1871 re-imagined

[RMc]

AMERICAN CUP

New York 9, Richmond 7 (NY: Punch Devinney 3 hits, 2 RBI)
New York 8, Richmond 7 (NY: Devinney walk-off single in 10th)

Keokuk 9, Toledo 4 (KEO: Leonidas Lee double, triple, 3 RBI)
Toledo 4, Keokuk 3 (TOL: Count Campau 2 RBI triple)
Keokuk 14, Toledo 11 (KEO: Phil Baker 2 hits, HR, 2 RBI)


New York 7, Keokuk 4 (NY: Bill Hawes 4 hits 2 RBI)
New York 12, Keokuk (NY: Bill White two triples, 5 runs)
Keokuk 3, New York 1 (KEO: John Coleman 10 IP, 7 H, 0 ER; 2 runs in 10th)
Keokuk 4, New York 2 (KEO: Jumbo McGinnis 3-hitter, 0 ER)
Keokuk 6, New York 1 (KEO: Lee Richmond 7-hitter)



UNION CUP

Boston 3, Paterson 0 (BSP: Charles Griffin 7-hitter)
Boston 7, Paterson 4 (BSP: 3 runs in 12th)

Kansas City 4, Wilmington 3 (KCC: Charley Jones go-ahead single in 12th)
Kansas City 3, Wilmington 1 (KCC: Tom Lovett 5-hitter, 0 ER)


Kansas City 12, Boston 5 (KCC: Bill Boyd HR, 6 RBI)
Boston 4, Kansas City 3 (BSP: Duke Farrell two-run HR in 7th)
Kansas City 3, Boston 2 (KCC: Dave Foutz 8-hitter; 2 hits, 1 run)
Kansas City 3, Boston 1 (KCC: Tom Lovett 7-hitter; hit, run)

[RMc]

With all the excitement in Cincinnati for the Centennial Cup, there were three other midwestern cities battling for Cups in 1889 -- including one with just 14,000 people. After just missing relegation in 1887, the Western club of Keokuk, Iowa soared to fourth place in the AA in '89, then knocked off Toledo and the mighty New York Giants to make their first Cup Final. With Altoona as their opponent, the American Cup took on a small-town feel, but with plenty of crazed fans to provide excitement.

In the first game, Mountain City laid down the Law -- first baseman Law Daniels, that is, as he had three hits and three RBI in a 6-2 win. But the Westerners unleashed their bats in Game 2, storming to an 8-0 lead, keyed by a bases-clearing double by Ed Cogswell. Keokuk won, 11-3, tying the series as it headed to a place no Cup Final had ever been: Iowa.

Seemingly the entire town flooded Perry Park for the third game, and they went home disappointed as Mountain City ripped Westerns starter Jumbo McGinnis for seven markers in the fifth inning -- all unearned, thanks to six Keokuk errors. It looked like Altoona would take Game 4 as well, as starter Charlie Ferguson cruised into the bottom of the eighth with a 2-0 lead. But back came Keokuk as they scored five times, three of the runs coming on Walt Wilmot bases-clearing triple; final score, 5-2, Keokuk, and the series was tied.

The fifth game -- seen by an estimated 18,000 people in a ballpark that officially held less than 10,000 -- was similar to the previous one, with Keokuk needing some runs as they came to bat in the eighth (although it was 2-2, not 2-0). Joseph Stewart broke the tie with a line single scoring Ballplayer Dougherty. ("That's my real name," said Dougherty afterwards. "My daddy wanted a ballplayer, so here I am. The guys just call me Ted.") The Westerns added two more and once again won, 5-2, as the series headed back to Pennsylvania.

In the sixth game, in which Altoona hurler Jim Handiboe was eager to secure his 37th win of the season (including playoffs), Keokuk started George Washington "Jumbo" McGinnis, who may or may not been unable to tell a lie, but he certainly chopped down the Mountain Citys for seven innings, as the game stood at one run apiece. In the eighth, Keokuk struck for four straight singles (including one from ol' Jumbo) and took a 4-1 lead. Elmer Cleveland finished off the Altoonas in the ninth with a run-scoring single, his third RBI of the day, and tiny Keokuk had won the game, 5-1, and the American Cup!



Meanwhile, the battle for the Union Cup had even more of a Wild West flavour, with two teams that had claimed the Cup previously: the Detroit Wolverines and the Kansas City Cowboys. The first game, at Brady and Brush streets in Detroit, saw the Cowboys hogtie Wolves' starter Toad Ramsey in short order, scoring twelve times in the first five innings in a 13-7 slaughter. Detroit scored seven times in Game 2, as well, but this time the rout was in the other direction as John Healy held KC to five hits in a 7-1 laugher. On to Kansas City!

The Cowboy Bowl is probably the toughest place to play in all of pro ball, with thousands of fans who are jus' plain loco. Chief Zimmer put Kansas City on the warpath in the opening frame with a three-run homer, as Dave Foutz held Detroit to six hits in a 6-2 in and a 2-1 series lead. In the fourth game, Healy tangles with KC's Tom Lovett, and the clubs were even at one after seven. In the eighth, UA batting champion Jimmy Say (.376) smacked an RBI double as the Wolverines won, 3-1, tying the Cup Final at two. Game 5 lived up to its name, as both clubs plated five runs in three innings. But Detroit starter Fleury Sullivan bore down while the Wolves' batters went wild, as Bernie Graham drove in four runs as KC fell, 11-5.

The sixth game in Detroit, Wolves pitcher Toad Ramsey stepped up and slammed a two-run double to give himself a 2-0 lead, a lead that was cut in half by Bill Boyd's RBI single in the fifth. But that was all the Cowboys would get, as Ramsey tossed a seven-hitter in a 4-1 Wolverines win, claiming the Union Cup.

[RMc]

The 1889 Centennial Cup Final pit two river cities against each other: the Cincinnati Red Stockings on the Ohio, and the St. Paul Saints on the Mississippi, just across from Minneapolis. The Reds were legendary, but the Saints didn't even exist until the Union Association was formed in 1884 -- and finished next-to-last. But with stars like Ross Barnes, Jim Donnelly and George Van Haltren, the Saints quickly ascended through the ranks, finishing second in the UA in '87 and second in the AA in '88, earning promotion to the National Association, where they ended up in third, then knocked off Tri Mountain and Fort Wayne to qualify for their first Cup Final.

Cincinnati's reaction to the Saints was predictable: "They're a bunch of rubes, and the Reds will take them apart," said one reporter. And in the first two games at the Palace of the Fans, that was what happened: rookie batting champ Tommy Tucker drove in three runs in an easy 7-3 win in Game 1, while George Gore socked a three-run blast in the very first inning en route to a 10-2 laugher.

The very first Cup Final game in Minnesota went differently, though. The great Van Haltren held Cincy to six hits, while Tom Sexton had three hits including a double as St. Paul pulled one back, 4-2, giving Saints fans a glimmer of hope.

But, alas, it was only a glimmer, even after St. Paul took a 6-5 lead into the ninth inning of the fourth game. The Red Stockings' ageless Bill Atwater led off the inning with a single, scoring the tying run on Scott Stratton's two-run double that put Cincy ahead for good. Atwater got the win, his 31st of the season (including two in the playoffs) and the 448th in his illustrious career (including 15 in Cup play). But St. Paul refused to give up: in another slugfest, the Saints took an 8-4 lead into the ninth inning of Game 5. But the Reds lashed back again, with two-run doubles by Dan Brouthers and pinch-hitter Ed Whiting tying the game at eight. Finally, in the top of the twelfth, Tucker smashed a triple, and scored the go-ahead run on Bob Black's single. Little-used reliever Ren Deagle set the Saints down in order in the bottom of the inning, and the Red Stockings had claimed their sixth Centennial Cup!

[RMc]

In the race for the Creighton MVP Award, Fort Wayne's Roger Connor edged out George Gore of the Cup-winning Red Stockings...



...while Hugh O'Neil of the second-place Atrlantic club won Pitcher of the Year.



In the American, Emil Gross (and his 38 home runs) won MVP honours, while Altoona's Jim Handiboe was awarded PoY.

Philadelphia's Joe Visner nabbed the Union Association MVP award, while Elton "Ice Box" Chamberlain took hurler honours.

[RMc]

Relegated from NA to AA: Elizabeth, Worcester and Brooklyn Eckfords

Promoted from AA to NA: Altoona, NY Giants and Toledo

Relegated from AA to UA: Jersey City, Buffalo and Philly Centennials

Promoted from UA to AA: Detroit Wolverines, Paterson and Wilmington

...at least, that was the way it was supposed to be. The Keokuk Westerns were apparently under the impression that, despite the club's fourth-place finish, their American Cup victory would automatically punch their ticket to the top-tier National Association in 1890. Baseball's brain trust, not wanting yet another bout of promotion and relegation drama, firmly turned Keokuk down -- especially since they were not exactly thrilled about the idea of adding a town of 14,000 to their ranks in the first place. The club promptly ordered a change of venue: from the ballfield to the courtroom -- and even got the Iowa Supreme Court to agree with them.

A young lawyer from Nebraska, William Jennings Bryan, argued the case in front of the federal Supreme Court. "The National Baseball Agreement clearly states that 'the top three teams shall advance to the National Association the following season'. Justices, the Western club proved their supremacy by winning the Cup! How could not be among 'the top three'?" Chief Justice Melville Fuller was unmoved, however, and the Court split, 5-4, against forcing the NA to admit Keokuk.

Once again, a new rule would be needed: from now on, the top two from the American and Union Associations would be promoted, and if the Cup winner was not among the top three, they would take on the third-place team for the other promotion spot in a winner-takes-all playoff. The ruling was too late for Keokuk, but the Western club remained defiant: "Just wait 'til next year...!"

[RMc]

[Editor's note: I had planned to create a Players League in 1890, but not like in real life; rather than a whole new league, I created a Cup tournament with all 60 teams, containing four divisions of 15 teams each, with the division winners making it to a Final Four. However, I discovered that whenever a division ended in a tie, it stopped everything dead: no one-game playoffs, no semifinals, no championship game. I tried scheduling playoff games manually, but the game doesn't seem to "recognize" the winner as the Players Cup champion. After running this several times, I decided it was more trouble than it was worth, so I deleted the Players Cup. Oh, well.]

[RMc]

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Hey, gang! (You don't mind if I call you 'gang', do you?) Sorry it's been so long since the last update; first "real life" intervened, and then this board was down just as I was ready to update! Grrr...]

In the National, Boston climbed the (Tri) Mountain and dominated in the pennant race, with Jim Devlin and Charlie Hodnett winning 66 games between them...



Meanwhile, the Yellow Jackets of Pittsburgh stung their American compatriots enough to claim the flag, while tiny Middletown, Connecticut punched their ticket to the NA in '91...



Finally, the Pilgrims proved that Tri Mountain wasn't the only fine ballclub in Beantown by taking the Union flag...with the once-mighty KC Cowboys clutching the wooden spoon...

[RMc]

[RMc]

[Editor's note: There seems to be something wrong with my universe -- or me. It seems I'm already in 1891, so, even though I saved the relevant screen shots, I can't re-create the games and give "play by play" like I usually do. It's just as well -- this is taking up way too much time and I think I need to speed-run this a bit. It's not like many of you are reading, after all...]

[RMc]

[RMc]

"Glasscock? Ouch!"

That's what opposing players were saying all season about Boston's star shortstop, in a year capped off with a Centennial Cup ring and a Creighton MVP trophy, edging out Fort Wayne slugger Roger Connor:



Charles B. Baldwin was a quiet man who neither smoked, drank or swore -- but he was h_ll in the pitcher's box, as "Lady" won 30 games and the Pitcher of the Year Award:



AA MVP: Billy Shindle, Minneapolis
AA PoY: Larry Corcoran, Middletown

NA MVP: Harry Stovey, Montreal
NA PoY: Ice Box Chamberlain, Toronto

[RMc]

Twenty years of the National Association of Baseball Clubs...and only four teams have won the pennant...meanwhile, only four clubs have won the Centennial Cup in its sixteen seasons:



Jim Creighton, Henry C Galliker and Sam Woolverton -- three "extra" players that never appeared IRL major league baseball -- still hold numerous batting records...



...and Creighton is still the greatest hurler ever to pick up a spheroid!

[RMc]

Just two years ago, the defending Cup winners from Chicago, the White Stockings, were in danger of being relegated; now, the almost-Cup winners from Chicago, the Colts, were in the same spot. The Colts, who fell just one game short of baseball's ultimate prize in 1890, collapsed in 1891, tumbling all the way to 18th: just two spots behind the White Stox. (It was not a good year for ball in the Windy City.)

Meanwhile, at the top of the standings, Cincinnati nabbed their eighth pennant in ten years, led by slugger Dan Brouthers and hurler Bob Black. In a tight race for the other Cup slots, the Nats, Fort Wayne and the Atlantics, while the perennial champs from Cleveland finished in a fifth-place tie with Troy. Forest City looked like they would join the postseason party when they scored seven times in the third inning to take a 9-6 lead into the eighth. But the Haymakers landed a few in that inning, with Danny Flowers' two-run single gave Troy a 11-9 lead and a spot in the Cup playoffs.



Newark took the American pennant, with Toronto a distant second: the Maple Leafs will still be the NA's first Canadian team in 1892. The Boston Pilgrims won a four-team playoff to grab the fifth slot.



The United pennant was a free-for-all, with Dayton and Montreal finishing in a tie; the Vets were awarded first place on their record against the Royals. Grand Rapids, Reading and Lowell all finished within four games of the top and made the playoffs.

[RMc]

The Boston Pilgrims have felt very much like the Tri Mountain club's little brother since their formation in 1884, even "winning" the Wooden Spoon for finishing dead last in the UA in 1888. But things turned around when they won the Union pennant just two years later. In 1891, the Pilgrims grabbed the last spot in the American Cup playoffs, thanks to Duke Farrell's .332 average, eleven homers and 98 RBI, leading the team in all three categories.

In the Cup playoffs, Boston swept aside Toronto in two straight, sealing the deal with a six-run ninth to take Game 2, 12-7. Third-place Elizabeth took two from the second-seed Eckfords in two straight, and needed a win over Boston to clinch the third promotion spot; however, the Pilgrims had other ideas, taking out the Resolutes in four games, clinched with back-to-back 3-2 wins in the final two games.



After Toronto won the United Cup in 1890, the club from la belle province decided to get in on the fun in 1891. The Montreal Royals finished in a first-place tie with Dayton in the UA, but the Vets were awarded top seed in the Cup playoffs based on their 4-2 record against Montreal. In the playoffs, the Royals took out Lowell in three games, then swept aside the Reading Actives in three straight.

[RMc]

The very first National Association game was played at the lavishingly-named The Grand Duchess in Fort Wayne, Indiana on May 1, 1871. The Cleveland Forest Citys beat the home club, 2-0 -- and set the stage for decades of disappointment in the town once named Kekionga (or, in the language of the Miami tribe, "blackberry bush"). The Keks (pronounced "Keeks") came in eighth that first season...which would be their best finish for 14 years! The very name "Kekionga" became a by-word for "last place", as Fort Wayne finished in the NA cellar eleven times in 13 years (luckily, there was no relegation in those days!).

Things improved by 1885, when Fort Wayne had their first winning record, and in 1888-90, the Keks made three straight Cup appearances, gaining the semifinals in 1888 and '89. In 1891, their record of 70-50 and third-place finish were both the best in club history. In the first round, Fort Wayne proceeded to knock off the Atlantic club of Brooklyn, two games to one, with Roger Connor taking MVP honours.

In the semifinals, though, the National club of Washington took two of the first three games of the best-of-five, and it looked like the Fort Wayne dream would die in the second round yet again. But Alex Voss tossed a four-hit shoutout in Game 4 as the Keks edged the Nats, 1-0, on Lave Cross' RBI single in the eighth. And in the decider, Milo Lockwood picked up where Voss had left off, befuddling National batters, shutting them out on seven hits in the first eight innings. Meanwhile, the Kekionga offense ripped Curley Maloney and two change pitchers for 12 hits in a 14-3 mauling, with Arthur Smith socking three doubles and Cross driving in three runs.



Can the loveable losers bring home the Centennial Cup? Stay tuned! (Or, uh...keep reading those newspapers...!)

[RMc]

The Eureka club of Newark were the dominant team in the 1870s American Association, winning four AA pennants and four American Cups. Moving up to the National in 1880, the Eurekas were a perpetual top-half club, making five Centennial Cup playoff appearances and a Cup Final in 1886. In 1890, though, Newark tumbled to 19th place and had to ply their trade in the AA in 1891.

Well, they're headed back to the National in 1892, after winning the AA pennant and sweeping out the Pilgrims in four straight:



The Union Cup Final was more compelling. The teams split two games in Dayton and two more in Quebec; in Game 5, Harry Stovey socked a three-run homer in the third and Montreal was never headed, winning, 6-3. But back in Welcome Stadium in Dayton, the Veterans evened things up in Game 6. Tied at 4 in the bottom of the seventh, after two errors and walk loaded the bases, Dayton's Barney Gilligan was hit by a Hank Gastright pitch to make it a 5-4 game; it ended 6-4, forcing a Game 7.



In Game 7, five Dayton errors doomed the Veterans as Montreal scored three in the top of the first and went on to win, 9-3, and clinching the Union Cup!

[RMc]

The 17th annual Centennial Cup Finals began in a familiar place: the Palace of the Fans in Cincinnati. The Red Stockings were heavy favourites to win their seventh Cup after clinching its eighth National Association pennant -- and that was never more obvious than in the first game. The Reds chased the Kekionga's starter Alex Voss with four runs in the opening inning, followed by five more in the second. But Cincy wasn't done, putting up six more in the fifth and four more in the sixth, keyed by a three-run homer by Jim O'Rourke, who wound up with six RBI in a 19-1 decision -- the worst rout in Cup Final history. "Fort Wayne should not even show their faces again," harrumphed the Cincinnati Post. "Let the slaughter of the innocents be ended."

When the Red Stockings scored four times in the fourth inning of Game 2 to take a 6-5 lead, it looked like they would take a 2-0 lead in the series. But Fort Wayne got going against Reds rookie hurler Warren Fitzgerald by putting up seven runs in the fifth, featuring a bases-clearing double by Charley Bassett to make it 12-6, Keks. Cincy fought back to cut the lead to one run but O'Rourke flew out to keep the final score, 12-11. Shockingly, Fort Wayne had forged a split of the two games in Cincinnati...despite allowing 30 runs!

Two days later, the Cup Final made its debut in the Hoosier State, and after 43 runs had crossed the plate in the first two games, Game 3 was the mirror image, as Voss and the Reds' Bill Black traded zeroes for seven innings. Both teams scored in the eighth, and neither in the ninth, setting up extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth, Fort Wayne's Arthur Smith singled, tried to steal second, then went to third on the catcher's errant throw. Roger Connor, he of the big blasts, could only manage a ground ball...which evaded the Reds infielders to give the Kekionga club a 2-1 win, and a 2-1 series lead.

The fourth contest more closely resembled the second, as both teams unleashed their batters in a fury. John Murphy held Cincy scoreless through six innings whilst driving in three markers of his own as Fort Wayne rolled to a 6-0 lead, but the Reds got within 10-8 with nobody out the ninth on Charlie Duffee's grand slam. Change pitcher Willie McGill then came in and coolly set the Red Stockings down in order, striking out Dan Brouthers to clinch the Keks' third win of the series -- putting them a single victory away from baseball's ultimate prize.

There approached a full-on panic in the Queen City, especially in its betting parlours. Many "men of leisure" stated they would be "wiped out" if Fort Wayne were to clinch the series the next day at The Grand Duchess. Their fears were assuaged -- for the moment -- when Cincinnati scored three times before Kekionga could even come to bat. Big Dan Brouthers would get three hits and three RBI as the Reds stormed to a 10-4 win.

When the Cup Final returned to Cincinnati, the Reds were dominating statistically, outscoring Fort Wayne, 48-29...but still trailing the series three games to two. Now, though, the remainder of the contests would be at the Palace of the Fans, a ballpark well-known for crushing the dreams of opponents. At first, it looked like it would be the Reds fans dreams that would be crushed: the Keks scored three in the opening inning, and held a solid 4-2 lead after six, with Voss showing no signs of tiring, especially after getting the first two Reds out in the seventh. There followed five straight hits, including back-to-back doubles by Brouthers and George Gore, and when the smoke cleared, Cincy was up, 6-4. But not so fast: Fort Wayne tied it in the top of the eighth on a Charley Bassett single, an error, a passed ball and a wild pitch. The Reds weren't done, though, as an RBI single by Brouthers made it 7-6. In the ninth, Milo Lockwood reached on a single but was left stranded...Reds win! Cup Final tied!



It seems every time the Centennial Cup Final goes the full compliment of seven games, someone will crown the final contest "The Greatest Game Ever Played". Fact was, most of Game 7 was a fairly pedestrian affair -- unless you like strong pitching. Murphy, the veteran hurler with 22 wins on the year (and three more in the playoffs) went through the Red Stockings lineup like a buzz saw, shutting them out through eight stanzas. But the Fort Wayne offense was not overwhelming, plating just three runs, by Bassett, Arthur Smith and Lave Cross (whose .179 average in the Cup Final was quite the disappointment). In the bottom of the ninth, the Red Stockings of Cincinnati, the most legendary ballclub of all time, seemed poised to make a glorious comeback.

It took only a few minutes for Brouthers and Gore to make two quick singles. After George Hall popped up, Ed Whiting beat out an infield single, and Cincy had the bases loaded -- and the Cup-winning run at the plate! Perhaps a bit over-eager, William Johnson swung at the first pitch he saw, and grounded out to second baseman John O'Brien, who tossed the ball to catcher Cross, nabbing Brouthers at the plate. But the bases were still loaded with Reds, leaving it all up to...Dan Dugdale. Who...?

The rookie Dugdale had spent most of the season at the end of the Reds' bench, playing in only fifty games and recording a .229 average. But with player/manager O'Rourke not wanting pitcher Warren Fitzgerald to hit in such a tight spot, Dugdale was his only remaining option. An exhausted Murphy bore down and...fired the ball over Cross' head, allowing Gore to score the Reds first run, and moving Whiting and Johnson into scoring position. Now, a base hit would tie the game! Dan Dugdale, a 26-year-old from a tiny town in Arizona, of all places, could be the hero! When Murphy's next pitch, a not-so-fast fastball, came towards the plate, Dudgale swung with all his might, and...

...hit a slow dribbler to O'Brien, who tossed the ball to Roger Connor to complete the greatest upset in baseball history.





The Palace was as silent as a church, with the exception of the Kekiongas (and a handful of their supporters called "The Dukes", who had made the 180-mile trip from Fort Wayne) yelling their heads off. Finally, the crowd began to cheer for both the new Cup winners and the team they had just vanquished, coming on to the field and congratulating all the men in uniform. One group of cranks came up to Fort Wayne manager Harry Wright and jokingly asked, "Hey, Harry, you know where to get a good glass of beer in this town?" Wright, a member of the legendary Cincy teams of the 1860s, certainly did. The party went on through the night, as the "loveable losers" were now clutching the Centennial Cup!

[RMc]

Bob Black's Red Stockings fell short in the Cup Final, but the hurler took home the both Creighton MVP and Pitcher of the Year Awards in 1891:




AA MVP: Emil Gross (Rockford); PoY: Bert Dorr (Worcester)
UA MVP: Harry Stovey (Montreal); PoY: Jack Stivetts (Grand Rapids)

Relegated from NA to AA: Chicago Colts, Baltimore Marylands, Hartford.
Promoted from AA to NA: Newark, Toronto, Elizabeth.
Relegated from AA to UA: Morrisania, Columbus, Toledo.
Promoted from UA to AA: Dayton, Montreal, Grand Rapids.

[RMc]

The 1892 National pennant race featured some familiar faces: Red Stockings, Tri Mountains, the Cup-holders from Fort Wayne, and the Resolute club of Elizabeth, NJ. Resolute, perennial champions in the American Association, nearly grabbed the National pennant in 1888 before collapsing the following year and slipping back to the AA in '90. But they were back in the National circuit in 1892, and led by the speedy Ed Swartwood, Resolute was deep in the NA race.

But from a small town (population: 30,000) in Pennsylvania emerged a new contender: the Mountain City club of Altoona. One of the UA's charter clubs in 1884, Mountain City was double-promoted in 1889-90, and emerged as a contender in 1892. Led by two-way star Charlie Ferguson (184 ERA+ and 122 OPS+), Altoona took the final slot in the Cup playoffs, edging out Toronto.

Oh, and although the White Stockings finished last, their "big city" exemption ensured they wouldn't be dropped to the AA in 1893. Instead, the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets would be relegated in their place -- but not before being awarded one of Chicago's players as compensation. The problem was, the White Stox didn't have much besides veteran hurler Tommy Bond; that was why they finished a ghastly 37-83 in the first place. Finally, 25-year-old pitcher Bill Day (despite his 7-28 record in '92) was sent to Pittsburgh.



In the AA, Montreal stormed to pennant by winning their last 15 games in a row, becoming the second Canadian team to join the "National" Association in 1893. And tiny Keokuk, winners of the American Cup three years ago, took the final Cup slot.



And the Alleghenys won the Union pennant, with Jack Glasscock's KC Cowboys grabbing the last Cup position with a with 2-0 playoff win at Reading:

[RMc]

The Baseball Club of Worcester, Mass. got its nickname from a joke made by a sportswriter, comparing them to Cincinnati's famous Red Stockings. But the Ruby Legs proved they could play, too, by dusting off the Western club of tiny Keokuk in two straight games. Meanwhile the Eckford club of Brooklyn had been founded in 1855, but its only hardware was the American Cup back in '82. After splitting their quarterfinal series with Detroit, the final game in Detroit was a corker. Tied at five in the eighth, Brooklyn's Henry Larkin socked a triple, then Mike Muldoon hit a short fly to veteran LF John McMullin -- who muffed it, allowing the Eckfords to take the lead. Brooklyn held on to win, 6-5, leaving McMullin (who also went 0-for-5 at the plate) wearing the goat horns.

In the semifinal, Worcester won a wild one in Brooklyn, 10-9, but dropped a tight 3-2 decision the next day, as Arthur Irwin's homer in the seventh proved to be the difference. The series shifted to Worcester's Agricultural Grounds, and the Ruby Legs took Game 3, 8-3, as Charlie Dougherty had three hits. The fourth game was a thriller, at it stood tied at 5 after nine innings. It looked like Eckford would force a Game 5 as Jack Clements socked an inside-the-park home run in the top of the tenth, but Billy Nash had other idea, sending the spheroid out of the park altogether to make it 6-6. Then, after a Jake Goodman single and an Orator Shaffer double, Jim Holdsworth hit a deep fly to left...Bill Kienzle ran it down for Brooklyn, but Goodman trotted home with the winning run, sending the Rubies to the Cup Final.



The Buffalo Upstatesmen had been a mid-level AA club at best until they were finally relegated to the Union in 1890. In 1892, though, they made their first Cup appearance and cashiered the Phillies in three games, with both of their wins coming in extra innings. Meanwhile, the Syracuse Chiefs quickly tomahawked the KC Cowboys in two straight, with Wilberforce "Willie" Forsyth tossing a two-hitter in the second game.

In the semifinal, Buffalo struck first with a 7-5 win, with number-eight batter Tom Calihan driving in three runs. But it was all Syracuse after that, as the Upstatesmen's upstate neighbor won a pair of slugfests, 8-6 and 8-5, then clinched their spot in the Cup Final with a 1-0 win in Syracuse, as Forsyth shut out Buffalo on six hits.