This Month In Baseball
June 1877
Edition 7.4
A Frustrated Star In St. Louis
O'Neil May Never Reach Potential On Putrid Club
We rightfully so often spend much of our time and ink chronicling the winners and young talent of the game throughout this publication. Often times however some names seem to come and go and careers take all kinds of turns and often not for the best. This time we wanted to focus on a great talent who came into the league with all the hope of a new spring, but now languishes in the doldrums of losing baseball and frustration that in many cases only this grand old game can provide.
Hugh O'Neil came into the league at the ripe age of 22 as the banner name for the new club taking root in St. Louis, the Brown Stockings. He was a cant miss prospect with a spectacular arm and body and a gleam of confidence coming out of Brooklyn New York. He was drafted 8th overall by the mighty Chicago club.
"I couldn't wait to get started with such a successful club." remembers O'Neil. Chicago was going to be the perfect fit. However very shortly after the expansion draft came and the Browns scooped up O'Neil and bought out his contract making him their ace for the 1875 season.
In his first season the right hander lost 20 games but showed promise with a 2.61 ERA. After the club lost 63 times in his first season, they lost 58 times more last year as O'Neil had another decent season but saw his numbers elevate along with the rest of the league. This season the Browns seem to be continuing to go in the wrong direction and the biggest victim of their demise seems to be O'Neil.
The now 24 year old is showing a record of 1-12 despite his excellent 2.89 ERA. He has struck out 34 men but cant seem to get anyone to support him with some runs. The Browns are 8 and 33 on the new season and are playing some of the worst baseball anyone has seen at this level.
No one is talking about O'Neil anymore despite how good he can play. A losing side of this magnitude is a source of ridicule no matter the individual performances. What might have been if the young star had had the opportunity to stay in Chicago upon his entry to the league.
This game can indeed be a cruel one. Will this young talent end up being a distant footnote to baseball history despite his obvious talent? His confidence going forward will tell us much of that answer.
Looking At League Attendance
Resurgent Cincinnati Leads The Way
It had been mentioned last season that the capital of the baseball world appeared to be Philadelphia. With three teams at their disposal, Philly fans were heading to the parks in bunches to support some of the very best players in the game.
Although this fact has not changed much, a new city has stepped to the forefront in 1877. The Cincinnati Reds currently lead the league in attendance calculated per team. The Reds have had over 35,000 fans fill their park this year, more then 5,000 fans to the next closest team. In contrast they have almost doubled the attendance numbers coming out of Hartford.
The enthusiasm for the Reds is real as not only does the team have a rich history prior to the league being formed, but also their great play on the field is attracting generations of fans. The Reds of course currently sit atop of the National League and dreams of their first pennant is being felt all over the Ohio landscape. In another impressive surprise, the afore mentioned St. Louis Browns are actually third in attendance this year, all this despite their teams miserable record; hats off to their fans.
