The Big Bang: A Larger Baseball Universe Starting From Nothing in 1857 - Page 58

tm1681 · 04-07-2026, 10:29 PM

THE 1880 PHILADELPHIA CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE PREVIEW

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (May 12, 1880) – The eighth season of play in the Philadelphia City Baseball League begins today. The honor of hosting the first game goes to Yorktown B.C., who pulled off the most surprising signing of the winter, as they host Frankford Arsenal, with the opening pitch scheduled for 1:20 P.M.

Last year, Penn B.C. took a fairytale championship, only holding the least in West Philadelphia at the end of the final day of the season and then beating overall #1 Spartan 3-1 in the Liberty Bell Classic. They are favored to repeat in what is expected to again be a chaotic West Philadelphia pennant race, while Frankford Arsenal is projected to go back to #1 in the East.

P.C.B.L. PROJECTED FINISH & ANALYSIS

EAST PHILADELPHIA

• Favorites: Frankford Arsenal at 45-25 (+125 RD)
• Minerva 2 GB; Spartan 7 GB; Sons of Ben 9 GB
• Queen Village 12 GB; Keystone & Port Richmond 14 GB; Yorktown 20 GB

It appears that the Philadelphia Writers Pool has learned their lesson, because for the first time in three years they have NOT picked Minerva to take the East pennant. Instead, they’ve favored Frankford based on their 25-10 second half in 1879. Frankford did lose 3x Team of the Year member Francis Brown to the N.B.B.O. over the winter and replaced him from within, so their Outfield has taken a hit.

Minerva brought the whole lineup back, although star 2B Jonathan Auriemma will miss the opening two weeks due to injury. Defending champs Spartan lost two regulars over the winter, including veteran leader Joseph Sizemore, so they’ll come back to the pack. Sons of Ben will be dangerous thanks to the combination of G.o.t.Y. Peter Stinson & B.o.t.Y. Henry Yoder, but, like Auriemma, Stinson will miss the first two weeks of play.

Among the teams expected to duke it out for last place, the biggest surprise by far was Yorktown recruiting Benjamin Warnock to play 1B for them after Mercantile decided to promote top prospect Samuel Harris.

WEST PHILADELPHIA

• Favorites: Penn B.C. at 41-29 (+50 RD)
• Merion 1 GB; Overbrook 3 GB; Schuylkill 5 GB; Germantown & Mercantile 6 GB; Bartram Village 8 GB
• Independence 17 GB

Defending champions Penn lost their LF over the winter but found a decent-looking indy ball Batsman named Francis Byrd (2.5/2.5*) to replace him, so they’re favored to take the West pennant again as everyone else is back. However, just as last year there are a number of teams that could easily finish atop the standings.

Merion is expected back near first place after two off-years. They lost 1874 M.V.P. Clifford Martin to the N.B.B.O., but replaced him with A.P.B.L. backup Sidney Crowder at RF. Overbrook only lost one regular over the winter, and they have a promising Greenhorn at 1B in Almon Zolezzi. Schuylkill got $1,400 for George Oman, and they used some of that windfall to upgrade their pitching. Germantown is a potential danger after promoting top prospect William Penn (3.0/4.5*) to the lineup at LF. That Mercantile prospect, Samuel Harris, grades as a 4.0/4.5* Batsman so they’re fine at 1B, but they lost their #2 P & SS. Bartram Village is in good shape heading into their third season in the league.

Once again, Independence, who’s finished last five times in seven seasons, is expected to prop up the standings. That said, they do have the league’s most talented Greenhorn: CF John Smith (4.0/4.5*).

AWARD FAVORITES

Batsman of the Year: Henry Yoder (CF, age 25, Sons of Ben)
Pitcher of the Year: Thomas Bath (age 32, Penn B.C.)
Fielder of the Year: Jonathan Auriemma (2B, age 30, Minerva)
Greenhorn of the Year: John Smith (CF, age 24, Independence)

TEAM OF THE YEAR FAVORITES

P: Thomas Bath (PENN, age 32), C: Damian McLaughlin (PENN, age 24, 4.0/4.5*), 1B: Benjamin Warnock (YORK, age 34, 4.5/4.5*), 2B: Jonathan Toppin (FRA, age 32, 4.0/4.0*), 3B: Jacky Kooren (MERC, age 31, 3.0/3.0*), SS: Louis McKenzie (MER, age 24, 3.0/3.5*), OF: Henry Yoder (SoB, age 25, 4.0/4.0*), OF: James Harris (FRA, age 33, 4.5/4.5*), OF: John Smith (IND, age 24, 4.0/4.5*)

P.C.B.L. TOP GREENHORNS & PROSPECTS

P1: Claude Haskins (FRA, age 24, 4.0/4.0*), P2: George Buchanan (PENN, age 25, 3.0/3.5*), C: Jacob House (SPA, age 22, 2.5/3.0*), 1B: Samuel Harris (MERC, age 24, 4.0/4.5*), 2B: James Blank (MERC, age 24, 2.5/2.5*), 3B: Karl Stinson (MER, age 24, 2.5/2.5*), SS: Charles Dantzler (SoB, age 23, 1.5/2.0*), OF: John Smith (IND, age 24, 4.0/4.5*), OF: William Penn (GER, age 23, 3.0/4.5*), OF: Francis Byrd (PENN, age 25, 2.5/2.5*)

tm1681 · 04-07-2026, 10:30 PM

THE 1880 COASTAL BASEBALL CONFERENCE PREVIEW

ATLANTIC COAST (May 12, 1880) – The third season of the Coastal Baseball Conference is ready to begin.

After the inaugural season, Bridgeport signed a number of former N.B.B.O. All-Stars and the efforts to improve the team bore fruit immediately. They went from fifth place at 34-36 (13 GB) to league champions at 43-27 after topping the standings for much of the season. Sportsman’s were hot on their tails but could never catch up.

This season Bridgeport is expected to dominate, as they’ve added another former All-Star to their roster and 23-year-old Jacob Overfield is expected to become the best 3B in the C.B.C. The rest of the field is expected to take part in a close race that should ultimately prove futile when it comes to championship aspirations.

C.B.C. PROJECTED FINISH & ANALYSIS

FAVORITES: Bridgeport B.C. at 53-17 (+170 RD)
• Sportsman’s 17 GB, Olympic 18 GB, Lynn 19 GB
• Capitol City 20 GB, Essex Co. 22 GB, Highlander 23 GB, Camden & Amboy 24 GB

It’s simple: the Writers Pool expects Bridgeport to crush the competition this year. After adding Tom Hauser from the N.B.B.O., they now rank 1st out of eight at four positions – 1B (Euan Graham), 3B (Jacob Overfield), SS (Louis Beane), & P (Tom Hauser & Edward Koch) – while Walter Kirby ranks 2nd at LF.

Behind them, the other seven teams are expected to finish in a tight grouping, with records ranging from 36-34 to 29-41. Although Sportsman’s isn’t expected to challenge for the title, they do have the man who is by far the most talented player in the league: 2B Johnny Holcombe, who will likely command a hefty Transfer Fee from a club in the A.P.B.L. next winter.

C.B.C. AWARD FAVORITES

Batsman of the Year: Johnny Holcombe (2B, age 24, Sportsman’s)
Pitcher of the Year: Tom Hauser (age 38, Bridgeport)
Fielder of the Year: Louis Beane (SS, age 32, Bridgeport)
Greenhorn of the Year: John Baker (P, age 24, Cap. City)

C.B.C. TEAM OF THE YEAR FAVORITES

P: Tom Hauser (BRI, age 38, 4.0/4.0*), C: Jesse Renwick (OLY, age 23, 2.5/3.5*), 1B: Euan Graham (BRI, age 33, 4.0/4.0*), 2B: Johnny Holcombe (SPO, age 24, 5.0/5.0*), 3B: Jacob Overfield (BRI, age 23, 3.0/4.5*), SS: Louis Beane (BRI, age 32, 3.0/3.0*), OF: Sidney Adams (HIGH, age 31, 3.5/3.5*), OF: John Burton (CC, age 28, 3.0/3.0*), OF: William Fair (LYNN, age 32, 2.5/2.5*

C.B.C. TOP GREENHORNS & PROSPECTS

P1: Nep Sweatt (age 20, OLY, 2.0/4.5*), P2: John Baker (CC, age 24, 4.0/4.0*), C: Jesse Renwick (OLY, age 23, 2.5/3.5*), 1B: George Collier (HIGH, age 22, 3.0/4.5*), 2B: Otis Griffin (HIGH, age 20, 1.5/2.5*), 3B: Roosevelt Anderson (OLY, age 25, 2.5/2.5*), SS: Edward Cote (CC, age 21, 2.0/2.5*), OF: Horace Beauchamp (SPO, age 22, 2.0/3.5*), OF: John Burton (CC, age 28, 3.0/3.0*), OF: Fiorenzo Napoleoni (LYNN, age 22, 2.0/2.5*)

tm1681 · 04-09-2026, 01:14 AM

THE 1880 NATIONAL BASE BALL ORGANIZATION PREVIEW

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (May 12, 1880) – With four games scheduled to begin just after 1:00 P.M., the 24th season of the National Base Ball Organization is ready to start.

Last season saw three teams – Frontier, Green Mtn., & Philadelphia B.C.C. – make it to the Tucker-Wheaton Cup playoffs for the first time, but in the end it was two champions who played for the cup itself: Eckford of Greenpoint & Susquehanna B.C. The cup final was decided in four games, with Susquehanna lifting the cup for the third time in six years. It was the first time in four years the final series didn’t go to a winner-take-all Game Five.

This season is expected to have many of the usual suspects compete for playoff spots, but there may be some surprises along the way as at least one team that has come close to the pennant on numerous occasions appears to have built a strong-enough roster to make it to the playoffs.

In the New York League, the Writers Pool thinks that Continental, with their improved lineup, finally has what it takes to nip Atlantic and Eckford to the Brooklyn pennant after six straight finishes in the top half of the standings. New York A.C. is expected to take New York City once again, but a couple of key departures open up the possibility for a reconfigured team like Mutual to make things interesting. Upstate, Minuteman is expected back on top with the assumption that star SS William Cruise won’t miss 3+ weeks of play again.

In the Northeastern League, the move of James Burke was Philadelphia B.C.C. was naturally the big news of the winter. His presence should make P.B.C.C. at least the most dangerous team in the Coastal Championship, and possibly in the whole of the N.E.L. Defending champions Susquehanna are favored to win the Inland Championship once again after some minor retooling kept their lineup in fantastic shape. New England could be chaos. Portland is the favorite, but with the top seven teams projected to finish within ten games of each other there are numerous ways the pennant race could finish.

And with that, it’s time to play ball!

N.B.B.O. PROJECTED FINISH & ANALYSIS

BROOKLYN CHAMPIONSHIP

• Favorites: Continental at 42-28 (+90 RD)
• Atlantic & Eckford 1 GB; Empire 3 GB
• Star 9 GB; Bedford 11 GB; Marathon 13 GB; Nassau Co. 17 GB

Continental, long known for their pitching, may finally have enough offense to break up the Atlantic-Eckford duopoly that took every Brooklyn pennant during the 1870s. RF Michael Akhverdov is a B.o.t.Y. candidate, William Denham is one of the best 3B in the N.Y.L., and if Speedy Brown can get on base there will be plenty of opportunities for run production.

Atlantic let their 2B, 3B, & CF leave. They picked a new 2B & CF from within and signed 3B Nicholas Turnbull from N.Y.A.C. That leaves them slightly weaker. All-Star 2B William Snyder left Eckford for Mutual, and they replaced him from within, with the rest of the lineup remaining the same. Empire added star RF Joseph Sizemore from the P.C.B.L., and they have potentially excellent pitching. Any one of these three teams could easily win the Brooklyn Championship in 1880.

NEW YORK CITY CHAMPIONSHIP

• Favorites: New York Athletic Club at 49-21 (+175 RD)
• Baltic, Metropolitan, & Mutual 12 GB
• Hilltop 15 GB; Mercury 16 GB; Union 20 GB; Harlem 24 GB

N.Y.A.C. is once again the team to beat as Charles Rhodes becomes even more powerful. However, they lost Turnbull and also 6x All-Star CF Manuel Romeiras to Mutual. Their lineup has taken a hit, so there is potential for the team to lack enough offense to take the pennant if one of the three teams expected to tie for 2nd plays above expectations.

Baltic has a well-rounded lineup with the potential G.o.t.Y. in C Alfred Vetere. They’ve also added RF Callum Craig from Pioneer. Metro has the star duo of 1B Ezechiele Cornaro & CF Francis Smith, but weaknesses at the Corner Outfield spots and the Pitching Duo will hurt. Mutual added Romeiro, Snyder, 2B Roy Beattie from Atlantic, Flour City LF Franklin Baum, & 4x All-Star 3B Will Chaffin from Orange. They should finish 1880 as the N.B.B.O.’s most improved team.

It might seem odd to see Union picked to finish 7th, but they lost 5x Golden Hands SS William Cruise to Portland and having the best fielding 2B/SS combination in the N.Y.L. was a big part of how they won during the 1870s.

UPSTATE NEW YORK CHAMPIONSHIP

• Favorites: Minuteman at 47-23 (+145 RD)
• Syracuse 8 GB; Frontier & Utica 9 GB
• Victory 14 GB; Binghamton 16 GB; Eagle 17 GB; Columbia 20 GB

Minuteman finished three games out of first place last season, even though they went without 1878 league M.V.P. Jules Thomas for 15+ games due to injury. That makes them the favorites this year, presuming Cruise stays healthy.

Syracuse has moved Chester Alexander back to 2B after two down years with the bat while manning 1B, and the W.P. thinks that will lead to a better year for the team. Frontier lost the C, SS, & RF from last year’s Upstate champs. They made adequate replacements at C & SS, but they’re still worse off. Utica, as they nearly always do, has a well-rounded lineup.

COASTAL CHAMPIONSHIP

• Favorites: Philadelphia Baseball & Cricket Club at 49-21 (+165 RD)
• National 9 GB; Maryland 10 GB
• Trenton Utd. 16 GB; Diamond St. & Lord Baltimore 17 GB; Bunker Hill 19 GB; Brighton 22 GB

Of course, the signing of James Burke makes P.B.C.C. the Coastal favorites. Not only do they instantly get the N.B.B.O.’s best Batsman, but it allows them to move Leroy Moore back to RF, the position he played when he was league B.o.t.Y. in 1878. That said, they lost OPB king Wilbur Graff to Mercury and are very weak at 3B after Gilbert Ingels’ move to C.

National will bring a very powerful lineup into the 1880 season, one with a retooled Outfield after they brought in 3x T.o.t.Y. CF Francis Brown from Frankford Arsenal (P.C.B.L.) and signed 3.0/3.5* Greenhorn LF Henry Pittman. Maryland will also be competitive thanks to quality at the corners of the Outfield and the signing of 8x All-Star 2B Peter Boyce after he left American, but they lost #1 Earl Quinn to the A.P.B.L. after eight years, and that will put a big dent in their pitching.

INLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

• Favorites: Susquehanna at 51-19 (+230 RD)
• Lancastra Brit. 9 GB; Squirrel Hill 10 GB
• Reading A.C. 16 GB; Merrimack Mills 17 GB; Scranton 19 GB; Pioneer 23 GB; Lake Erie 33 GB

Guess who’s favored again!?! Longtime 1B Joseph Jurski surprisingly left for a larger payday to be a backup for St. John’s in the A.P.B.L., so Susquehanna has moved B.o.t.Y. Scott Lyons to 1B and signed 5x All-Star Joseph Steele from Pioneer to be their new C. Their lineup could actually be stronger than it was last year.

Lancastra will again rely on 2B Lennon Haley & CF Walter White to be the twin engines of the attack, but 24-year-old 3B Phillip Little looks like he could have a breakout season. Squirrel Hill has some quality talent, especially Batsmen Jerald Kinney (3B) & V.O. Papenfuss (SS), but huge weaknesses at 1B & 2B will make it hard for them to keep up.

NEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

• Favorites: • Favorites: Portland at 43-27 (+80 RD)
• Salem & S.o.t.O. 6 GB; Oceanic 7 GB; Quinnipiac 8 GB; Cantabrigians 9 GB; Green Mtn. 10 GB
• Granite 15 GB

Portland finished 2nd last year, and after bringing just about every regular back they added William Cruise, whose fielding at SS should put them back on top. They employ above-average talent everywhere but Catcher.

Salem has developed a team that’s easy to underestimate, and career A.P.B.L. backup Jonathan Atwood could be a good signing at LF. Sons of the Ocean has an excellent Infield & LF, but glaring weak spots at CF, RF, & P should be their undoing. Oceanic has a fine group of Batsmen but their Pitching Duo is ranked 48th/48, and that won’t win a pennant. Quinnipiac will be interesting to watch as five-star prospect Francis Edwards gets his first chance as a regular at LF. The Cantabrigians don’t have any major weaknesses, but don’t have any major strengths either. Defending champs Green Mtn. lost their 3B, LF, and both halves of their Pitching Duo. They have two promising Greenhorns in the lineup, but this year will be a step back.

AWARD FAVORITES

N.Y.L. Batsman of the Year: Francis Smith (CF, age 35, Metropolitan)
N.E.L. Batsman of the Year: James Burke (CF, age 37, Philadelphia B.C.C.)
N.Y.L. Pitcher of the Year: Charles Rhodes (age 31, New York A.C.)
N.E.L. Pitcher of the Year: William Hawk (age 30, Susquehanna)
N.Y.L. Fielder of the Year: George Hoyer (SS, age 30, Mercury)
N.E.L. Fielder of the Year: William Cruise (SS, age 29, Portland)
N.Y.L. Greenhorn of the Year: William Napier (2B, age 26, Bedford)
N.E.L. Greenhorn of the Year: Michael Newman (P, age 26, Merrimack Mills)

TEAM OF THE YEAR FAVORITES

NEW YORK LEAGUE – P: Charles Rhodes (N.Y.A.C., age 31, 5.0/5.0*), C: Robert Borut (ECK, age 35, 4.0/4.0*), 1B: Wilbur Graff (MER, age 40, 4.5/4.5*), 2B: William Napier (BED, age 26, 5.0/5.0*), 3B: Isaac Kelly (ECK, age 34, 5.0/5.0*), SS: Jules Thomas (MIN, age 28, 4.0/4.0*), OF: Francis Smith (MET, age 35, 4.5/4.5*), OF: Manuel Romeiras (MUT, age 26, 4.5/4.5*), OF: Michael Akhverdov (CON, age 29, 4.5/4.5*)

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE – P: William Hawk (SUS, age 30, 5.0/5.0*), C: Bertrand Bosley (GM, age 32, 4.0/4.0*), 1B: Scott Lyons (SUS, age 27, 3.5/3.5*), 2B: Lennon Haley (LBR, age 32, 3.0/3.0*), 3B: Frank Thomas (SCR, age 35, 4.5/4.5*), SS: Earl Seals (TU, age 32, 4.0/4.0*), OF: James Burke (PBCC, age 37, 5.0/5.0*), OF: Leroy Moore (PBCC, age 26, 3.5/3.5*), OF: Walter Little (NAT, age 28, 3.0/3.0*)

MOST TALENTED LINEUP GREENHORNS (by position)

P1: Harry Miller (HILL, age 24, 5.0/5.0*), P2: Michael Newman (MM, age 26, 4.5/4.5*) C: Levi Paulus (GRA, age 22, 2.5/4.5*), 1B: Ed Barnett (ECK, age 23, 3.5/4.5*), 2B: William Napier (BED, age 26, 5.0/5.0*), 3B: Arvid Walters (SYR, age 25, 3.5/3.5*), SS: James Lamb (SCR, age 22, 2.5/3.5*), OF: Francis Edwards (QUI, age 22, 3.0/5.0*), OF: Henry Pittman (NAT, age 26, 3.0/3.5*), OF: John Robbins (GM, age 22, 2.5/4.0*)

MOST TALENTED RESERVE TEAM PROSPECTS (by position)

P1: Hamilton Wiggins (MLD, age 22, 3.0/5.0*), P2: Edward King (BH, age 22, 2.5/4.5*), : George Wittrock (MIN, age 22, 2.5/5.0*), 1B: Sam Miller (GM, age 22, 2.5/4.0*), 2B: Julius Smith (SAL, age 22, 2.0/3.0*), 3B: Federico Vialli (BED, age 21, 2.0/3.5*), SS: Anthony Johnson (EAG, age 20, 2.0/5.0*), OF: John Hassell (HILL, age 22, 2.5/4.5*), OF: Byron Phillips (BED, age 22, 2.0/4.5*), OF: Charles Diggs (NAT, age 22, 2.5/3.5*)

tm1681 · 04-09-2026, 01:14 AM

THE 1880 AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE PREVIEW

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (May 4, 1880) – Today the A.P.B.L. enters its tenth season of play, with champions Alleghany receiving the honor of hosting the first game as they play against Shamrock at Recreation Park shortly after lunchtime in Pittsburgh.

Last season, Alleghany took a most surprising title, winning the Colonial Conference by six games before beating Knickerbocker 4-2 in the Founders Cup. They did this with a roster featuring a 2B who didn’t play baseball in 1878, a 3B who hit better than he had in four years, a RF who hit .334 after spending the previous three seasons as a backup, and a #1, Tom Ricks, who finished with a record of 27-12 and had his best professional season at the age of 40.

This season, the Writers Pool expects Alleghany to remain in the hunt for another pennant, but for St. John’s to move back atop the Colonial Conference, as their All-Star Greenhorns from last season now have a full year of experience and they signed the best Greenhorn P available during the winter. Shamrock and Niagara are expected to round out the top half of the standings, this after the quartet of Alleghany, Niagara, Shamrock, & St. John’s were the Colonial’s top four in 1878 & ’79.

Knickerbocker is expected to take their third consecutive Colonial Conference pennant, but the Writers Pool believes that will only happen after a fierce battle in which five teams expected to finish within ten games of first place. The powerful offenses of Excelsior, Gotham, & Kings County all present themselves as the largest threats to another Knick pennant. Quaker State should remain competitive due to quality work in the field, while fellow Philadelphians Tiger Social Club could easily play the spoiler role thanks to their extremely talented Middle Infield.

And with that, it’s time to play ball!

PROJECTED STANDINGS & ANALYSIS

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

• #1: St. John’s at 54-36 (+120 RD)
• #2: Alleghany at 49-41 (+80 RD)
• #3: Shamrock at 47-43 (+35 RD)
• #4: Niagara at 47-43 (+15 RD)
• #5: Port Jersey at 46-44 (+10 RD)
• #6: Mass. Bay at 45-45 (EVEN RD)
• #7: Newark at 40-50 (-40 RD)
• #8: Flour City at 37-53 (-125 RD)

St. John’s comes into the season ranked #1 in the league at four positions: C (Joseph Nailey), 1B (Konrad Jensen), LF (Joseph Evans), & RF (Nelson Townsend), and they’re ranked in the top half of the league everywhere except Shortstop. Now that Nalley and All-Star 3B Eamonn Higgins have a year behind them, this looks like the most complete team in the league.

Champions Alleghany lost John Meier, but they’ve moved Peter Hildebrand to LF and signed 8x All-Star Cormack Alexander to take over 1B. Their big issue is that they have three new P’s for Opening Day, with two of the three were imported from the N.B.B.O. Shamrock let Donal Hagan leave, and Rudolph Aldridge has been moved back into the Pitching Duo to replace him. Otherwise, the lineup remains the same. Niagara brought the whole lineup back, and now that they have both the reigning B.o.t.Y. (William Norman) and the league’s best CF (Charles Barrett) they could be more than just competitive.

Pt. Jersey’s young core is a year older, and the Writers Pool thinks that will lift them over .500 as 3B Samuel Eastman has B.o.t.Y. potential. Mass. Bay should again be just okay because they failed to address their 3B & OF issues over the winter. Newark should continue to get a little bit better after upgrading 1B by signing William Trowbridge. Flour City has issues everywhere except 3B & CF after the retirement of James Goodman. It’s likely to be another painful year in Rochester.

METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

• #1: Knickerbocker at 52-38 (+45 RD)
• #2: Gotham at 49-41 (+20 RD)
• #3: Kings County at 48-42 (+10 RD)
• #4: Excelsior at 47-43 (+5 RD)
• #5: Quaker State at 46-44 (+5 RD)
• #6: Tiger Social Club at 43-47 (-25 RD)
• #7: Orange at 38-52 (-70 RD)
• #8: American at 36-54 (-75 RD)

Knick brought the whole lineup back, but they also decided to sign Everett Schreiber to man C after Cale Jones had a rough Sophomore A.P.B.L. season. On paper, they are favorites to take their third straight Metropolitan Conference pennant.

Gotham returns everyone in their talented lineup, although CF Alex Hammond will miss the first two weeks due to a shoulder injury. Also, 23-year-old Everett Huggard looks ready to take over the #1 spot and could be an All-Star. The Kings Co. Batsmen are back, and they’ve brought 2x All-Star Paul Caldwell in from the N.B.B.O. after he found his old form last year in Vermont. Excelsior has plenty of quality bats in a lineup built around Elijah Hill & Troy Oberst, but once again fielding is likely to be an issue that keeps them from the top of the standings.

Quaker St. has weak bats at a few positions, but quality fielding at nearly every position should keep them afloat. Tiger S.C. has a great Middle Infield pairing now that 2B Griffin Gray has matured, but they have issues at C, 1B, & CF that will likely keep them out of contention. Orange signed 5x All-Star John Meier away from the champs, recruited #1 Greenhorn prospect Walter Carrow to play SS, and brought back 2B Charles Whitehead even though there was a 50/50 chance he would leave. However, they also lost long-time veterans Schreiber & Will Chaffin. In spite of that mixed bag, things are looking up just a bit. American is now in transition mode after losing both James Burke and 8x All-Star 2B Peter Boyce, and they’ll begin the season with at least three Greenhorns amongst their group of regulars.

AWARD FAVORITES

Batsman of the Year: Samuel Eastman (age 24, 3B, Pt. Jersey)
Pitcher of the Year: Robert Goodman (age 26, Knickerbocker)
Fielder of the Year: Martin Prince (age 30, SS, Tiger S.C.)
Greenhorn of the Year: Walter Carrow (age 24, SS, Orange)

TEAM OF THE YEAR FAVORITES

P: Robert Goodman (KNI, age 26, 4.5/5.0*), C: Matthew Williams (QS, age 32, 4.0/4.0*), 1B: Konrad Jensen (StJ, age 40, 4.5/4.5*), 2B: Babe Johnson (GOT, age 34, 4.5/4.5*), 3B: Samuel Eastman (PtJ, age 24, 4.0/4.5*), SS: Gerald Strong (ALL, age 33, 3.5/3.5*), OF: Charles Barrett (NIA, age 28, 4.5/4.5*), OF: Joseph Evans (StJ, age 27, 4.5/4.5*), OF: Jonathan Cobb (ORA, age 24, 4.0/4.0*)

TOP SENIOR ROSTER GREENHORNS (by position)

P1: William Hoy (StJ, age 29, 4.0/4.0*), P2: Cornelius Jackson (AME, age 28, 3.0/3.0*), C: Isaac Rosenberg (TIG, age 24, 2/5.2/5*), 1B: Samuel Burke (EXC, age 23, 2.0/2.5*), 2B: Robert Miller (AME, age 23, 2.5/3.0*), 3B: Matthew King (age 22, StJ, 2.5/3.0*), SS: Walter Carrow (ORA, age 24, 3.5/4.0*), OF: George Oman (TIG, age 25, 3.0/3.0*), OF: Matthew Small (FC, age 28, 3.0/3.0*), OF: Harold Heffron (AME, age 24, 2.5/3.0*)

TOP RESERVE TEAM PROSPECTS (by position)

P1: John Martin (NEW, age 21, 1.5/3.0*), P2: Michael Walicki (NIA, age 24, 2.0/3.0*), C: John Bachant (NIA, age 22, 2.0/3.0*), 1B: Thomas Hecht (GOT, age 22, 2.0/2.5*), 2B: Daniel Buchanan (ALL, age 23, 2.0/2.5*), 3B: Charles Deinert (AME, age 23, 2.0/2.5*), SS: Nico Atsidakos (KNI, age 25, 2.0/2.0*), OF: Carl DeWulf (StJ, age 23, 2.5/3.0*), OF: Virgil Berry (NIA, age 22, 2.0/3.0*), OF: Domenico Patriarco (KC, age 24, 2.5/2.5*)

OFFSEASON LINEUP SIGNINGS

ALLEGHANY

• P: Nicholas Banfield (14-18, 4.38 ERA, 76 K, 3.3 WAR) from Orange on Dec. 8th
• P: William McMahon (age 30, 4.0/4.0*) from Bedford (N.B.B.O.) for $2,850 on Nov. 7th.
• P: Earl Quinn (age 38, 3.0/3.0*) from Maryland (N.B.B.O.) on Nov. 9th.
• 1B: Cormack Alexander (.350, .880 OPS, 95 RBI, 3.3 WAR) from Knick on Jan. 6th

AMERICAN

• 2B: Robert Miller (Greenhorn, age 23, 2.5/3.0*) on Nov. 1st.
• RF: Harold Heffron (age 24, 2.5/3.0*) from Hilltop (N.B.B.O.) for $1,200 on Dec. 19th

EXCELSIOR

• P: Jonathan Reitz (age 25, 2.5/2.5*) from Camden & Amboy (C.B.C.) for $1,000 on Jan. 29th
• RF: Henry Arnold (age 25, 2.5/3.0*) from Marathon (N.B.B.O.) for $1,400 on Jan. 21st

FLOUR CITY

• P: Willie Gray (2-4, 2.86 ERA, 17 K, 78.2 IP) from Alleghany on Dec. 22nd
• P: William Johannessen (8-3, 3.18 ERA, 7 K, 107.2 IP) from Kings Co. on Nov. 20th
• P: Harper Cundiff (age 35, 2.5/2.5*) from Star (N.B.B.O.) on Nov. 26th
• 2B: Andrew LeClair (age 26, 2.5/2.5*) from Eagle (N.B.B.O.) for $1,100 on Feb. 21st
• LF: Matthew Small (Greenhorn, age 28, 3.0/3.0*) on Oct. 30th.

GOTHAM

• P: James Dressman (13-20, 3.09 ERA, 40 K, 3.8 WAR) from Pt. Jersey on Dec. 9th

KINGS COUNTY

• P: Paul Caldwell (age 34, 3.0/3.0*) from Green Mtn. (N.B.B.O.) on Nov. 17th
• P: Washington Kihlstedt (16-30, 4.68 ERA, 90 K, 3.3 WAR) from Newark on Dec. 4th

KNICKERBOCKER

• C: Everett Schreiber (.282, .690 OPS, 57 RBI, 2.0 WAR) from Orange on Nov. 7th

MASSACHUSETTS BAY

• P: Theobold Knapp (Greenhorn, age 29, 3.0/3.0*) on Nov. 23rd

NEWARK

• P: Jonathan Clegg (age 27, 2.5/2.5*) from Pt. Richmond (P.C.B.L.) for $1,200 on Dec. 23rd
• 1B: William Trowbridge (.361, 26 RBI, 0.9 WAR, 144 AB) from Alleghany on Nov. 12th

NIAGARA

• P: Harold Easton (Ind. Ball, age 24, 3.0/3.0*) on Mar. 10th

ORANGE

• P: Thomas Cook (Greenhorn, age 30, 2.5/2.5*) on Dec. 6th
• C: Harold Scholl (Ind. Ball, age 25, 2.0/2.0*) on Dec. 18th
• SS: Walter Carrow (Greenhorn, age 24, 3.5/4.0*) on Oct. 30th
• LF: John Meier (.323, 76 RBI, 51 SB, 2.9 WAR) from Alleghany on Nov. 9th

PORT JERSEY

• P: Allan Bird (1-3, 2.75 ERA, 4 K, 39.1 IP) from Gotham on Dec. 2nd
• P: Everton McLean (1-1, 5.62 ERA, 11 K, 73.2 IP) from Orange on Nov. 26th
• 1B: Gil Cappelletti (.316, .739 OPS, 45 RBI, 1.8 WAR) from Excelsior on Feb. 18th

QUAKER STATE

• None

SHAMROCK

• P: Edgar Bradley (1-3, 3.47 ERA, 10 K, 46.2 IP) from Pt. Jersey on Nov. 11th

SAINT JOHN’S

• P: Donal Hagan (23-17, 2.69 ERA, 71 K, 4.4 WAR) from Shamrock on Dec. 23rd
• P: William Hoy (Greenhorn, age 26, 4.0/4.0*) on Dec. 2nd

TIGER

• RF: George Oman (age 25, 3.0/3.0*) from Schuylkill (P.C.B.L.) for $1,400 on Feb. 6th

tm1681 · 04-09-2026, 07:28 AM

HOY OPENS SEASON & CAREER WITH SHUTOUT
NEW ST. JOHN’S PITCHER STARTS 1880 OFF RIGHT BY HOLDING MASS. BAY SCORELESS IN BOSTON

BOSTON, MASS. (May 4, 1880) - The legendary Field Manager of St. John’s, Todd Rogers, surprised those gathered at Oceanside Park in Boston when he decided to give highly-touted Greenhorn William Hoy the ball for the team’s Opening Day game at Massachusetts Bay. Hoy then proved why the 24th-year St. John’s skipper is the most successful team leader ever:

The 7x champions of baseball didn’t have the greatest day with their bats, collectively hitting 7/34 (.206) with no Extra-Base Hits. However, they were splendid in the field, with the men behind the Pitcher committing no Errors and turning one Double Play, while Hoy, who was making his league baseball debut, pitched a Shutout:

• StJ P William Hoy: CG SHO (1-0, 0.00), 5 HA, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 4 K, 80 GMSC

The only blemish on Hoy’s afternoon was a Double he allowed to Mass. Bay 2B Arthur Fisher with one out in the bottom of the opening inning. Aside from that it was smooth sailing, and St. John’s had a season-opening victory in Boston.

Mass. Bay P Theobold Knapp was also making his league baseball debut, and he pitched decently in defeat:

• MB P Theobold Knapp: CG L (0-1, 2.00), 7 HA, 6 RA/2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

While Knapp did allow six Runs to St. John’s, seven Mass. Bay fielding mistakes contributed heavily to the visitors’ output.

The series continues tomorrow, with the opening pitch scheduled for 4:15 P.M.

tm1681 · 04-09-2026, 07:29 AM

JENKINS GOES DISTANCE & THEN SOME IN LOSING EFFORT
PITCHER STAYS IN FOR ENTIRE GAME AS NIAGARA v QUAKER ST. GOES 15 INNINGS

BUFFALO, N.Y. (May 12, 1880) - Niagara and Quaker State played the middle game of their series to open Week Two of the A.P.B.L. season on Wednesday, and in the end they came close to playing games two & three at the same time:

There wasn’t much action during the early innings, with both teams scoring a lone run over the first four. Niagara took a 4-1 lead in B5 when three runs scored via Error, Base on Balls, & Single, and that lead stood until T8 when Quaker St. evened the score on a Sacrifice Fly and a two-run Double by CF Ned Morganti.

Then…nothing. B8 went by scoreless, as did the ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteen, and fourteenth innings. It had been quite some time since the fans in Buffalo had seen a game last this long, but eventually there were runs to be had. Quaker St. stepped up to the plate for T15 and hit Niagara with a five-run rally that started with a pair of Niagara Errors and resulted in runs being scored on two Singles, two more Errors, and a Hit by Pitch with the bases full. The score now 9-4, Niagara came to bat for B15 and scored three runs, all via Errors, to make it a 9-7 game, but left the bases loaded when substitute RF Sweeney Martin hit a weak fly ball to the Quaker St. 2B with two out to put an end to a memorable game.

Judging by the amount of late miscues, such as the numerous Errors and the hit Batsman with the bases loaded, the length of the game, which was over four hours when it finally finished, caused problems for the players. However, one man who was determined to see the job through was Niagara’s Edward Jenkins:

• NIA P Edward Jenkins: CG L (0-2, 3.20), 15.0 IP, 10 HA, 9 RA/0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K – 2/6, 83 GMSC

Opposing Pitcher Walter Gifford lasted seven innings, and Quaker St. #1 Ross Gill, who earned the Win, came in to pitch the last four after two other Quaker St. P’s split innings 8-11. Jenkins may have taken the Loss, but he also took the plaudits for his gutsy performance in defeat.

The result left both teams 3-5 a little over a week into the 1880 season. Gotham & Knickerbocker currently share the best record in the A.P.B.L. with 6-2 marks.

tm1681 · 04-09-2026, 07:29 AM

GRAFF THE HERO AS MERCURY BEATS MUTUAL
1B FINISHES WITH FOUR HITS, HOMER, & FIVE RBI; MERCURY WINS WITH TWO LATE RALLIES

NEW YORK CITY (May 12, 1880) - It was Opening Day in the N.B.B.O., and while the game of the day was Bedford’s 13-12 home win over Star in Brooklyn the comeback of the day took place in New York City, where Mercury hosted Mutual:

Mercury drew first blood in B1, when a Single by veteran 1B Wilbur Graff put them ahead 1-0. That lead was short-lived, however, as Mutual tied the game in T2 on a Single by new 2B Roy Beattie before taking the lead (2-1) in T5 on a run-scoring Error and then extending the lead (3-1) in T6 on a Double by C Horace Ballard.

After B6 & T7 went by scoreless, Mercury took their bats for B7 and put up a four-run rally to take a 5-3 lead, with the runs scoring on a Single by Graff, a two-run Single by new 3B Dallas Campanelli, and a Double by 2B Walter Musson. Mutual responded with a three-run rally in T8 to take the lead back (6-5), with the big hit there a two-run Home Run by Ballard. However, Mercury responded in B8 with another four-run rally in which a three-run Home Run over the short porch in Right Field by Graff gave Mercury a 9-6 lead after a single by CF John Kinder had tied the game. Mutual scored once in T9, but that was all and Mercury had a season-opening win at Hunt’s Point.

For Graff, his big hits were part of an excellent afternoon to open the 1880 season:

• B1: 1-run Single to CF off E. Wyatt
• B3: Reached via Base on Balls by E. Wyatt
• B5: Single to CF off E. Wyatt
• B7: 1-run Single past 2B off E. Wyatt (R)
• B8: 3-RUN HOME RUN TO RF off E. Wyatt
• TOTAL: 4/4 (HR), 2 R, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 7 TB, GW HR – 91 GMSC

Graff, a 7x N.B.B.O. All-Star, joined Mercury over the winter after having spent three years with Philadelphia Baseball & Cricket Club. His performance on Opening Day was the perfect way to introduce himself to his new team and its fans.

The series continues tomorrow, with First Pitch scheduled for just after 1:00 P.M.

tm1681 · 04-09-2026, 07:29 AM

PIONEER TAKES 10-INNING THRILLER VS READING
HOSTS COMPLETE SEASON-OPENING SWEEP; READING’S CHRISTMAN BATS 5/5 WITH A HOME RUN

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (May 16, 1880) - Reading A.C. & Pioneer are projected to be a pair of middle-of-the-pack teams in the Inland Championship this year, but neither played like that as Pioneer ended Week One of the N.B.B.O. season by sweeping Reading thanks to a thrilling ten-inning home victory at the King Street Grounds:

Reading scored a run in the opening inning on a Single by All-Star CF Alexander Engels, and after the teams traded pairs of runs in the third it was a 3-2 game. Pioneer took the lead (4-3) in B5 on a run-scoring Error and a Double by 2B Henry White, and then things got exciting.

Visitors Reading stepped to the plate for T6 and scored four times, the big hit a two-run Triple by 2B Carl Hall, to take a 7-4 lead. Pioneer immediately responded with their own four-run rally in B6, with the runs scoring on a Double by White, a Single by LF Ernest Taylor, and a two-run Double by 3B Lorik van Unen. The rally gave Pioneer their lead back at 8-7.

Reading evened the score in T8 when new C Henry Christman hit a pitch from Otis Martin over the Right Field fence for a Home Run. With the score 8-8, Reading took the lead in T9 on a three-run rally in which Christman again gave his team a big hit, this one a two-run Single. Pioneer took their bats and, once again, matched Pioneer’s multiple-run rally with a three-run rally of their own, this time the runs scoring via Wild Pitch, van Unen Triple, and a Single by new CF Robert Wolf. The score now 11-11, the game was headed to extra innings.

Reading went down 1-2-3 in T10. Pioneer came up to bat, and after RF Domenico Benetti Singled and stole Second Base, new C Fergus O’Connell hit a Single that sent Benetti around for the game-winning run.

Pioneer won the game, but it was Christman who took home Player of the Game honors with his magnificent display:

• T2: Single past 2B off F. Cowan
• T4: Single to LF off F. Cowan
• T6: Infield Hit to 2B off F. Cowan (R)
• T8: LEADOFF SOLO HOME RUN TO RF off O. Martin
• T9: 2-run Double to LCF off O. Martin
• TOTAL: 5/5 (2B, HR), 2 R, 3 RBI, 9 TB – 2/3 CS, 80 GMSC

Christman has been with Reading since 1873, but the 26-year-old didn’t become part of their lineup until this year. He’s regarded as a defensive specialist and only graded as a 2.5-star Catcher by the Writers Pool, but on this afternoon Christman played like an All-Star.

After sweeping Reading, Pioneer’s next series is at Lancastra Britannia, where their undefeated start will almost certainly come to an end. Reading will tend to their wounds and travel home to take on 4-1 Scranton.

tm1681 · 04-09-2026, 10:31 PM

DOBBS HAS BIG DAY FROM LEADOFF SPOT AT SoB
YOUNG MINERVA LF STEALS THE SHOW IN SIX-RUN WIN AT BEN FRANKLIN FIELD

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (May 20, 1880) - Sons of Ben is hosting Minerva during Week Two of P.C.B.L. play, and even though Greenhorn of the Year Peter Stinson has yet to play due to injury S.o.B. is off to a 5-1 start. However, Minerva put another mark in their Loss column with an impressive display on Thursday afternoon:

Minerva won the game with an early barrage. They scored in T1 on a Sacrifice Fly and followed that up with a five-run rally in T2, during which the key hit was a two-run Triple by LF Edward Dobbs. That made it a 6-0 game after the opening pair of innings.

Sons of Ben whittled away at the Minerva lead over the next four innings, scoring once in B3 on a Single by 1B Bruce Nolan, twice in B5 on Singles from B.o.t.Y. Henry Yoder and C Floyd Dennis, and once more in T6 on Single by former N.B.B.O. All-Star Gus Carlson that made it a 6-4 game.

Minerva took their bats for the seventh inning and pushed their lead back up to five (9-4) with a three-run rally that was capped with a two-run Single by Dobbs. After a scoreless B7, Minerva then put a seal on the victory with another three-run rally in T8, this one powered by a Sacrifice Fly and a two-run Double from RF George Veach.

Minerva had five players finish with multiple Hits, but leadoff man Edward Dobbs was clearly Player of the Game:

• T1: Leadoff double to RF off C. Roberts (R)
• T2: 2-run Triple to RF off C. Roberts (R)
• T3: Single to LF off C. Roberts
• T5: Pop Fly Out to 3B (2 out)
• T7: 2-run Single past 2B off C. Roberts
• T8: Single to RF off M. Russell (SB, R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2B, 3B), 3 R, 4 RBI, SB, 8 TB – 85 GMSC

Dobbs is off to a great start in his first season as a member of the Minerva lineup, batting .450 (1.150) through eight games, with 14 Runs, 8 RBI, 5 Extra-Base Hits (2 2B, 3 3B), and 0.8 WAR.

Edward Dobbs is seen by the Philadelphia Writers Pool as someone with Batsman of the Year potential in the future. Having turned 23 in January, Dobbs has spent most of his 3+ years as a member of Minerva developing in the reserves, although he did get to start 23 games in 1878 due to injuries in the Outfield. He ended 1879 crowned as the #1 overall prospect in the league by the W.P., and he is currently graded 3.0/4.5 stars.

The result at Franklin Field left both Minerva and Sons of Ben with fine 5-2 records through seven games.

tm1681 · 04-09-2026, 10:32 PM

ORANGE & KINGS CO. CONTEST A 29-RUN THRILLER
11 COMBINED RUNS IN 1ST INNING PROVES A PORTENT AS OFFENSE NEVER STOPS IN MANHATTAN

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (May 21, 1880) - Orange & Kings County began their series marking the back half of Week Three of A.P.B.L. play on Friday afternoon, and it was quite the exciting affair at the Upper Manhattan Grounds:

There was little in the way of subtlety or fine-tuned strategy to be had here, as a locomotive of offense started rolling as soon as the game began and it didn’t stop until the teams had totaled up 29 Runs & 36 Hits on the afternoon.

Visiting Kings Co. readied their bats for T1 and hung half a dozen Runs on Orange P Walter Bertelli with a two-run Single by 3B Alfred Williams, an Error, a Single by C Carl Nevers, a Passed Ball, and a Single by P Paul Caldwell. Orange responded with five runs against Caldwell in B1 via Error, a Double by CF George Hopp, another Error, and a two-run Single by C Harold Scholl. By the time the opening inning was over there were already eleven Runs & ten Hits on the scoreboard.

There were five more Runs in the second inning. Kings Co. scored twice in T2 on Singles by Williams & SS Clarence Anderson, but Orange responded with three on a Double by All-Star RF Jonathan Cobb and a two-run Double by 1B Byron Cross. With just two innings gone by, the score was already 8-8.

The visitors took a 10-8 lead in T3 on an Error and, of all things, a Home Run by the Pitcher Caldwell (Career AVG: .195), but by the end of the fifth Orange had the lead back (11-10) when consecutive Doubles by Cobb & Greenhorn SS Walter Carrow brought in Runs. Kings Co. then made it 11-11 in T6 on a Sacrifice Fly, and that was the score going into the late innings.

Kings Co. went ahead (12-11) in T7 on a Passed Ball, but Orange went right back in front (13-12) in B7 on a two-run Single by 3B Lorne Brown. Orange then extended their lead to 15-12 in B8 on an Error & Sacrifice Fly, and those miscues proved deadly for the visitors as they scored two runs in T9 on an Inside the Park Home Run by PH Everton Whittaker that would have given them a 14-13 lead without the mistakes, but instead meant Orange still had a 15-14 lead. Kings Co. then stranded men on 2nd & 3rd, and Orange had taken the victory at home.

There were a number of excellent and surprising performances during the game at the Upper Manhattan Grounds:

• KC P Paul Caldwell: 2/2 (HR), 1 R, 2 RBI, 5 TB
• KC 2B Herman Stanley: 3/6 (all 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 K, SB
• KC 3B Alfred Williams: 4/6 (3B), 1 R, 2 RBI, 6 TB
• ORA 3B Lorne Browne: 3/5 (all 1B), 1 R, 3 RBI
• ORA SS William Carrow: 2/6 (2B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 3 TB, SB
• ORA 1B Byron Cross: 2/4 (2B), 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 3 TB
• ORA RF Jonathan Cobb: 4/5 (2 2B, 3B), 3 R, 3 RBI, 8 TB, SAC FLY

The victory continued Orange’s outstanding start, moving them to 11-5 and alone atop the Metropolitan Conference standings. Kings Co. is in a three-way tie for sixth in the Metro at 7-9.

tm1681 · 04-11-2026, 11:08 AM

FIVE GAMES OF INTEREST IN LOWER LEAGUES ON FRI.
LOPSIDED SHUTOUTS; FIVE HIT & RBI EFFORT; TEAM HAS FOUR HITS IN A WIN; A 28-RUN THRILLER

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (May 28, 1880) - Even though there are three dozen contests played throughout the semi-professional leagues during each gameday, rarely does more than one merit particular interest. On Friday afternoon, the leagues below the A.P.B.L. produced five games that saw some noteworthy occurrences.

In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, defending cup champions Susquehanna hosted Squirrel Hill after winning the first two games of their series by scores of 6-5 and 16-2 to even their record at 6-6. Apparently they thought one fourteen-run win was worth another, because Susquehanna blanked Squirrel Hill 14-0 at River View Field on Friday afternoon.

Seven Susquehanna players had multiple base hits, and a pair finished with three:

• SUS SS Stephen Barley: 3/5 (3 2B), 3 R, 1 RBI, SB, 6 TB
• SUS CF Jonathan Schultz: 3/6 (all 1B), 2 R, 1 RBI, SB

However, the man of the hour at River View was 4x 30-game winner & 3x P.o.t.Y. William Hawk:

• SUS P William Hawk: SHO (4-2, 2.28), 6 HA, 0 BB, 4 K – 1/4, 2 R, SAC BUNT

The Shutout was the fifth of Hawk’s career, and the result gave both teams equal 7-6 records that have them tied with Lancastra Britannia for 3rd in the Inland Championship, one game behind Pioneer & Scranton.

If one fourteen-run win was worth another, apparently one 14-0 Shutout was worth another because Independence beat visiting Bartram Village by the same score at Mount Moriah Park in P.C.B.L. action.

Independence wasn’t quite as robust on offense as Susquehanna was, as thanks to ten Bartram Village fielding mistakes they only needed thirteen base hits to plate all of their Runs. Independence saw three men finish with multiple Hits while everyone else in the lineup had one, including second-year #1 Jonathan Landini, who pitched the Shutout:

• IND P Jonathan Landini: SHO (2-4, 2.89), 5 HA, 0 BB, 4 K – 1/3, 1 R, 2 SAC BUNT

As in the Susquehanna v Bunker Hill game, the outcome at Mt. Moriah left both teams with the same record: 5-8, which places Bartram Village & Independence in a three-way tie for last in West Philadelphia with defending champions Penn B.C. Of course, there is plenty of baseball left to be played so Penn doesn’t need to worry just yet.

Over in the C.B.C., there were no Shutouts but there was a blowout victory that featured an outstanding performance.

Struggling Lynn B.C. hosted Camden & Amboy for the third game of their series, and after scoring seven times in the second inning C. &. A. went on to post an easy 14-5 victory at Edmund Ingalls Park. C. &. A. had four players finish with two Hits each – 3B Ernest Brown, CF William Davis, 2B Bodil Hansen, & SS Johnny O’Rourke – but C Jonathan Brumback easily outdid anyone else on either team with five Hits over the course of the afternoon:

• T2: Single to RF off W. Gale (R)
• T2: 2-run Single to CF off W. Gale
• T4: 1-run Single past 2B off W. Gale
• T7: Reached via Base on Balls by W. Gardiner (R)
• T8: Triple to CF off W. Gardiner (R)
• T9: 2-run Single past 2B off W. Gardiner
• TOTAL: 5/5 (3B), 3 R, 5 RBI, 1 BB – 101 GMSC (BAT: 1st)

Brumback’s performance marked the first Game Score of 100+ anywhere in baseball thus far in 1880, and it raised his Average to .339 (.773) OPS with 12 Runs and 13 RBI through the first thirteen games of the season.

Camden & Amboy, who were last year’s worst team with a 24-46 record, are off to a fantastic 10-3 start that has them just one game behind defending champions Bridgeport. Lynn is struggling mightily, having lost their last five games to find themselves in last place at 2-11.

The next game of interest involves a trip back to the N.B.B.O. This contest involved another Shutout, but not one of the lopsided variety featured in the Susquehanna or Independence victories.

Green Mountain was at Granite for the third game of their Vermont vs New Hampshire matchup at the Kalivas Union Grounds in Manchester, and it turned out that two Runs on a single by Green Mtn. 3B Daniel Hitchcock in T1 provided the 1,852 in attendance with all of the afternoon’s scoring, as the visitors won 2-0.

The pitcher of the Shutout was new Green Mtn. #1 Elbert Kidd:

• GM P Elbert Kidd: SHO (4-2, 2.42), 7 HA, 1 BB, 3 K – SAC BUNT

Also of note: Green Mtn. needed only four Hits to secure the victory, the lowest hit total in a winning effort in N.B.B.O. play in at least four years. Hitchcock would later hit another Single to finish 2/4, while 2B Otto Olson & CF Fred Painter provided the other two base hits, both Singles. Granite had seven Hits in a losing effort, also all Singles.

The win put Green Mtn. above .500 at 7-6 and alone in 3rd in the New England Championship. Granite is part of a three-way tie for 4th at 6-7. New England leaders Portland are off to a white-hot 12-1 start.

The final game of interest also took place in Upstate New York, where likely pennant contenders Frontier & Syracuse played the third game of their series at Fort Ontario Park in Oswego.

This was the most exciting game of the day. Syracuse began the proceedings with four runs in B1 via Single, Error, Sacrifice Fly, & Single to take a quick 4-0 lead that was then increased to 5-0 on another Sacrifice Fly in T2. Frontier began their response with a pair of scores in B2 on a run-scoring Ground Out and a Triple by 1B Willis Michaelson. The hosts then evened the game (5-5) in B3 on an Error, a Passed Ball, and a Single by SS Walter Lynch.

Syracuse took the lead (6-5) in T4 on yet another Sac Fly, and they extended the lead to two (7-5) in T5 on a Single by C Andrew Flanagan. Frontier hit back with the game’s big rally: five runs in B5 on two Syracuse Errors and a massive three-run Triple by 3B William Rockford that gave them a 10-7 lead. Syracuse scored another run (8-10) in T6, but Frontier responded with two more via another pair of Syracuse Errors to take a 12-8 lead into the late innings.

The sides then volleyed three-run rallies at each other in the lucky seventh. Syracuse started the inning by putting up their tally marks after a three-run Triple by 3B Arvid Walters. Frontier didn’t quite respond in kind, scoring their three Runs thanks to a Double by CF George Whaley and Singles by Lynch & substitute 1B Frank Chambliss. It was now 15-11.

The visitors cut the deficit to two (13-15) in T8 on run-scoring Doubles by Flanagan & RF Lon Duffy, but after Frontier went scoreless in B8 all Syracuse could manage in T9 was to be sat down 1-2-3 by 45-year-old Carl Bancroft, who had entered with two out in T8, and Frontier had taken a thrilling 15-13 home win.

The two teams combined to rack up 38 Hits in total, and five Batsmen had three or more:

• SYR C Andrew Flanagan: 3/4 (2B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 4 TB
• SYR SS Christopher Richards: 4/6 (2B, 3B), 4 R, 0 RBI, 7 TB
• SYR 3B Arvid Walters: 4/6 (2B, 3B), 1 R, 4 RBI, 7 TB – 1 DEF DP
• FRO SUB Frank Chambliss: 3/4 (all 1B), 2 R, 1 RBI
• FRO 3B William Rockford: 4/6 (3B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 6 TB

Also, Syracuse 2B Chester Alexander had a curious afternoon that was filled with twos:

• SYR 2B Chester Alexander: 2/2 (both 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB – 2 SAC FLY

The result was yet another one that gave the participants the same record, with Frontier & Syracuse exiting Fort Ontario at 7-6 and part of a three-way tie for 2nd in Upstate New York with Minuteman. Utica are the current leaders there at 9-4.

That’s the end of the summary of the more peculiar goings on in the semi-pro game on Friday, a day that gave plenty of baseball fans their money’s worth.

tm1681 · 04-11-2026, 11:15 AM

BURNS PITCHES APBL’S SECOND NO-HITTER
ST. JOHN’S #1 DOMINATES PT. JERSEY, BUT HITLESS VICTIMS ARE ABLE TO SCORE ONE RUN

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (May 28, 1880) - St. John’s traveled from Rhode Island to New Jersey to begin their series at Port Jersey on Friday, and Game One at Hoboken & Oakland Park saw both baseball history and an odd baseball first:

While St. John’s’ always-dangerous attack swung their way to an easy victory with sixteen Hits, the opposition finished with none as Howard Burns pitched the second No-Hitter in A.P.B.L. history:

• StJ P Howard Burns: CG W (9-2, 2.03), NO-HITTER, 1 RA/0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, WP – 92 GMSC (P: #1)

It was a historic day for Burns, but at the same time it was a downright strange one.

While Burns’ No-Hitter was the second in A.P.B.L. history, it was the first of the nine pitched in all of baseball history (A.P.B.L.: 2, N.B.B.O.: 7) during which the triumphant Pitcher didn’t record a Shutout, as Pt. Jersey scored a meaningless Run in B9 when 2B Vincent Dixon reached via Error, moved to second on another Error, went to third on a Ground Out, and ran home on a Wild Pitch. St. John’s wasn’t thrilled with the final-inning blunders, but at least the No-Hitter stayed intact.

The list of the nine No-Hitters pitched in the history of baseball:

• #1: Henry Gibson of Eckford vs Empire (N.B.B.O.) on May 23rd, 1858 (1 BB, 1 K)
• #2: Arthur Smith of Atlantic vs Nassau Co. (N.B.B.O.) on May 10th, 1862 (0 BB, 1 K)
• #3: Harry Nettles of Empire vs Bedford (N.B.B.O.) on August 3rd, 1862 (1 BB, 1 K)
• #4: Harry Nettles of S.o.t.O. vs Quinnipiac (N.B.B.O.) on June 22nd, 1867 (0 BB, 0 K)
• #5: Joseph Gant of Susquehanna vs Merrimack Mills (N.B.B.O.) on July 11th, 1872 (1 BB, 1 K)
• #6: Augustus Cook of Eckford vs Bedford (N.B.B.O.) on June 27th, 1873 (0 BB, 1 K)
• #7: Charles Rhodes of N.Y.A.C. vs Baltic (N.B.B.O.) on August 16th, 1871 (0 BB, 3 K)
• #8: Elmer Seabold of Alleghany vs American (A.P.B.L.) in Game 5 of Founders Cup V (0 BB, 2 K)
• #9: Howard Burns of St. John’s vs Pt. Jersey (A.P.B.L.) on May 28th, 1880 (0 BB, 7 K)

On top of that, while he was pitching his “No-No”, Burns, a career .183 hitter (.385 OPS), was 3/4 with a Double, Run & RBI each with the bat. He was one of three St. John’s players to record thee Hits at Pt. Jersey:

• StJ P Howard Burns: 3/4 (2B), 1 R, 1 RBI, 4 TB
• StJ LF Joseph Evans: 3/5 (2B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 4 TB, SB
• StJ C Joseph Nalley: 3/5 (all 1B), 1 R, 2 RBI

In the end, it was the fact that Burns pitched a No-Hitter that the 3,104 in attendance will remember, but they also got to see an odd baseball first and a history-making Pitcher punch far above his weight class with the bat.

Burns is off an amazing start in 1880. Through eleven appearances he’s 9-2 with a 2.03 ERA, 54 Strikeouts, and 3.0 WAR over 97.1 innings of work, which is the most impressive May by an A.P.B.L. Pitcher to date.

The result left St. John’s 13-9 and alone atop the Colonial Conference by one game, while Pt. Jersey is alone in 4th at 11-11.

tm1681 · 04-11-2026, 11:15 AM

PBCC CLUBS MARYLAND WITH TWO HUGE RALLIES
HOSTS WIN BY TEN THANKS TO 8+ RUNS IN 3RD & 8TH; EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES APLENTY

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (May 30, 1880) - Coastal Championship contenders Philadelphia B.C.C. & Maryland played the last of their five-game set at the Willow Grove Cricket Grounds on Sunday, and the hosts came through with an impressive win:

P.B.C.C. won this game thanks to their batsmanship in two innings: the third and the eighth.

With the score 2-1 in favor of visiting Maryland, P.B.C.C. took their bats for the bottom of the third inning and hit Maryland with a nine-run rally to take a 10-2 lead. During their lengthy trip to the plate, the hosts’ runs were scored, in order, on an Error, a Passed Ball, a Single by legendary CF James Burke, a two-run Single by C Gilbert Ingels, a Single by P William Burrow, a two-run Single by 2B Frederick Pike, and a Base on Balls drawn by RF Leroy Moore with the bases full.

Maryland attempted a comeback, and with P.B.C.C. scoring once in B5 they were able to cut the deficit to four (7-11) during their half of the eighth inning. Then, P.B.C.C. sealed the victory with an eight-run rally that made the score 19-7. This time, the runs came through on a Single by SS Gerrie Bos, another Single by Pike, a Single by LF Charles Washer, another Single by Burke, a scalding three-run Triple by Moore, and finally a Double by 1B John Morgan.

Maryland scored a pair of consolation Runs in T9, and P.B.C.C. had themselves a ten-run victory.

While the pitching wasn’t at its best – Burrow became the first Pitcher to allow 20 Hits in a Win – there were plenty of Batsmen who did fine work at Willow Grove:

• MLD RF Fred Harbour: 5/6 (2B), 2 R, 1 RBI, 7 TB, 2 SB
• MLD CF Edgar Hearst: 3/5 (2B), 2 R, 1 RBI, 4 TB
• MLD 3B Earl McKeon: 3/6 (2 2B), 1 R, 2 RBI, 5 TB
• PBCC CF James Burke: 3/4 (all 1B), 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, 4 TB – OF AST
• PBCC C Gilbert Ingels: 3/6 (2 2B), 2 R, 2 RBI, 5 TB – 1/3 CS
• PBCC RF Leroy Moore: 4/5 (2B, 3B), 2 R, 5 RBI, BB, 7 TB
• PBCC 2B Frederick Pike: 3/6 (2B), 3 R, 3 RBI, 4 TB, SB

From the above group of seven, it was Moore who took Player of the Game honors, the performance raising his Average to .362 (.908 OPS) with 16 Runs, seven Extra-Base Hits (4 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR), 20 RBI, and 0.9 WAR through three weeks of play.

Back to Burrow’s 20 Hits Allowed for a moment. Maryland actually outhit P.B.C.C. 20-18, but they were extremely wasteful with runners in scoring position and were credited with a total of thirteen Left on Base over the course of the game.

The result of the last game of the opening month dropped Maryland to 9-6 and one game below top spot in the Coastal Championship, which is held by National. P.B.C.C. went back above .500 at 8-7, and they’re alone in fourth place.

tm1681 · 04-11-2026, 02:30 PM

AMERICAN BASEBALL MONTHLY RECAP: MAY

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (May 31, 1880) – The opening month of another baseball season is behind us. Here is how each of the four competitions stand at the end of May:

AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS

COLONIAL – St. John’s has taken a number of close losses, and that’s keeping them from having what should be the league’s best record as they’re #1 in Runs, Runs Allowed, OBP, OPS, Stolen Bases, Strikeouts (P), & Pitching WAR. Niagara’s even with them because Edward Jenkins is off to a fine start (6-2, 2.38) while both Boss Barrett & William Norman are batting .330.

Three things of note among the rest of the eight teams…Did anybody have Flour City being in third place at any point, or having even one solid over-.500 month this year? No, but there they are at 13-11 with a Run Differential of +33, thanks in no small part to the work of 3B Jesse Noss (.383, 2 HR, 28 RBI). Meanwhile, champions Alleghany are pitching & fielding very well, but their offense ranks 15th in Runs, Average, OBP, Slugging, OPS, & Batsman WAR. Mass. Bay has a rough RD, but on the other hand they’re 5-0 in one-run games.

METROPOLITAN – Gotham tops the Metro on RD thanks to an offense that ranks in the top five in just about every notable category. They’ve been led by old hand Royal Altman (.385, 1 HR, 23 RBI), and fielding wizard Peter Jones has been batting shockingly well (.333, 17 RBI), even clubbing a pair of Inside the Park Home Runs. Orange looks like a completely different team from the past three miserable years. Jonathan Cobb looks fantastic again (.389, 3 HR, 20 RBI), and Greenhorn William Carrow is playing well at SS (.304, 1 HR, 18 RBI).

As in the Colonial, the rest of the field is bunched close together and nobody had a terrible opening month. Notes…Knick has struggled a bit on offense, but Robert Goodman has been brilliant (9-3, 1.79) while new 1B Gerald Burns looks great so far (.365, 1 HR, 23 RBI). Quaker St. is being led by veteran #1 Ross Gill (8-4, 3.47). Excelsior is somehow 11-13 even though their offense has disappeared (last in R, AVG, OBP, OPS, & B-WAR). Kings Co. is 10-14 because they’ve been 0-5 in one-run games.

A.P.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Jonathan Cobb (RF, ORA) – .389, 1.015 OPS, 30 R, 42 H, 14 XBH, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 3 BB, 3 SB, 1.2 WPA, 2.1 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Howard Burns (StJ) – 10-2, 2.03 ERA, 106.1 IP, 11 CG, 57 K, 19.0 K/BB, 4.8 K/9, 1.09 WHIP, 3.3 WAR, NO-HITTER

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Walter Carrow (SS, ORA) – .304, .861 OPS, 29 R, 31 H, 14 XBH, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 9 BB, 6 SB, 1.0 WPA, 1.4 WAR

Cobb didn’t lead the league in RBI, with that honor split between Niagara CF Charles Barrett & Flour City 3B Jesse Noss (28 RBI each). Aside from that, Cobb was tremendous, leading the league in Runs, Hits, AVG, SLG, OPS, & Batsman WAR by half a point. He has become everything observers hoped he would be when he was the #1 Batsman prospect in the N.B.B.O. for Granite. The two who came close to Cobb: Noss (.382, .940 OPS, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 1.4 WAR) and Gotham 1B Royal Altman (.385, .978 OPS, 1 HR, 23 RBI, 1.4 WAR).

Without even taking into account his No-Hitter, Burns was absurd. The only ten-Win Pitcher. A 2.03 ERA. A K/BB Ratio of nineteen to one. 50% more Pitching WAR than anyone else. Burns was simply brilliant, and that mean nine-win Pitchers Robert Goodman of Knick (9-3, 1.79 ERA, 47 K, 1.7 WAR) and Alex Ward of Gotham (9-2, 2.30 ERA, 24 K, 1.7 WAR) had no chance to take the monthly pitching honor.

While Theobold Knapp has been a nice surprise for Mass. Bay (7-5, 2.51 ERA, 27 K, 1.8 WAR), William Hoy of St. John’s also had an impressive month even if he had a worse record (4-5, 2.41 ERA, 34 K, 2.1 WAR). Meanwhile, Carrow was by far the best of the Greenhorn Batsmen – the only one who hit over .300, the only one with an OPS over .700 let alone .800, and 1.1 more Batsman WAR than anyone else in the group.

A.P.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .389 by Jonathan Cobb (RF, Orange)
OPS: 1.015 by Jonathan Cobb
Home Runs: 4 by William Busby (1B, American)
Runs Batted In: 28 by Charles Barrett (CF, Niagara) & Jesse Noss (3B, Flour City)
Runs: 30 by Jonatha Cobb & Rudolph Decker (CF, St. John’s)
Stolen Bases: 16 by Frank Bulger (1B, Shamrock)
Batsman WPA: 2.1 by Harold Corso (RF, Gotham)
Batsman WAR: 2.1 by Jonathan Cobb

Wins: 10 by Howard Burns (St. John’s)
ERA (50+ IP): 1.79 by Robert Goodman (Knick) & William McMahon (Alleghany)
Strikeouts: 57 by Howard Burns
Complete Games: 12 by Robert Goodman
WHIP (50+ IP): 0.95 by Edward Jenkins (Niagara)
Pitcher WAR: 3.3 by Howard Burns
Pitcher rWAR: 3.4 by Howard Burns

NATIONAL BASE BALL ORGANIZATION REGIONAL LEADERS

BROOKLYN: Bedford at 11-4 (Empire 1 GB; Atlantic 2 GB; Marathon 3 GB)
NEW YORK CITY: Baltic at 10-5 (Harlem & Union 1 GB; Mercury 2 GB)
UPSTATE N.Y.: Utica at 10-5 (Frontier, Minuteman, & Syracuse 2 GB)
COASTAL: National & Trenton Utd. at 10-5 (Maryland 1 GB, Philadelphia B.C.C. 2 GB)
INLAND: Pioneer at 10-5 (Lancastra Brit. & Susquehanna 1 GB; Merrimack M. & Scranton 2 GB)
NEW ENGLAND: Portland at 14-1 (Cantabrigians 5 GB; Green Mtn. 6 GB; three teams 7 GB)

BROOKLYN – Could it be the start of a strange new world in Brooklyn? Through three weeks of play, Bedford & Empire are the top two, while Marathon is manufacturing Runs, preseason favorites Continental are 7-8, and Eckford is in sixth place.

NEW YORK CITY – Baltic is tops to end May thanks to good work in close games and a quality offense. Union is 2nd with fielding that’s holding up despite the loss of William Cruise, Harlem’s high-powered attack is a nice surprise, Mercury has been stingy in the field, and N.Y.A.C. is one of four teams at 6-9.

UPSTATE N.Y. – No surprises here, as the expected top four are the current top four, with Utica leading the way thanks to the N.Y.L.’s #1 offense. The eight teams are separated by four games in total.

COASTAL – National is tied for 1st because they’re clubbing the ball, and Trenton Utd. is tied for 1st thanks to the N.B.B.O.’s best fielding. Maryland is right behind, and P.B.C.C. has the N.E.L.’s #1 offensive attack. The main issue for Trenton Utd. is an offense that ranks 34th/48, and if that continues then they’ll eventually fall down the standings.

INLAND – Pioneer ends May in first place, thanks mostly to that season-opening sweep of Reading A.C. That means it shouldn’t be long before they’re overtaken by both Lancastra, who’s won their last four games, and Susquehanna, who’s won their last five.

NEW ENGLAND – Portland looks scary, as their 14-1 record has happened even though two of their trio of five-game series have been away from home. Their pitching is #1 in the N.E.L., and thanks to the signing of William Cruise their fielding is #2. It already looks like they could run away with the New England pennant.

N.B.B.O. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMEN OF THE MONTH
NYL: Clifford Martin (RF, HAR) – .426, 1.176 OPS, 26 R, 26 H, 6 2B, 4 3B, 11 RBI, 11 BB, 4 SB, 0.5 WPA, 1.1 WAR
NEL: Jesse Craig (1B, SotO) – .460, 1.175 OPS, 17 R, 29 H, 8 2B, 3 3B, 20 RBI, 5 BB, 1 SB, 1.6 WPA, 1.3 WAR

PITCHERS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Howard Budd (EMP) – 8-0, 2.96 ERA, 79.0 IP, 8 CG, 33 K, 3.8 K/9, 5.5 K/BB, 1.09 WHIP, 2.1 WAR, 2.6 rWAR
NEL: Francis Molinari (PORT) – 8-1, 2.14 ERA, 75.2 IP, 6 CG, 1 SHO, 43 K, 4.8 K/BB, 10.6 WHIP, 2.1 WAR, 2.4 rWAR

GREENHORNS OF THE MONTH
NYL: William Napier (2B, BED) – .306, .929 OPS, 22 R, 19 H, 5 2B, 4 3B, 16 RBI, 11 BB, 4 SB, 1.2 WPA, 0.8 WAR
NEL: Michael Newman (P, MM) – 3-3, 0.49 ERA, 54.2 IP, 6 CG, 5 K, 5.0 K/BB, 1.15 WHIP, 0.9 WAR, 1.5 rWAR

N.B.B.O. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .500 by Llewellyn Davis (1B, Eagle)
OPS: 1.176 by Clifford Martin (RF, Harlem)
Home Runs: 2 by eight different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 23 by Julius Krebs (3B, Marathon) & Scott Lyons (1B, Susquehanna)
Runs: 85 by Louis Murray (LF, Eckford)
Stolen Bases: 16 by Jack Anastasio (RF, New York A.C.)
Batsman WPA: 1.8 by V.O. Papenfuss (SS, Squirrel Hill)
Batsman WAR: 1.5 by Nicholas Hardingham (CF, Marathon)

Wins: 8 by Howard Budd (Empire) & Francis Molinari (Portland)
ERA (50+ IP): 0.49 by Michael Newman (Merrimack M.)
Strikeouts: 47 by Charles Rhodes (New York A.C.)
Complete Games: 8 by three different Pitchers
WHIP (50+ IP): 0.97 by William Hawk (Susquehanna)
Pitcher WAR: 3.1 by Charles Rhodes
Pitcher rWAR: 2.6 by Howard Budd

COASTAL BASEBALL CONFERENCE LEADER

Bridgeport at 12-3 (Camden & Amb. 1 GB; Sportsman’s 2 GB; Essex Co. 3 GB)

Bridgeport leading the league at the end of May is no surprise, but Camden & Amboy being a game behind them most certainly is. Bridgeport has league’s best batting, pitching, AND fielding, so if that continues then they’re certain to win the title. C. & A. is a game back thanks to a 2nd-ranked attack, Sportsman’s has had the league’s most powerful lineup in terms of OPS, and Essex Co. has been best in the league at stranding opposing runners on the basepaths.

C.B.C. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Mark Russo (CF, SPO) – .422, 1.065 OPS, 21 R, 27 H, 7 2B, 2 3B, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 6 SB, 0.9 WPA, 1.0 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Tom Hauser (P, BRI) – 7-0, 1.96 ERA, 69.1 IP, 7 CG, 22 K, 2.9 K/9, 4.4 K/BB, 0.88 WHIP, 1.4 WAR, 2.0 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Stephen Willis (P, SPO) – 6-2, 1.60 ERA, 67.2 IP, 7 CG, 44 K, 5.9 K/9, 3.7 K/BB, 1.26 WHIP, 1.9 WAR, 2.5 rWAR

C.B.C. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .422 by Mark Russo (CF, Sportsman’s)
OPS: 1.065 by Mark Russo
Home Runs: 2 by Frank Burkett (LF, Highlander)
Runs Batted In: 19 by Charles Neville (LF, Sportsman’s)
Runs: 23 by Roy Smith (CF, Highlander)
Stolen Bases: 10 by Robert Werstler (CF, Bridgeport)
Batsman WPA: 1.9 by John Burton (CF, CC)
Batsman WAR: 1.0 by John Burton & Mark Russo

Wins: 7 by Tom Hauser (Bridgeport) & Albert Pigott (C. & A.)
ERA (50+ IP): 1.33 by William McClure (Highlander)
Strikeouts: 44 by Stephen Willis (Sportsman’s)
Complete Games: 7 by three different Pitchers
WHIP (50+ IP): 0.88 by Tom Hauser
Pitcher WAR: 1.9 by Stephen Willis
Pitcher rWAR: 2.5 by Stephen Willis

PHILADELPHIA CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE LEADERS

EAST: Frankford Arsenal at 10-5 (Minerva 1 GB; Sons of Ben 2 GB; three teams 3 GB)
WEST: Mercantile, Merion, Overbrook, & Schuylkill at 9-6

EAST – Frankford is back on their familiar perch with an attack that ranks 3rd in Runs but tops the league in AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, & Batsman WAR. Minerva is close behind due to solid overall play and excellent work from B.o.t.M. Dobbs. Sons of Ben is looking dangerous now that G.o.t.Y. Peter Stinson is back from his season-opening injury. Yorktown being one of the three 7-8 teams is a pleasant surprise, as Benjamin Warnock is leading them in precisely the way they hoped he would.

Defending East champions Spartan are tied for last at 6-9 with a rough -36 Run Differential.

WEST – Of course the West is a mess. Of the four 9-6 teams tied atop the standings, Mercantile is there because they’re 2nd in Runs Allowed, Merion is there because their attack ranks 2nd and A.P.B.L. import Sid Crowder is playing very well (.400, 16 RBI, 1.0 WAR), Overbrook is there because of quality baserunning and, of course, #1 Robert Nygren, and Schuylkill is there because they’re 5-2 in one-run games.

Defending L.B.C. champions Penn B.C. are tied for last at 5-10 thanks to a 1-4 record in one-run games.

P.C.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Edward Dobbs (LF, MIN) – .431, 1.139 OPS, 20 R, 28 H, 2 2B, 6 3B, 13 RBI, 7 BB, 3 SB, 1.4 WPA, 1.3 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Robert Nygren (OVER) – 6-3, 2.74 ERA, 72.1 IP, 6 CG, 1 SHO, 28 K, 9.3 K/BB, 1.13 WHIP, 1.7 WAR, 1.5 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
John Smith (RF, IND) – .365, .897 OPS, 20 R, 23 H, 2 2B, 2 3B, 10 RBI, 7 BB, 6 SB, 1.1 WPA, 0.8 WAR

P.C.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .431 by Edward Dobbs (LF, Minerva)
OPS: 1.139 by Edward Dobbs
Home Runs: 2 by Dennis DeLong (C, Mercantile)
Runs Batted In: 20 by James Lynch (CF, Minerva)
Runs: 23 by George Estes (CF, Frankford)
Stolen Bases: 13 by George Estes
Batsman WPA: 2.1 by Roy Myers (C, Schuylkill)
Batsman WAR: 1.3 by Edward Dobbs

Wins: 7 by Bud Forster (Minerva)
ERA (50+ IP): 1.69 by Arthur Lipscomb (Germantown)
Strikeouts: 40 by Oliver Greene (Frankford)
Complete Games: 7 by Thomas Bath
WHIP (50+ IP): 1.03 by Arthur Lipscomb
Pitcher WAR: 2.4 by Oliver Greene
Pitcher rWAR: 2.1 by Ralph Brown (Schuylkill)

tm1681 · 04-12-2026, 09:54 PM

NYAC DUO STRIKES OUT 17 OVER TWO GAMES
CERVEN & RHODES TORTUE BALTIC WITH FILTHY STUFF, WIN CONSECUTIVE GAMES OVER NYC LEADERS

NEW YORK CITY (June 2 & 3, 1880) - 3x defending New York City champions New York Athletic Club have had a rough start to 1880, going 6-9 in May due to weak offensive output. They were hoping to get back on track to begin June, but in the first game of their series at N.Y.C. leaders Baltic they took a 9-1 defeat in which Charles Rhodes uncharacteristically walked four Batsmen, and what had been a 1-0 N.Y.A.C. lead after six innings turned into an eight-run loss.

Now 6-10, New York A.C. was able to return to winning ways in the second game of the series:

The Player of the Game was their LF, Lawrence Calhoun…

• NYAC LF Lawrence Calhoun: 4/5 (2B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 5 TB, SB – OF AST

…but perhaps the most impressive display of the afternoon was that of New York A.C. #2 George Cerven:

• NYAC P George Cerven: CG W (3-4, 4.02), 7 HA, 4 RA/1 ER, 1 BB, 9

Cerven’s nine Strikeouts were an N.B.B.O. season high, and he had Baltic Batsmen turning themselves inside out trying to deal with his tricky pitches. In all, Cerven struck out six different Baltic men, and three of them – 2B Samuel Blalock, SS Bendt Frandson, & P George Warner – struck out twice.

The next day the two teams were back at it for the third game of the series at Ridgewood Park, and that meant Baltic were forced to face the magisterial Rhodes, 4x defending N.Y.L. Pitcher of the Year.

While New York A.C. only put up two Runs and six Hits against Baltic’s George Layman, the result was another victory:

And in that victory, Rhodes pitched his twelfth career Shutout:

• NYAC P Charles Rhodes: SHO (5-5, 3.19), 9 HA, 0 BB, 8 K

While Rhodes’ eight Strikeouts weren’t as many as Cerven’s nine from the previous day, he did do Cerven one better in striking out seven different Baltic Batsmen, with Frandson, who in his career has been sat down via Strikes roughly once every five games, victimized twice for the second consecutive day.

So far this season, Pitchers in the New York League are averaging 2.5 Strikeouts per game. That means one should expect to see five Strikeouts over a two-game span. What New York A.C. did on Thursday & Friday? Seventeen Strikeouts, or more than three times the average Strikeout rate for N.Y.L. pitching over such a span.

That kind of performance is why New York A.C. has taken three straight New York City pennants, gone to five games in the Tucker-Wheaton Cup Final twice, and won it once. It’s very possible that this pair of impressive away wins will right the New York A.C. ship, and that they’ll be back to their dominant ways.

tm1681 · 04-12-2026, 09:54 PM

BARLEY HITS FOR THE CYCLE AT LANCASTRA
SUSQUEHANNA SS STEALS THE SHOW WITH HIS PERFORMANCE, BUT LANCASTRA WINS BIG

LANCASTER, PENN. (June 5, 1880) - The ten games between Lancastra Britannia vs Susquehanna are always the ten biggest games of the Inland Championship season, or at least that’s how it’s been for the past three to four years.

This week Lancastra is hosting Susquehanna, and on Saturday the hosts used a massive rally in the eighth inning to take a seven-run home victory, defeat the defending Tucker-Wheaton Cup champions for the third straight game, and clinch the series:

It was a back-and-forth affair in Lancaster. The home side scored twice in B1 on Singles by RF Lonnie Weiss and All-Star CF William White to take a 2-0 lead, and then made it 5-0 in B3 on a two-run Triple by White and a one-run Single by 3B Phillip Little. Susquehanna eventually drew level (5-5), scoring three times in T4 on an Inside the Park Home Run by SS Stephen Barley and a two-run Double by 3B Frank Carer, and then twice in T6 on a Single by LF Walter Braden and a Passed Ball.

Lancastra took a 7-5 lead in B7 on a two-run Double by little, and a Susquehanna run via Passed Ball in T8 cut the hosts’ lead to one (6-7). Then, Lancastra ended the contest with a seven-run rally that gave them a 14-6 lead, with the Runs coming on a series of Singles & Errors. Susquehanna sent through a Consolation Run in T9 on a Triple by Barley to give the game its final score of 14-7.

While Lancastra won the day it was Barley who took home the individual plaudits, as that Triple he hit in the ninth inning completed the 22nd Cycle in the history of the N.B.B.O.:

• T1: Ground Out to SS (2 out)
• T4: SOLO ItP HOME RUN TO RF off G. Richelmi
• T6: Leadoff Double past 3B off G. Richelmi (R)
• T8: Leadoff Single to LF off G. Richelmi (R)
• T9: 1-run Triple to RCF off G. Richelmi
• TOTAL: 4/5 (2B, 3B, HR), 3 R, 2 RBI, 10 TB – CYCLE, DEF DP

Barley’s Cycle was the first in the N.B.B.O. since July 31st of last year, when Binghamton 1B Bernard Puckett hit for one and had seven RBI in a 14-11 win at Syracuse.

The result left Lancastra 12-7 and Susquehanna 10-9. While Susquehanna is in a three-way tie for third in the Inland Championship with Merrimack Mills & Scranton, Lancastra remains a game out of first place because Pioneer has taken three of the first four games during their series at Lake Erie to run their record to 13-6.

tm1681 · 04-12-2026, 09:55 PM

BROOKLYN BIGWIGS HAVE TENSE BATTLE ON SAT.
ATLANTIC v ECKFORD ENDS WITH ONE RUN SCORED; HOSTS COME OUT ON TOP AT CAPITOLINE GROUNDS

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (June 5, 1880) - Atlantic B.B.C. & Eckford of Greenpoint combined to take every Brooklyn pennant handed out during the 1870s, so whenever they play a series against one another it’s the biggest sporting event in the city.

The two are playing each other this week, and the series began with Atlantic besting Eckford in a 16-14 thriller during which the teams combined for 35 Hits, and three players, Atlantic’s Michael Jones & Herb Verrett and Eckford 1B Ed Barnett, finished with four. Game Two saw Eckford fend off a late Atlantic rally to take an 8-7 win to even the series, with 3B Isaac Kelly taking P.o.t.G. honors on a 4/5 performance. Eckford took the series lead in Game Three with a 9-7 win in which four of their Batsmen finished with multiple base hits.

That was the leadup to Game Four, in which Atlantic won an extremely tense encounter to even the series 2-2:

Atlantic won the game in the bottom of the fourth, when CF Harold Lally led off with a Single, was moved over to second on a Sacrifice Bunt by Jones, and scored on a Single by 3B Nicholas Turnbull. The Eckford offense, which had been excellent during the first three games of the series, was left flummoxed by Atlantic P Thomas Onstad, and the result was the N.B.B.O.’s first 1-0 game of the 1880 season.

The stat lines for both halves of this Pitcher’s Duel:

• ECK P William Barnhill: L (2-7, 4.86), 8.0 IP, 7 HA, 1 RA/0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• ATL P Thomas Onstad: SHO (5-4, 3.24), 9.0 IP, 6 HA, 3 BB, 4 K

This game was actually more than just a Pitcher’s Duel, for the fielding was in tip-top shape as well. Atlantic committed two Errors while Eckford committed three (N.B.B.O. team avg: 5.5 E/G), and all three men who attempted to steal bases were thrown out by the Catchers.

The results of the first four games of the biggest series in Brooklyn have left Atlantic alone in fourth place in the Brooklyn Championship at 11-8 (3 GB) and Eckford tied for 5th with Continental at 9-10 (5 GB). Surprising Empire, who has only finished in Brooklyn’s top three five times over the first 23 years of the N.B.B.O., remains the atop the standings at 14-5.

The series between Atlantic & Eckford at the Capitoline Grounds concludes tomorrow, with the opening pitch scheduled for 1:30 P.M.

tm1681 · 04-12-2026, 09:55 PM

GOTHAM BESTS AMERICAN WITH LONE RUN NEEDED
HOSTS WIN FIRST 1-0 GAME OF APBL SEASON; WARD LIMITS VISITORS TO THREE HITS

NEW YORK CITY (June 6, 1880) - Gotham & American finished up their series at the St. George Cricket Grounds on Sunday afternoon, and the result was the first 1-0 game of the 1880 A.P.B.L. season to date:

The game’s lone Run was scored during the bottom of the third inning, when All-Star 2B Babe Johnson came up to bat after RF Walter McGovern had hit a Double and proceeded to drive him home with a Single to Right-Center Field. Fellow All-Star Royal Altman followed with a Double, but Johnson was thrown out at Home Plate trying to extend Gotham’s lead to 2-0.

From there, second-year Gotham #2 Alex Ward had only one notable issue with the American attack, and that was in the top of the ninth when RF Harold Heffron hit a Double off him. However, Ward was able to strand him at Third Base, and Gotham had a rare 1-0 victory.

Here is how the Pitchers in the game performed:

• AME P Charles Griffith: L (0-4, 3.25), 8.0 IP, 12 HA, 1 R/1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• GOT P Alex Ward: SHO (12-2, 2.37), 9.0 IP, 3 HA, 3 BB, 2 K

The 30-year-old Ward is off to a fantastic start to his second year in league baseball. While Gotham’s #2 as a Greenhorn last year, Ward was 14-25 with a 4.30 ERA, 65 Strikeouts, and 4.8 WAR over 341.0 innings. Through one-third of the 1880 season, Ward is 12-2 with a 2.37 ERA, 28 Strikeouts, and 1.9 WAR over 132.2 innings, which has him on pace to significantly improve over the statistical output from his debut season.

The win moved Gotham two games clear atop the Metropolitan Conference standings at 19-11, while American is in seventh place at 13-17 (6 GB).

tm1681 · 04-12-2026, 09:56 PM

PAIR OF STAR PERFORMERS IN THE NBBO ON SUNDAY
LORD BALT’S COLQUITT & MINUTEMAN’S OVASKA BLAST OPPOSING PITCHING IN BIG WINS

BALTIMORE, MD. & TROY, N.Y. (June 6, 1880) - It was the last day of Week Four in the N.B.B.O. on Sunday, and there was a pair of truly outstanding performance among the two dozen games that were on offer.

In Baltimore, Lord Baltimore hosted National B.C. for the final game of their series at the Carey Street Grounds. With three runs each in the 6th, 7th, & 8th, the hosts exited with an 18-13 win that gave them the 3-2 series victory.

Lord Baltimore’s Isaac Holm and National’s Chester Dudek put in fine, four-hit performances…

• LBA LF Isaac Holm: 4/5 (3B), 5 R, 2 RBI, HBP, 6 TB
• NAT 2B Chester Dudek: 4/6 (2B, 3B), 2 R, 4 RBI, 7 TB – DEF DP

…Lord Baltimore 1B James Colquitt was the best of the trio of four-hit men in the exciting affair:

• B1: Single to RF off B. Lauppe
• B3: Reached via Error by 3B (R)
• B3: 2-run Single past SS off B. Lauppe
• B6: 1-run Triple past 1B off W. Cromwell (R)
• B7: 1-run Single to CF off C. McFadden (R)
• B8: Reached via Base on Balls by C. McFadden (R)
• TOTAL: 4/5 (3B), 4 R, 4 RBI, BB, 6 TB – 89 GMSC (BAT: 2nd)

The 24-year-old Colquitt is in his first season as a regular, and through four weeks of play he’s batting .349 (.916 OPS) with 25 Runs, 17 RBI, 1.6 WPA, and 1.3 Batsman WAR, all excellent numbers.

The win improved Lord Baltimore’s record to 8-12 and moved them up to 6th in the Coastal Championship, while the loss dropped National to 12-8 and put them alone in 4th.

In Upstate New York, Minuteman used a barrage of ten runs over the final three innings to win 17-10 against Victory B.B.C. at Rensselaer Park in Troy. The teams combined for three dozen Hits in this one, and while there were two players with four…

• VIC LF Harvey McKie: 4/5 (all 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB
• MIN 3B John Hanson: 4/6 (3 2B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 7 TB

…veteran CF Jonathan Ovaska outdid everyone else with five:

• T1: Infield Single to C off D. Gibson
• T3: 1-run Single to RCF off D. Gibson
• T5: Single past 2B off D. Gibson (R)
• T6: 1-run Single to RCF off D. Gibson
• T8: Reached via Error by 2B (R)
• T9: 2-run Single to CF off J. McDermott (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (all 1B), 3 R, 4 RBI – OF AST, 85 GMSC (BAT: 4th)

While he was great on Sunday, Ovaska is having a poor start to the season. The career .315 hitter (.759 OPS) is batting .270 (.613 OPS) through four weeks of play, with 13 Runs, 18 RBI, and 0.0 WAR.

The result left both teams 10-10 and part of a bizarre six-way tie for second place in Upstate New York.

tm1681 · 04-13-2026, 08:41 AM

BODIL HANSEN HAS SEASON’S FIRST SIX-HIT GAME
INFIELDER BATS 6/6 WITH THREE XBH, BUT C&A COMES UP JUST SHORT AT ESSEX CO.

LAWRENCE, MASS. (June 9, 1880) - Essex County and Camden & Amboy are facing each other at the Haverhill Street Grounds for Week Five of the C.B.C. season, and the two teams put on an exciting contest for the 2,300 Lawrence residents in attendance:

There were three key innings in the game: the first, the sixth, & the eighth.

C. & A. started the proceedings with a pair of Runs in T1 on a two-run Single by CF William Davis. The hosts answered immediately with their own pair in B1 on a Single by 2B James Perrault and a run-scoring Ground Out that made it a 2-2 contest. Most of the next four innings went by without incident, with the exception an Essex Co. run B3 via Base on Balls that put them ahead 3-2.

With the score 3-2 to Essex Co., the visitors stepped to the plate for T6 scored three times to go ahead 5-3, with the Runs scoring on a Passed Ball, a Single by 1B Jerald Coleman, and a Triple by 2B Bodil Hansen. However, the hosts responded with a four-run rally in B6 on two run-scoring Singles, a Wild Pitch, & a Double by RF Rens van Veldhuizen to take the lead back (5-7). Then, Davis hit a Home Run for C. & A. during T7 to make it a one-run game (6-7).

The final key inning was the eighth, and C. &. A. started it with a three-run rally to force another lead change. They tied the game (7-7) on another Triple from Hansen, took the lead (8-7) on a Single by C Jonathan Brumback, and increased the lead to two (9-7) on a Sacrifice Fly. Unfortunately for the visitors, Essex Co. cancelled those three runs out with a trio of their own in B8, making it a one-run game (9-8) on a Single by 1B James Baker and then taking the lead (9-10) on a two-run Error by the C. &. A. First Baseman.

After all that excitement C. & A. came up for T9, and with two out Hansen struck a hard-hit Single to Right-Center Field. With substitute Charles van Dyke heading for home Essex Co. CF Martin Markovich threw a dart to the Catcher that beat van Dyke, and when the tag was applied the hosts had escaped with a 10-9 victory.

Unfortunately for Hansen, being robbed of a game-tying RBI during the top of the ninth inning was quite unfair, for the Single he hit with two out made him the first six-hit man anywhere in baseball so far in 1880:

• T1: Single to LCF off J. Lockhart (R)
• T3: Double to ECF off J. Lockhart
• T5: Infield Single to SS off J. Lockhart
• T6: 1-run Triple to RCF off J. Lockhart
• T8: 1-run Triple to RCF off J. Lockhart (R)
• T9: Single to RCF off C. Shultis
• TOTAL: 6/6 (2B, 2 3B), 2 R, 2 RBI, 11 TB – 76 GMSC (BAT: #2)

Hansen’s eleven Total Bases were the most by a batsman in the 2+ years of C.B.C. play, and the 6/6 outing raised his Batting Average to .333 (.821 OPS) with 21 Runs, 11 RBI, and 1.2 WAR through the first 21 games of the season.

The result left both teams a surprising 15-6 and part of a three-way tie for first atop the Coastal Baseball Conference with defending champions Bridgeport. Of the three, Bridgeport has the best Run Differential at +55.