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Old 09-14-2025, 10:31 PM   #891
tm1681
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
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TWC XX: ONE GENERATION OF CHAMPIONS


NORTHEAST U.S.A. (August 16, 1876) – The twentieth edition of the Tucker-Wheaton Cup was going to offer the fans something different. While there were familiar faces and defending champions Trenton United were present, Trenton was the only team from last year’s field making an appearance in this year’s tournament and they wouldn’t be the favorites.

In the New York League, there were three new teams in the playoffs after three straight years with the same trio fighting for supremacy. In the Northeastern League, the defending champions were joined by the 1874 champions and the only team ever to keep St. John’s from taking the New England pennant.


OVERVIEW

BROOKLYN – Atlantic was only 5-5 in August but Continental was 4-6, meaning Atlantic won the Brooklyn Championship by four games, taking their first pennant in five years and third overall (1870-71). 4x defending Brooklyn champs Eckford finished 3rd (41-29, 5 GB). Star, 4th at the end of June & July, finished in the same place (36-34, 10 GB).

ATLANTIC’S KEY PLAYERS
Jackson Wright (1B): .413, .972 OPS, 70 R, 116 R, 22 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 74 RBI, 12 BB, 5 SB, 3.7 WPA, 3.6 WAR
Ben Gagliardi (SS): .391, .872 OPS, 75 R, 127 H, 12 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR, 76 RBI, 22 SB, +11.8 ZR, 5.1 WPA, 4.4 WAR
Herb Verrett (CF): .365, .883 OPS, 83 R, 119 H, 21 2B, 12 3B, 77 RBI, 9 BB, 4 SB, 164 TB, 4.7 WPA, 2.9 WAR
NEW YORK CITY – Union of Morrisania was only 5-5 in August but second-place Metro faltered, going 4-6 and slipping to third on Run Differential. The result: Union took the N.Y.C. pennant for the second time (1872), finishing first by three games over both Metro & N.Y.A.C. Baltic (36-34, 7 GB) finished fourth.

UNION OF MORRISANIA’S KEY PLAYERS
William Cruise (SS): .330, .764 OPS, 68 R, 105 H, 12 2B, 7 3B, 43 RBI, 11 BB, 13 SB, +34.1 ZR, 2.9 WPA, 4.0 WAR
Nick Hardingham (CF): .349, .801 OPS, 64 R, 110 H, 13 2B, 5 3B, 1 HR, 61 RBI, 10 BB, 13 SB, 3.7 WPA, 2.0 WAR
Gus Woods (P): 18-8, 2.79 ERA,. 29 K, 219.0 IP, 14 CG, 1 SV, 1.4 K/BB, 1.19 WHIP, 3.7 WAR, 5.6 rWAR
UPSTATE N.Y. – Minuteman was the best team in New York from the midway point on thanks to their 20-2 June. They were 26-9 after seven weeks and finished the season with a 51-19 (+274 RD) record that placed them a dozen games clear of both Victory & Frontier, with 1873 cup champions Utica finishing fourth (15 GB). It was Minuteman’s third pennant (1859, 65).

MINUTEMAN’S KEY PLAYERS
William Tighe (P): 28-11, 2.44 ERA, 98 K, 350.2 IP, 31 CG, 2 SHO, 2.4 K/BB, 1.19 WHIP, 7.2 WAR, 10.6 rWAR
Jules Thomas (2B): .345, .826 OPS, 79 R, 106 H, 21 2B, 6 3B, 61 RBI, 10 BB, 19 SB, +16.6 ZR, 3.0 WPA, 3.9 WAR
Charles Veverka (3B): .302, .725 OPS, 74 R, 97 H, 14 2B, 7 3B, 2 HR, 71 RBI, 8 BB, +10.1 ZR, 2.6 WPA, 2.1 WAR
COASTAL – Trenton United took over 1st place at the halfway mark and stayed there, repeating as Costal champions and going to the postseason for the fourth time (1858, 61, 75). The rest of the top four was the same as it was to end May, June, & July, with Pt. Jersey finishing second (4 GB), Quaker St. in third (7 GB), and Newark fourth (8 GB).

TRENTON UNITED’S KEY PLAYERS
Earl Seals (SS): .311, .782 OPS, 73 R, 98 H, 11 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 70 RBI, 16 SB, +23.1 ZR, 3.7 WPA, 4.8 WAR
James Hunsberger (RF): .316, .796 OPS, 73 R, 99 H, 22 2B, 11 3B, 1 HR, 72 RBI, 10 BB, 12 SB, 4.2 WPA, 2.7 WAR
Thomas Koch (P): 22-6, 2.88 ERA, 36 K, 237.1 IP, 17 CG, 4 SHO, 1.7 K/BB, 1.14 WHIP, 2.9 WAR, 4.5 rWAR
INLAND – Susquehanna was too strong for the pair of worthy contenders who were keeping chase: Merrimack (44-26) & Lancaster (42-28). In the end, they finished #1 overall (52-18) with a new record for Run Differential (+309) thanks to a lineup that set the single-season record for Runs (724; 10.3 R/G). It’s Susquehanna's fourth playoff appearance in five years and fifth overall.

SUSQUEHANNA’S KEY PLAYERS
Stephen Barley (SS): .346, .848 OPS, 81 R, 112 H, 18 2B, 11 3B, 89 RBI, 15 BB, 22 SB, +26.7 ZR, 3.0 WPA, 4.9 WAR
John Schultz (CF): .343, .803 OPS, 97 R, 123 H, 11 2B, 11 3B, 0 HR, 58 RBI, 10 BB, 44 SB, 3.6 WPA, 3.5 WAR
Joseph Jurski (1B): .329, .791 OPS, 84 R, 96 H, 19 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 78 RBI, 15 BB, 8 SB, 2.9 WPA, 2.3 WAR
NEW ENGLAND – Sons of the Ocean had the lead by the end of June and held it thereon, fending off a valiant challenge from 4x N.E. champs Portland (3 GB) to go to the playoffs for the first time since their other appearance, their famous 1865 season in which they became the first and only team to take New England from St. John’s. Defending N.E. champs Cantabrigians were 3rd (35-35, 10 GB).

SONS OF THE OCEAN’S KEY PLAYERS
Jesse Craig (1B): .387, .422 OBP, .888 OPS, 74 R, 122 H, 14 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 68 RBI, 19 BB, 5.3 WPA, 4.0 WAR
Peter Jones (SS): .323, .752 OPS, 55 R, 91 H, 3 2B, 7 3B, 1 HR, 50 RBI, 27 SB, +28.2 ZR, 1.9 WPA, 4.5 WAR
Peter Huff (LF): .326, .841 OPS, 76 R, 103 H, 20 2B, 11 3B, 2 HR, 52 RBI, 18 BB, 8 SB, 1.6 WPA, 2.7 WAR

WRITERS POOL PREDICTIONS

N.Y.L. SEMIFINAL: 46-24 Atlantic (25-10 Home) over 43-27 Union (+28 RD, 37-33 Pyth. W-L)
N.E.L. SEMIFINAL: 46-24 Trenton Utd. (+202 RD, 47-23 Pyth. W-L) over 45-25 S.o.t.O. (+111 RD)

N.Y.L. FINAL: 51-19 Minuteman (27-8 Home, 8-2 L10) over Atlantic (6-8 1Run)
N.E.L. FINAL: 52-18 Susquehanna (28-7 Home, 51-19 Pyth W-L) over Trenton Utd. (6-7 1Run)

T.W.C. FINAL: Minuteman (8-2 L10, 24-11 Away) over Susquehanna (11-9 vs #2-3 in Inland)
• N.E.L. has Home Field Advantage
• Series projected to go five games
T.W.C. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: William Tighe (P, Minuteman)
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Last edited by tm1681; 09-14-2025 at 10:44 PM.
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