THE BASEBALL ALLIANCE: Baseball in the British Isles

[CatKnight]

Interesting premise and good writing. Nice job!

[joefromchicago]

1876 MID-SEASON

A resurgent Glasgow squad battled it out with Islington and Manchester for the lead in the Dominion Association. The Gaelics, who haven't finished in the first division since 1871, set the pace in the early going. The offense, led by catcher Bob Hodder, featured five regulars batting over .300, a marked change from last year's batting drought. Cameron Gadd, who has had the thankless task for the last two years of carrying the primary pitching duties for Glasgow, recorded twenty-one wins in thirty-three decisions before going down with a slight case of arm strain at the end of June. At that point, Glasgow had fallen into a three-way tie with Islington and Manchester for the Association lead. Australian first baseman Hal Ballard spearheaded the Owl attack, but it was the team's pitching, headed by the duo of Robert Home and Charles Gresham, that propelled Islington to the top. Just as they arrived, however, they were surpassed by Manchester, riding a twelve-game win streak that started on 19 June and included a three-game sweep of Glasgow. As in years past, the Millers relied on a punishing offense, anchored by first baseman Lou Wyman's .410 average. Steve Knapp and James Black returned to form in the starting rotation, winning twenty-eight games between them. Defending Cup holders Bristol wavered when right fielder Neil Hendricks went down with a shoulder injury in mid-May that kept him out of the lineup for a month, but a more urgent problem was the failure of starters George Vann and Connor Nunn to regain the form that had them pitching their team to the Finals last year.

Salford, who played just well enough the last two seasons to finish in third place, finally may have found the key that will allow them into the upper reaches of the League standings. Twenty-three-year old George Templeman, in his second year as the Bees' primary starter, emerged as a budding star, going 22-13 in the first half. Solid pitching and timely hitting led the Salfords to a 16-1 stretch from mid-June to early July, and they vaulted over Newcastle and Bradford into first place. Newcastle, shaking off the effects of being swept in last year's Cup Finals, enjoyed another splendid performance from starter Darren Caunce, but his counterpart in the starting rotation, Henry Scholes, was far less effective, which dragged down a Greys' lineup that was hampered by injuries to starters "Big" Toirealach Riseley and Roy Swynnerton. Matthew Muir, having perhaps his finest season in his long career with Bradford, helped lift the Badgers into first place before being overtaken by Salford. The Badger attack featured catcher Patrick Skelton and first baseman Cameron Ainslie, both of whom were hitting over .320 at the midsummer break. Birmingham, who finished second last year, suffered when age finally caught up with thirty-seven-year old pitcher Barrington Coatsworth, a twenty-eight-game winner last year. Carl Mills, pressed into service as the number one starter, proved ineffective, and the Blue Stockings faded into fifth place.



The All-Star contest, scheduled for Westminster, was rained out. Pity, as it would have been a right corker.

[joefromchicago]

1876 FINAL

It was another close race in the Empire League as Salford and Newcastle dueled for the lead. Salford relied on an efficient, if unspectacular, attack, featuring shortstop John Lyndon (.279, 0 HR, 45 RBI) and catcher Josh MacArthur (.276, 0 HR, 43 RBI), while receiving superior pitching from starter George Templeman (26-17, 1.82 ERA). But then Templeman went down with an elbow injury in mid-August that will probably sideline him until the middle of next season, and his replacement, Daniel Eichele (12-10, 1.52 ERA), strained a hamstring on 9 September that doctors say won't be healed until the end of October. With a makeshift pitching staff, the Salfords struggled against a determined assault from Newcastle. The Greys topped the League in hitting, with Cian McDermott (.318, 0 HR, 22 RBI) and Matt Whitworth (.302, 0 HR, 33 RBI) leading the way. The pitching staff once again depended on the talents of Dean Caunce (23-15, 1.59 ERA) and Henry Scholes (17-11, 1.94 ERA). Bradford boasted outstanding individual performances by Patrick Skelton (.334, 1 HR, 45 RBI) and Matthew Muir (41-29, 1.41 ERA), but a 3-8 stretch in August effectively ended their chances at the flag. Liverpool emerged from the second division by winning eighteen of their final twenty-nine games, but it was not enough to rise higher than fourth place. By the start of September, Newcastle had a one-game lead over Salford. But McDermott broke his thumb in the first game of the month against Dublin, followed by minor injuries to lead-off man John Cantrill (.243, 0 HR, 21 RBI) and shortstop "Big" Toirealach Riseley (.256, 1 HR, 43 RBI), and suddenly the Greys started losing. The Bees caught the Greys with three games remaining and then clinched the pennant by winning their final series against the Badgers.

Manchester, in contrast, had little trouble in the Dominion Association. First baseman Lou Wyman (.398, 2 HR, 61 RBI) made mincemeat of opposing pitchers, even though Miller manager Albert Francombe was criticized for his tendency to rest Wyman against left-handed hurlers. Connor "Plumber" Ayling (.368, 1 HR, 60 RBI) and James Granger (.341, 1 HR, 62 RBI) also figured prominently in a lineup that collectively hit .313. The pitching staff featured the duo of Steve Knapp (29-11, 1.77 ERA) and James Black (23-12, 1.49 ERA). Islington, one game behind the Mancunians at the midsummer break, also had a power-packed lineup, led by outfielders Cameron MacIntyre (.329, 0 HR, 48 RBI) and Ron Collins (.328, 0 HR, 30 RBI), while Charles Gresham (16-6, 1.01 ERA) distinguished himself in the box. In the end, though, it was not enough to compete with the Manchester juggernaut. The Millers took five of six games in head-to-head competition against Islington in the second half, and won eight of nine games in September to seal their victory. Glasgow, behind the hitting of Duffy McMonigle (.312, 1 HR, 47 RBI), had a 13-22 record in the second half and barely hung onto third place. The defending champion Bristols suffered a complete collapse of their offense and turmoil in their pitching staff, as converted reliever Bob Hollett (18-20, 1.35 ERA) tried to take on the role of number one starter.



1876 CUP FINALS SERIES: SALFORD v. MANCHESTER

With the Salford and Manchester ballparks separated by only a few miles, it was decided to alternate between the venues throughout the series. The Salfords, with their decimated pitching corps, would have to rely primarily on Edouard Bernard (8-4, 1.49 ERA) to carry them through the postseason, but he failed to deliver in game one, losing 7-4. Ayling had three hits for the home team, while former star Carl Cumberland (.111, 0 HR, 0 RBI), brought up from the minors to take the place of injured catcher Roogan Quinn (.348, 1 HR, 61 RBI), smashed a two-run homer. Untested rookie starter Bradon McLemore, brought up from Aberdeen for the Finals, took a 6-5 lead into the eighth inning. But the Millers scored twice in their half of the inning, and then put three more runs across in the ninth to gain the victory. Bernard came back for game three and pitched a gem -- a six-hit, 3-0 shutout. Stephen MacKellar's (.276, 1 HR, 43 RBI) bases-loaded two-run single in the eighth proved to be the crucial blow. At Eccles Park the next day, the home team Bees came from behind by scoring twice in the eighth to win 6-5. American lefty Elvis Ventura (0-0, 0.00 ERA), released by the Lambeth farm club in July and picked up by Salford, gained the victory. The Millers wrought their revenge two days later, as Knapp scattered six hits en route to a 7-0 triumph over Bernard. Jesse Zucker (.369, 0 HR, 24 RBI) had four runs batted in for the Millers. Game six went back to Salford, and Ventura got the call again for the home squad. This time, however, the Millers were all over the rookie left hander, scoring five times in the first inning and accumulating six more runs before Ventura was mercifully lifted in the sixth inning. It was too late, though, for the Bees, as the Millers went on to a 13-7 win and their second Cup championship. Ayling, with a .519 average and nine runs scored, earned the MVP honors.

THE MINORS

The Kingston-on-Hull Kings of the Islington organization won their second Northern Conference pennant and then defeated the Greenwich Admirals, Bradford's farm squad, in four games for their third Second Tier championship.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .368 Robert Burman, Liverpool
HR: 3 Edward Dale, London
RBI: 58 Edward Dale, London
R: 60 John Streeter, London
SB: 26 Fred Montalbeti, Dublin
Pitching
W: 41 Matthew Muir, Bradford
L: 35 Carl Mills, Birmingham
K: 80 Franklin Trenwith, Liverpool
ERA: 0.92 Harrison Maylam, Bradford
SV: 3 three players

Muir set the BA record for most victories in a season and now has more career wins (152) than any other pitcher.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .398 Lou Wyman, Manchester
HR: 2 four players
RBI: 62 James Granger, Manchester
R: 79 Harry Kerry, Manchester
SB: 39 James Lukies, Belfast
Pitching
W: 31 Cameron Gadd, Glasgow
L: 33 Albert Munn, Lambeth
K: 75 Albert Munn, Lambeth
ERA: 1.01 Charles Gresham, Islington
SV: 5 Stewart "Deek" Spencer, Manchester

Not surprisingly, Manchester dominated the batting categories.

[joefromchicago]

1876-77 OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Empire League
Hitter: Robert Burman, Liverpool (.368, 1 HR, 50 RBI, .436 SLG)
Pitcher: Matthew Muir, Bradford (41-29, 1.41 ERA, 605.1 IP, .234 OAVG)
Manager: Michael Hartshorne, Salford (50-34, 1st place)
Rookie: Allen Scull, Westminster (.297, 1 HR, 34 RBI, .360 SLG)

Dominion Association
Hitter: Connor "Plumber" Ayling, Manchester (.368, 1 HR, 60 RBI, 77 R, .467 SLG)
Pitcher: Cameron Gadd, Glasgow (31-29, 2.00 ERA, 489.2 IP)
Manager: Albert Francombe, Manchester (57-27, 1st place)
Rookie: Albert Munn, Lambeth (20-33, 2.04 ERA, 463 IP, 75 K)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Lambeth outfielder Hugh Burton's 29-game hitting streak was the longest in the BA since London's Samuel MacGachan compiled a streak of the same length in 1874. Manchester became the first franchise to draw more than 100,000 spectators in a season.

ALLIANCE NEWS

Islington opened the vaults to entice free agent shortstop Tobias Purcell to join their club. Purcell will be receiving $10,218 spread over the next three years from the Owls.

WESTMINSTER NEWS

The Peers showed flashes of competence during the season just ended, but they were just flashes in the pan. An improvement of two games over their dismal 32-52 record of 1875 gave some cause for hope, as did the performances of Charles Judson and Allen Scull. Judson came in third in the League batting race, while Scull, having improved his fielding abilities over five seasons at Oldham, finally broke into the ranks of the big leagues and batted .297 on the way to the team's second consecutive outstanding rookie trophy. Last year's winner, William Hogarth, did not perform nearly as well. Hogarth was designated as the primary starter coming out of spring training, but he proved unequal to the challenge, and was replaced by Marmaduke Kirkman, who fared little better. In desperation, manager Shaun Bowmer settled on John Clymo, who had been such a disappointment in 1875. Clymo responded with a respectable 24-27, recapturing some of the confidence that he lost during last year's debacle.

As spring training approached, Dublin general manager Stephen Dan wired Westminster owner George Kirkup. "Would you be interested in Joe Colson?" inquired Dan. Colson, a one-time star with London and winner of the 1875 outstanding pitcher award, wasn't a good fit with the Shamrocks pitching staff and had been relegated to the bullpen. Although the aging star carried a hefty salary, Kirkup leapt at the opportunity to grab the thirty-five-year old Colson, and fan interest in the acquisition could only be described as "amazing." Minor league outfielder Liam Broughton was shipped off to Ireland in the exchange.

[joefromchicago]

1877 MID-SEASON

It was a resurrection of sorts in Westminster, as the Peers emerged from the League's cellar for the first time in two years and vied for a spot in the attic. The Peers received a boost when they dealt for veteran pitcher Joe Colson in the preseason. Colson got his first chance to be a primary starter since 1875, when he went 31-30 for London and won the outstanding pitcher award, and responded with a 19-4 mark at the all-star break. John Clymo, given the backup role, contributed with an 11-3 mark. The Peers played consistently well through the end of June, but hit a rough patch in July, going 3-5 on the eve of the mid-year hiatus and seeing Newcastle gain two-and-a-half games during that stretch. The Greys possessed a torrid offense, with shortstop Toirealach Riseley's .363 average leading the way. They were handicapped, however, by a 1-5 opening home-and-home series against Westminster, and they have been digging their way out of that deficit ever since. Birmingham started off fast as well, and had one of the League's hottest hitters in Andrew Oldreive, but the Blue Stockings played poorly in May and only gained ground against Westminster in July. Defending champion Salford still suffered from pitching woes that hobbled them in last year's Cup Finals Series. George Templeman came back early from an elbow injury, but he was not the same pitcher as he was before he was sidelined, and the main pitching duties were left up to Edouard Bernard, again to mixed results.

In the Dominion Association, the story was Islington, and the story in Islington was pitcher Gareth Cheriton. The veteran right hander compiled a 22-11 mark by the all-star break, and that propelled the Owls to the apex of the Association standings. Islington, however, were not a one-dimensional team. The offense, led by Hal Ballard and Matthew Ainsley, performed admirably as the Owls jumped out to a 17-5 record by the end of May. Islington slowed down in June, but still had enough steam to stay on the top rung of the ladder as the Alliance closed shop for the mid-year holiday. Leeds, who had been adrift in the doldrums since their 1871 pennant-winning season, stayed two steps behind Islington despite the weakest hitting in the Association. Danny O'Friel, in his second year, emerged as a bona fide starter, winning sixteen of twenty-seven decisions for the Ironsides. The defending Cup holders Manchester, paced by center fielder Bill Nuttman, continued to pummel opposing pitchers, but the pitching situation was somewhat disordered. The usually reliable James Black and veteran Steve Knapp were ineffective, and Stewart "Deek" Spencer was forced to return from the bullpen and handle the primary pitching duties. Lambeth, mired in last place, had the satisfaction of possessing the major leagues' best hitter in Hugh Burton, who was hitting .433 at the mid-season interval.



The All-Star Game headed north of the border to Glasgow, where 3,638 of the fancy packed the Argyle Street Grounds for the contest between the BA's best. The teams traded single runs in the third inning, and then, in the sixth, the visiting Empires scored when Newcastle's "Big" Toirealach Riseley hit a one-out triple and later scored on a base hit by Westminster's Vaughn Beals. The Empires scored two more in the seventh and one in the eighth before the home team Dominions could get back on the board with a single tally in the ninth, not enough to prevent the Empires from coming away with a 5-2 victory. Beals, with a perfect three-for-three day and two RBI, was named the game's MVP.

[joefromchicago]

1877 FINAL

Four teams battled it out for League leadership in the second half of the season. Westminster, despite the circuit's most potent offense, let the lead slip from their grasp soon after play resumed following the all-star break. An season-ending injury to Charles Judson (.297, 1 HR, 40 HR) on 23 July sealed the Peers' fate, and they drifted downward into fourth place. Newcastle, led by triple-crown winner "Big" Toirealach Riseley (.373, 2 HR, 68 RBI) and rookie hurler Michael Shearer (24-15, 2.51 ERA), took Westminster's place at the top of the standings, but then Riseley went down with bad back and the Greys were quickly supplanted by Salford. The Bees, featuring Adam Fitzgerald (.337, 1 HR, 34 RBI) improved their offense in the second half, but still mainly relied on their pitching staff helmed by Elvis Ventura (15-9, 1.66 ERA) and Edouard Bernard (14-10, 2.18 ERA). At the beginning of August, the Salfords led Newcastle by a game. Riseley returned to the Greys lineup, though, and the team started winning just as Salford fell apart, losing four of its thirteen games in September. Birmingham, meanwhile, slipped into the second spot by virtue of a 9-3 record in the final month and a pitching staff led by Jack Bell (31-18, 1.87 ERA). When the dust had cleared, Newcastle had emerged at the top of the ladder, two games ahead of Birmingham and four ahead of slumping Salford.

By comparison, the Dominion Association race was a sedate affair. Islington, with an-Association leading pitching staff helmed by Gareth Cheriton (35-22, 2.08 ERA) and Charles Gresham (12-9, 1.76), maintained the lead that they established in the first half. The Owls' offense boasted four regulars hitting over .300, led by first baseman Hal Ballard (.337, 0 HR, 50 RBI) and outfielder Matthew Ainsley (.328, 0 HR, 54 RBI). The Owls suffered a blow when regular right fielder Cameron MacIntyre (.318, 0 HR, 40 RBI) was sidelined in mid-September with a shoulder injury that will keep his arm in a sling for three months, but by then the team had built up a substantial lead over their rivals Leeds and Manchester. The Ironsides relied on the pitching of Danny O'Friel (31-26, 2.27 ERA), but the big righthander only managed a .500 record in the second half and the team's weak hitting could not compensate. Manchester, in contrast, compiled a .308 team batting average, and could claim five regulars in the lineup batting over .300. Connor "Plumber" Ayling (.351, 1 HR, 55 RBI) and Lou Nuttman (.347, 3 HR, 51 RBI) led the Miller attack. The pitching, however, was not up to the challenge, as Stewart "Deek" Spencer (23-18, 2.45 ERA) was unable to recapture the form that had won him the outstanding pitcher award in 1873.



1877 CUP FINALS SERIES: NEWCASTLE v. ISLINGTON

Islington's Essex Street Park played host to a postseason game for the first time since 1871. The home team scored six times in the first inning, but Owl ace Cheriton could not hold the lead, as Newcastle came back from a 10-6 deficit to score four runs in the top of the ninth, sending the game into extra frames. In the bottom of the tenth, the Owls loaded the bases against Grey relievers Bert Barthorpe (1-3, 1.96 ERA) and Darren Caunce (3-1, 1.00 ERA), and then Ballard hit a clean single past second base to score the winning run. Ruairc O'Frahill (.287, 0 HR, 12 RBI) of the Owls and Michael Cluett (.325, 0 HR, 14 RBI) each had four hits. It was another close contest in game two. With the Owls leading 3-1 in the ninth, the Greys pushed across a run on a Jon Shore (.270, 0 HR, 24 RBI) single with two men on. With runners on the corners and two outs, Owl starter Gresham induced Cluett to ground out to first, and the home team triumphed 3-2. Islington built a 2-0 lead in game three at Newcastle before the home team Greys could get on the board. A two-run double by Cluett in the bottom of the seventh tied it up, and then, in the bottom of the eighth, Matt Whitworth (.263, 0 HR, 44 RBI) scampered home from third on a passed ball for what proved to be the winning run. The story was the same in game four. The visiting Owls led 5-0 going into the bottom of the fourth when the Greys scored three times against Islington starter Gresham, and then two more runs in the sixth to knot the score at five. In the bottom of the eighth, Cian McDermott (.267, 0 HR, 34 RBI) scored fellow Ulsterman Dooley Nobels (.266, 1 HR, 40 RBI) from second with a base hit, and starter Henry Scholes (11-9, 1.81 ERA) held the Owls scoreless in the ninth to preserve the 6-5 victory. Once again, the Owls jumped out to the lead in game five, and Islington starter Cheriton took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth when disaster struck. The Owl defense disintegrated, committing three errors in addition to a Cheriton wild pitch that led to three runs. With runners on the corners and one out, Roy Swynnerton (.307, 0 HR, 51 RBI) knocked a base hit that scored the winning run. Back to Islington for game six, where the Owls needed a sweep. Unlike the previous five games, all decided by one run, the visiting Greys opened up a big lead and then held onto it. The Greys put seven runs on the scoreboard before the home team put a single run across in the seventh. But Scholes held the Owls off the board the rest of the way as the Greys scored three more times to wrap up a 10-1 victory. Cantrill had three hits, including two triples, for the winners. Cian McDermott, with a .464 average and seven runs scored at the top of the Grey lineup, earned the series MVP nod.

THE MINORS

The Edinburgh Caledonians, Birmingham's minor league affiliate, won their first Northern Conference title and then went the distance in the finals against the Leicester Leopards of the Dublin organization to win the Second Tier Trophy.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .373 "Big" Toirealach Riseley, Newcastle
HR: 2 seven players
RBI: 68 "Big" Toirealach Riseley, Newcastle
R: 68 Pat Rouse, Bradford; Patrick Skelton, Bradford
SB: 43 Gerald Cairns, Salford
Pitching
W: 31 Jack Bell, Birmingham
L: 35 Stuart Sears, Dublin
K: 138 Jack Bell, Birmingham
ERA: 1.38 Daniel Eichele, Salford
SV: 4 Luhern Ensworth, Dublin; Carl Mills, Birmingham

Riseley won the triple crown, but only because two home runs were enough to put him in a seven-way tie for the League lead in that category. Eichele missed over three months with injuries. His presence might have led to a better outcome for Salford.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .412 Hugh Burton, Lambeth
HR: 5 Ryan Baikie, Sheffield
RBI: 67 James Granger, Manchester
R: 75 Reehan "Dirty" McPeate, Glasgow; Eddie Plackett, Leeds
SB: 52 Duane Nelson, Belfast
Pitching
W: 35 Gareth Cheriton, Islington
L: 26 Finnan Boyton, Sheffield; Danny O'Friel, Leeds
K: 135 Danny O'Friel, Leeds
ERA: 1.76 Charles Gresham, Islington
SV: 4 Cillian Barclay, Leeds; Robert Young, Manchester

Burton missed three weeks a the end of the season with a strained hamstring -- not that it affected Lambeth's chances. Baikie's five home runs were the most by a player since 1871.

[joefromchicago]

1877-78 OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Empire League
Hitter: "Big" Toirealach Riseley, Newcastle (.373, 2 HR, 68 RBI, .493 SLG)
Pitcher: Jack Bell, Birmingham (31-18, 1.87 ERA, 438.1 IP, 138 K)
Manager: Luke Pitchford, Newcastle (50-34, 1st place)
Rookie: Michael Shearer, Newcastle (24-15, 2.51 ERA, 351.1 IP, 83 K)

Dominion Association
Hitter: Hugh Burton, Lambeth (.412, 0 HR, 46 RBI, 59 R, 19 SB)
Pitcher: Gareth Cheriton, Islington (35-22, 2.08 ERA, 476.2 IP, 133 K)
Manager: Michael Conway, Islington (51-33, 1st place)
Rookie: Robbie Cory, Leeds (10-6, 2.54 ERA, 152.1 IP)

Tobias Purcell (.317, 0 HR, 41 RBI) was probably left wondering what more he needed to do to win the Dominion Association rookie of the year award.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Prior to 1877, the highest strikeout total for a pitcher was 80. This year, ten pitchers had over 100 strikeouts. That has some renewing the call for the pitching distance to be increased to fifty feet. On 8 May, Lambeth pitcher John Holliday became the first batter to strike out four times in a single game. They call that the "golden bowler."

ALLIANCE NEWS

At the annual BA meeting in Brighton, the owners, delighted by the additional money pouring into their coffers as the result of their decision to lengthen the season by fourteen games, voted to add another fourteen games to the schedule starting in 1878. Rosters will be increased by two to eighteen spots in order to compensate for the additional wear-and-tear on the players.

Sheffield made headlines by signing switch-hitting free agent shortstop Matthew Megson to a one-year $3,852 contract.

WESTMINSTER NEWS

Westminster enthusiasts could feel pleased with the team's nine-game improvement over last year. Some pointed to the acquisition of Joe Colson as the catalyst, but Colson only had a 27-25 record, not much better than John Clymo's record last year. Clymo, in fact, replaced Colson as the primary starter in September, but fared very poorly as the team struggled without Charles Judson. The Peers acquired Curran "Ash Cat" Nethicott from London and Bevis Samways from Bradford (so long William Hogarth and Joseph Wilsdon) before the 31 July trade deadline to help with the offense, but while Nethicott played well, hitting .310 in a Peer uniform, it was not enough. The key, really, was that several players who had not performed up to their potentials in the preceding years finally broke out of their slumps. Second baseman Carl Summerfield went from batting .257 last year to batting .292 this year. Catcher Henry Henwood improved from .231 to .272. About the only regular who regressed was shortstop Douglas Blanchard, who fell from .287 to .228, but his exceptional fielding (only 62 errors) made him hard to replace in the lineup.

[monkeyman576]

Great start to your dynasty. I'm surprised Munn won rookie of the year whist being 13 games under .500!

[joefromchicago]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

Great start to your dynasty. I'm surprised Munn won rookie of the year whist being 13 games under .500!

For reasons that I cannot fathom, the AI consistently overvalues mediocre pitchers when it makes its choice for rookie of the year. It's even worse in the deadball era, when a starting pitcher will routinely pitch over 300 innings in a year and have a sub-2.00 ERA, and where a twenty-win season is about the equivalent of a twelve-win season today. In Munn's case, the AI probably thought: "hey, this guy won 20 games with a 2.04 ERA, led the league in strikeouts, and pitched over 400 innings -- he must be a superstar," even though his .377 winning percentage was only slightly better than his last-place team's .369 WP. Oh well. I'm sure it provided fodder for conversation over many a hot stove during the winter of 1876-77.

[monkeyman576]

Originally Posted by joefromchicago

For reasons that I cannot fathom, the AI consistently overvalues mediocre pitchers when it makes its choice for rookie of the year. It's even worse in the deadball era, when a starting pitcher will routinely pitch over 300 innings in a year and have a sub-2.00 ERA, and where a twenty-win season is about the equivalent of a twelve-win season today. In Munn's case, the AI probably thought: "hey, this guy won 20 games with a 2.04 ERA, led the league in strikeouts, and pitched over 400 innings -- he must be a superstar," even though his .377 winning percentage was only slightly better than his last-place team's .369 WP. Oh well. I'm sure it provided fodder for conversation over many a hot stove during the winter of 1876-77.

400 innings, schmortzing innings...I would want my rookie of the year to have a winning record at least...

[joefromchicago]

I can't disagree with that.

[joefromchicago]

1878 MID-SEASON

The Empire League featured another tight contest. Defending Cup holders Newcastle established an early lead behind the pitching of rookie Rio Minns and veteran Henry Scholes, who, in the backup starter role, won eleven of his first fourteen decisions. But the Greys, perceiving a need for a backup to oft-injured "Big" Toiraleach Riseley, traded Michael Cluett to London at the end of June for shortstop Robbie Haye. Although Newcastle has had money problems, and they saved over a $1,000 in the deal, in retrospect it might not have been the best decision, as Cluett was their best hitter at .360 and the Greys dropped their next four games to fall into a tie with Birmingham. The Blue Stockings relied primarily on their hitting: they put four hitters in the lineup on a regular basis who hit over .300. The pitching situation behind starter Jack Bell, however, was somewhat chaotic after Carl Mills went down with an injury and Riley Banwell was sent down to the minors for seasoning. Liverpool took three of four at home against Newcastle on the eve of the all-star break to slip into third place. Catcher Robert Burman, looking to return to form after suffering a concussion that caused him to miss half of the 1877 season, led the Argonauts with a .339 average. Salford, hampered by a rash of injuries, managed to climb up to fourth place.

In the Dominion Association, Manchester took command early and held onto it throughout the first half of the season. As always, the offense carried the day, as the Millers had four regulars hitting over .300, and Manchester's bench was deep enough to compensate for injuries to catcher Roogan Quinn and infielder Jesse Zucker. Meanwhile, in the pitcher's box, left hander Robert Young established himself as the Millers' premier starter, winning nineteen of twenty-eight decisions. The surprising Bristol Dockers stayed right on the Manchesters' tails, powered by the hitting of sophomore Italian-import Mattia Boccasino and rookie outfielder Eric Jinks, while the pitching of Bob Hollett kept them competitive. Defending champions Islington stumbled out of the gate, going 11-20 in the first two months, but the Owls recovered in June behind the hitting of Cameron MacIntyre and Ron Collins and posted a 17-6 mark after 31 May to fight their way into third place.



Birmingham hosted its second All-Star Game, and 2,886 spectators packed Exhibition Park to witness the Empires thrash the Dominions. With the score 6-3 in favor of the home team, the visitors scored twice in the top of the fifth to come within one run of the Empires. From that point on, however, all the scoring was done by the home side, as the Empires put up eight runs over the next four innings to claim a 14-5 victory. Newcastle's Roy Swynnerton had three hits, while Burman played the entire game behind the plate and compiled four hits, including a triple, to claim the MVP honors. Manchester's Connor "Plumber" Ayling went three-for-three in a losing cause.

[HGVoyager]

Good stuff here. Keep it up!

[joefromchicago]

1878 FINAL

The duel between Newcastle and Birmingham carried over into the second half of the Empire League schedule. Newcastle featured an airtight defense, as they committed a mere 378 errors for a League-leading .909 fielding average. At the plate, "Big" Toirealach Riseley (.311, 1 HR, 65 RBI) managed to avoid injury to lead the team. It was, however, the pitching that carried the Greys, and rookie Rio Minns (41-20, 1.70 ERA) handled the burden like a veteran. Birmingham featured the League's best hitting, with first baseman Corey Lidgate (.346, 0 HR, 56 RBI) and Jack Inglis (.324, 2 HR, 37 RBI) leading the way. But the Blue Stocking pitching was not up to the task, and Jack Bell (24-22, 1.88 ERA) proved largely ineffective in the second half. The Birminghams trailed Newcastle by a half-game at the start of September, but Newcastle went on a 7-1 streak while the Blue Stockings went 3-6 in the same span to fall five games out, thus making the much-anticipated final three-game series at Newcastle, which the Greys swept, a meaningless affair. Salford and Bradford filled out the first division, but were so far back as to have no effect on the final outcome.

In the Dominion Association, Manchester continued their blistering pace as they marched to the pennant. Connor "Plumber" Ayling (.334, 3 HR, 73 RBI) paced the attack with help from infielders Danny Chambless (.318, 2 HR, 46 RBI) and Harry Kerry (.305, 1 RBI, 66 RBI). The pitching duties were shared by Robert Young (27-15, 1.85 ERA) and Stewart "Deek" Spencer (26-16, 1.54 ERA). Bristol, led by slugging third baseman Mattia Boccasino (.328, 5 HR, 46 RBI), and Islington, behind the Association-leading hitting of Ron Collins (.369, 0 HR, 49 RBI) and the pitching of rookie left hander George Carruders (27-13, 1.28 ERA), struggled to keep up with the Millers, but a 9-2 September by the Manchesters, including a 5-1 mark against the Owls, put paid to any notions that they might compete for the pennant. Charlie "Wagon Tongue" Shield (.287, 2 HR, 59 RBI), who signed a three-year, $12,882 contract with Glasgow prior to the 1877 season, distinguished himself at second base for the Gaelics, but the Glaswegians still couldn't break into the first division.



1878 CUP FINALS SERIES: NEWCASTLE v. MANCHESTER

A major controversy erupted on the eve of the Cup Finals Series. Newcastle general manager Paul Jeeps, in submitting his roster of postseason-eligible players to the Base Ball Commission, absent-mindedly omitted rookie hurler Minns from the list. When the mistake was discovered, it was too late. The Commission ruled that Minns, a 41- game winner in the regular season, would not be eligible to play in the Finals. It was a heavy blow to Newcastle, who had to make do with Jacob Negus (1-2, 2.52 ERA) to start the first game. The home team Millers, trailing 5-4 in the eighth, tallied twice, with the lead run scoring on a Jon Shore (.292, 1 HR, 46 RBI) error at third base. Miller hurler Young held the Greys scoreless in the ninth, and the Millers prevailed 6-5. In game two, the Millers scored seven runs against Henry Scholes (17-7, 1.87 ERA), and then held on for a 7-6 victory. Kerry collected three hits for the winners. The Millers scored five times in the top of the eighth in game three and carried a 7-4 lead into the ninth when the home team Greys scored three times to push the game into extra innings. In the eleventh, Riseley got a one-out base hit, stole second, and advanced to third on Quinn's throwing error. Miller starter Young intentionally walked the next two batters to set up the force play, but Shore hit a line drive single to right-center and won the game 8-7. Spencer started for the Millers in game four and scattered eight hits en route to a 6-2 victory. Kerry continued his hot hitting, collecting two singles in four at-bats. Game five pitted Young against Scholes, and it was Young, with a masterful five-hitter, who prevailed. Manchester built up a 5-0 lead going into the final frame before the Greys could get on the board with two futile tallies. The Millers triumphed 5-2, thus winning their third BA Cup. Harry Kerry, with eight hits and six runs scored, was selected as the most valuable player of the Series.

THE MINORS

The Edinburgh Caledonians repeated as Northern Conference champions and as Second Tier Trophy winners as they defeated London's representative in the Southern Conference, the Portsmouth Neptunes, in a four-game series.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .363 Michael Cluett, Newcastle/London
HR: 2 eleven players
RBI: 65 "Big" Toirealach Riseley, Newcastle
R: 86 Jack Inglis, Birmingham
SB:
Pitching
W: 41 Rio Minns, Newcastle
L: 30 Ambrose Jonas, Liverpool; Matthew Muir, Bradford
K: 199 George Templeman, Salford
ERA: 1.36 Harrison Maylam, Bradford
SV: 4 Franklin Trenwith, Liverpool

Minns's 41 wins tied the BA mark set in 1876 by Matthew Muir.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .369 Ron Collins, Islington
HR: 5 Mattia Boccasino, Bristol
RBI: 73 Connor "Plumber" Ayling, Manchester
R: 89 Henry Case, Manchester
SB: 31 Ryan Baikie, Sheffield
Pitching
W: 34 Danny O'Friel, Leeds
L: 42 Dwain Kennelly, Glasgow
K: 235 Albert Munn, Lambeth
ERA: 1.28 George Carruders, Islington
SV: 3 three pitchers

The longer season was only part of the reason that strikeout totals continued to explode. As pitchers ignored the seldom-enforced straight-arm rule and introduced a variety of bewildering trick pitches, Alliance batters found themselves increasingly swinging at the air. Munn's 235 whiffs nearly doubled the record set last year.

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1878-79 OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Empire League
Hitter: Michael Cluett, Newcastle/London (.363, 1 HR, 60 RBI, 72 R)
Pitcher: Rio Minns, Newcastle (41-20, 1.70 ERA, 523.1 IP, 182 K)
Manager: Luke Pitchford, Newcastle (62-36, 1st place)
Rookie: Rio Minns, Newcastle (41-20, 1.70 ERA, 523.1 IP, 182 K)

Dominion Association
Hitter: Ron Collins, Islington (.369, 0 HR, 49 RBI, .484 SLG)
Pitcher: Danny O'Friel, Leeds (34-27, 1.95 ERA, 553.1 IP, 179 K)
Manager: Albert Francombe, Manchester (64-34, 1st place)
Rookie: George Carruders, Islington (27-13, 1.28 ERA, 364.1 IP, 224 K)

Francombe and Pitchford each picked up their third managerial awards

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Bradford ace Matthew Muir became the first pitcher to reach the 200-win plateau for his career, while James Granger of Manchester became the first batter to achieve the 1000-hit mark. On 12 September, Bristol's Mattia Boccasino became the first batter to hit for the cycle since 1870.

ALLIANCE NEWS

Sheffield was first in the free agent pool again, signing second baseman William Blye to a three year contract worth $11,794.

The lethal rite of spring training continued into 1879, as Liverpool starter Ambrose Jonas, 33-30 last year, suffered an elbow injury. Doctors are not optimistic that he will return any time before next season.

WESTMINSTER NEWS

The high hopes engendered by Westminster's fourth place finish in 1877 were cruelly dashed in 1878. The Peers struggled to a 27-31 record going into the all-star break, good enough for fifth place, but the bottom fell out after the break. The Peers went 4-10 to finish out July and then, in August, started a fifteen-game losing streak that didn't end until 4 September. Manager Shaun Bowmer tried Joe Colson, John Clymo, and Marmaduke Kirkman in the starting role, but none of them could stop the bloodletting. Finally, with rosters expanding in September, the Peers brought up untested rookie Cowal McRae, who stopped the streak with a win over Dublin, but he broke a finger a week later that put him out of action. By that time, of course, there was no hope for the Peers to evacuate the hole that they had dug for themselves. When it was all over, the team reoccupied the cellar that they thought they had departed for good after the 1876 season. All that was left was to count the casualties.

The first to pay the price for the Peers' failure was Colson, who, despite his popularity with the fans, was shipped off to Newcastle for minor league outfielder Patrick Nisbett. Colson's exit was followed by minor leaguers Kevin Hoover (to Liverpool) and Gilbert Purefoy (to Salford). Jeffrey Dugles, picked up in the Purefoy trade, looks like he could compete for a starting infield position in 1879. The remainder of the youngsters picked up were destined for Oldham.

The axe was bound to fall on manager Bowmer, who couldn't inspire his players to improve on their 1877 finish. His five-year contract was allowed to expire at the end of the year, and owner George Kirkup showed no interest in re-signing him. Bowmer wasn't jobless for very long, hooking up with Islington after the conclusion of the postseason. Kirkup bypassed bench coach Finlay Harman in tabbing Welshman John Tunstall as the team's new manager. "I will never accept anything less than one hundred percent from my players," stated Tunstall in his first press conference. "What, never?" asked a reporter. "Well, hardly ever," Tunstall replied.

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1879 MID-SEASON

It was a crazy start to the Empire League season. No team distinguished themselves in the early going, which made practically every squad a contender. A constant parade of teams vied for the top spot, and the distance between first and last place was often no more than a handful of games. Bradford and Westminster dueled for the lead in the first weeks, but both were overtaken by Salford in June. The Bees, largely on the strength of George Cairns's hitting and George Templeman's pitching, went 10-3 leading up to the mid-summer hiatus. Liverpool slipped into second place at the same time, winning three of four against defending champs Newcastle as the first half drew to a close. The Argonauts boasted the best pitching staff in the League, helmed by Franklin Trenwith. London's Michael Cluett led the circuit in hitting, but he went down with an arm injury right before the break that will keep him out of the lineup for four weeks. Newcastle suffered when Rio Minns couldn't duplicate his sensational rookie performance of 1878, and the Greys suffered another setback when "Big" Toirealach Riseley suffered a concussion in a late-June game that will sideline him for six weeks.

Glasgow, behind the pitching of Dwain Kennelly, held the Dominion Association lead through May, but a six-game losing skein at the end of June saw Leeds, Sheffield, and Manchester leapfrog over them. Leeds could rely on the starting pitching of Danny O'Friel, who compiled eighteen wins in his first twenty-five decisions, while catcher Sean Shafto led the team with a .320 average. Sheffield came alive in mid-June, winning ten of twelve games, including a four-game sweep of Manchester, going into the all-star break. The Millers vied with Glasgow for the Association lead in the early going before stumbling in June. An injury to Harry Kerry and the sudden decline of catcher Roogan Quinn contributed to the Millers' disappointing first half. Islington's Ron Collins was the Association's best hitter, compiling a .367 average, but the Owls had little punch in the rest of the lineup, and pitcher Gareth Cheriton had an uncharacteristically bad record, struggling to a 4-17 mark.



It was Manchester's turn to host the midsummer classic, and the home team finally broke the Empires' four-game all-star win streak. The Empires drew first blood, and Birmingham first baseman Corey Lidgate hit a two-run home run that traveled 412 feet and put the visitors up 3-1. In the bottom of the fourth, the Dominions scored five times against Liverpool hurler Trenwith, keyed by Ron Collins's triple with two men on base. Each side scored three more runs after that, and the Dominions ended up on the winning side of a 9-6 contest. Manchester star Connor "Plumber" Ayling had three hits for the victors, but it was Lidgate who received the MVP award in a losing effort.

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1879 FINAL

Salford staggered out of the gate for the second half, going 3-6 before righting themselves and reeling off ten straight wins to solidify their hold on first place. The Bees relied on their starting tandem of George Templeman (29-16, 1.57 ERA) and Elvis Ventura (21-13, 2.02 ERA) to carry the burden, as the hitting, aside from the contributions of Adam Fitzgerald (.308, 1 HR, 50 RBI) was only slightly better than average. Westminster received timely hitting from Jeffrey "Dutch" Dugles (.320, 2 HR, 41 RBI), and the revamped rotation of Marmaduke Kirkman (28-24, 2.08 ERA) and John Clymo (22-18, 2.34 ERA) was good enough to vault over Liverpool and Bradford for second place, but not enough to challenge Salford. London's Michael Cluett (.342, 1 HR, 33 RBI) once again laid claim to the League batting crown, and William Hogarth (28-17, 1.94 ERA) came in from the bullpen to steady a relatively inexperienced pitching staff. The Bulldogs, however, could not overcome a slow start or their own shoddy fielding that was second-worst in the League. Rio Minns (24-23, 1.88 ERA) pitched well in the second half, but the defending champs Newcastle lacked the offensive punch that gained them the flag in 1878. "Big" Toirealach Riseley (.283, 2 HR, 25 RBI) led the team, but missed thirty-three games to injuries.

The Manchester Millers maintained their stranglehold on the top of the Dominion Association standings, fighting off challenges from Sheffield and Leeds to capture their sixth pennant in eight years. Connor "Plumber" Ayling (.349, 4 HR, 78 RBI) led the team and captured the triple crown, although the usually dominant hitting of the Millers failed to put up the kind of intimidating numbers that had distinguished it in the past. It was, in fact, the pitching corps, featuring the pitching duo of Robert Young (24-14, 1.87 ERA) and Stewart "Deek" Spencer (26-16, 2.24 ERA), that ended up leading the Association. Sheffield picked up Riley Banwell (24-13, 1.40 ERA) in the first week of the season after the right hander had been discarded by Islington, and he responded by leading the Association in ERA. It was Sheffield's hitting, though, that lifted the team into second place. Ryan Baikie (.324, 1 HR, 51 RBI) and Anton Klosterman (.310, 0 HR, 48 RBI) topped the team that topped the Association's hitting category. The Steelers were three games behind Manchester with six games remaining when the Millers came to town for a crucial three-game series. The Steelers took the first two games to reduce the deficit to a single game, but Manchester retrieved the final game of the series and then went on to sweep Islington to capture the pennant, leaving Sheffield in second place. Leeds, behind the pitching of Danny O'Friel (29-15, 1.63 ERA) made a late run at the leaders, but simply did not have the horses to compete.



1879 CUP FINALS SERIES: SALFORD v. MANCHESTER

It was a rematch of the 1876 Finals between the neighboring Salfords and Manchesters, and the alternative-game format was again adopted for the 1879 Series, with game one scheduled for Manchester's Fairfield Park. The visiting Bees broke open the game in the fourth, scoring six times and knocking Young out of the box. Manchester responded with three in the bottom of the inning, but the Bees added four more runs over the next two innings and held on for a 10-7 win. Fitzgerald had five hits, including three doubles, for the visitors. Game two moved a few miles down the road to Salford's Eccles Park, where the home team scored seven runs before the Millers could get on the board with a three-spot in the fifth inning, and Bee starter Ventura held on for a 9-4 victory. Eight Miller errors contributed to six unearned runs in the contest. It was back to Manchester for game three, and the Miller lineup finally asserted itself, scoring five runs in the first on the way to a 12-5 drubbing of Salford. Chambless had three hits and five RBI for the victors, and Brad Mayne (.249, 0 HR, 25 RBI) and Henry Case (.287, 0 HR, 61 RBI) also contributed with three hits each. The Millers took charge in the next game, coming back from a 4-3 deficit by scoring four runs in the third inning and holding on for an 8-6 triumph behind Spencer's pitching. Chambless added four more hits and thee more RBI in the win. Salford came right back in game five, with Templeman establishing a 4-1 lead and holding off a late rally by the home town Millers to win 4-3. The series returned to Salford for game six, and the Bees wiped out an early 1-0 Miller lead by scoring seven unanswered runs before the Millers could reply with a two-run rally in the ninth that fell far too short. Ventura picked up the victory as errors in the field once again led to Manchester's downfall, this time contributing to six unearned runs. Adam Fitzgerald's .444 average and nine runs provided ample justification for awarding him the MVP honors.

THE MINORS

The Hull Kings captured the Northern Conference crown for the fifth time and defeated first-time Southern Conference champs Oldham Athletics, Westminster's farm team, three games to one for the Second Tier title.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .342 Michael Cluett, London
HR: 4 three players
RBI: 52 Robbie Haye, Newcastle
R: 67 Erwann Perrin, Liverpool
SB: 34 Gerald Cairns, Westminster
Pitching
W: 29 George Templeman, Salford
L: 24 Marmaduke Kirkman, Westminster
K: 187 Marmaduke Kirkman, Westminster
ERA: 1.41 George Vann, Liverpool
SV: 3 Harrison Maylam, Bradford; Ross Sanford, Westminster

Cluett missed seventeen games with a mid-season abdominal injury.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .349 Connor "Plumber" Ayling, Manchester
HR: 4 Connor "Plumber" Ayling, Manchester
RBI: 78 Connor "Plumber" Ayling, Manchester
R: 81 James Granger, Manchester
SB: 31 Matthew Megson, Sheffield
Pitching
W: 29 Dwain Kennelly, Glasgow; Danny O'Friel, Leeds
L: 30 Albert Munn, Lambeth
K: 202 George Carruders, Islington
ERA: 1.40 Riley Banwell, Sheffield
SV: 3 three pitchers

Ayling won the batting title by one point over Ron Collins of Islington.

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1879-80 OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Empire League
Hitter: Michael Cluett, London (.342, 1 HR, 33 RBI, 51 R)
Pitcher: George Templeman, Salford (29-16, 1.57 ERA, 395 IP, 166 K)
Manager: Quincy Culver, Salford (59-39, 1st place)
Rookie: Jacob Negus, Newcastle (20-22, 2.02 ERA, 370 IP)

Dominion Association
Hitter: Connor "Plumber" Ayling, Manchester (.349, 4 HR, 78 RBI, 13 3B, .501 SLG)
Pitcher: Danny O'Friel, Leeds (29-15, 1.63 ERA, 382 IP, 114 K, .238 OAVG)
Manager: Harold Howard, Sheffield (55-43, 2nd place)
Rookie: Andrew "Mac" Wareing, Glasgow (16-27, 2.42 ERA, 378.2 IP, 137 K)

The award voters continued their infatuation with rookie pitchers who have losing records.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Michael Cluett put together a 37-game hitting streak, two short of the major league record set by Newcastle's Cian McDermott in 1873. Islington's Tobias Purcell became the first player to hit thirty doubles in a season. His thirtieth double came in the last game of the year against Manchester.

ALLIANCE NEWS

In an effort to speed up the games and restore some of the balance between hitter and pitcher, the Base Ball Commission, at the Alliance's annual meeting in Brighton, decided that, starting in 1880, it would take only eight balls for a walk instead of the current nine.

Liverpool made history when they signed free agent outfielder Kevin Cann to a one-year contract worth $4,600. It was the first contract to an unproven rookie in excess of $4,000. London signed third baseman Vic Canning to a contract that will pay him $3,379 for each of the next two years, with an option for a third at Canning's discretion.

WESTMINSTER NEWS

It wasn't first place, but second place sounded a lot better to the Westminster faithful than eighth. So what went right? In general, the players acquired in recent trades proved key to the Peers' success. Jeffrey "Dutch" Dugles, obtained from Salford after last season, hit .320, second only to Cluett, and Curran "Ash Cat" Nethicott, who came over from London in the middle of the 1877 campaign, was not far behind with a .311 average. The front office was also not afraid to cut long-time players who were no longer performing up to major league standards. Douglas Blanchard, for many years the team's shortstop, was sent down to the minors after starting the season hitting .167. His replacement, Fionnbar O'Kinneally, was not as adept at fielding the position, but his .285 average atoned for many of his defensive sins. When Carl Summerfield, a fixture at second base since 1870, refused a similar assignment, he was shipped off to Salford for speedy center fielder Gerald Cairns. Finally, the decision to replace John Clymo as the primary starting pitcher with Marmaduke Kirkman proved to be at least a moderate success, which gave some glint of hope that the Peers had finally found a primary starter for the future.

Westminster followers were still celebrating the conclusion of a successful season when the news arrived that team owner George Kirkup had sold the Peers to Ambrose Redlaw, described in the press as a "lenient and generous" character -- quite a change from the economizing ways of the previous regime. The details of the sale were not released, but it is hoped that Redlaw, the owner of a local distilling concern, has the assets to spend in pursuit of a pennant for the Peerage.

As the preseason got underway, the Peers pulled off what may turn out to be a major deal. They sent promising outfielder Patrick Nisbet to Manchester, along with journeyman infielder Bevis Samways, for minor leaguers Antonio Vanelli and George Dunstone. It is said that Vanelli, the pride of Milan, has all the tools to be a star shortstop in the BA. Time will tell.

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THE 1870s IN REVIEW

EMPIRE LEAGUE



Decade record: 416-396, .512 (5 of 16)
Best finish: 1870 (43-27, 2nd place)
Worst finish: 1876 (36-48, 7th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 1 (1872)
Market size: 13 (1870-75), 14 (1876-79)
Attendance: 805,168 (2 of 16)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 1 -- Gregory McMichael (1871)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- Jack Bell (1877)
Best hitter: Andrew Oldreive (1872-79): .310, 6 HR, 421 RBI
Best pitcher: Carl Mills (1876-79): 64-79, 2.10 ERA



Decade record: 403-409, .496 (9 of 16)
Best finish: 1870 (45-25, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1874 (32-52, 7th place)
Pennants: 1 (1870)
BA Cups: 1 (1870)
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 6
Attendance: 583,678 (12 of 16)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- Matthew Muir (1876)
Best hitter: Patrick Skelton (1873-79): .289, 7 HR, 274 RBI
Best pitcher: Matthew Muir (1870-79): 218-204, 1.89 ERA



Decade record: 379-433, .467 (13 of 16)
Best finish: 1871 (45-25, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1874 (30-54, 8th place)
Pennants: 1 (1871)
BA Cups: 1 (1871)
Wooden spoons: 3 (1874, 1877, 1879)
Market size: 9
Attendance: 595,851 (10 of 16)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- Bob Herrick (1870)
Best hitter: Sam Cottle (1870-79): .291, 3 HR, 201 RBI
Best pitcher: Luherne Ensworth (1870-77): 79-75, 2.63 ERA



Decade record: 372-440, .458 (14 of 16)
Best finish: 1876 (44-40, 4th place)
Worst finish: 1871 (28-42, 8th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 1 (1871)
Market size: 19
Attendance: 419,048 (16 of 16)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 3 -- Robert Burman (1872-73, 1876)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Robert Burman (1871-79): .326, 8 HR, 407 RBI
Best pitcher: Adam Trenwith (1870-79): 128-119, 1.63 ERA

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1870s IN REVIEW

EMPIRE LEAGUE (continued)



Decade record: 406-406, .500 (7 of 16)
Best finish: 1874 (54-30, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1870 (28-42, 8th place)
Pennants: 2 (1873-74)
BA Cups: 1 (1873)
Wooden spoons: 1 (1870)
Market size: 20
Attendance: 690,080 (6 of 16)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 4 -- Samuel MacGachan (1874-75), Michael Cluett (1878*-79)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- Joe Colson (1875)
Best hitter: Samuel MacGachan (1874-79): .308, 4 HR, 278 RBI
Best pitcher: Joe Colson (1874-76): 63-58, 1.50 ERA

*also played for Newcastle



Decade record: 448-364, .552 (2 of 16)
Best finish: 1878 (62-36, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1870 (32-38, 5th place)
Pennants: 3 (1875, 1877-78)
BA Cups: 1 (1877)
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 5
Attendance: 528,393 (13 of 16)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 2 -- Sean Angus (1870), Toirealach Riseley (1877)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 3 -- Evan Spalding (1873-74), Rio Minns (1878)
Best hitter: "Big" Torealach Riseley (1873-79): .310, 7 HR, 302 RBI
Best pitcher: Evan Spalding (1870-78): 123-97, 1.90 ERA



Decade record: 430-382, .530 (4 of 16)
Best finish: 1879 (59-39, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1873 (27-43, 8th place)
Pennants: 2 (1876, 1879)
BA Cups: 1 (1879)
Wooden spoons: 1 (1873)
Market size: 5 (1870-75), 6 (1876-79)
Attendance: 480,123 (15 of 16)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- George Templeman (1879)
Best hitter: George Pixley (1870-79): .295, 1 HR, 352 RBI
Best pitcher: George Templeman (1872-79): 127-90, 1.83 ERA



Decade record: 394-418, .485 (11 of 16)
Best finish: 1872 (39-31, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1878 (37-61, 8th place)
Pennants: 1 (1872)
BA Cups: 1 (1872)
Wooden spoons: 3 (1875-76, 1878)
Market size: 7 (1870), 6 (1871-79)
Attendance: 660,759 (7 of 16)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 2 -- Bert Dunstone (1871), Michael Burne (1872)
Best hitter: Henry Pond (1870-74): .336, 3 HR, 253 RBI
Best pitcher: John Clymo (1874-79): 91-94, 2.05 ERA