The Big Bang: A Larger Baseball Universe Starting From Nothing in 1857 - Page 69

tm1681 · 08-04-2026, 06:55 AM

FARRIS FLUMMOXES GALES IN CHICAGO
INDIANAPOLIS #1 HOLDS OPPONENTS TO TWO HITS IN 1-0 SHUTOUT VICTORY ON TUESDAY

CHICAGO, ILL. (June 13, 1882) - The Lake Shore Grounds played host to some M.W.B.A. action on Tuesday, with the North Chicago Gales & Indianapolis Warriors opening their series in the northern half of the city. The contest was a tight one that ended with a single runner crossing home plate.

The 3,000+ in attendance saw a tense battle in which the only Run of the game crossed Home Plate during the top of the sixth inning on an Infield Single by Indianapolis CF James Bailey that scored 1B Thomas Kerr, who’d hit a Triple two batters earlier.

Gales #1 Edward Bosco, the league’s most talented Hurler, gave a decent performance against Indianapolis.

• NCHI P Edward Bosco: CG L (7-4, 2.41), 8 H, 1 R/1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

However, it was Indianapolis #1 Lew Farris who won the day at the Lake Shore Grounds with a fantastic effort.

• IND P Lew Farris: CG SHO (8-4, 2.98), 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K – 86 GmSc (P: 3rd)

The Gales’ two Hits were both Singles, the first by SS Charles Dillman with two out in B7 and the second by LF Frank Connelly in B8, which was immediately followed by an inning-ending Double Play.
Farris’ Shutout was the third-best performance of the M.W.B.A.’s inaugural season to date by a Hurler. He’s off to fine 8-4 start with a 2.93 ERA and 42 Strikeouts through 99.2 innings as the #1 in the Warriors’ hurling rotation.

With the win, Indianapolis moved alone into sixth place in the M.W.B.A. at 17-16 (one rainout), while the loss dropped Chicago back down into a tie for second place with the St. Louis Saints at 19-15. The surprising Louisville Sluggers, originally predicted to finish the season in eighth place at 50-58, are the league leaders with a 20-14 record and a league-best +31 Run Differential.

tm1681 · 08-04-2026, 06:59 AM

THREE GAMES OF NOTE IN LOWER LEAGUES ON WED.
FRANKFORD HAMMERS QUEEN VILL.; GREEN MTN. PAIR HAVE FIVE HITS; WHALEY 6/6 IN WIN

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (June 14, 1882) - Camden & Amboy battled For the second day in a row there were a number of games & performances of note in the Northeastern lower leagues.

In the P.C.L., Frankford Arsenal & Queen Village played the second game of the series between West Philadelphia’s top two teams. Frankford won the opener 4-9 to move back into a tie with Q.V. atop the West, and in Game Two they did this:

This was Frankford’s best single-game performance since the initial years of the league, back when they had Joseph Evans. The hosts scored twice in B1 to take a fast lead, and after four Runs in B3 they were already up 0-6 in what was supposed to be a close & exciting contest. After one Run in B5 and three more in B6 Frankford had a 0-10 lead, and then the neck-breaker: an eleven-run rally in the clearly lucky seventh inning, during which they dished out seven Hits while Queen Vill. aided them with three Bases on Balls and a pair of Errors. Now ahead 0-21, Frankford added four more Runs in B8 for good measure.

It was a banner day for numerous Frankford players:

• FRA P Claude Haskins: CG SHO (10-4, 2.88), 7 HA, 1 BB, 5 K – 77 GmSc (P: T-9th)
• FRA C Magnus Demandt: 4/7 (all 1B), 1 R, 3 RBI – 1/1 CS
• FRA 1B William Fish: 3/6 (2B), 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, 4 TB – DP
• FRA 2B Cyril DuPont: 4/6 (2B, 3B), 1 R, 4 RBI, CS, 7 TB – DP
• FRA SS Paul Ward: 2/5 (both 1B), 5 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB – DP
• FRA LF James Harris: 3/5 (2B), 6 R, 0 RBI, 2 BB, 4 TB
• FRA RF James Howard: 3/6 (2 2B), 3 R, 3 RBI, 5 TB

The raucous victory put Frankford alone atop the West Philadelphia standings at 21-11, with Queen Vill. one game back at 20-12. The two teams currently have the two best records in the Philadelphia City League.

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The second game of note took place in Manchester, New Hampshire, where Granite B.C. & Green Mountain took part in a battle of contenders for the N.B.B.O.’s New England Championship.

Green Mtn. mauled their hosts in the opener, winning 13-3. To follow that up, Green Mtn. scored fourteen times over the first three innings of Wednesday’s affair, which had them well on their way to another double-digit away victory, this one by fourteen Runs (22-8) instead of ten.

The visitors from Vermont collected 25 Hits over the course of the afternoon. Two of their Batsmen had three, and two more finished with five.

• GM 1B Martin Rose: 3/6 (2B), 1 R, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 4 TB
• GM 3B Daniel Hitchcock: 5/6 (all 1B), 4 R, 4 RBI, SF – DP – 92 GmSc (B: T-10th)
• GM LF Lawrence May: 5/6 (3B), 1 R, 5 RBI, 7 TB
• GM RF John Robbins: 3/5 (2B), 2 R, 4 RBI, 4 TB

The thunderous wins by Green Mountain pulled them up into a tie for 2nd in New England with Granite, both teams now 18-14 and five games behind leaders Quinnipiac. However, Green Mountain’s output over the past two days has given them the N.E.L.’s third-best Run Differential (+81), so the defending New England champs can’t assume their lead will hold.

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The final game of interest took place in the N.B.B.O.’s Upstate Championship, in which Frontier played the host to Utica B.B.C. at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York.

This was another game that wasn’t much of a contest, for the N.B.B.O.’s #1 team took the lead by the end of the first inning and pushed that lead as high as thirteen Runs before some late Utica consolation scoring gave the game its final score of 4-14, Frontier having won their eleventh in a row.

There was one star here, and that was Frontier CF George Whaley:

• B1: Leadoff Infield Single off S. Donahue (SB, R)
• B2: Double to RF off S. Donahue (R)
• B4: Single to RF off S. Donahue (R)
• B5: 1-run Triple to CF off S. Donahue (R)
• B7: Double past 1B off A. Verde (R)
• B8: Double to LF off A. Verde
• TOTAL: 6/6 (3 2B, 3B), 5 R, 1 RBI, SB, 11 TB – 90 GmSc (B: T-13th)

The six-hit outburst left Whaley, in his eleventh year as Frontier’s CF, with a .375 Average (.974 OPS), 40 Runs (105 R/84 G), 18 RBI (47/84 G), & 1.6 WAR (4.2/84 G) through the first 32 games of the 1882 season.

The ten-run victory ran Frontier’s record to 27-5, which is the best in the whole N.B.B.O. by four games over Quinnipiac (23-9). Their Run Differential of +122 is also the best in the 48-team competition. Utica is 4th in Upstate New York at 17-15.

tm1681 · 08-04-2026, 07:25 AM

DURAND DEALS DAMAGE AT MASS. BAY
QUAKER ST. LF FINISHES WITH FIVE HITS & FIVE RBI; P AVERY IS 3/4 WITH A HOME RUN

BOSTON, MASS. (June 14, 1882) - As part of the A.P.B.L. action on Wednesday afternoon, Massachusetts Bay & Quaker State met at the new Huntington Avenue Grounds in Boston for the middle game of their series. Thanks to big rallies during the middle innings, the visitors won in a rout.

The game was fairly even early on, with the teams trading lone Runs over B2 & T3 before Mass. Bay took a 1-3 lead by the end of the third with a pair of run-scoring Hits: a Single by C Alfred Vetere & Double by RF Kevin Duke.

Then, Quaker St. went to work. They scored three times in T4, once on a Double by 2B Burton Ellerby and twice on a Home Run by P William Avery, to take a 4-3 lead. Then came the big rally: an eight-run outburst in T5 during which Avery & All-Star LF Harold Durand both hit two-run Doubles. Now ahead 12-3, the visitors ended the contest by piling on six more Runs in T6 to take an 18-3 lead, with the key hit there a two-run Double by Durand. After filling out the rest of the scoresheet, Quaker St. had earned a dominant thirteen-run away win in Boston.

Mass. Bay #2 William Avery didn’t have his best day with the ball…

• MB P William Avery: CG W (7-13, 4.26), 13 H, 6 R/4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

…but the fine-hitting Pitcher, who became the first such player to hit for the Cycle in baseball history in 1879 as a member of Knickerbocker, made up for it with his bat.

• MB P William Avery: 3/6 (2B, HR), 3 R, 4 RBI, 7 TB

That said, it was Durand, an All-Star last year during his first in a Quaker St. shirt, who was named Player of the Game for his efforts.

• T1: Single to LF off T. Knapp
• T3: Single to CF off T. Knapp
• T5: Fly Out to LF (1 out)
• T5: 2-run Double to RF off E. Arrington (R)
• T6: 2-run Double to CF off E. Arrington (R)
• T7: 1-run Single past SS off P. Dittmer
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2 2B), 2 R, 5 RBI, 7 TB – 85 GmSc (B: 5th)

Durand is enjoying an excellent second season with Quaker St., batting .399 (1.027 OPS) through 38 games, having scored 29 Runs and been responsible for 34 Runs Batted In. He’s firmly on track to make his second straight All-Star Game.

The result in Boston gave Quaker St. a 16-22 record, good for sixth place in the Metropolitan Conference (7.5 GB). Meanwhile, the loss unfortunately dropped Mass. Bay into a tie for worst record in the A.P.B.L. with American at 12-26. They are already fifteen games out of first place in the Colonial Conference, and desperation is setting in.

tm1681 · 08-04-2026, 07:28 AM

EASTMAN’S HEROICS WIN THRILLER FOR TIGER
1880 BotY BATS 5/5, WITH FIFTH HIT THE GAME WINNER AGAINST VISITING NEWARK

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (June 15, 1882) - Thursday saw Metropolitan Conference leaders Tiger Social Club take on Newark B.C. at the Broad Street Diamond, and the fans got their quarter’s worth in a thriller that Tiger S.C. took at the death.

The game got off to a quick start, with the teams trading pairs of Runs over the first two innings before scoring one each in the third to exit the first frames tied 3-3. After a scoreless fourth, Newark scored twice in T5 on a Triple by RF Clarence Pearson & Single by 1B William Trowbridge to take the lead, and then four times in T6, LF Reginald Roper’s two-run Double the key moment, to go ahead 9-3.

B7 was when the Tiger S.C. comeback started in earnest. A five-run rally that started when 3B Samuel Eastman sent a man home on a Double was capped with a run-scoring Single by C Isaac Rosenberg, and that made it a one-run game (9-8). The teams traded tallies in the eighth inning, and Newark scored again in T9 to take an 11-9 lead. Tiger’s response: a Single by PH Benjamin Simmons made it an 11-10 game, and a Sacrifice Fly by 2B Griffin Gray tied the score (11-11). With two out, Eastman took his bat and hit a Double that brought in the game-winning Run, Tiger escaping with an 11-12 comeback victory.

Eastman, the 1880 Batsman of the Year, was brilliant.

• B1: 1-run Double past 1B off J. Ratican (R)
• B3: Leadoff Double to LCF off J. Ratican (R)
• B5: Single to RF off J. Ratican
• B7: 1-run Double past 3B off J. Ratican (R)
• B8: 1-run Sacrifice Fly to RF (2 out)
• B9: Walkoff 1-run Double to RF off D. Hagan
• TOTAL: 5/5 (3 2B), 3 R, 4 RBI, 8 TB, SF, GW HIT – 89 GmSc (B: 5th)

Eastman’s excellent effort brought his Average up to .388 (1.033 OPS) with 42 Runs (99/90 G) and 41 RBI (97/90 G) so far this season, figures that will have him in contention for his second B.o.t.Y. in three years if they hold up.

Thanks to the win, Tiger remains 2.5 ahead of the pack in the Metropolitan Conference with a 24-14 record. The loss saw Newark fall to fifth place in the Colonial Conference at 20-19 (7 GB).

tm1681 · 08-05-2026, 10:02 AM

SPARTAN BURIES QUEEN VILL. WITH 11-RUN SIXTH
MIGHTY RALLY FLIPS GAME ON ITS HEAD; SPARTAN LF BACON BATS HAS SIX HITS

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (June 20, 1882) - It was the start of Week Seven in the P.C.L. on Tuesday afternoon, and one of the eight games was Spartan B.C. vs Queen Village at the 9th Street Grounds. With one huge rally, Spartan took the win.o a tie for fifth in New England with Salem at 15-16.

After five innings Queen Vill. was looking good, enjoying a 5-2 lead while #1 Jonathan Parker was pitching well. Then came the bottom of the sixth inning, in which Spartan turned the contest upside down.

• 17 BATTERS: 11 R, 11 H (2B), 1 E, 2 BB, 1 K, HbP, 2 WP, FC, SF

B6 began with six Singles and a Fielder’s Choice over the first seven batters, and Spartan didn’t let up, eventually unnerving Parker to the point where wayward deliveries were granting free bases and free passes to Spartan. Chuck Colson had to enter to clean up the mess, but he allowed a number of Runs & Hits as well.

The inning ended with Spartan ahead 5-13, and the hosts eventually grew their lead to eleven (6-17) before Queen Vill. sent six men across the plate during the final inning, a fine rally but still one that fell far short of what was required to keep the game going.

Seven Spartan players, including their Pitcher, finished with multiple Hits. They were led by fifth-year LF John Bacon, who finished with a handful and more.

• B1: Double to RF off J. Parker (R)
• B4: Leadoff Single past 2B off J. Parker
• B6: Leadoff Infield Single to 2B off J. Parker (R)
• B6: 1-run Single to RF off J. Bacon (SB, R)
• B7: Single past 2B off C. Colson (R)
• B8: 1-run Single to LCF off G. Gross
• TOTAL: 6/6 (2B), 4 R, 2 RBI, SB, 7 TB – 90 GmSc (B: 5th)

Bacon, an average Corner Outfielder, is batting .292 (.695 OPS) so far in 1882, which is one point off his career Average of .293 (.705 OPS). However, he is currently on pace for a career high in RBI.

The victory bumped Spartan up to 16-21, which has them tied with Keystone B.C. for sixth place in East Philadelphia. On the other hand, Queen Vill. is now 22-15 after going 3-7 over their last ten games. The good news: they remain just one game behind Frankford Arsenal for top spot in the East.

tm1681 · 08-05-2026, 10:05 AM

FANS WATCH 15-INNING HURLER’S DUEL IN CHICAGO
HANCOCK & NOWITZKI GO HEAD-TO-HEAD FOR MORE THAN A GAME & A HALF AT SOUTH SIDE PARK

CHICAGO, ILL. (June 20, 1882) - The St. Louis Saints took a train to Chicago so they could visit the South Chicago Griffons at South Side Park for the start of their series on Tuesday afternoon. What unfolded was the best Hurler’s Duel in the young history of the M.W.B.A.

For fans of tense, defensive baseball, this game was as good as it gets.

The Saints scored in the opening inning, with star CF Oscar Kress sprinting home from 2nd on a Single by 3B Colonel Hammond. Two batters in and it was 1-0, but little did the fans know that was all the scoring they would see until the bottom of the seventh, when the Griffons tied the game on a Triple by 2B Stanislaw Kowalczyk.

The final two innings went by without a Run, and it was time for Extra Innings with the game still even at 1-1. Then the tenth inning went by scoreless…and the eleventh…and the twelfth…and the thirteenth…and the fourteenth. Incredibly, both starting Hurlers, Robert Hancock for S. Chicago and Frank Nowitzki for St. Louis, were still in the game.

Then, the Saints took their bats for T15 and, after the first two men hit Singles, 2B Benjamin Buckler cracked a Triple to the gap in Right Center Field that sent both baserunners in and put the visitors ahead 3-1. In B15 The Griffons would advance a man to First Base but no further, and the St. Louis Saints had won both the longest game and greatest Hurler’s Duel to date in the M.W.B.A.

The final lines on both Hurlers:

• StLS P Frank Nowitzki: CG W (4-1, 0.72), 15.0 IP, 10 H, 1 R/1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 198 PIT – 90 GmSc (P: 1st)
• SCHI P Robert Hancock: CG L (5-7, 2.53), 15.0 IP, 17 H, 3 R/3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 217 PIT – 74 GmSc (P: T-21st)

One interesting thing about the game is that there was no shortage of hitting. The teams combined for 27 Hits (StLS: 17, SCHI: 10) and 42 total Baserunners (8 BB, 1 HbP, 6 E), but aside from the Herculean efforts by the Hurlers both teams’ fielders excelled as well, totaling six Double Plays, three Outfield Assists, and throwing out both men who tried to steal bases.

For the 2,593 in attendance at South Side Park, all were witness to a game that will be remembered for some time.

tm1681 · 08-05-2026, 10:09 AM

KACHIGIAN HAS FIVE HITS, WINS GAME IN 13TH
CINCINNATI LF THE HERO IN CONTEST THAT NEEDED MULTIPLE EXTRA INNINGS

CINCINNATI, OHIO (June 21, 1882) - The Cincinnati Royals & St. Louis Bluebirds contested the middle game of their series at Findlay & Western Park on Wednesday afternoon, and a bunch of extra baseball was needed in order to find a winner.

There wasn’t much to be said about the first six innings. The Hurlers, Joe Myers for Cincinnati & Francis Brewer for St. Louis, were in control, and the visitors exited with a 2-1 lead.

The action picked up in the seventh inning, the Bluebirds scoring twice in T7 on a pair of run-scoring Singles to take a 4-1 lead. The Royals took one back in B7 on a run-scoring Single of their own, but the Bluebirds took that Run right back on T8 to go ahead 5-2. The Royals then took the lead in B8 when a run-scoring Single by LF Lawrence Kachigian was followed with a bases-clearing Double by SUB William McCool three batters later. The Bluebirds took the lead right back in T9 thanks to an Error that let in two Runs, but Cincinnati would force Extra Innings with a Sacrifice Fly in B9 that evened the score (7-7).

After a scoreless tenth, the Bluebirds took an 8-7 lead on a Sacrifice Fly in T11 only to see the Royals tie it up in B11 on a Triple by Kachigian. The twelfth was scoreless, and the Bluebirds stranded men on 1st & 2nd in T13. In B13, Kachigian stepped to the plate with two out and hit a Single that sent C Ed McNeil in from 3rd, and the Royals had an 8-9 in thirteen innings.

Kachigian’s heroics in Extra Innings capped an excellent day for the Left Fielder:

• B2: Reached via Error by 3B
• B4: Fly Out to RF (3 out)
• B7: Leadoff Double to LF off F. Brewer (R)
• B8: 1-run Single to LF off F. Brewer (R)
• B9: Single to RF off C. Wilkinson
• B11: 1-run Triple to LCF off C. Wilkinson
• B13: Walkoff 1-run Single past 2B off C. Wilkinson
• TOTAL: 5/7 (2B, 3B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 8 TB, GW HIT – 67 GmSc (B: T-17th)

Kachigian has been an excellent contact hitter so far during the M.W.B.A.’s inaugural season. Through 41 games, Kachigian is batting a league-leading .405 (.932 OPS), although just nine of his 53 Hits have gone for extra bases (6 2B, 3 3B). He has also been light on run production, with 14 Runs (37/108 G) and 11 RBI (29/108 G). However, for one day his work with men on base was the key to a Cincinnati victory.

The Cincinnati Royals are tied for last place in the M.W.B.A with Milwaukee at 16-25, while the St. Louis Bluebirds are in a three-way for third place with Louisville & North Chicago at 22-19. The St. Louis Saints are the current M.W.B.A. leaders at 25-16 after having won their last six games.

tm1681 · 08-05-2026, 10:13 AM

JACOB MILBURN HAS FIRST FIVE-HIT GAME
PRODIGY SWATS OF HANDFUL OF HITS FOR 1ST TIME IN CAREER; SAINTS WIN WITH THREE RUNS IN 8TH

ST. LOUIS, MO. (June 23, 1882) - The St. Louis Saints & Cleveland Generals opened their weekend series at VanDeVenter Avenue on Friday, and thanks to excellent work by the best young Batsman in baseball the Saints came out on top.

The result was decided in the bottom of the eighth inning. With the score level at 3-3 the Saints came up to bat, and with runners on 1st & 2nd and one out PH Frank Guise hit a Double to Right Field that plated both runners and gave the hosts a 3-5 lead. The next batter, Jacob Milburn, socked his own Double to Right Center Field that sent Guise around and put the Saints ahead by three (3-6). Cleveland was sent down in order during the top of the ninth, and the Saints had the victory.

For Milburn, the Double that sealed the Saints’ win capped the first five-hit performance of what should be numerous such games in his career.

• B1: Single to LF off O. Jurkowski
• B3: Infield Single to SS off O. Jurkowski (SB)
• B5: 1-run Single to LF off O. Jurkowski (R)
• B7: Triple to LF off O. Jurkowski (R)
• B8: 1-run Double to RCF off O. Jurkowski
• TOTAL: 5/5 (2B, 3B), 2 R, 2 RBI, SB, 8 TB – 68 GmSc (B: T-17th)

The 21-year-old Milburn is batting .383 (.976 OPS) through 43 games, with 35 Runs (88/108 G), 34 RBI (85/108 G), 19 Extra Base Hits (9 2B, 9 3B, 1 HR), and 2.8 WAR (7.1/108 G) – already one of the most gifted Batsmen in the ten-team M.W.B.A.

Also, because there’s no rest for the weary the Win was earned by St. Louis’ Frank Nowitzki, who was part of the famous fifteen-inning Hurler’s Duel that took place in South Chicago just three days ago.

• StLS P Frank Nowitzki: CG W (5-1, 1.06 ERA), 7 HA, 3 R/3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

It’s already been a successful year for Nowitzki, who’s 5-1 with a 1.06 ERA and 17 Strikeouts and a Complete Game in each of his six outings. The 23-year-old wasn’t in the Saints’ Hurling Rotation to start the season, as coach John Harris believed Nowitzki would need a year of development before taking a place as a regular Hurler. Instead, Nowitzki was pushed into the rotation after early-season struggles by Samuel Black, and the results so far have been fantastic.

The win kept the Saints three games clear atop the M.W.B.A. standings at 27-16, with still surprising Louisville in second. The loss saw Cleveland fall to 19-24 (8th; 8 GB).

tm1681 · 08-05-2026, 10:16 AM

CYRIAK GOES WILD AS SAINTS ROUT CLEVELAND
ST. LOUIS 1B BATS 6/6 WITH 8 RBI THE DAY AFTER JACOB MILBURN HAS 1ST FIVE-HIT OUTING

ST. LOUIS, MO. (June 24, 1882) - The St. Louis Saints & Cleveland Generals played the second game of their series at VanDeVenter Avenue today, and unlike yesterday’s game that was decided in B8 this one was over almost immediately.

After Cleveland took the lead with a score in T1, the Saints hammered Cleveland #2 Joshua Washington. They started with a six-run rally in B1 that featured run-scoring Singles by LF Jacob Milburn, 2B Benjamin Buckler, & C Louis Payne and a two-run Double by 1B Dwayne Cyriak. They made it 1-9 in B2 when consecutive run-scoring Doubles by Buckler & Cyriak were followed up with a run-scoring Single by Payne. By the end of B3 it was 2-12, with Cyriak connecting on another run-scoring base hit. Four more Runs in B6, including a three-run Home Run by Cyriak, and one more in B8 gave the hosts a whopping fifteen-run lead (2-17), and that was that.

The Saints finished Saturday’s game with 23 Hits. Milburn, Buckler, Payne, & RF Frank Guise were all splendid…

• StLS C Louis Payne: 3/5 (all 1B), 1 R, 3 RBI
• StLS 2B Benjamin Buckler: 2/5 (2B), 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, 3 TB
• StLS LF Jacob Milburn: 3/4 (all 1B), 4 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, CS
• StLS RF Frank Guise: 4/5 (all 1B), 4 R, 1 RBI, BB

…but Cyriak starred with the best batting performance in the young history of the M.W.B.A.

• B1: 2-run Double to CF off J. Washington
• B2: 1-run Double to LCF off J. Washington (R)
• B3: 1-run Single past SS off J. Hauser
• B5: Leadoff Single to LF off J. Hauser
• B6: 3-RUN HOME RUN TO LF off J. Hauser (367 ft)
• B8: 1-run Single to RCF off S. Kirt
• TOTAL: 6/6 (2 2B, HR), 2 R, 8 RBI, 11 TB – 123 GmSc (B: 1st)

Cyriak became the first M.W.B.A. player to finish with six Hits in a game, and his eight Runs Batted In were a new high for the league’s first season. In addition, Cyriak’s Game Score of 123 was the highest seen anywhere in baseball so far in 1882.

The historic afternoon raised Cyriak’s Average from .255 (.659 OPS) to .285 (.743 OPS), and his eight-RBI haul gave him a total of 35 through the Saints’ first 44 games (86 RBI/108 G).

Each one of the M.W.B.A.’s top five teams won on Saturday, so the Saints remain in first place by three games with a 28-16 record. Cleveland remains in eighth place at 19-25 (9 GB).

tm1681 · 08-05-2026, 10:34 AM

GREENHORN PENDERS HAS FIVE HITS, CYCLE
MASS. BAY 2B STEALS THE SHOW IN LOSING EFFORT; FLOUR CITY TAKES GAME IN 10 INNINGS

BOSTON, MASS. (June 24, 1882) - Saturday afternoon saw Massachusetts Bay & Flour City meet at the Huntington Avenue Grounds in A.P.B.L. play, and it took an extra inning for Flour City to exit with the victory.

The hosts were in control after five innings thanks to a five-run lead (1-6), but then Flour City got the upper hand. An eight-run rally in T6 featuring run-scoring Hits by P Steve Breland (Single), 1B Frank Bulger (Single), RF Floyd Hoffman (Single), 3B Jesse Noss (2-run Single), & LF Matthew Small (2-run Double) put the visitors in front by the score of 9-6. Mass. Bay answered right back with three Runs in B6 to even the score (9-9), the key Hit a two-run Double by 2B Guy Penders.

As it turned out, that would be the last of the scoring during the regulation innings as SUB’s Peter Dittmer for Mass. Bay and Levi Hastie for Flour City did fine pitching work during the late innings, and the game went to the tenth with the score still 9-9. Flour City took the lead in B10, with an Error and a one-run Double by Hoffman giving them an 11-9 lead. Mass. Bay scored via Error in B10 to make it a one-run game (11-10), but they stranded a runner at 2B and Flour City were the victors.

The game in Boston produced a historic performance. The man who scored the Run in B10 was Greenhorn Mass. Bay 2B Guy Penders, who came in the batter after he hit a Triple that gave him the third Cycle in the history of the A.P.B.L.

• B1: 1-run Double to LF off S. Breland (R)
• B2: Fly Out to RF (3 out)
• B5: LEADOFF SOLO HOME RUN TO LCF off S. Breland (ItP)
• B6: 2-run Double to LF off S. Breland (CS)
• B8: Infield Single to C off L. Hastie
• B10: Triple to RCF off T. Russett (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2 2B, 3B, HR), 3 R, 4 RBI, CS, 12 TB, CYCLE – 90 GmSc (B: 5th)

As mentioned, Penders’ Cycle was the third in A.P.B.L. history, and also the first in nearly three years.

• #1: Werner Verstegen (3B, KNI) at Excelsior on July 22nd, 1875 (4/5, 3 R 3 RBI, 10 TB)
• #2: William Avery (P, KNI) at Kings Co. on July 9th, 1879 (4/5, 3 R, 4 RBI, 10 TB)
• #3: Guy Penders (2B, MB) vs Flour City on June 24, 1882 (5/6, 3 R, 4 RBI, 12 TB)

Just over halfway through the season, Penders is the current favorite, albeit slightly, to take home A.P.B.L. Greenhorn of the Year. He’s batting .329 (.911 OPS) with 52 Runs (100/90 G), 39 RBI (75/100 G), 32 Extra Base Hits (23 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR), and he’s on pace for a total of 3.8 in both WPA & Batsman WAR. His closest competitors right now are surprising Quaker St. 1B/3B Poul Brøndum and Knickerbocker’s highly-touted P.C.L. import, LF Edward Dobbs.

Before today’s extra-inning loss Mass. Bay had woken up from their season-long slumber, winning their previous seven games. That stretch has brought their record from 12-27 to 19-28, and while they are still last in the Colonial Conference (11 GB) they’re no longer one of the two worst teams in the league.

The victory kept Flour City alone in third place in the Colonial at 26-21, three games behind St. John’s (27-20) and four games behind leaders Niagara (30-17).

tm1681 · 08-05-2026, 10:37 AM

FREDRIKSSON HITS FOR CYCLE IN WIN VS ECKFORD
STAR BBC CATCHER THE KEY PLAYER IN HOSTS’ EIGHT-RUN WIN, DRIVES IN FIVE RUNS

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (June 25, 1882) - Week Seven of the N.B.B.O. season came to an end this afternoon, the day’s finest performance took place in Star B.B.C.’s game vs Eckford of Greenpoint, which the hosts won by eight.

Star eliminated any doubts about the result quickly. They scored three times in B1, which included a run-scoring Single by C Pontus Fredriksson. Star followed that with a five-run rally in B2 that featured a two-run Triple by Fredriksson. After Eckford got on the board in T3, Star scored four more times in B3, with Fredriksson hitting a two-run Home Run, to ahead 1-12.

The only matter left to be decided was whether Fredriksson, who hit a Single, Triple, & Home Run during the first three innings, would be able to hit the Double he needed to complete the first Cycle in Star B.B.C.’s history. He did just that in B8, when he led off the inning with a Double to the gap in Left Center Field that started a three-run rally to put Star back ahead by nine (6-15). Fredriksson received an ovation from the 2,423 in attendance, and his day’s work was through.

Fredriksson’s line for the afternoon:

• B1: 1-run Single to CF off W. Barnhill
• B2: 2-run Triple to CF off W. Barnhill (R)
• B3: 2-RUN HOME RUN TO LF off J. Edwards (382 ft)
• B5: Reached via Fielder’s Choice at 2B (2 out)
• B8: Leadoff Double to LCF off J. Edwards (R)
• TOTAL: 4/5 (2B, 3B, HR), 3 R, 5 RBI, 10 TB, CYCLE – 89 GmSc (B: T-16th)

Fredriksson, who only signed with Star on June 3rd, has done well in his short time with the team, batting .319 (.777 OPS) with 17 Runs & 18 RBI in the eighteen games he’s started since signing.

The win moved Star, picked to finish last ahead of the season, to fourth place in the Brooklyn Championship at 22-20. Meanwhile, 5x Brooklyn champions and 1872 Tucker-Wheaton Cup winners Eckford are mired in last at 16-26 and are currently on pace to have their worst season since the one before the league split (1870: 25-45). Atlantic & Marathon are tied for top spot at 26-16.

tm1681 · 08-08-2026, 07:12 AM

PBCC CLOBBERS CUP CHAMPIONS ON THEIR TURF
MOORE HAS FIVE HITS, INGELS HAS SEVEN RBI AS TEAM DROPS TWO DOZEN RUNS ON NATIONAL IN DC

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 28, 1882) - The opening game of the highly anticipated Coastal Championship series between defending Adams Cup champions National B.C. & Philadelphia Baseball & Cricket Club ended with P.B.C.C. winning 12-8 in ten innings. In the second game at George Washington Stadium, P.B.C.C. rained down attacks upon National in a blowout.

P.B.C.C. crushed National with furious offense over the first five innings. Four Runs in the 1st, three in the 2nd, one in the 3rd, three in the 4th, and three more in the 5th gave the Philadelphians an unassailable 14-3 lead. Then, perhaps to make a statement that this will be their year, P.B.C.C. added four Runs in T7 and six more in T8 to take a TWENTY-RUN LEAD (24-4) over the Adams Cup holders. After some pointless late scoring by National, P.B.C.C. walked out of Washington Stadium with a stunning 24-10 win.

A number of P.B.C.C. Batsmen had excellent outings in which they reached base 3+ times.

• PBCC 1B Bernard Puckett: 1/4 (2B), 3 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 TB – 2 DP
• PBCC 3B Louis Stephens: 2/4 (both 1B), 1 R, 4 RBI, BB
• PBCC LF Charles Washer: 2/5 (both 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
• PBCC CF James Burke: 2/5 (3B), 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, SB, 4 TB – OF AST
• PBCC RF Leroy Moore: 5/7 (2 2B), 4 R, 2 RBI, 7 TB

Another P.B.C.C. Batsman put in the performance of the season: C Gilbert Ingels.

• T1: Reached via Error by 3B (R)
• T2: 2-run Single to RF off W. Perriman
• T4: 1-run Single to LCF off W. Perriman (R)
• T5: 2-run Single to LCF off E. Peterson (R)
• T7: 2-RUN HOME RUN TO LCF off E. Peterson (ItP)
• T8: Reached via Base on Balls by C. Diggs (R)
• T9: Hit by Pitch from W. Flowers
• TOTAL: 4/5 (HR), 5 R, 7 RBI, BB, HbP, 7 TB – 122 GmSc (B: 1st)

Ingels had the best day by anyone in the N.B.B.O. so far in 1882, with his seven RBI tying the N.E.L. season high. Through 43 games, Ingels’ Batting Average is .344 (.805 OPS) with 34 Runs (104/84 G) and 44 RBI (86/84 G), figures that make him very likely to make his fourth All-Star Game in as many years in league baseball.

The thunderous win left P.B.C.C. with a record of 28-15, which has them on top of the Coastal Championship by 3.5 games and one postponed game to make up. Defending N.B.B.O. champions National are in fourth at 23-21 (5.5 GB).

tm1681 · 08-08-2026, 07:16 AM

NEVILLE STARS DURING 18-RUN WIN IN WORCESTER
SPORTSMAN’S LF HAS FIVE HITS & SEVEN RBI AS VISITORS HAMMER HIGHLANDER

WORCESTER, MASS. (June 28, 1882) - It was an all-Massachusetts affair in the Coastal Conference on Wednesday afternoon, with Highlander taking on Sportsman’s at the Worcester Fairgrounds. However, only one side showed up.

Highlander grabbed the upper hand early, as a five-run rally in B1 gave them a 2-5 lead after the first frame. However, Sportsman’s would score 22 of the afternoon’s last 23 Runs as they responded to that Highlander rally by smashing the ball around the fairgrounds over the next four innings, scoring four times in T2, six in T3, five in T4 and four more times in T5 to turn that 2-5 deficit into a 21-5 lead. From there it was just a matter of filling out the scoresheet.

Sportsman’s clubbed 26 base hits over the course of the game, and they were led by veteran LF Charles Neville.

• T1: Fly Out to SS (2 out)
• T2: 2-run Single past 2B off W. Asselin
• T3: 1-run Triple to LF off R. Cook (R)
• T4: 3-run Triple to RCF off R. Cook (R)
• T5: Reached via Base on Balls by J. Sing
• T7: 1-run Single past 3B off J. Sing
• T9: Leadoff Double to LF off J. Sing (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2B, 2 3B), 3 R, 7 RBI, BB, 10 TB – OF AST – 111 GmSc (B: 1st)

Neville’s performance was the first so far this season with a 100+ Game Score in the C.C. It was one that could spring some life into Neville’s 1882, as coming into the game he was at a career low in both Average (.269) and OPS (.720). Last season Neville hit .343 with and .851 OPS, and was one of the better Outfielders in the league, so perhaps he’ll return to that form during the second half of 1882.

The victory moved Sportsman’s into a tie for second place in the C.C. with Capitol City at 24-20, both teams three games behind Bridgeport. Highlander is in last place at 17-27 (10 GB).

tm1681 · 08-08-2026, 07:16 AM

SLUGGERS WIN IN RECORD-SETTING SHUTOUT
LOUISVILLE #2 HERMAN HOLDS MILWAUKEE SCORELESS WHILE ALLOWING FOURTEEN HITS

MILWAUKEE, WIS. (June 28, 1882) - The struggling Milwaukee Bavarians hosted the Louisville Sluggers at Juneau Field today, and although the hosts hit the ball enough to make it a contest the result was a head-scratching Shutout.

The scoring in this one was all Louisville. After a lone Run in T1, the Sluggers scored twice in T3 and then put the game out of reach with four Runs that came in various ways during T4. They scored again the next inning to go ahead 8-0, and sent two men home in T9 for good measure.

The man who threw the Shutout for Louisville was #2 Hurler Robert Herman, but it wasn’t any ordinary Shutout.

• LOU P Robert Herman: CG SHO (10-3, 2.86), 14 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Herman allowed fourteen Hits to Milwaukee batters over the course of the afternoon, including two Doubles and a Triple. That amount of Hits in a Shutout is believed to be the most in baseball history, Northeast or Midwest. Add in three Louisville Errors, and Milwaukee had a grand total of seventeen baserunners that they just could not move home.

The above is a perfect example of why the Bavarians are currently mired in last place at 17-30, because their offense currently ranks last in the M.W.B.A. in numerous metrics (XBH, HR, SLG, OPS, WAR). They have a lineup that, even when it puts plenty of men on base, can’t finish the job and produce Runs.

The ten-run victory in Wisconsin raised Louisville’s record to 27-20, which has them alone in second place in the M.W.B.A., four games behind the league-leading St. Louis Saints.

tm1681 · 08-11-2026, 07:36 PM

MIDWEST BASEBALL RECAP: JUNE

MIDWEST U.S.A. (June 30, 1882) – It is now the end of June, and unlike in the Northeast the three competitions in the Midwest are not yet halfway over. Instead, M.W.B.A. teams have played 49/108 games and teams in the G.L.C. & P.L. have played 43/108. Here is how each of the three competitions looks.

MIDWESTERN BASEBALL ASSOCIATION

The Saints are clearly the best team in the M.W.B.A. right now. After ending May tied for 1st, they were a league-best 18-8 with a league-best +51 Run Differential during June. Their offense is #1 in Runs (6.2 R/G), Average (.316), Slugging (.438), OPS (.794), and Batsman WAR (15.8). Their fielding has also been the league’s best in all four defensive metrics.

Louisville stayed near the top with more steady baseball while ending June 16-9 at home and 10-7 in one-run games. Indianapolis moved four places up the standings thanks to the second-best June record and success in close contests that now has them 12-6 in one-run games. The Bluebirds were so-so over the month but remain 2nd in Runs per Game. North Chicago leads the league in On-Base (.357) and Pitching WAR (8.7), but their fielding is dead last in all four metrics. Detroit fell to .500 with a poor June, but they are still a team without any major weaknesses.

South Chicago is last in Runs (4.5 R/G) and 9th in both Average & OPS, which has undone all the good work by their second-ranked fielding. Cleveland is struggling away from home (8-17) and in one-run games (4-10). Cincinnati is just 1-5 in Extra Innings, and they rank 8th in Runs and 9th in Runs Allowed. Milwaukee is just ahead of S. Chicago in scoring, but their attack ranks last in Average, On-Base, Slugging, OPS, AND Batsman WAR.

M.W.B.A. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Benjamin Buckler (2B, StLS) – .422, 1.097 OPS, 29 R, 49 H, 10 2B, 7 3B, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 6 SB, 2.4 WPA, 2.4 WAR

HURLER OF THE MONTH
Lew Farris (IND) – 7-2, 2.49 ERA, 79.2 IP, 8 CG, 1 SHO, 37 K, 1.9 K/BB, 1.33 WHIP, 1.8 WAR, 2.9 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Benjamin Buckler (2B, StLS) – M.W.B.A. Batsman of the Month

Buckler led the league in AVG, SLG, OPS, H, XBH, TB, WPA, & WAR – an outstanding June for the Saints’ 2B. Two Batsmen came close to his production. The first was teammate Jacob Milburn (.412, 1.068 OPS, 23 R, 26 RBI, 1.6 WPA, 2.2 WAR) and the other was Detroit CF Oscar Wright (.414, 1.073 OPS, 28 R, 21 SB, 1.6 WPA, 2.2 WAR).

Lew Farris was the only seven-win Hurler during June, so the monthly honor is his. That he also led the league in Strikeouts and both forms of Pitching WAR closed the case. Saints greenhorn Frank Nowitzki had P.o.t.M. almost wrapped up, but four Bases on Balls and eight Earned Runs over 5.1 Innings just this afternoon tripped him up at the final hurdle.

Earning B.o.t.M. automatically makes the 24-year-old Buckler G.o.t.M. as well. He barely outpaced 21-year-old teammate Milburn, and incredibly the third Greenhorn in the Saints lineup, Nowitzki, had a claim on the honor until he struggled during his last appearance. Still, his June (6-2, 2.08 ERA, 24 K, 7 CG, 1 SHO, 1.3 WAR, 2.6 rWAR) was excellent.

M.W.B.A. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .409 by Robert Drake (1B, Cleveland)
OPS: 1.036 by Franklin Smith (CF, N. Chicago)
Home Runs: 4 by William Saylor (C, N. Chicago)
Runs Batted In: 43 by Patrick Mackey (RF, N. Chicago)
Runs: 51 by Oscar Kress (CF, StL Saints)
Stolen Bases: 21 by Daniel McKie (2B, StL Bluebirds)
Batsman WPA: 4.3 by Franklin Smith
Batsman WAR: 3.4 by Jacob Milburn (LF, StL Saints)

Wins: 11 by Lew Farris (Indianapolis) & Arvid Summers (StL Saints)
ERA (100+ IP): 2.80 by Robert Hancock (S. Chicago)
Strikeouts: 61 by Lew Farris
Complete Games: 14 by William Flynn (StL Saints)
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.35 by William Doherty (S. Chicago)
Pitcher WAR: 3.1 by Robert Hancock & Christopher Wilkinson (StL Bluebirds)
Pitcher rWAR: 4.3 by Robert Herman (Louisville)

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GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE

LEADER: Ft. Wayne & Toledo at 30-13 (Evansville 1 GB, Grand Rapids 5 GB, Dayton 7 GB)

The G.L.C. has become a league of the Haves and the Have-Nots through 43 games. Both Ft. Wayne & Toledo were 17-9 during June, as well as 9-1 over their last ten games, to move them into co-leader status. That means Evansville’s 29-14 record is only good enough for third place, with the men from South Indiana now one game behind the red-hot duo.

Ft. Wayne’s lineup has been reaching base more often than any other, and they’ve been led by LF Rudolph Andrews (.410, .997 OPS, 46 R, 30 RBI, 2.8 WAR). Toledo’s been the league’s best team in the field, and they’ve been powered by the brilliant Hurling of James Herman (10-3, 1.99 ERA, 21 K, 2 SHO, 2.9 WAR). While Evansville’s form fell from a 15-2 May to a 14-12 June, they still have a league-best lineup that features a quintet of .300 hitters, including 2B Clifford Gaul (.386, .929 OPS, 36 R, 31 RBI, 2.5 WAR)

Grand Rapids is playing some nice baseball that has been buoyed by excellent work from their Hurling Rotation. Dayton is over .500 thanks to the league’s #3 offense and a mid-lineup trio all batting over .300. After that, everyone is struggling. Saginaw is treading water at 19-24, but each of the league’s bottom four all have Win Percentages under .400. Cook County (17-26) ranks 9th in Runs, Youngstown (15-28) is last in Runs Allowed, Columbus (14-29) has the league’s weakest attack, and Peoria (13-30) has the G.L.C.’s lowest-ranked Hurling Rotation.

G.L.C. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Rudolph Andrews (LF, FtW) – .418, 1.017 OPS, 27 R, 46 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 15 BB, 1.5 WPA, 1.8 WAR

HURLER OF THE MONTH
Fred Borromeo (TOL) – 7-1, 2.53 ERA, 74.2 IP, 7 CG, 1 SHO, 15 K, 1.1 K/BB, 1.34 WHIP, 1.5 WAR, 3.2 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Bailey Fleming (FtW)* – 8-3, 2.62 ERA, 82.1 IP, 7 CG, 1 SHO, 34 K, 1.6 K/BB, 1.31 WHIP, 1.5 WAR, 2.6 rWAR
*Fleming also won G.o.t.M. for May

G.L.C. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .410 by Rudolph Andrews (LF, Ft. Wayne)
OPS: .997 by Rudolph Andrews
Home Runs: 3 by three different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 40 by Jonathan Teel (1B, Evansville)
Runs: 46 by Rudolph Andrews
Stolen Bases: 24 by Elmer Faiman (CF, Dayton)
Batsman WPA: 3.5 by Jonathan Teel
Batsman WAR: 3.3 by Murdoch Samson (3B, Ft. Wayne)

Wins: 12 by Bailey Fleming (Ft. Wayne)
ERA (100+ IP): 1.99 by James Herman (Toledo)
Strikeouts: 62 by Fred Thompson (Cook Co.)
Complete Games: 13 by Robert de Sousa (Dayton) & Andrew Lahey (Evansville)
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.05 by James Herman
Pitcher WAR: 3.4 by Bertrand Picard (Grand Rapids)
Pitcher rWAR: 5.6 by Jonathan Rush (Grand Rapids)

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PRAIRIE LEAGUE

LEADER: Kansas City at 28-15 (Minneapolis 0.5 GB, St. Paul 1 GB, Sioux City/St. Joseph 7 GB)

An 18-8 June saw the Bulls take over first place outright on the final day. Their team excelled in just about everything, and right now there isn’t a weak spot in the lineup. Minneapolis was even better at 19-7, and thus they shot up from 7th to 2nd. Their strong point has been obvious: their league-best attack, which, incredibly, has all eight regular Batsmen currently hitting over .300. St. Paul was a decent 14-11 in June, and they still lead the league in Runs Allowed & ERA.

The middle of the league is made up of teams hovering around .500. Sioux City (21-22) has been average in seemingly everything, while St. Joseph (21-22) has seen excellent hurling undone by a ninth-ranked attack. Des Moines (20-23) was just 10-16 during June as their Hurling Rotation really struggled. Dubuque (19-23) followed up their putrid 3-13 May with a 16-10 month, so while they’re still under .500 at least they now look like they belong.

The bottom three…Wichita (19-24) has the league’s #2 offense but they’re #8 in Runs Allowed and #7 in fielding. Omaha (18-15) had a disastrous 8-18 June as a lineup with plenty of talent fell into a collective slump. Lincoln (14-29) has won about 1/3 of their games in both May & June, and it already looks like a winter of retooling is in store.

P.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
George Fields (LF, KC) – .331, .985 OPS, 28 R, 40 H, 8 2B, 8 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 10 BB, 2.6 WPA, 1.6 WAR

HURLER OF THE MONTH
Lee Kramer (DUB) – 7-2, 3.27 ERA, 74.1 IP, 7 CG, 27 K, 1.5 K/BB, 1.41 WHIP, 1.3 WAR, 2.3 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Charlie Davis (SS, KC) – .395, .899 OPS, 21 R, 47 H, 7 2B, 1 3B, 20 RBI, 7 BB, 1 SB, 1.7 WPA, 1.2 WAR

P.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .397 by Clay Wilkinson (3B, St. Paul)
OPS: .970 by Clay Wilkinson
Home Runs: 4 by Jack Eisenberg (1B, Wichita)
Runs Batted In: 47 by George Fields (LF, Kansas City)
Runs: 53 by Joshua Simmons (CF, Kansas City)
Stolen Bases: 19 by William Bloom (CF, Des Moines)
Batsman WPA: 3.5 by George Fields
Batsman WAR: 2.4 by Olof Swanstrom (3B, Minneapolis)

Wins: 11 by Woodrow Falcon (Minneapolis)
ERA (100+ IP): 2.19 by Charles Murdoch (Kansas City)
Strikeouts: 65 by Jerald Plemons (St. Joseph)
Complete Games: 13 by Jerald Plemons
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.19 by Richard Levesque (St. Paul)
Pitcher WAR: 4.0 by Jerald Plemons
Pitcher rWAR: 4.2 by Jerald Plemons

tm1681 · 08-11-2026, 07:50 PM

NORTHEAST BASEBALL RECAP: JUNE

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (June 30, 1882) – It’s time for June to roll over into July, and that means the baseball season in the Northeast has crossed the midway point. This is how the four competitions stand.

AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE

The standings look a little more normal at the end of June, with only a couple of teams sporting Run Differentials that don’t make much sense given their records. The preseason favorites and contenders are mostly right where they should be, and it will make for a thrilling pennant race.

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

Niagara was .500 during June, but that was enough for them to hold on to the lead by one game. Their main issues right now are that their SS position has easily been the league’s worst, when combining the efforts of William Court & Clyde Lemmon, and #1 Edward Jenkins has an ERA figure nearly 1.5 points higher than it was at this time last season (4.40 vs 2.98).

St. John’s has decided to crank up the form a bit earlier than usual, playing their way to a league-best record and Run Differential (+48) during the month. C Joseph Nalley is having his best season, and LF Joseph Evans has been nearly indescribable. Pairing John Ratican with Andrew Miller has worked beautifully for Newark, now owners of the league’s 2nd-best RD. Flour City is managing to thrive in spite of the conference’s worst RD, because they’ve been the conference’s best at home (16-6).

Alleghany’s defense is no longer the perennially brilliant unit it once was, but their new Outfield has played decently and 23-year-old 3B Luther Isaacson looks like he truly has star potential. Pt. Jersey is somehow surviving even though Robert Goodman is having his worst season (8-16, 4.52 ERA) and B.o.t.Y. runner-up Vincent Dixon is batting .262 (.664 OPS). Shamrock’s misery both away from home (6-15) and in one-run games (3-8) is killing them. Mass. Bay had a nice June, and their season is now salvageable.

METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

Tiger wasn’t as dominant as they were in May, but they still have the league’s best RD and home record (17-4). 3B Samuel Eastman has been everything they hoped for, Gerald Burns has been fine at 1B, George Burroughs is pitching like an All-Star, and SS Martin Prince is playing just as well as he did last season.

Excelsior’s attack has endured some surprising struggles (R/G: 9th) but records of 12-5 in one-run games and 6-2 in Extra Innings are seeing them through it. Gotham figured some things out in June, and their #1 attack, which features Batsmen #1 & #2 in RBI, is overpowering opponents although their league-worst fielding remains a major problem. Kings Co. slid to a game under .500 because their offense had an unusually difficult time turning baserunners (OBP: 3rd) into run production (R/G: 12th).

The bottom half of the Metro is struggling. Knick is 14th in Runs thanks to a lineup that is having growing pains. Quaker St.’s 9-16 June was caused in no small by awful work in close games (1-Run: 3-9). American actually righted the ship in June, but they won’t be able to overcome that horrible May. For reasons that are simply difficult to understand given their top-end talent, Orange had the worst month by any team in A.P.B.L. history, adding a -118 RD to their 6-20 June record.

A.P.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Joseph Evans (LF, StJ) – .496, 1.226 OPS, 36 R, 58 H, 14 2B, 6 3B, 28 RBI, 5 BB, 14 SB, 1.3 WPA, 2.3 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Howard Burns (StJ) – 10-2, 3.22 ERA, 109.0 IP, 9 CG, 38 K, 4.4 K/BB, 1.24 WHIP, 2.0 WAR, 2.7 WAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Guy Penders (2B, MB) – .336, .926 OPS, 34 R, 41 H, 18 XBH, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 11 SB, 1.7 WPA, 1.4 WAR, CYCLE (6/24)

Evans grabbed his bat and sallied forth for the best month by a Batsman in A.P.B.L. history. He led the league in AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, H, TB, and WAR. His level of batsmanship was hard to believe, and it outdid any month he had in the P.C.L. Overlooked: the performance of Gotham 2B Babe Johnson (.430, 1.167 OPS, 37 R, 49 H, 23 RBI, 2.6 WPA, 2.2 WAR).

Burns had two more Wins than any other Pitcher in June and a fine set of statistical output, so he wins P.o.t.M. for the 5th time. The man who came closest to his body of work was Tiger S.C. #1 George Burroughs, who was a solid #1 throughout the month (8-2, 3.09 ERA, 28 K, 1 SHO, 1.2 WAR, 2.9 rWAR).

Orange RF John Smith led Greenhorns in Average and Mass. Bay LF Henry Yoder led them in both Runs and Hits. However, fellow Mass. Bay newcomer Penders earned G.o.t.M. for a June during which he led Greenhorns in Slugging, OPS, RBI, Total Bases, and WAR, and he also hit for the Cycle vs Flour City on the final Saturday.

A.P.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .435 by Joseph Evans (LF, St. John’s)
OPS: 1.091 by Joseph Evans
Home Runs: 4 by Guy Penders (2B, Mass. Bay)
Runs Batted In: 56 by Alexander Hammond (CF, Gotham) & Walter McGovern (LF, Gotham)
Runs: 68 by Babe Johnson (2B, Gotham)
Stolen Bases: 46 by Konrad Jensen (1B, St. John’s)
Batsman WPA: 3.8 by Charles Barrett (LF, Niagara)
Batsman WAR: 3.4 by Joseph Evans

Wins: 15 by three different Pitchers
ERA (100+ IP): 2.94 by Moses Smith (Niagara)
Strikeouts: 77 by Washington Kihlstedt (Kings Co.)
Complete Games: 18 by Washington Kihlstedt
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.27 by Thomas Smith (St. John’s)
Pitcher WAR: 4.9 by Everett Huggard (Gotham)
Pitcher rWAR: 6.0 by George Burroughs (Tiger S.C.)

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NATIONAL BASE BALL ORGANIZATION

NEW YORK LEAGUE LEADERS

BROOKLYN: Atlantic & Marathon at 30-16 (Continental 4 GB, Star 7 GB, Nassau Co. 10 GB)
NEW YORK CITY: New York Athletic Club at 29-17 (Metropolitan 2 GB, Hilltop 4 GB, Mutual/Union 5 GB)
UPSTATE N.Y.: Frontier B.B.C. at 34-12 (Syracuse 3 GB, Eagle & Minuteman 10 GB)

BROOKLYN: Marathon had a fine 16-10 June but Atlantic’s 18-8 mark was better, and the N.Y.L.’s surprise team now has a very familiar name alongside them at the top of the standings. Preseason favorites Continental are lurking in 3rd with the N.Y.L.’s best pitching. Star, with Brooklyn’s weakest roster, is somehow still playing .500 baseball. Nassau Co. is fading (June: 10-16) and should be more than ten games out before long. Still, the shocker here is 5x pennant winners Eckford being in last place at 17-29.

NEW YORK CITY: The teams were all within five games of each other to end May but there has been a bit of separation between top and bottom since, as 6th-8th place are all 10+ games out of first. N.Y.A.C. won their last six games to maintain their hold on top spot, with Metro going 9-1 to end the month. Hilltop, Mutual, & Union are still within five games, so the second half of the N.Y.C. Championship should offer plenty of excitement.

UPSTATE N.Y.: On the face of it, one would think that a 34-12 team like Frontier should be in fantastic shape. However, Syracuse matched their 18-8 June and that means Upstate will be a two-horse race during July & August unless something very surprising happens. That surprise could be Minuteman, who followed up their 6-14 May with an 18-8 June that matched the top two. Eagle being .500 or better this late in the season will always be a surprise.

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE LEADERS

COASTAL: Philadelphia B.C.C. at 29-16 (Maryland 2.5 GB, Brighton 3 GB, National 5.5 GB)
INLAND: Lancastra Brit. & Susquehanna at 30-15 (Squirrel Hill 5.5 GB, Pioneer 6 GB)
NEW ENGLAND: Quinnipiac at 33-13 (Granite 7 GB, Salem 8 GB, Green Mtn. 9 GB)

COASTAL: P.B.C.C. went wild in June, going 19-6 to vault from four games out of first to 2.5 games in the clear. The main factors: a 10-3 mark in one-run games and 4-0 in extras. Maryland’s outstanding pitching & fielding are keeping them close behind. The N.E.L.’s big surprise, Brighton, remains solidly over .500, with former A.P.B.L. star Albert Stoffers leading the way. Cup holders National crashed in June – they were 11-15 – and now have a hill to climb in their title defense.

INLAND: Of course, the top two after June are Lancastra & Susquehanna. The 3x champs’ 19-6 June made up a four-game deficit to put them right alongside the seemingly perennial Inland bridesmaids, and another thrilling two-horse race is set to unfold. Squirrel Hill, led by ex-Kings Co. star Fred Bartholomew, is playing well. Pioneer is receiving capable play from much of their lineup.

NEW ENGLAND: Quinnipiac looks terrifying after an N.B.B.O.-best 20-6 month, and that’s with their most talented player, LF Francis Edwards, batting close to 50 points worse than he did last year (.317 vs .364). It hasn’t mattered, for Quinnipiac has won their last six games. Granite, Salem, & Green Mtn. are all playing some fine ball, but it’s hard to see how any of them will be able to catch the defending New England Champions.

N.B.B.O. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMEN OF THE MONTH
NYL: Francis Smith (CF, MET) – .388, 1.051 OPS, 34 R, 45 H, 20 XBH, 1 HR, 34 RBI, 8 BB, 15 SB, 2.5 WPA, 1.7 WAR
NEL: William White (CF, LBR) – .410, 1.170 OPS, 40 R, 48 H, 8 2B, 11 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 13 SB, 2.7 WPA, 1.9 WAR

PITCHERS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Charles Rhodes (NYAC)* – 9-4, 1.41 ERA, 115.0 IP, 11 CG, 1 SHO, 34 K, 8.5 K/BB, 0.98 WHIP, 3.3 WAR, 4.2 rWAR
NEL: William Hawk (SUS)* – 10-2, 2.41 ERA, 101.0 IP, 10 CG, 1 SHO, 45 K, 9.0 K/BB, 0.89 WHIP, 2.4 WAR, 4.3 rWAR
*Rhodes earned P.o.t.M. for the ninth time; Hawk earned P.o.t.M. for the tenth time

GREENHORNS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Cleveland McLain (1B, NYAC) – .389, .910 OPS, 21 R, 42 H, 7 2B, 1 HR, 30 RBI, 12 BB, 1 SB, 1.2 WPA, 1.3 WAR
NEL: Anthony Calloway (CF, MM) – .359, 1.012 OPS, 31 R, 42 H, 8 2B, 3B, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 8 BB, 2.6 WPA, 1.4 WAR

N.B.B.O. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .406 by James Burke (CF, Philadelphia B.C.C.)
OPS: 1.079 by James Burke
Home Runs: 5 by John Blaisdell (3B, Atlantic)
Runs Batted In: 59 by Franklin Painter (CF, Green Mtn.)
Runs: 69 by John Porretta (2B, Susquehanna)
Stolen Bases: 38 by James Poindexter (1B, Trenton Utd.)
Batsman WPA: 4.4 by Jack Anastasio (CF, New York A.C.)
Batsman WAR: 3.7 by John Porretta

Wins: 18 by Charles Sturch (Frontier)
ERA (100+ IP): 2.03 by Jacob Wesolowski (Syracuse)
Strikeouts: 88 by Harmon Dunlap (Marathon)
Complete Games: 18 by Charles Sturch
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.02 by William Hawk (Susquehanna)
Pitcher WAR: 5.8 by Harry Miller (Hilltop) & Howard Shepherd (Cont’l)
Pitcher rWAR: 7.6 by Charles Sturch

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COASTAL CONFERENCE

LEADER: Bridgeport at 27-19 (Capitol City/Sportsman’s 2 GB, Olympic 3 GB, C. & A./Essex Co. 4 GB)

For the first time, a majority of the C.C.’s teams are in the thick of the pennant hunt at the end of June.

Bridgeport sprinted into 1st with a 16-10 June powered by the league’s best overall fielding, but they’re followed closely by Capitol City’s fine Pitching Duo and Sportsman’s powerful lineup. Olympic (24-22) is over .500 thanks to excellent work by the #3 & #4 Batsmen in their lineup. Camden & Amboy is an even .500 due to the second-best fielding in the C.C. Essex Co. is the other .500 team thanks to the most sure-handed group of fielders in the C.C. Lynn (19-27) & Highlander (18-28), while both are seeing some great individual seasons, are well under .500.

C.C. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Sidney Adams (RF, HIGH) – .402, 1.078 OPS, 32 R, 47 H, 12 2B, 7 3B, 1 HR, 27 RBI, 2 BB, 2.8 WPA, 1.9 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Joseph Lawson (C&A) – 10-2, 2.78 ERA, 113.1 IP, 8 CG, 31 K, 1.7 K/BB, 1.27 WHIP, 2.0 WAR, 2.3 rWAR

C.C. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .394 by Thomas Brewer (2B, Sportsman’s)
OPS: .982 by Sidney Adams (RF, Highlander)
Home Runs: 2 by seven different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 45 by Walter Kirby (LF, Bridgeport) & Harold McMichael (3B, Bridgeport)
Runs: 55 by Clifton Curry (RF, Lynn)
Stolen Bases: 26 by Lewis Zeeryp (LF, Lynn)
Batsman WPA: 3.8 by Sidney Adams
Batsman WAR: 2.5 by Mark Russo (CF, Sportsman’s)

Wins: 14 by Charles Crowley (Bridgeport) & Joseph Lawson (Camden & Amb.)
ERA (100+ IP): 1.70 by Francis Tinney (Cap. City)
Strikeouts: 108 by Stephen Willis (Sportsman’s)
Complete Games: 16 by Charles Crowley
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.16 by Francis Tinney
Pitcher WAR: 4.8 by Stephen Willis
Pitcher rWAR: 5.0 by Charles Crowley

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PHILADELPHIA CITY LEAGUE

EAST LEADER: Frankford Arsenal at 28-18 (Queen Vill. 2 GB, Sons of Ben 3 GB, Minerva/Pt. Richmond 4 GB)

Frankford was just a bit better than Queen Village during June, so the 2x champs head into July leading the West by two games thanks to…what else…the league’s best offense. Q.V. had difficulty producing Runs over the past month (OBP: 3rd, R/G: 10th), and if they correct that then they’ll be right back up alongside Frankford. Sons of Ben doesn’t look great on paper, but the league’s highest collecting Zone Rating (+32.6) is winning games for them. Pt. Richmond is hanging in there, but they’re not going to threaten first place while allowing more Runs than anyone else.

The big Eastern matter from June is again Minerva. They followed their shocking 5-15 May with a spectacular 19-7 June during which their Run Differential was roughly +85 – a return to last year’s form. That means the current leaders are in serious danger.

WEST LEADER: Independence at 27-19 (Merion 2 GB, Bartram Vill. 3 GB, Penn 4 GB, Overbrook 4.5 GB, Schuylkill 5 GB)

And once again the West is full of surprises. Independence, who was 23-47 last year and 8-12 at the end of May, surged into 1st with a 19-7 June in which everything went right for a team that’s never finished higher than 6th. In a league that has had some truly surprising pennant winners, Independence would be the most stunning one yet.

Merion is close behind thanks to a 10-4 record in close games. May leaders Bartram Village have slipped to 3rd due to offensive struggles, notably amongst their Outfielders. Penn is an even .500, although they’ve been hit with some unlucky bounces over the first two months. Overbrook has the West’s best offense and #1 Robert Nygren is doing brilliant work once again, but poor performance by their other Pitchers has hurt. 2x defending West champs Schuylkill are struggling at the plate (R/G: 13th, OPS: 16th), and if they can’t fix those woes soon there won’t be a third straight appearance in the Liberty Bell Classic.

P.C.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Peter Stinson (1B, SoB) – .442, 1.085 OPS, 28 R, 53 H, 11 2B, 4 3B, 29 RBI, 11 BB, 2 SB, 2.4 WPA, 2.0 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Jack Ryder (IND) – 12-2, 1.92 ERA, 117.0 IP, 10 CG, 19 K, 0.8 K/BB, 1.28 WHIP, 1.3 WAR, 3.7 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Nathaniel Fields (2B, IND) – .371, .868 OPS, 28 R, 36 H, 5 2B, 2 3B, 22 RBI, 7 BB, 5 SB, 0.8 WPA, 0.9 WAR

P.C.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .400 by Peter Stinson (1B, Sons of Ben)
OPS: .985 by Peter Stinson
Home Runs: 3 by James Herring (SS, Bartram Vill.) & Gallagher O’Farrell (RF, Germantown)
Runs Batted In: 54 by James Niven (CF, Overbrook)
Runs: 57 by three different Batsmen
Stolen Bases: 38 by Jonathan Auriemma (2B, Minerva)
Batsman WPA: 3.7 by William Penn (LF, Germantown)
Batsman WAR: 3.6 by Paul Ward (SS, Frankford)

Wins: 15 by Jack Ryder (Independence)
ERA (100+ IP): 2.26 by Byron Chase (Sons of Ben)
Strikeouts: 82 by Oliver Greene (Frankford)
Complete Games: 18 by Byron Chase
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.17 by Bud Forster (Minerva)
Pitcher WAR: 4.4 by Thomas Bath (Penn)
Pitcher rWAR: 6.1 by Byron Chase