The Brooklyn Grays won their second consecutive championship and their third of their history as they culmulated an impressive and long season with an upset victory against the Boston Americans.
The Americans came into the series have won over 90 games and riding high on a 13 game winning streak. But in a series both teams start from scratch and the experiance of the Grays was simply much more evident although all the games were close and low scoring. The National League as a whole now has won the last 5 World Series matchups against the Amercian Association, something that has many wondering if the two leagues are indeed heading in two diffrent directions.
Brooklyn took the series 4 games to 1 and celebrated like little kids as many of the teams veterans realize that this may have very well been their last time for glory. The likes of Ezra Sutton and Al Spalding left Chicago and came to Brooklyn to show that their careers were still strong enough for anyteam. Ace pitcher Tim Keefe, although only 30 years old, has started over 300 games but is the heart and soul of this city and this team.
"We all win together" said Keefe upon the clincher in Brooklyn, "the people in the stores, the kids in the schools, and everyone on this train, we all win togehter and that is why this is so special."
No talks about next year yet as no team has won it three years in a row, but a recap of the series shows that the Americans put up a good fight, but just faltered at the crucial points of the games:
Game 1
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Brooklyn Grays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
| Boston Americans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
WP: Tim Keefe
LP: Lady Baldwin
In one of the most stirring and impressive post season pitching performances Tim Keefe threw a one hit shutout in front of the Boston faithful to beat the Americans by a single run. The only run of the game came on a fielders choice in the 7th as Keefe built on his legend and struck out 11 men on exactly 100 pitches.
Game 2
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Brooklyn Grays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Boston Americans | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | X | 4 | 5 | 2 |
WP: Bob Black
LP: Tommy Bond
The Americans tie the series with a strong perforamance from Bob Black. Black fanned 11 batters and threw as fast as we have seen in the effort. The delight of the Boston crowd couldnt be contained as a Bill Phillips hit drove in two runs in the 6th and proved the diffrence as Boston tied the series.
Game 3
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Boston Americans | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Brooklyn Grays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | X | 2 | 4 | 0 |
WP: Tim Keefe
LP: Lady Baldwin
A repeat of game one as Tim Keefe looked almost as strong in his home park. Keefe this time struck out an amazing 14 men, a new World Series record, to out match Lady Baldwin again who has had terrible luck. Three key errors by the Americans was the diffrence as Ezra Sutton had two RBI in the win.
Game 4
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | R | H | E |
| Boston Americans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Brooklyn Grays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
WP: Tommy Bond
LP: Bob Black
The backbreaker of this series as the Grays win it in extras and the Americans avoid tying the series. In an epic battle Tommy Bond and Bob Black match eachother pitch for pitch and headed into the eleventh without a single run allowed. Finally with a man on second Ezra Sutton again grounded a single in the whole of left field and Charlie Bastien beat the trwo to the plate that was offline, the Grays now had the commanding edge.
Game 5
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Boston Americans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Brooklyn Grays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 4 | 6 | 0 |
WP: Tim Keefe
LP: John Hamill
Tim Keefe wins his third game of the series and wraps it up for the Grays. Keefe again struck out 13 men making it 34 men for the series. A three run 4th inning was more then enough for Keefe as Sutton drove in his fourth run of the series. Pitching on the Brooklyin side was the diffrence in this championship as stars like Dan Brouthers batted only .158 on the series.
Tim Keefe the star of the 1886 World Series