9 HA, 5 RA (4 ER), 1 BB, 1 K

Catcher Curry’s five hits with a home run led the offense, but pitcher Unger’s performance was the best of the bunch. The career .224 hitter (.545 OPS) was 4/4 with two extra-base hits, four runs & RBI each, and he pitched a Complete Game on top of it – truly an all-around effort by G.M.’s #2 pitcher.

tm1681 · 12-01-2024, 05:04 PM

HOYT SIX FOR SIX IN BIG KINGS CO. HOME WIN
3X ALL-STAR RAISES AVERAGE OVER .400 AS K.C. WINS BY TEN

BROOKLYN (June 5, 1869) – A huge third inning rally propelled Kings County to a ten-run home victory over Eckford of Greenpoint at Washington Park on Saturday afternoon:

Kings Co. #2 Charles Matthews had a fine performance – CG, 7 HA, 3 R (1 ER), 2 K, 2 RBI – but the team’s breakaway star against Eckford was OF James Hoyt:

• B1: Single to LF off H. McLachlan
• B3: Leadoff Double to RF off H. McLachlan (R)
• B3: 1-run Single past SS off H. McLachlan (R)
• B5: Leadoff Single to CF off I. Shimmin
• B6: 1-run Single to LCF off I. Shimmin
• B8: Single to LF off I. Shimmin
• TOTAL: 6/6, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI

Hoyt’s litter of hits raised the 3x All-Star’s average from .383 to .420 with an OPS of .942 through two dozen games, and the result brought Kings County’s record to 13-11 for the season, good for part of a three-way tie for second place in the Brooklyn Championship.

tm1681 · 12-01-2024, 05:05 PM

ST. JOHN’S 5 FOR 5 vs GRANITE; BACK IN 1ST
PROVIDENCE TEAM WON ALL FIVE GAMES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE BY MULTIPLE RUNS

MANCHESTER, N.H. (June 2-6, 1869) – At the end of May, the biggest surprise in the NBBO was Granite BC. The competition’s lone entry from New Hampshire was sitting atop New England with a 15-5 record – four games better than anyone else – after having finished the previous two seasons 29-41 & 30-40 respectively.

St. John’s, whose defense had a terrible month of May, had an opportunity to bring Granite back to the pack to begin June, as the month started with St. John’s playing five games in New Hampshire against them at the Kalivas Union Grounds.

Would Granite remain white hot, or would St. John’s do the usual and snuff out another potential New England upstart?

• GAME 1: STJ 12-5 GRA – #6 Leopold Peiffer (3B) 3/5 (all 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI
• GAME 2: STJ 8-5 GRA – #3 Tarmo Kuopio (1B) 3/5 (all 1B), 1 R, 2 RBI
• GAME 3: STJ 10-1 GRA – #3 Tarmo Kuopio (1B) 5/5, 3B, 4 R, 1 RBI
• GAME 4: STJ 11-2 GRA – #1 Will Johnson (CF) 3/6, 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI, SB
• GAME 5: STJ 9-6 GRA - #2 Nelson Townsend (OF) 2/5, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB

It was a bloodbath befitting St. Johns’ main color of crimson. Across the five games the latest that Granite had a lead in any of them was at the end of the third inning of the opening game of the set, when they were ahead 2-1. Aside from that, it was all St. John’s. The visitors scored multiple runs over the opening three innings of the final four games, and Granite simply did not have a chance.

Both St. John’s regular pitchers, John Brown & Lou Sturgeon, pitched well, and the team’s defense showed improvement from the major issues they had over the first four weeks of the season. All of St. Johns’ star batsmen played well.

Before the series Granite was 15-5 with St. John’s at 11-9. After the five-game sweep St. John’s is back atop New England with a 16-9 record, while Granite is in second place at 15-10.

tm1681 · 12-02-2024, 06:42 PM

KINGS CO. HAS QUARTET OF STARS IN SUNDAY STROLL
KOLBERG, KOONCE, & MCSHANE SHINE AS K.C. WINS BY EIGHTEEN

BROOKLYN (June 6, 1869) – One day after James Hoyt torched Eckford pitching for six hits in a ten-run victory, Kings County one-upped that performance as a quartet of players excelled in an eighteen-run romp:

Each of the top six members of the Kings County lineup had multiple hits, but four of the six stood above the others and put in spectacular performances:

• #1 Theodore Kolberg (2B): 4/5, 2 2B, HR, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 9 TB, 94 GMSC
• #3 Garfield Koonce (1B): 4/6 (all 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI
• #5 Carlton McShane (OF): 4/6, 2 2B, HR, 4 R, 5 RBI, 9 TB, 92 GMSC
• #6 Henry Fitzgerald (SS): 2/5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI

Kings County’s three Home Runs were the most in a game by any team this year, and no team hit three in a game in 1868. Thanks to the team’s nine-run outburst during their first time to bat the game was effectively over after the end of the first inning, and Kings Co. only piled on the runs from there.

The win brought Kings County to 14-11, good for a tie for second at one game behind Atlantic in a tight Brooklyn Championship. Eckford is in a three-way tie for fifth place at 12-13.

tm1681 · 12-02-2024, 06:42 PM

LUCCI SLUGS 5 HITS AS MISCUES DOOM OCEANIC
GRANITE C STARS IN VICTORY WHILE OCEANIC COMMITTS FOURTEEN ERRORS

HARTFORD, CONN. (June 11, 1869) – Granite BC started out strong before Oceanic mounted a huge comeback in a game between the two teams at Hartford’s Charter Oak Park on Friday:

The ten early Granite runs appeared to have basically ended the game after three innings, but Oceanic roared back to make the score 14-13 after their seventh-inning rally. However, Oceanic’s comedy of errors in the early innings that allowed Granite to jump out to such a large lead proved too much to overcome, and Granite won.

Oceanic committed nine errors over the first three innings and a whopping fourteen over the course of the game. They actually had ten players commit fielding mistakes – all nine starters plus substitute second baseman Theodore Albrecht.

For the victors, the leading man in their attack was their catcher:

• #6 Louis Lucci (C): 5/6 (all 1B), 3 R, 4 RBI

His hitting provided a pair of two-run singles that were the key hits to rallies in both the first and third innings as Granite scored those ten early runs and then held on for dear life.

The win allowed Granite to keep pace with St. John’s. They have a 16-12 record and are two games behind the New England leaders.

tm1681 · 12-02-2024, 06:42 PM

CRAVEN HANGS 5 HITS ON NASSAU CO. IN WIN
ATLANTIC RF BRINGS AVERAGE PAST .400 WITH FINE DAY IN DOUBLE-DIGIT VICTORY

BROOKLYN (June 13, 1869) – Nassau County had the lead after the early innings, but middle-inning mastery led Atlantic to an easy home victory at the Capitoline Grounds on Sunday afternoon:

The Player of the Game went Atlantic OF Martin Craven, in his fourth season in the NBBO but his first with Atlantic after three seasons in the NEL playing for Granite.

Craven’s performance:

• B1: Single past SS off J. Black
• B4: Leadoff Double to RCF off J. Black (R)
• B4: Reached via Error by 2B C. Peters (R)
• B5: Infield Single off C. Henry (R)
• B6: 2-run Single past SS off C. Henry (R)
• B8: 2-run Single to RF off L. Vogel
• TOTAL: 5/6, 2B, 4 R, 4 RBI, 6 TB, 92 GMSC

Craven’s leadoff double in the fourth inning was the beginning of the team’s nine-run rally, and he reached a second time in the fateful frame.

The 5-for-5 effort with the bat raised Craven’s average from .393 to .411, good for fourth place in the NYL. His OPS of .978 places him third in the league.

Atlantic currently sits atop the Brooklyn Championship with a 19-11 record, two games ahead of Continental & Excelsior, three games ahead of Eckford, and four games ahead of Kings County & Nassau County. Time will tell who takes the Brooklyn pennant, but this much is known: it will be a race to the finish.

tm1681 · 12-02-2024, 06:44 PM

BRADFORD BIG AGAIN; LEADS F.C. IN WIN OVER EAGLE
NEW FLOUR CITY CATCHER HAS 2ND FIVE-HIT, FIVE-RBI GAME OF THE SEASON

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (June 17, 1869) – Flour City took on lowly Eagle BBC in the second of their five-game set in Rochester on Thursday afternoon, and the result of the contest was pretty much what everyone expected it would be:

Flour City #2 pitcher Preston Lilly (6-1, 3.79) made light work of the Eagle lineup, breezing to victory even though he withheld his best stuff against the worst-hitting team in the NYL.

Each of the first seven batsmen in the Flour City lineup had multiple hits, with the leader of the pack being catcher Lorenzo Bradford, who had his second newsworthy performance in the space of roughly three weeks.

Bradford’s afternoon with the bat:

• B1: 2-run Double to CF off H. Taylor (R)
• B2: Sac Bunt to move J. Bailey to 2B
• B4: 2-run Single b/w 1B & 2B off H. Taylor
• B6: 1-run Double to RF off C. Lee (R)
• B7: Leadoff Single to CF off H. Allen
• B8: Single to LF off H. Allen
• TOTAL: 5/5, 2 2B, 2 R, 5 RBI, 7 TB, 89 GMSC

This was Bradford’s second five-hit, five-RBI game of the 1869 season, with the first occurring on May 22nd in an 18-6 win at Victory BBC.

Bradford is making quite the memorable impression so far in his first season with Flour City. Thursday’s 5-for-5 raised his average to .424 with a 1.005 OPS, both marks good for third place in the NYL. He has a team-leading 34 RBI.

The win moved Flour City’s record to 25-7, which currently allows them to enjoy a commanding seven-game lead in the Upstate New York Championship. Niagara and Victory are the two teams tied for second place.

tm1681 · 12-02-2024, 06:45 PM

KOONCE RIPS SIX HITS VS EMPIRE; K.C. WINS IN 9TH
KINGS COUNTY STAR GOES 6 FOR 6; SCORES WINNING RUN TO KEEP TEAM ABOVE .500

BROOKLYN (June 19, 1869) – Kings County won both halves of a Friday doubleheader at home against last-place Empire, and they were expected to dominate again on Saturday. That did not happen, but Kings Co. still pulled out a result:

Ahead 11-8 going into the top of the ninth, substitute P Ernest Wise allowed runs via Fielder’s Choice and a pair of singles to tie the game at 11-11. With one out and the bases empty in the bottom half of the inning, Kings Co. 1B Garfield Koonce hit a double to center field off Clyde Parnell, moved to third base via sacrifice, and then scored the winning run on a single by CF Edward Johnson.

Koonce’s work in the final inning ended a fantastic day for the star:

• B1: Single past 2B off R. Dodson
• B3: Leadoff Double past 1B off R. Dodson (R)
• B4: 1-run Double past 1B off R. Dodson (R)
• B6: Leadoff Single b/w 1B & 2B off R. Dodson (R)
• B7: 1-run Single past 2B off W. Berg
• B9: Double to CF off A. Tate (R)
• TOTAL: 6/6, 3 2B, 4 R, 2 RBI, 9 TB, GW RUN, 90 GMSC

Koonce’s six hits raised his average to .375 with an OPS of .971, both marks higher than his debut season last year. He has 47 RBI through 34 games, putting him on pace for a record-setting 97 and giving him an outside chance at becoming the first player ever with 100 RBI in a single season.

After a season and a half as Kings County’s regular first baseman, the 24-year-old Koonce has been everything the team has hoped he could be.

tm1681 · 12-02-2024, 06:45 PM

STJ BATTERS PORTLAND; STAR PERFORMERS ABOUND
ST. JOHN’S BATSMEN COLLECT 26 HITS & 9 BASES ON BALLS; FIVE MEN REACH BASE FOUR TIMES

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 20, 1869) – It was a contest in designation only at Olneyville Field on Sunday, as St. John’s scored early and often in a crushing eighteen-run victory over visiting Portland:

Usually when a team scores that many runs, the opposing defense has played their part by committing a plethora of fielding errors. Not so in this game, as the methodical St. John’s batsmen recorded 26 hits, nine of them doubles, and drew a record-tying nine bases on balls as they beat Portland pitching into submission.

During the course of the game no less than five St. John’s batsmen reached base four or more times on a combination of hits and bases on balls:

• #1 William Johnson (CF): 3/3 (all 1B), 6 R, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 100 GMSC
• #2 Nelson Townsend (RF): 4/6, 2 2B, 5 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 6 TB, 85 GMSC
• #3 Tarmo Kuopio (1B): 4/6, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 5 TB
• #5 Anderson MacGyver (2B): 2/5, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, SB, 4 TB
• #7 John Baddley (SS): 4/5, 2 2B, 4 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, SB, 6 TB, 82 GMSC

Johnson’s Game Score of 100 was the first such performance in the NBBO this season as he became the fifth player in NEL history to earn four bases via balls in a nine-inning game, and one of a select few to reach base seven times in a game of any length. Johnson currently holds the NBBO record for walks in a regulation with five.

Johnson is not the .390-.400 hitter that he was last year, but his proficiency at drawing walks means his On-Base % is still above .450 and he is among the elite run scorers in the sport. It certainly helps Johnson’s cause that he has the kind of talent behind him in the lineup capable of putting in performances like they did in today’s game.

tm1681 · 12-02-2024, 06:46 PM

THE 1869 SEASON: THE HALFWAY POINT
TWO REGIONS VERY CLOSE; LEADERS ENJOYING BIG LEADS ELSEWHERE

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (June 23, 1869) – Seven weeks of play have been completed in the 1869 NBBO season, meaning that half of the schedule is finished.

Here are how the six regions look at the halfway point:

• BROOKLYN: Atlantic in 1st at 22-13 (Continental, Eckford, Kings Co., & Nassau Co. 3 GB; Excelsior 4 GB)
• NEW YORK CITY: Gotham in 1st at 25-10 (Knickerbocker 2 GB)
• UPSTATE N.Y.: Flour City in 1st at 28-7 (Utica 8 GB)
• COASTAL: Shamrock in 1st at 28-7 (Mass. Bay 7 GB)
• INLAND: Alleghany in 1st at 25-10 (Sportsman’s 1 GB)
• NEW ENGLAND: St. John’s in 1st at 21-14 (Portland & S.o.t.O. 2 GB; Oceanic 3 GB, Granite & Cantabrigians 4 GB)

The two areas of focus after Week Seven are Brooklyn & New England.

It is anybody’s guess who will take the Brooklyn pennant, given how tightly packed the top six teams are in the standings. Atlantic has never won the Brooklyn Championship, and they have to be very wary of Excelsior & Kings County since both teams have significant pennant chase and postseason experience. Continental is also a significant danger, as their Run Differential of +95 does not square up with their 19-16 record. They are 1-7 in one-run games, so with more luck Continental would be in top spot. Eckford & Nassau Co. have been outscored by 15-20 runs each, so their records are due to a bit of luck.

In New England just seven wins separate top from bottom in the regional standings. However, nearly everybody is running under the assumption that St. John’s will do the usual and pull away from the competition over the second half of the season. Still, nothing is guaranteed.

The closest region is technically Inland, but it is essentially a two-team race between Alleghany & Sportsman’s since the two teams tied for third are eight games back. Alleghany has to be seen as the favorite for the second half – they are 19-6 since their 6-4 start, and they are currently on pace to become the first team ever to score 10.0 runs per game for a full season.

New York City is more of the same – Gotham is just ahead of Knickerbocker, and the teams tied for third place are eight games back. It really looks like NYC could go either way.

Upstate & Coastal have clearly dominant teams. Flour City has won ten straight games and James Goodman (18-1, 1.95 ERA, 61 K, 5.7 WAR) is looking an easy bet to break the single-season Wins record. Shamrock is in control of Coastal with the best collective pitching & defense in the NBBO.

tm1681 · 12-08-2024, 04:48 PM

NATIONAL BASE BALL ORGANIZATION JUNE RECAP

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (July 1, 1869) – The end of June sees the National Base Ball Organization part of the way done with Week Nine of the 1869 season. Here is how the competition looks a little more than halfway through:

REGIONAL LEADERS (41 of 70 games played)

• BROOKLYN: Atlantic & Kings Co. at 24-17 (Eckford & Excelsior 1 GB, Continental 3 GB, Nassau Co. 4 GB)
• NEW YORK CITY: Knickerbocker at 29-12 (Gotham 1 GB)
• UPSTATE NY: Flour City at 33-8 (Binghamton & Utica 10 GB)
• COASTAL: Shamrock at 33-8 (Mass. Bay 8 GB)
• INLAND: Alleghany at 28-13 (Sportsman’s 1 GB)
• NEW ENGLAND: St. John’s at 27-14 (Cantabrigians, Portland, & S.o.t.O. 5 GB)

Bedford has fallen off the pace, but Brooklyn is still incredibly tight. Interestingly, the team with the most favorable remaining schedule might be the team with the worst Run Differential: Eckford. This is because they have played only 16 games at home compared to 25 away.

Knickerbocker has soared to the top of NYC thanks to an ongoing thirteen-game winning streak, but Gotham is still right behind them.

Flour City is in total control of Upstate New York after an 18-3 June. Similarly, Shamrock has likely conquered the Coastal Championship for the eighth time after a 17-4 June that looked completely dominant.

Alleghany is 7-3 over the last ten games but still just in front of the surprising Sportsman’s, who is being led by the pitching of first-year senior player Washington Kihlstedt and a stout defense.

St. John’s went from four games back at the start of June to five games clear in New England, thanks to 16-5 June and an offense that is scoring 9.8 runs per game. Granite went from 15-5 in May to 3-18 in June.

BATTERS OF THE MONTH

• NYL: Garfield Koonce (1B, K.C.) – .470 AVG, 1.211 OPS, 32 R, 47 H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 39 RBI, 3 BB, 0 SB, 3.0 WPA, 1.8 WAR
• NEL: Samuel Kessler (3B, ALL) – .464 AVG, 1.132 OPS, 38 R, 45 H, 13 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 36 RBI, 10 BB, 5 SB, 2.0 WPA, 1.6 WAR

Koonce’s brilliant June puts him squarely in place to have a better sophomore season than his All-Star worthy debut in 1868. Meanwhile, 9x Team of the Year member Kessler finally took his first BotM honor as part of Alleghany’s incredible offense.

PITCHERS OF THE MONTH

• NYL: James Goodman (F.C.) – 11-2, 1.77 ERA, 116.2 IP, 11 CG, 1 SHO, 5 BB, 46 K, 0.99 WHIP, 4.0 WAR, 6.2 rWAR
• NEL: Washington Kihlstedt (SPO) – 11-1, 2.69 ERA, 113.2 IP, 10 CG, 1 SHO, 13 BB, 11 K, 1.21 WHIP, 2.3 WAR, 5.3 rWAR

No surprise in New York: Goodman took PotM again with pitching that was as spectacular in June as it was in May. Over in the NEL, it was the stunning newcomer Kihlstedt and his 11-1 June for Sportsman’s that beat the league’s best for PotM.

NEWCOMERS OF THE MONTH

• NYL: Charles Hodges (SS, MUT) – .366 AVG, .873 OPS, 23 R, 34 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 20 RBI, 4 BB, 0 SB, 1.3 WPA, 0.6 WAR
• NEL: Washington Kihlstedt (P, SPO) – NEL Pitcher of the Month

Hodges has proven himself a fine winter addition for a much-improved Mutual team, and he has been rewarded accordingly. Given that Kihlstedt was the NEL’s Pitcher of the Month, he had to be their Newcomer of the Month as well.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

• Average: .436 by Reginald Roper (OF, F.C.)
• OPS: 1.119 by Franklin Petty (CF, L.E.)
• Runs: 67 by Royal Altman (OF, ALL) & William Johnson (CF, STJ)
• Home Runs: 7 by William Busby (1B, AME)
• RBI: 59 by Garfield Koonce (1B, K.C.)
• Stolen Bases: 40 by Manuel Romeiras (CF, HAR)
• Batter WPA: 4.5 by Isaac Kelly (3B, ECK)
• Batter WAR: 2.7 by Edward Huntley (SS, KNI)

• ERA: 1.79 by James Goodman (F.C.) over 226.1 IP
• Wins: 22 by James Goodman (F.C.)
• Complete Games: 22 by James Goodman (F.C.)
• Strikeouts: 84 by Jim Creighton (EXC)
• WHIP: 0.98 by James Goodman (F.C.) over 226.1 IP
• Pitcher WAR: 7.4 by James Goodman (F.C.)
• Pitcher rWAR: 11.6 by James Goodman (F.C.)

tm1681 · 12-08-2024, 04:48 PM

PETERS & SPERNER STAR IN WINS AT BEDFORD
FIVE-HIT EFFORTS FROM NASSAU CO. BATSMEN LIFT TEAM TO CONSECUTIVE AWAY VICTORIES

LONG ISLAND (July 1 & 2, 1869) – Nassau County BBC beat Bedford in consecutive games at the Long Island Cricket Club on Thursday & Friday, and in both contests one N.C. player stood above the rest as the man to thank for the positive result.

Thursday’s game was mostly a close contest before a three-run rally in the ninth saw Nassau County win 9-4. It was the bottom of the lineup that carried Nassau County’s offense, with each of the last four batsmen in the order, including pitcher Alistair Alanson, collecting multiple base hits. The key player was newcomer Clarence Peters:

• T2: Single to RF off M. Politti (R)
• T4: 1-run Single past 2B off M. Politti (R)
• T6: Leadoff Single past 2B off M. Politti (R)
• T7: 1-run Single past SS off M. Politti
• T9: 1-run Double to RCF off J. Willis (R)
• TOTAL: 5/5, 2B, 4 R, 3 RBI, 6 TB, 89 GMSC

This was easily the best game so far in Peters’ debut season, as the second baseman had struggled mightily before the contest. Going into Thursday, Peters was batting .245 with a .583 OPS and WAR at -1.0. He had been struggling to adjust to organized base ball both at bat and in the field, but at least on this day he put in an outstanding effort.

The next day, Nassau County held off a massive Bedford rally – eleven runs over the final three innings – to win 13-12 and go back over the .500 mark. This time it was the top of the lineup’s turn to carry the load, and the first four men in the order combined for thirteen hits. The star of Thursday’s game was OF Riso Sperner:

• T1: 1-run Single past 2B off M. Stillwell (R)
• T2: 1-run Single to RCF off M. Stillwell (R)
• T3: Double to CF off M. Stillwell
• T5: Ground Out to 2B
• T7: 2-run Single to CF off V. Wilkes (R)
• T9: Single past 3B off V. Wilkes (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6, 2B, 4 R, 4 RBI, 6 TB, 92 GMSC

Sperner’s run in the top of the ninth ended up being the final margin of victory for Nassau County, and the performance pushed Sperner’s average up to .328, which would be a career high for his four seasons in the NBBO if it holds. He appears comfortable batting #2 in the Nassau County lineup, and the result so far has been Sperner’s best season.

Nassau County is 22-21, which has them three games back of the Brooklyn leaders – Atlantic & Kings County – and tied for fifth place with Continental.