The Liberty League, Est. 1876

[Questdog]

Friday, July 25, 1884
Minneapolis Millers (29-32 .475 16 GB in 7th place in the Grand National Association) at
Omaha Mutuals (45-16 .738 1st place)

Charlie Moss, Minn. (43-6.3) (R 6-17 4.31 12.1-0.6-0.9 H-BB-K/9) vs. Tom Lee, Omaha (26-6.0) (R 17-4 2.06 6.7-1.3-6.3)

Won - 3 to 2 in 10 innings

What is it with us and Charlie Moss? The old man ain't got nothing no more, but we've only scored 3 runs in each of the two times we've faced him. And had to go to extra-innings to do it this time.

We dern near lost to him this go 'round. He shut us out for the first 5 innings and then we were down, 2 to 1, going into the bottom of the 9th. 1B Charlie Toner (23-8.7) saved the day be leading off with a mammoth blast over the centerfield fence.

In the bottom of the 10th, SS Ed Page (28-7.4) led off with a single, went to 2nd on a passed ball and scored when their catcher fielded a nubber in front of the plate and threw it over the first baseman's head.

Lee allowed 4 hits, walked 2 and struck out 7. He also hit a double and could have ended the game in the bottom of the 9th, but got thrown out a the plate. This was his 10th win in a row and our 10th extra-inning win in a row.

Moss allowed us 9 hits, 1 walk and struck out 1 (Lee).

SS Ed Page had 2 hits and scored a run. LF Dave Cunningham (29-5.4) hit a triple and scored a run. 1B Charlie Toner had a single besides the home run. CF Abe Cupp (23-4.7) hit a double and a triple, but got nothing to show for it.

Grand National Association Games:
Baltimore (4) at Pittsburgh (6): Tom Lilly (24-6.4) (18-6) over Sammy O'Quinn (22-5.9) (4-8) in relief of Pop Yurkovich (32-5.6). Lilly allowed 7 hits, 4 walks and struck out 3. Yurkovich was having a game to remember until his shoulder started hurting him in the 6th inning. He went 5.1 innings, allowed 1 hit, 1 walk and struck out 6. His shoulder has swollen up and they expect him to miss 6 or 7 weeks. C Cliff Robinson (26-6.1) had 2 hits, stole a base and had an RBI. For the Orioles, 2B Billy Moore (28-7.0) hit a double and a triple, scored a run and had 2 RBIs.

Chicago (2) at Providence (3): Frank McSherry (29-4.1) (12-9) over John Ritch (29-7.8) (16-19). McSherry allowed 8 hits, 3 walks and struck out 7. Ritch allowed 8 hits, 1 walk and struck out 3. He pitched fairly well, but nevertheless lost his 4th in a row and 6th of his last 7. 2B Pat Millis (24-7.2) had 3 hits, stole a base, scored a run and had an RBI.

[Questdog]

Saturday, July 26, 1884
Brooklyn Gladiators (27-33 .450 18 GB in 8th place in the Grand National Association) at
Omaha Mutuals (46-16 .742 1st place)

Now we start the part of the schedule where it is mostly 2-game series from here on out. We begin a 2-game set with Brooklyn and their manager, Sam Cook (42-4.4). I here he has a lovely singing voice. It's the first time we have met the Gladiators this year. They are 9th in runs scored with 4.8 per game (Omaha is up to #6 with 5.1). They are 4th in runs allowed with 5.0 per game (Omaha is still #1 at 3.4).

Cole has lost 5 of his last 6 games.

Dick Cole, Bkln. (30-5.9) (R 14-13 2.27 8.4-1.4-5.3 H-BB-K/9) vs. Lee Sprague, Omaha (24-3.5) (R 23-8 1.74 6.7-0.8-6.0)

Won - 2 to 1

Sprague allowed 5 hits, no walks and struck out 5.

We should have scored a lot more than 2 runs. We had 10 hits, but RF John Peterson (25-7.0) threw out 4 of our fellas at home.

We made 4 errors and the Gladiators made 3.

2B Felix Hill (25-4.2) had 3 hits and an RBI, but was 1 of the fellas thrown out at home and also made an error. SS Ed Page (28-7.4) only had 1 hit, but needs to get special mention since he had 10 chances at shortstop without making an error. He also started a double-play. RF Hank Roberts (25-3.0) had 2 hits and was another one thrown out at home. Sprague was thrown out twice at the plate. 1B Charlie Toner (23-8.7) had 2 hits. 3B Ben Dennis (28-5.4) had 2 hits with a double, stole a base and scored both of our runs.

Grand National Association Games:
Kansas City (10) at Providence (3): Hosea Alexander (36-4.8) (9-5) over Abe Everette (35-6.9) (1-1). Alexander allowed 7 hits, 1 walk and struck out 5. At bat, he hit a double and scored a run. Everette was not that bad: he allowed 9 hits, 1 walk and struck out 5. Providence made 12 errors behind. Well, actually 11 behind him; one he made himself. CF Jack Wallace (31-7.5) had 2 hits, stole a base and scored 3 runs. 3B Erve More (25-4.5) hit a 3-run double.

Louisville (7) at Scranton (8) in 15 innings: Sam Doty (35-6.4) (11-14) in relief of Sam Paul (29-5.4) over Wiley Steel (22-5.6) (3-8) in relief of Ed Sharp (29-5.5). Doty pitched 4 innings, allowed 2 hits, no walks and struck out 2. Scranton scored 3 times in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game (without the benefit of any errors). A bases loaded walk ended the game. RF Cherokee Finley (32-4.9) had 5 hits, stole a base, scored 2 runs and had an RBI. 2B Marvin Frank (33-4.9) had 4 hits, a walk and stole a base. 3B Lewis Sass (31-4.8) did not have a hit, but walked 5 times to set the all-time record.

Pittsburgh (11) at Baltimore (5): Frank Parsons (30-5.8) (8-14) over Levi Giddens (32-4.8) (0-1) in his season debut. Parsons allowed 9 hits, 3 walks and struck out 3. 3B Dan White (24-5.1) had 3 hits with 2 doubles, stole a base, scored a run and had an RBI. RF George Everman (28-6.3) had 4 hits with 2 doubles and scored 2 runs. 1B Cal Campbell (25-7.2) had 3 hits with his 3rd home run and 2 RBIs.

Philadelphia (2) at Minneapolis (3): Steve Taylor (33-3.3) (7-2) over Bill McClean (38-6.0) (20-13). Taylor allowed 7 hits, 5 walks and struck out 3. He had a hit and scored a run on offense. McClean allowed 3 hits, no walks and struck out 3. He hit a double and had an RBI. C Willie Ticknor (27-3.1) had 2 hits and 2 walks.

Milwaukee (3) at Chicago (4): Pony Stanley (21-6.2) (1-0) in his major league debut over Alex Howison (34-6.6) (8-15). Stanley allowed 8 hits, 2 walks and struck out 9. Howison allowed 6 hits, 3 walks and struck out 4. He has lost 9 of his last 10. Stanley was 13-13 for Lancaster in the Eastern League this season, but was 2nd in ERA (1.93) and 3rd in strikeouts per 9 innings (6.4). 1B Henry Ivy (33-7.2) hit a double and his 2nd home run.

Liberty League Games:
New York (4) at Cleveland (5) in 11 innings: Tom Marshman (33-4.7) (10-18) over George Taylor (29-3.9) (13-15). Marshman allowed 9 hits, 1 walk and struck out 6. At bat, he had 2 hits and scored a run. Cleveland out-hit New York 16 to 9 and each team made 4 errors. Taylor lost his 7th in a row. RF Joe Coffey (28-5.2) had 3 hits and scored a run. CF Farmer McCarron (25-9.2) had 3 hits, stole a base and scored a run. LF Elbert Fuccillo (32-5.4) had 4 hits with a double and 3 RBIs.

Washington (4) at Troy (5): John Bendickson (32-6.0) (11-16) over John Callaham (35-5.5) (10-16). Callaham had the prettier line: 7 hits, 2 walks and 4 strike outs. And Troy made more errors (6 to 5). 1B Hardy Runnels (27-2.8) had 2 hits with a double, a walk and scored a run. Bendy did not pitch all that great, but still he has won 3 of his last 4.

Detroit (4) at Cincinnati (3): Hank Anderson (31-7.7) (10-4) over John Stevens (27-8.2) (15-14). Anderson allowed 9 hits, no walks and struck out 6. He had a hit and scored a run on offense. Stevens allowed 8 hits, 1 walk and struck out 4. C Evan Eckberg (28-3.5) and LF Jesse Spencer (34-5.0) each hit their first home run.

Boston (6) at St. Louis (7): Will Taylor (37-7.9) (5-10) over William Little (23-6.0) (9-9) in relief of Joe Peters (28-4.9). The winning run was scored on a passed ball by SS Bill Loschiavo (26-5.8), who had 3 hits with a double and a triple and scored 2 runs.

[Questdog]

Sunday, July 27, 1884

Grand National Association Games:
Kansas City (2) at Providence (4): Egyptian Hooker (36-3.9) (9-5) over Joe Osborne (26-3.0) (4-17). Hooker allowed 5 hits, 1 walk and struck out 3. At bat, he had a hit and scored a run. Osborne allowed 6 hits, 2 walks and struck out 4. 1B Charlie Gregor (25-5.2) hit a 2-run double, drew a walk and scored a run. RF John Walker (26-6.6) had 3 hits with a double, but no runs or RBIs.

Milwaukee (6) at Chicago (1): Tom Washam (31-6.1) (15-20) over Pony Stanley (21-6.2) (1-1). Washam allowed 5 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3. After losing 11 of 12 games, he has now won 5 in a row. 3B Ed Hill (34-6.6) had 3 hits with a home run and scored twice.

[Questdog]

Monday, July 28, 1884
Brooklyn Gladiators (27-34 .443 19 GB in 8th place in the Grand National Association) at
Omaha Mutuals (47-16 .746 1st place)

Dick Cole, Bkln. (30-5.9) (R 14-14 2.23 8.5-1.4-5.1 H-BB-K/9) vs. Lee Sprague, Omaha (24-3.5) (R 24-8 1.69 6.7-0.8-6.0)

Lost - 9 to 6

Sprague started out on fire, striking out 5 of the first 6 batters. The one that did not strike out just tapped it back to the pitcher. But once they started hitting the ball, all of our fielders had forgotten how to catch it. We made 10 errors. 3 more than our previous season high. SS Ed Page (28-7.4), who got praised for 10 errorless chances yesterday, made 4 errors today and is now on a train to Richmond.

Sprague only went 7 innings, allowed 11 hits, no walks and struck out 9. Jim Cook pitched 2 perfect innings, striking out 2.

LF Dave Cunningham (29-5.4) had 3 hits, stole a base and scored a run and threw a runner out at the plate. C Charlie LeFevre (30-5.0) had a hit, a walk and scored 2 runs. CF Abe Cupp (23-4.7) hit a bases-loaded triple to put us up 3 to 0 and scored to put us up 4 to 0. He also threw a runner out at the plate, but tweaked his shoulder doing it and will have to sit about a week. Cupp's replacement, Jim Cote (28-6.1) hit a double and scored a run. Spider Coleman (30-6.2) had a pinch-hit single for an RBI.

For the Gladiators, Cole had 2 hits, scored a run and had 2 RBIs. I think the opposing pitchers are batting about .927 with 2 outs and runners in scoring position this season. SS George Hartman (33-3.1) had 3 hits with a triple, scored 3 runs and had 2 RBIs. RF John Peterson (25-7.0) only threw out one runner at the plate today, but had 2 hits with a double and an RBI.

Grand National Association Games:
Louisville (3) at Scranton (2) in 14 innings: Ed Sharp (29-5.5) (13-14) over Sam Doty (35-6.4) (11-15). Sharp pitched 13 innings, allowed 6 hits, 5 walks and struck out 3. Wiley Steel (22-5.6) came in after SHrp beaned the first batter in the bottom of the 14th and sat them down in order with a strikeout. Doty pitched all 14 innings, allowed 8 hits, 1 walk and struck out 5. 2B Frank Reardon (29-5.7) reached on a 2-base error by the shortstop with 1 out in the top of the 14th. He stole 3rd and scored when the catcher threw the ball into leftfield.

Pittsburgh (10) at Baltimore (6): Tom Lilly (24-6.4) (19-6) over Sal DeVaux (29-3.5) (9-12). Lilly allowed 7 hits, no walks and struck out 6. He hit a double, scored a run and had 2 RBIs. SS Jim Ware (30-5.6) had 3 hits, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs. 2B Jack Green (31-5.5) hit 2 doubles and a triple, stole a base, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs.

Philadelphia (7) at Minneapolis (6): John Allen (26-6.4) (15-8) in relief of Bill McClean (38-6.0) over Dan Dittmar (35-8.0) (17-14). McClean had to leave after 3 innings with a pulled muscle. He should be good in a week or so. Allen went 6 innings, allowed 3 runs, 5 hits, 1 walk and struck out 2. SS Doc Coe (27-4.7) had 3 hits with a triple and 3 RBIs.

Milwaukee (1) at Chicago (7): John Ritch (29-7.8) (17-19) over Tom Washam (31-6.1) (15-21). Ritch allowed 9 hits, 1 walk and struck out 6. 1B Henry Ivy (33-7.2) had 2 hits with his 3rd home run, scored 3 runs and had 2 RBIs. C John Lee (32-5.3) had 2 hits with a home run and an RBI. 2B Patsy Roberts (30-5.5) hit 2 doubles, but pulled a back muscle and will miss about 5 weeks, they say.

Liberty League Games:
New York (2) at Cleveland (7): Willis Kornfield (31-6.0) (6-8) over Jack Roberts (32-6.1) (18-18). Kornfield allowed 6 hits, 1 walk and struck out 3. 3B Charlie Taylor (29-5.2) had 2 hits with a double, scored 2 runs and had 3 RBIs. LF Elbert Fuccillo (32-5.4) hit 2 doubles, scored a run and had 2 RBIs.

Washington (5) at Troy (6): Harry Lamb (29-6.4) (16-10) over Dan Burton (29-4.9) (12-14). Lamb allowed 8 hits, 3 walks and struck out 8. SS Sam Cowan (28-5.1) had 4 hits with a triple, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs. CF Monte Moody (26-6.9) hit a 3-run homer, his 3rd, and drew a walk.

Detroit (5) at Cincinnati (10): Charlie Branham (24-4.2) (21-8) over William Rose (33-4.9) (13-17). Branham allowed 4 hits, no walks and struck out 7. He is now 16-3 over his last 19 decisions. Rose has lost 8 of his last 10 starts. SS Willis Barrett (33-3.1) had 3 hits, scored 3 runs and had an RBI. CF Fleet Wilcox (27-4.9) hit a triple and his 13th home run of the year and had 3 RBIs.

Boston (9) at St. Louis (2): Charlie Morlock (35-6.7) (19-10) over Freddy Wood (28-6.3) (11-13). Morlock allowed 9 hits, no walks and struck out 7. Manager/1B Pete Bucolo (36-4.1) had 2 hits, a walk and scored 3 runs. LF Dan Abrams (25-5.1) had 3 hits with 2 doubles, scored 3 runs and had 3 RBI

[Questdog]

Tuesday, July 29, 1884
Pittsburgh Stogies (38-25 .603 8.5 GB in 3rd place in the Grand National Association) at
Omaha Mutuals (47-17 .734 1st place)

We begin a 2 game set with manager/SS Al Steel (24-7.0) and his Stogies. Last year, Steel started 59 games as a rookie and hit .282 and was considered one of the up and coming players in the Association. But since he was put in charge, he has not written himself into the lineup card even once and has only appeared in 7 games. We are 3-3 against Pittsburgh so far. We lost 2 of 3 at our place in the middle of May the last time we met. Pittsburgh is 1st in the Association in runs scored with 6.5 per game (Omaha is back down to #8 with 5.0). They lead in stolen bases with an unreal 198 in 63 games. 2nd place Kansas City has about half that number (102). We have 58. All the steals seem to be fueling all the scoring since their batting average is 10th best in the 12 team league. They do lead in triples with 71. They are 5th in runs allowed with 5.0 per game (Omaha is still #1 with 3.5).

We called up utility man Bill Healy (25-6.0) from Richmond to replace the departed Ed Page (28-7.4). Today is Healy's birthday, so this is a pretty nice present for him. He is a native of Killarney, Ireland and can play 2B, 3B and SS and can even play some in the outfield in emergencies. Does not look like much of a hitter (.252 in Richmond), but he can run and sit on the bench without causing much of a problem.

Frank Parsons, Pitts. (30-5.8) (R 8-14 2.62 9.4-2.3-4.6 H-BB-K/9) vs. Lee Sprague, Omaha (24-3.5) (R 24-9 1.71 6.8-0.8-6.1)

Won - 17 to 8

This one started out like a circus comedy. They made 4 errors on our first 3 batters. They all 3 reached base on errors and Parsons made another trying to pick someone off at first base. He ended up doing that twice in the game. We batted around and scored 9 times. They added another error to make it 5 in the inning. Sprague hit a bases-loaded double, clearing them all.

Sprague allowed 9 hits, no walks and struck out 5.

We had 14 hits and made 8 errors. That gives us 18 in the last 2 games. Ed Page (28-7.4) was sent to Richmond for making 4 errors in a game, but Warren Hogan (30-7.2), today's shortstop, made 5. Before today, he was leading the league in fielding percentage at short. Now he is 3rd. The Stogies ended up with 11 errors to their discredit.

2B Felix Hill (25-4.2) had 3 hits with 2 doubles, scored 4 runs and had 3 RBIs. 3B Ben Dennis (28-5.4) had 2 hits, a walk, scored a run and had an RBI. And 5 errorless chances at third. RF Hank Roberts (25-3.0) only had 1 hit, but scored 3 times. LF Dave Cunningham (29-5.4) had 3 hits with a triple, scored a run and had 2 RBIs. C Charlie LeFevre (30-5.0) hit his 3rd home run of the season, drew a walk and scored 3 times. CF Jim Cote (28-6.1) had 2 hits, a walk, scored 2 runs and had an RBI, but also made an error. He's now on a train back to Richmond, since Stub Orlando (29-6.1) is healed up and ready to play.

For the Stogies, 1B Cal Campbell (25-7.2) hit 2 triples, scored 2 runs and had an RBI.

Grand National Association Games:
Baltimore (3) at Philadelphia (11): Tommy Shearin (26-5.7) (5-1) over Levi Giddens (32-4.8) (0-2). Shearin allowed 4 hits, walked 2 and struck out 3. He was 7-1 for Allentown this year in A Ball, so is 12-2 overall. He lost his first major league decision, but has won all 5 since. As a batter, he had 2 hits with a double, a walk, scored a run and had an RBI. 2B Charlie Whitney (33-4.5) had 2 hits, a walk, scored 3 runs and had an RBI.

Kansas City (10) at Scranton (5): Hosea Alexander (36-4.8) (10-5) over Sam Paul (29-5.4) (9-21). Alexander allowed 13 hits, no walks and struck out 3. He has won 4 in a row and 8 of his last 9. 3B Erve More (25-4.5) had 3 hits, a walk, scored a run and had 2 RBIs.

Minneapolis (3) at Brooklyn (8): Nate Kendall (35-5.4) (9-15) over Charlie Moss (43-6.3) (6-19). Kendall allowed 9 hits, no walks and struck out 5. 1B Henry Young (30-5.7) had 2 hits with a double, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs.

Louisville (7) at Milwaukee (9): Alex Howison (34-6.6) (9-15) over Jake D'Addario (34-5.5) (6-16). Howison allowed 9 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3. D'Addario lost his 5th in a row. LF John Tomlinson (28-2.8) had 3 hits with a home run, scored 3 runs and had 4 RBIs.

Providence (13) at Chicago (12) in 10 innings: Frank McSherry (29-4.1) (13-9) in relief of Abe Everette (35-6.9) over Pete Rinehart (25-6.2) (3-3) in relief of John Ritch (29-7.8). In the 7th Ritch beaned Everette and the two started fighting and the benches emptied and both pitchers were ejected by the umpire. 1B Charlie Gregor (25-5.2) had 3 hits with a double and scored 3 runs. RF Mickey Sweeney (29-4.7) hit a double and a home run, stole a base, and had 3 RBIs. For the Colts, 2B Henry Potter (30-6.4) had 3 hits with a triple, 2 walks, scored 3 runs and had 3 RBIs.

Liberty League Games:
New York (2) at Cleveland (3): Tom Marshman (33-4.7) (11-18) over George Taylor (29-3.9) (13-16). Marshman allowed 5 hits, 3 walks and struck out 3. As a batter, he had 2 hits, including the game winning single with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th. He has won 3 of his last 4. Taylor allowed 7 hits, 1 walk and struck out 4. He has now lost 8 in a row. For New York, CF Hi Lynch (33-7.5) separated his shoulder making a catch and will miss 3 to 4 weeks.

Boston (8) at Troy (2): Joe Peters (28-4.9) (16-7) over John Bendickson (32-6.0) (11-17). Peters allowed 6 hits, 3 walks and struck out 7. On offense, he had a hit, scored a run and had 2 RBIs. 2B Bill Thompson (34-4.2) had 2 hits with a triple, stole 2 bases and scored 3 runs. LF Dan Abrams (25-5.1) had 4 hits with a double, scored a run and had an RBI, but had to leave with a sore back and will miss a week or two.

Detroit (1) at Cincinnati (5) in 10 innings: John Stevens (27-8.2) (16-14) over Hank Anderson (31-7.7) (10-5). Stevens allowed 6 hits, 2 walks and struck out 11. Anderson allowed 8 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3. How does the home team win by 4 runs in extra-innings? There is only 1 way and that is with a bases-loaded home run! It was hit by manager/LF Silver Borresen (30-6.9) with 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th. CF Fleet Wilcox (27-4.9) hit his 14th home run. Editor's note: In real life, it would have only counted as a 1-run single at the time. They did not start allowing game-ending belts over fences count for more bases than necessary for the win until 1920.

Washington (4) at St. Louis (1): John Callaham (35-5.5) (11-16) over Will Taylor (37-7.9) (5-11). Callaham allowed 7 hits, 1 walk and struck out 4. Taylor allowed 11 hits, no walks and struck out 2. 1B Tom Coponen (28-7.0) had 4 hits, stole a base, scored a run and had an RBI.

[Questdog]

Wednesday, July 30, 1884

Grand National Association Games:
Kansas City (12) at Scranton (13) in 11 innings: Sam Doty (35-6.4) (12-15) in relief of George Lambert (33-9.0) over Dan Butler (27-4.7) (13-12) in relief of Joe Osborne (26-3.0). RF Cherokee Finley (32-4.9) hit a double and 2 triples, scored 3 runs and had and RBI. CF Frank Kiss (28-2.0) had 2 hits with a home run, scored 2 runs and had 3 RBIs. For the Cowboys, CF Jack Wallace (31-7.5) had 3 hits with a triple, stole a base, scored 4 runs and had 2 RBIs.

Baltimore (3) at Philadelphia (13): John Allen (26-6.4) (16-8) over Sal DeVaux (29-3.5) (9-13). Allen allowed 6 hits, walked 1 and struck out 7. C Willie Ticknor (27-3.1) had 2 hits with a double, a walk and scored 3 runs. LF Clarence Reis (33-5.0) had 4 hits with a triple, scored 3 runs and had 2 RBIs.

Minneapolis (7) at Brooklyn (2): Dan Dittmar (35-8.0) (18-14) over Nate Kendall (35-5.4) (9-16). Dittmar allowed 6 hits, 1 walk and struck out 2. With his bat, he had a hit and scored a run. C Hank Fowler (35-5.8) had 2 hits and 3 RBIs.

Providence (18) at Chicago (9): Egyptian Hooker (36-3.9) (10-5) over Pony Stanley (21-6.2) (1-2). 7 balls hit over the cozy fences today. 2 of them by Chicago's 3B Sam McKenna (32-6.0) for 3 RBIs and 2 of them by Providence's LF Dick Bailey (33-5.7), who had 4 hits with a double, scored 3 times and had 5 RBIs. CF Gus Ivey (28-6.3) had 4 hits with 3 triples, a walk, scored 4 runs and had a RBI.

Liberty League Games:
New York (3) at Cleveland (4): Willis Kornfield (31-6.0) (7-8) over Jack Roberts (32-6.1) (18-19). Kornfield allowed 8 hits, 6 walks and struck out 4. Roberts allowed 6 hits, 1 walk and struck out 1. He hit a double and had an RBI. 3B Clipper Wilson (28-4.4) had 2 hits, a walk and scored a run.

Boston (3) at Troy (5): Harry Lamb (29-6.4) (17-10) over Charlie Morlock (35-6.7) (19-11). Lamb allowed 10 hits, 2 walks and struck out 7. He won his 6th straight and 3rd in a row in his meetings with Morlock. Morlock allowed 9 hits, 1 walk and struck out 5. He hit a double. CF Bert Gellis (23-5.5) had 4 hits with a double and 2 triples, scored 2 runs and had an RBI.

Detroit (5) at Cincinnati (2): William Rose (33-4.9) (14-17) over Charlie Branham (24-4.2) (21-9). Rose allowed 6 hits, 3 walks and struck out 3. Branham allowed 6 hits, 1 walk and struck out 3. For the Reds, CF Fleet Wilcox (27-4.9) hit a double and home run #15, drew a walk and had 2 RBIs.

Washington (5) at St. Louis (6): Freddy Wood (28-6.3) (12-13) over John Callaham (35-5.5) (11-17). Washington scored twice in the top of the 9th to take the lead, but St. Louis scored twice in the bottom half to win. LF John Rodgers (32-4.4) hit a 2-out 2-run triple to end the game. It was his 3rd hit of the day. Earlier he hit his 6th home run of the year.

[Questdog]

Thursday, July 31, 1884
Pittsburgh Stogies (38-26 .594 9.5 GB tied for 3rd place in the Grand National Association) at
Omaha Mutuals (48-17 .738 1st place)

We are 0-2 against Lilly on the year and it would seem Tom Lee's 10 game winning streak is in serious danger of coming to an end. Especially with the way we have been playing defense lately. The all-time winning streak record is by Charlie Morlock (35-6.7) of Boston when he won 11 in a row in 1881. Joe Peters (28-4.9) of Boston currently has a 9 game winning streak going.

Tom Lilly, Pitts. (24-6.4) (L 19-6 2.31 7.0-1.3-5.8 H-BB-K/9) vs. Tom Lee, Omaha (26-6.0) (R 18-4 2.01 6.5-1.4-6.3)

Won - 2 to 0

Lee responded to the challenge with the best pitched 9 inning game we've had all year! He allowed 2 hits, no walks and struck out 4. !!Tom Lee ties Morlock's all-time record for wins in a row with 11!!

Lilly allowed us 6 hits, no walks and struck out 5.

We made 3 errors and the Stogies made none.

RF Hank Roberts (25-3.0) had 2 hits with a triple and scored a run. 1B Rube Ford (33-5.1) hit a triple and scored a run.

Grand National Association Games:
Baltimore (4) at Philadelphia (11): Jim Postema (35-5.5) (2-1) over Sammy O'Quinn (22-5.9) (4-9) in relief of Levi Giddens (32-4.8). Postema allowed 6 hits, walked 1 and struck out 9. RF Joseph Thomson (32-7.3) had 2 hits with a triple, scored a run and had 3 RBIs. 3B Jesse Jaeger (37-7.5) had 3 hits, a walk, scored a run and had an RBI.

Kansas City (6) at Scranton (5): Dan Butler (27-4.7) (14-12) over George Lambert (33-9.0) (3-7). Butler allowed 7 hits, 4 walks and struck out 3. Lambert allowed 7 hits, walked 1 and struck out 3. LF Jack Wallace (31-7.5) had 2 hits, stole 2 bases, scored a run and had 2 RBIs.

Minneapolis (4) at Brooklyn (3): Charlie Moss (43-6.3) (7-19) over Dick Cole (30-5.9) (15-15). Moss allowed 10 hits, 1 walk and struck out a season-high 3 batters. Cole allowed 6 hits, walked 2 and struck out 5 (4 of them Charlie Moss). RF Bill Hammack (31-5.0) had 2 hits with a double and scored a run.

Louisville (2) at Milwaukee (3) in 10 innings: Tom Washam (31-6.1) (16-21) over Ed Sharp (29-5.5) (13-15). Washam allowed 6 hits, 3 walks and struck out 6. He scored the winning run. Sharp allowed 6 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3. A walk, an error and 2 passed balls ended the game. For the Colonels, 2B John Meredith (29-6.0) had 3 hits with a double, scored a run and had an RBI.

Providence (0) at Chicago (10): John Ritch (29-7.8) (18-19) over Frank McSherry (29-4.1) (13-10). Ritch allowed 3 hits, no walks and struck out 2. LF Candy Simpson (25-6.8) had 2 hits with a double, stole a base and had an RBI. C George Sandefur (28-5.8) had 2 hits, scored a run and had 2 RBIs.

In Chicago, a court ruled that the Colts' Lake Front Park illegally obstructs the view and blocks the wind from the homes to the west of it. They are ordered to find a new place to play, but are allowed to finish this season in the park. Good riddance, I say, to those stupid 180 foot fences.

[Questdog]

[Westheim]

I stand by my opinion that the Mutuals are all Lee Sprague, and little else. Sprague could pitch with eight scarecrows around him, and might even to better than now, because scarecrows are a really, really good thing to have in the field.

[Questdog]

Originally Posted by Westheim

I stand by my opinion that the Mutuals are all Lee Sprague, and little else. Sprague could pitch with eight scarecrows around him, and might even to better than now, because scarecrows are a really, really good thing to have in the field.

I think Tom Lee is something more than little else.....if the season ended today, I think he'd get the Hurler Trophy.

[Questdog]

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Questdog

I think Tom Lee is something more than little else.....if the season ended today, I think he'd get the Hurler Trophy.

While this latter Lee is a spectacular pitcher in his own right, the former Lee seems to get the worst from the defense to hang losses on him he doesn't deserve. The K/BB is beyond fantastic for Sprague, too. Tom Lee seems to be near the top of the league in how frequently he hits batters.

Well, in all honesty, they both have a great claim. And it won't help the Omahonians a lick when they are going to go up against the Liberty League champions, because they are bound to have good pitching as well, and Omaha has no offense to speak of.

Edit: Boston might be a better match for the Mutuals, since their offense looks to be thinner and their pitchers are walking more and striking out less batters, which should help the Mutuals tremendously.

Edit, too: Well, except for Peters. He's a beast.

[Questdog]

Originally Posted by Westheim

While this latter Lee is a spectacular pitcher in his own right, the former Lee seems to get the worst from the defense to hang losses on him he doesn't deserve. The K/BB is beyond fantastic for Sprague, too. Tom Lee seems to be near the top of the league in how frequently he hits batters.

Well, in all honesty, they both have a great claim. And it won't help the Omahonians a lick when they are going to go up against the Liberty League champions, because they are bound to have good pitching as well, and Omaha has no offense to speak of.

Edit: Boston might be a better match for the Mutuals, since their offense looks to be thinner and their pitchers are walking more and striking out less batters, which should help the Mutuals tremendously.

Edit, too: Well, except for Peters. He's a beast.

Well, one other thing to remember is that the two leagues do not play by the same rules. For instance, Liberty League pitchers can throw overhand, but only get 6 balls to walk someone. GNA pitchers have to keep their arm below the shoulder and get 7 balls. So, you cannot really compare the stats directly.

When the showdown comes, the rules of the home team will be enforced.

[Questdog]

Friday, August 1, 1884
Omaha Mutuals (49-17 .742 1st place in the Grand National Association) at
Philadelphia Quakers (43-23 .652 6 GB in 2nd place)

Two games in Philly against manager Chuck Payne (42-5.9) and his Quakers. We are 4-2 against them on the season. We swept them in 3 games at our place the last time we met, which was in the 3rd week of May. The Quakers are currently 2nd in scoring with 6.4 per game, only .02 behind the leader, Chicago (Omaha is up to #7 with 5.2). They are 5th in runs allowed with 5.0 per game (Omaha is still #1 at 3.5). Their Jefferson Street Grounds is a tough place to hit the ball out of, but is otherwise a good place to bat.

In the month of July, Sprague had an ERA of 3.00 and he allowed 9.0 hits per 9 innings. Tom Lee, on the other hand, had an ERA of 1.38 and allowed 5.6 hits per 9.

Lee Sprague, Omaha (24-3.5) (R 25-9 1.77 6.9-0.7-6.1 H-BB-K/9) vs. John Allen, Phil. (26-6.4) (R 16-8 2.62 8.8-1.4-4.9)

Lost - 1 to 0

Sprague allowed 4 hits, walked 2 and struck out 4.

Allen allowed 6 hits, walked 1 and struck out 4.

We made no errors; they made 2.

The only run was scored on a wild pitch.

Grand National Association Games:
Minneapolis (1) at Pittsburgh (6): Frank Parsons (30-5.8) (9-15) over Steve Taylor (33-3.3) (7-3). The game after Omaha scored 17 runs against him, Parsons allowed 2 hits, walked 4 and struck out 5. SS Jim Ware (30-5.6) had 2 hits, stole 2 bases, scored a run and had an RBI.

Kansas City (2) at Louisville (6): Jake D'Addario (34-5.5) (7-16) over Hosea Alexander (36-4.8) (10-6). D'Addario, who pitched for Kansas City last season, allowed 7 hits, no walks and struck out 6. With his bat, he had 2 hits and an RBI. 1B Patrick Brezina (42-4.1) had 2 hits and scored 2 runs. LF Joe Olson (27-6.8) had 2 hits with a double and an RBI.

Baltimore (7) at Brooklyn (4): Levi Giddens (32-4.8) (1-2) over Ren French (23-4.9) (5-6). Giddens allowed 5 hits, 2 walks and struck out 1. SS Jake Steitz (25-4.7) had 4 hits with a double, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs. RF Bill Fogle (25-5.3) had 4 hits with a triple, stole a base, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs.

Providence (3) at Milwaukee (4): Alex Howison (34-6.6) (10-15) over Abe Everette (35-6.9) (1-2). Howison allowed 7 hits, 2 walks and struck out 4. Everette allowed 7 hits, 2 walks and struck out 4. Providence tied the game up in the top of the 9th and Milwaukee untied in the bottom without the aid of a hit. An HBP and 2 errors ended the game. C Jimmy Babcock (27-6.9), who was Providence's #1 catcher last year, had 2 hits with a double, scored a run and had an RBI.

[Questdog]

Saturday, August 2, 1884
Omaha Mutuals (49-18 .731 1st place in the Grand National Association) at
Philadelphia Quakers (44-23 .657 5 GB in 2nd place)

In Milwaukee, P Alex Howison (34-6.6) stepped down as manager of the team. He had just finished pitching a victory and the team has won 3 in a row and 8 of their last 10. He claimed he did not care for the responsibility, but did not want to quit when things were going poorly and saddle his replacement with an onerous task. Owner Frank Pope (60-5.4) appointed CF Charles Hundley (28-5.3) as the temporary boss until he could make a deeper study of the situation.

Tom Lee, Omaha (26-6.0) (R 19-4 1.92 6.4-1.3-6.2 H-BB-K/9) vs. Tommy Shearin, Phil. (26-5.7) (R 5-1 2.22 6.5-1.0-5.3)

Won - 9 to 3

!!Tom Lee set the all-time record with his 12th win in a row!!

Lee allowed 6 hits, walked 2 and struck out 3. With his bat, he had 2 hits and an RBI.

We had 16 hits and each team made 3 errors.

3B Ben Dennis (28-5.4) had 2 hits, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs. CF Stub Orlando (29-6.1) had 2 hits, scored a run and had an RBI. C Ezra Wall (23-5.2) had 4 hits with a double and a triple, scored 3 runs and had 2 RBIs.

Grand National Association Games:
Kansas City (11) at Louisville (4): Joe Osborne (26-3.0) (5-17) over Jake D'Addario (34-5.5) (7-17). Osborne allowed 12 hits, walked 3 and did not strike anyone out. 3B Erve More (25-4.5) had 3 hits with a double and a triple, stole a base, scored 3 runs and had an RBI. 2B Connie Frenette (29-4.7) had 3 hits with a triple, a walk, stole 2 bases, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs.

Minneapolis (9) at Pittsburgh (6): Dan Dittmar (35-8.0) (19-14) over Tom Lilly (24-6.4) (19-8). Dittmar allowed 9 hits, 1 walk and struck out 1. RF Bill Hammack (31-5.0) hit 2 doubles with an RBI. 2B Joe Henry (32-9.2) had 3 hits, scored a run and had an RBI. For Pittsburgh, 1B Jack Green (31-5.5) had 3 hits, stole 2 bases and score 3 runs.

Baltimore (3) at Brooklyn (2): Sal DeVaux (29-3.5) (10-13) over Nate Kendall (35-5.4) (9-17). DeVaux allowed 4 hits, 1 walk and struck out 6. SS Jake Steitz (25-4.7) had 3 hits (to give him 7 over the last 2 games), stole a base, scored a run and had an RBI.

Providence (5) at Milwaukee (6): Tim Davenport (30-6.1) (3-3) over Egyptian Hooker (36-3.9) (10-6). Davenport allowed 11 hits, 3 walks and struck out 3. Hooker allowed 8 hits, 1 walks and struck out 6. Milwaukee with their second straight win in the bottom of the 9th. This one on an error. SS Herman Bonjour (31-5.6) had 3 hits, stole a base, scored 2 runs and had an RBI.

Scranton (13) at Chicago (9): Sam Paul (29-5.4) (10-21) over Pony Stanley (21-6.2) (1-3). Paul allowed 10 hits, no walks and struck out 5. C Doc Cole (35-6.1) had 4 hits with a double, scored 3 runs and had 2 RBIs. 1B Jiggs Farmer (24-4.6) had 3 hits and scored 2 runs. SS Marvin Frank (33-4.9) hit 2 double and had 4 RBIs. LF Milt Wright (37-8.1) hit a triple and a home run and scored twice. For the Colts, CF Tommy Casale (24-3.7) had 4 hits with his 6th home run, stole a base, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs.

Liberty League Games:
Cincinnati (3) at New York (4): Jack Roberts (32-6.1) (19-19) over John Stevens (27-8.2) (16-15). Going into the bottom of the 9th, Cincinnati was up 3 to 0. Roberts hit a 2-out single to win the game. He allowed 12 hits, walked 3 and struck out 4. Stevens allowed 8 hits (4 in the 9th inning), 1 walk (in the 9th) and struck out 4 (none in the 9th). C Hub West (30-6.7) had 3 hits and 2 RBIs. For the Reds, 2B Pete Hinde (28-7.9) and CF Fleet Wilcox (27-4.9) each had 3 hits with a triple, scored a run and had an RBI. Wilcox also stole a base and drew a walk.

Washington (8) at Troy (10): Harry Lamb (29-6.4) (18-10) over John Callaham (35-5.5) (11-18). Lamb allowed 7 hits, 2 walks and struck out 7. CF Bert Gellis (23-5.5) had 2 hits with a triple, stole a base, scored a run and had 2 RBIs. 3B Monte Moody (26-6.9) had 2 hits with a double, a walk, stole 2 bases, scored 2 runs and had an RBI.

Detroit (7) at Cleveland (8) in 11 innings: Tom Marshman (33-4.7) (12-18) over William McLeod (25-5.6) (6-9). Marshman allowed 12 hits, 1 walks and struck out 7. He has won 3 in a row and 4 of his last 5. McLeod allowed 11 hits, 6 walks and struck out 8. 2B Jesse Flanders (24-5.4) had 3 hits with a double, stole 2 bases and scored 2 runs. 1B Lou Knight (35-5.2) hit 6th home run, walked twice and had 4 RBIs.

Boston (6) at St. Louis (4): Charlie Morlock (35-6.7) (20-11) over Freddy Wood (28-6.3) (12-14). Morlock allowed 5 hits, 1 walk and struck out 6. Wood allowed 8 hits, 2 walks and struck out 5. LF Val Cornell (26-3.5) had 2 hits, a walk, stole a base and scored 2 runs. RF Charlie Warner (30-9.2) hit 2 home runs to give him 5 on the year and had 4 RBIs.

Down in Richmond, CF Jim Cote (28-6.1), who was up in Omaha while Stub Orlando was injured, broke his kneecap and will miss the rest of the season.

[Questdog]

Sunday, August 3, 1884

Grand National Association Games:
Kansas City (7) at Louisville (5): Dan Butler (27-4.7) (15-12) over Ed Sharp (29-5.5) (13-16). Butler allowed 9 hits, walked 2 and struck out 2. LF Lou Baggett (22-4.2) had 2 hits, a walk, stole 4 bases, scored 2 runs and had an RBI.

Providence (4) at Milwaukee (3): Frank McSherry (29-4.1) (14-10) in relief of Abe Everette (35-6.9) over Tom Washam (31-6.1) (16-22). Everette drew a walk to lead of the 6h inning and slid in hard to 2nd to break up a double-play and wrenched his back and will be out about 6 weeks. He may never get that 100th win. The Grays scored 3 times in the top of the 9th to take the lead. The inning started with the first 2 batters getting plunked. SS Bill Chilcote (27-7.7) had 3 hits, stole a base, scored a run and knocked in the go ahead run in the 9th.

Scranton (9) at Chicago (4): Sam Doty (35-6.4) (13-15) over John Ritch (29-7.8) (18-20). Doty allowed 10 hits, no walks and struck out 5. He had 2 hits an RBI at the plate. 3B Fred Vay (32-6.0) had 2 hits with a triple, scored a run and had an RBI. 1B Jiggs Farmer (24-4.6) had 2 hits with a double and scored 2 runs. For the Colts, 3B Sam McKenna (32-6.0) had 3 hits with his 3rd home run.

[Questdog]

Bendy Dead!!

August 3, 1884, Troy, N.Y. - John Bendickson, pitcher for the Haymakers professional baseball club of Troy, was found unresponsive in his home Sunday afternoon by his wife upon her return from church services. She immediately notified a local physician, but her husband could not be revived. The cause of death appears to be alcohol poisoning as his wife states that he was awake all Saturday night drinking heavily. She claims he was not normally an excessive drinker, but that recent reverses on the baseball diamond had been weighing heavily upon his mind.

Mr. Bendickson was the main hurler for the champion Troy teams of the 70's. For four straight seasons, from 1876 to 1879, the Haymakers finished first in the Liberty League and in each of those seasons Bendickson led the Haymakers in pitching victories. For three of those seasons, he won the Hurler Trophy as the best pitcher in the League and in every year he was named to the League's Post-Season All-Star Team. In 1879, when manager Reddy Ricker was abruptly dismissed from his post with 23 games left on the schedule, Bendickson assumed the manager duties and led the team to the championship, one game ahead of the Boston Red Caps.

Last season, in what was an otherwise disappointing year, he pitched the first no-hitter in League history against the Utica Pent Ups here at the Base Ball Grounds across the river in Watervliet. This year, his pitching prowess continued to show signs of decay as he had won 11 games against 17 defeats with the highest ERA of his career. His last game was an 8 to 2 defeat at the hands of those hated Boston Red Caps last Tuesday.

He has won more games as a pitcher than any other major league hurler with 233 victories to his credit. Charlie Morlock of the Red Caps is only 9 wins behind him though, and has a chance to pass Bendickson's total before this season is over.

A memorial service will be held at the Second Street North Methodist Church. Friends and family invite all fans of the Haymakers to attend.

Editor's Note: I am just floored. You set up systems to add a little drama and realism and they come back to bite you in the bottom. I was hoping Bendy would be able to hang on for 300 wins and maybe even have a renaissance in his late 30's. It's just a silly game, right?

[Westheim]

I'd like to quote a famous philosopher, W. Estheim: "Life sucks. As does death."

Ah, this is just ... this is just so sad.

Will the world keep turning?

[Questdog]

Originally Posted by Westheim

I'd like to quote a famous philosopher, W. Estheim: "Life sucks. As does death."

Ah, this is just ... this is just so sad.

Will the world keep turning?

The world always keeps turning.....just now it seems like it's turning the wrong way.

Tell me again why I thought it would be cool to have players be able to die?......

[Questdog]

Monday, August 4, 1884
Omaha Mutuals (50-18 .735 1st place in the Grand National Association) at
Pittsburgh Stogies (39-28 .582 10.5 GB in 3rd place)

We begin a 2-game set with manager/SS Al Steel (24-7.0) and his Stogies today. We are 5-3 against them so far and we beat them in 2 games in Omaha last week by the scores of 17 to 8 and 2 to 0. They are 2nd in the Association in scoring with 6.4 runs per game (Omaha is still #7 with 5.1). They have now stolen 205 bases 67 games. They are 6th in runs allowed with 5.1 per game (Omaha is still #1 with 3.5). Their Recreation Park is maybe toughest place to hit one out of in the league.

We are 2-1 against Lilly on the year. We had to shut out the Stogies to a win, 2 to 0.

Lee Sprague, Omaha (24-3.5) (R 25-10 1.76 6.8-0.8-6.0 H-BB-K/9) vs. Tom Lilly, Pitts. (26-5.7) (R 5-1 2.22 6.5-1.0-5.3)

Lost - 3 to 2 in 11 innings

Well, it had to end sooner or later, I guess. Our string of 10 straight extra-innings wins comes to a halt.

Sprague allowed 8 hits, walked 2 and struck out 9. He is now 3-5 in his last 8 starts.

Lilly allowed 5 hits, no walks and struck out 4.

Each team made 4 errors.

C Cliff Robinson (26-6.1) hit a 2-out single to win the game. He had 2 hits on the day and drew a walk.

RF Hank Roberts (25-3.0) had 2 hits and scored a run. LF Dave Cunningham (29-5.4) hit a triple and scored our other run.

Grand National Association Games:
Brooklyn (13) at Philadelphia (4): Dick Cole (30-5.9) (16-15) over Jim Postema (35-5.5) (2-2). Cole allowed 10 hits, walked 2 and struck out 4. 1B Henry Young (30-5.7) had 3 hits with a double and a triple, scored 3 runs and had 2 RBIs. 3B Kid Angell (35-6.0) hit a double and a triple, scored 2 runs and had 3 RBIs.

Liberty League Games:
Cincinnati (2) at New York (6): Jack Roberts (32-6.1) (20-19) over John Stevens (27-8.2) (16-16). Roberts allowed 8 hits, walked 3 and struck out 4. Stevens allowed 7 hits, walked 2 and struck out 7. 2B Tacks Strange (30-5.4) had 2 hits with a triple and scored a run. SS Ed Glass (25-4.5) had 2 hits with a triple, stole a base, scored a run and had an RBI.

Washington (2) at Troy (6): Miah Turner (23-5.3) (8-7) over John Callaham (35-5.5) (11-19). Turner allowed 5 hits, 1 walk and struck out 6. Callaham allowed 7 hits, 3 walks and struck out 5. SS Sam Cowan (28-5.1) hit a 2-run home run, his 5th round-tripper of the season.

Detroit (4) at Cleveland (6): Tom Marshman (33-4.7) (13-18) over William McLeod (25-5.6) (6-10). Marshman allowed 12 hits, no walks and struck out 9. He has won 4 in a row and 5 of his last 6. 2B Jesse Flanders (24-5.4) had 2 hits, stole a base, scored a run and had 2 RBIs.

Boston (12) at St. Louis (9): Joe Peters (28-4.9) (17-7) over Will Taylor (37-7.9) (5-12). Morlock allowed 12 hits, 2 walks and struck out 10. With his bat, he had 2 hits with a double and 2 RBIs. RF Charlie Warner (30-9.2) had 3 hits with 2 doubles, a walk, scored 2 runs and had an RBI. 3B Bill Gordon (27-3.7) had 3 hits with his 6th home run and 3 RBIs. 2b John Ingling (24-4.6) had 4 hits with a double, a walk, scored 4 runs and had an RBI.