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Old 02-23-2016, 12:55 AM   #17
Eckstein 4 Prez
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Chadwick Sports Newsletter

Special Update – September 30, 1881

After five seasons of National League dominance, Boston’s pennant chances were finally in jeopardy for the first time. In fact, there was an embarrassment of riches in the National League this season, as no less than three teams still had title hopes, with a fourth having been eliminated on September 29, the penultimate day of the season. Going into the final day, the standings at the top of the league were as follows:

Boston 46-36
Troy 46-37
Buffalo 45-37
Detroit 45-38

On the final day, Boston hosted Cleveland, a team that had just beaten them in two consecutive contests. If Boston won, the sixth straight title would be theirs and theirs alone. However, if they lost and Troy won at home against Detroit, the Trojans would win the National League pennant. If both teams lost and Buffalo managed to beat last placed Providence, Buffalo and Boston would share the pennant – an unprecedented feat.

For the crucial Cleveland-Boston contest, the starting lineups were as follows:

Cleveland
Ed Cogswell, 1b
Jack Glasscock, ss
George Hall, lf
Fred Dunlap, 2b
Charlie Eden, rf
Jerry Denny, 3b
Jack Remsen, cf
Doc Kennedy, c
Bobby Mitchell, p

Boston
Adrian Anson, 1b
Frank McCarton, lf
Ross Barnes, 2b
John O’Rourke, cf
Cal McVey, c
Curry Foley, rf
Fred Waterman, 3b
George Wright, ss
Hugh Campbell, p

Boston wasted no time getting things started in the bottom of the first inning, as they sent eight men to the plate with two walks and three hits. By the time the dust settled, the Beantowners had a 3-0 lead over Cleveland. They did not stop with this lead, as doubles by veterans George Wright and Adrian “Cap” Anson allowed Boston to score three more times in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-0 lead. The telegraph brought news that Detroit had taken a 2-0 lead over Troy, but it looked like the other games would not matter.

Back to back doubles by Bobby Mitchell and Ed Cogswell got one back for the Blues in the top of the fifth inning, but it was still a 6-1 Boston lead. The teams exchanged runs over the next two innings, but it was still a comfortable 7-2 margin for Boston. The home crowd ended up never having to worry, as that was the final margin, with Frank McCarton catching a routine fly out in the ninth inning to give the Bostons their sixth consecutive National League crown.
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