This Month In Baseball
August 1875
Edition 5.5
Brother George Back In Fold
After Season Jaded, Wright Returns To Boston For Stretch
Growing tired of the constant pressures of the game and saying that there is more to life then just hitting a baseball, mysterious Boston star George Wright left his successful ballclub this April to spend time at home. Amid much confusion, George was granted permission by his manager, who also happens to be his brother, for the time off and in truth the ball club hasn't missed much of a beat atop the AL with 44 wins.
The lifetime .353 hitting shortstop is finally on his way back as he appeared at the club at the end of last month and was greeted with hand shakes and smiles. The club is in a tight pennant race with Washington and the addition of Wright may be the ingredient needed for Boston to lift their second successive pennant.
"I knew they were in this fight without me up until now" said Wright, "but i felt it was time for me to return and do my part to help Boston indeed reach their first World Championship."
Some pundits think Wright had received special treatment by his manager but no one can definitively say that his addition back in the lineup doesn't make a great Boston club even better. The reception by Boston fanatics on his first taking of the field at South End Grounds should be interesting to witness.
Boston star pitcher Al Spalding found it all a bit amusing, "I find it interesting that hands down one of the best players this game has is now in our batting order and some people want to act as if it a bad thing. Maybe we should have paid him to stay home to make the press writers happy."
Word is that Wright did not get paid for the time he was away from the club for personal reasons. In the mean time the Washington ball club is questioning the move claiming that such roster moves at or near the end of the season disqualify the intense pennant race that has been forged by the two clubs all season.
Ross Barnes, the Washington star, had a few cutting words to add, "I would never trust him. George Wright is yellow." Interesting enough, Wright first home game return, will be against those very same Senators.
Pike Refuses To Let Whites Lose
Player Manager On Sure Pace For MVP
Over in the National League it is the Philadelphia Whites that have taken over first place from both Chicago and New York. In fact the Whites, who won 11 games in August, defeated Chicago 21-5 in a recent game and seemed poised to bring home their very first pennant.
Their manager Lip Pike has been the beating heart of this club in every way. The 30 year old veteran realizes that he may indeed be running out of chances for glory and this season has pushed all the right buttons to lead his team to success like they have never seen, even in their days at Troy.
But it is what Pike is doing on the field that cant really be put into words. He has earned 6 WAR for the season thus far and is hitting .420 to lead the league far and away all while holding a 36 game hitting streak, only 5 behind the alltime record. Oh and in the meantime he has managed to steal 63 bases and score 86 runs.
It is a phenomenal all around effort this year for the New York native and many around the game would love to see Pike reach the highest levels as he is among the most popular and respected men within the game.
Put quite subtly and direct, Pike tells us, "I would like to win one before I die if that is ok with everyone."