[FuzzyRussianHat]

The 1896 NLCS was the second playoff series in MLB history to have one team win the first three games, then lose the next three. The very first World Series between Chicago squads in 1884 had this. The White Sox ultimately avoided blowing the 3-0 lead by taking game seven against the Cubs. The 1896 ALCS would be historic as well as the first playoff series to feature a game seven that went extra innings.

It was a beautiful sunny 56 degree Thursday afternoon in front of 18399 fans at Indianapolis’s West Washington Street Park. Philadelphia ran into early trouble as starting pitcher Jack Jones suffered an elbow strain to end his day. The Clowns got four runs between innings 4-6 while the Phillies got one. Philadelphia tied it up at 4-4 with a three-run seventh inning. That score held until the tenth inning.

In the bottom half, Indy’s Fred Clarke drew a one-out walk. After stealing second, Philly intentionally walked Bill Lange. Pat Sullivan singled next to load the bases, followed by a fielder’s choice by Dummy Hoy with the force play at home. Pinch hitter Ed Flanagan, who had all of 57 at-bats in the regular season, came through with the RBI single to right field to walk off the game and series with a 5-4 score.



It was the third pennant for Indianapolis (1885, 1888, 1896). Jouett Meekin had a workhouse game seven, pitching all ten innings with only one earned run allowed, eight hits, three walks, and nine strikeouts. CF Bill Lange was series MVP going 12-28 with two homers, five RBI, and nine runs. He was 2-4 with two runs and a walk in the finale.