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

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NIAGARA WALKS OFF MASS BAY IN 25-RUN CLASSIC
TEAMS COMBINE FOR 37 HITS; COBB HAS WINNING HIT IN B9; BARRETT HAS FIVE HITS & RBI EACH

BUFFALO, N.Y. (May 27, 1882) - Niagara & Massachusetts Bay began the weekend with a game in Buffalo at the Greater New York Sporting Grounds, and what occurred was a thrilling, back-and-forth affair that the hosts won at the death.

This one was all over the place. Mass. Bay began the game with three Runs in T1, the big hit a two-run Double by new 2B Guy Penders. The teams traded Runs over B2 & T3, and then Niagara scored twice on a Double by LF Boss Barrett & Single by former Orange RF Jonathan Cobb to make it a 4-3 game at the end of the third.

After a scoreless fourth, both teams scored twice during the fifth inning, leaving Mass. Bay ahead 6-5. Niagara took the lead in B6, with Barrett hitting a two-run Single to put the hosts ahead 6-7 and give them the edge going into the final innings.

Mass. Bay took the lead back in T7, with another pair of Runs coming in via Single by C Lane Garvin putting them ahead 8-7. Then, Mass. Bay took a commanding lead thanks to a four-run rally in T8 when a Double by 1B Gerhardt Berg, Double by RF Kevin Duke, Error, & Passed Ball put them ahead 12-7. However, Niagara hit right back with four Runs in B8 on a Single by Barrett, a two-run Triple by Cobb, & an infield Single by C Levi Paulus to bring the deficit back down to one (12-11).

After Mass. Bay went down scoreless in T9, Niagara tied the game with one out in B9 on a Double by Barrett. Cobb, the next batter, then won the game for Niagara with a line-drive Single to the Outfield that sent 1B William Norman home and gave the hosts a memorable 13-12 victory.

The game-winning hit for Cobb was part of a fine day with the bat…

• NIA RF Jonathan Cobb: 4/6 (3B), 2 R, 4 RBI, 6 TB – GW HIT

…but Player of the Game honors went to Barrett, who was simply superb.

• NIA LF Charles Barrett: 5/6 (2 2B), 3 R, 5 RBI, 7 TB – 92 GmSc

The walkoff win continued Niagara’s excellent may. Since going 3-3 during Week One, Niagara has won fourteen of their last seventeen games to sprint to a 17-6 record that’s currently the best in the A.P.B.L. On the other hand, Mass. Bay has been much worse than expected. Projected to finish 46-44 ahead of the season, they are 6-17 through 23 games due to the league’s worst pitching & fielding, their worst-ever start to a season.

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P.L. SEES MAIDEN CYCLE COURTESY OF MANSON
WICHITA 3B GOES DOUBLE, SINGLE, TRIPLE, HOME RUN TO MAKE HISTORY IN IOWA

DUBUQUE, IOWA (May 30, 1882) - The Dubuque Explorers hosted the Wichita Wranglers to open the Prairie League’s week on Tuesday, and the visitors took a five-run victory at the Elm Street Diamond that featured some P.L. history.

The outcome in Dubuque was decided in the fourth inning. Visiting Wichita stepped to the plate with a 2-0 lead and clobbered their hosts with an eight-run rally that featured a three-run Home Run by CF George Libby that was sent out over the Left Field wall. After Dubuque cut the deficit to six (10-4) in T5, Wichita 3B Jebediah Manson hit a solo Home Run to Left Center Field in T6 that put them ahead 11-4 and sealed Dubuque’s fate.

The Home Run by Manson during the top half of the sixth inning did more than just secure the victory for Wichita, for it also completed the first Cycle in the history of league baseball in the Midwest:

• T1: 1-run Double to RF off L. Kramer
• T4: Leadoff Infield Single to 2B off L. Kramer (R)
• T4: 2-run Triple to LCF off L. Kramer (R)
• T6: SOLO HOME RUN TO LCF off R. Murphy
• T9: Ground Out to 3B (1 out)
• TOTAL: 4/5 (2B, 3B, HR), 3 R, 4 RBI, 10 TB – CYCLE, DP, 82 GmSc

Manson’s historic day at the plate left him a .327 batter (.965 OPS) through sixteen games, and the Home Run was already his third in 1882, putting him on a pace for twenty over the course of the 108-game season.

The victory gave Wichita a 7-9 record that’s good for 8th in the Prairie League, while the loss continued Dubuque’s forgettable start, leaving them a league-worst 2-13 with one rainout. The St. Paul North Stars are the current P.L. leaders at 12-4.

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NORTHEAST BASEBALL RECAP: MAY

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (May 31, 1882) – May is over, and as always that means the first month of the baseball season in the Northeast has been completed. Here is how each of the four competitions look.

AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS

The standings through 26 games are, quite frankly, weird. The two highest Run Differentials in the Colonial Conference are by the two teams tied for 3rd, while the team with the second-worst RD in the whole league went 13-13 and Knick is sitting at 11-15 with a positive RD. Obviously it’s early, so these things should fix themselves over the next two and a half months.

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

Niagara ends May with the #1 record thanks to two things: an 8-2 mark in one-run games and a stunning May from P.o.t.M. Moses Smith, who took over at P2 after both Ed Jenkins & Tomoharu Mukai faltered during April Training. In addition, big winter signing Jonathan Cobb is batting .394 and looks a lock for his fourth straight All-Star Game.

Flour City is 2nd because the top half of their lineup is doing superb work. Newark has taken a number of double-digit wins, and the signing of Reginald Roper after the opener was great business. Shamrock has also been battering teams in wins, mostly at the reconfigured South End Grounds. St. John’s is off to another “slow” start, but going 13-13 with a league-worst Batting Average (.266) means they’re due for a quick rise up the standings. Alleghany’s reconfigured team is figuring things out. Pt. Jersey’s attack, especially B.o.t.Y. runner-up Vincent Dixon, has struggled. Mass. Bay has the league’s worst pitching & fielding.

METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

Outside of a run where they lost five straight at Niagara & Quaker St., Tiger has been just as good as expected. Their fielding has been flawless, which has meant their pitching has also been excellent. All-Star signees Gerald Burns & Samuel Eastman have fit into the lineup seamlessly. They will be the team to beat in the Metropolitan.

Excelsior had a good May, but it should be noted that 17/26 games were at home in Brooklyn. Still, their star Batsmen are performing well. B.o.t.Y. Garfield Koonce is off to another red-hot start for Kings Co. Orange has taken some big losses, notably the 4-26 beating at Newark on May 6th, but their .500 May is admirable considering who they lost over the winter. Yet again, Gotham is showing off a big attack but a defense that is letting them down. Quaker St. is playing as expected: great Outfield, very weak Infield, mediocre Pitchers. Knick is in transition and having a tough time of it. American looks hopeless.

A.P.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Harold Durand (LF, QS) – .424, 1.088 OPS, 19 R, 50 H, 12 2B, 7 3B, 22 RBI, 4 BB, 2 SB, 2.1 WPA, 1.6 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Moses Smith (NIA) – 10-2, 2.52 ERA, 89.1 IP, 7 CG, 9 K, 0.5 K/BB, 1.41 WHIP, 1.0 WAR, 1.7 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Jacob Overfield (3B, GOT) – .322, .895 OPS, 29 R, 39 H, 9 2B, 7 3B, 14 RBI, 9 BB, 10 SB, 1.1 WPA, 1.5 WAR

Reigning B.o.t.Y. Garfield Koonce had the best Average (.425) by a single point and a superior On-Base Pct. (.453), but Durand’s Slugging mark of .644 and #1 overall OPS while having better than 2.0 WPA made him May’s best Batsman. There was a case to be made for Niagara RF Jonathan Cobb, whose first month in Buffalo (.394, 1.033 OPS, 26 RBI, 2.0 WPA) was grand.

This is a stunner. Smith, who was a SUB P for Niagara for three years after signing from the P.C.L., was named Niagara #2 on Opening Day and promptly earned ten Wins in May, even if his BB/K Ratio wasn’t good. The only man who could’ve beaten Moses was Newark’s John Ratican, based on secondary statistics (8-4, 2.29 ERA, 33 K, 2.0 WAR).

Mass. Bay 2B Guy Penders managed to hit the ball the hardest (.343 AVG, .936 OPS), but when factoring in patience, baserunning, & fielding it was Overfield, in his first month with Gotham after four years playing for Bridgeport in the C.C., who put in the most impressive work, leading all Greenhorn Batsmen in both WPA & WAR.

A.P.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .425 by Garfield Koonce (1B, Kings Co.)
OPS: 1.088 by Harold Durand (LF, Quaker St.)
Home Runs: 2 by five different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 28 by Harold Corso (RF, Gotham) & Matthew Small (LF, Flour City)
Runs: 33 by Oliver Johnson (2B, Niagara)
Stolen Bases: 26 by Konrad Jensen (1B, St. John’s)
Batsman WPA: 2.3 by Charles Barrett (LF, Niagara)
Batsman WAR: 1.7 by Martin Prince (SS, Tiger S.C.)

Wins: 10 by Moses Smith (Niagara)
ERA (50+ IP): 2.29 by John Ratican (Newark)
Strikeouts: 38 by Howard Burns (St. John’s) & George Burroughs (Tiger S.C.)
Complete Games: 9 by four different Pitchers
WHIP (50+ IP): 1.16 by Willie Gray (Tiger S.C.)
Pitcher WAR: 2.4 by Everett Huggard (Gotham)
Pitcher rWAR: 2.8 by Claude Becker (Shamrock) & Willie Gray (Tiger S.C.)

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NATIONAL BASE BALL ORGANIZATION REGIONAL LEADERS

NEW YORK LEAGUE

BROOKLYN: Marathon at 14-6 (Atlantic/Continental 2 GB, Nassau Co./Star 4 GB)
NEW YORK CITY: New York A.C. at 13-7 (all other teams within 5 GB)
UPSTATE N.Y.: Frontier at 16-4 (Syracuse 2 GB, Eagle 3 GB, Utica 6 GB)

BROOKLYN: Surprising Marathon, 28-42 last season, ended May on a 9-1 run to grab the Brooklyn lead at the end of May. They’ve been powered by the N.Y.L.’s #3 attack. Atlantic & Continental are a pair of games back due to, respectively, offense & pitching. Nassau County’s had some good luck. Star’s benefitted from excellent fielding.

NEW YORK CITY: New York A.C. is on top early, but that doesn’t mean much because the other seven teams are all within five games. It’s early, but N.Y.C. is shaping up to be another fight to the finish.

UPSTATE N.Y.: Syracuse started hot, but Frontier ended the month 8-2 to take the lead with the N.B.B.O.’s best record. Their new Pitching Duo has been as good as anticipated, and their offense is #2 in the N.Y.L. Syracuse is still playing well and will be dangerous. Eagle has shown off a very good attack so far. Utica’s been okay. The surprise: Minuteman is 7th at 6-14.

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE

COASTAL: National at 13-7 (Brighton 1 GB, Maryland 2 GB, Diamond St. 3 GB, Lord Balt./P.B.C.C. Trenton Utd. 4 GB)
INLAND: Lancastra Brit. at 15-5 (Merrimack/Susquehanna 4 GB, Lake Erie/Pioneer 4.5 GB, Squirrel Hill 5 GB)
NEW ENGLAND: Quinnipiac at 13-7 (Granite/Green Mtn. 1 GB, S.o.t.O. 2 GB, Oceanic 3 GB, Cantabrig’s/Salem 5 GB)

COASTAL: The defending cup champs are on top with great pitching, great fielding, and star 2B Chester Dudek batting .386. However, there are six teams 1-4 games behind, and the surprise of the bunch is Brighton, led by 7x A.P.B.L. All-Star Albert Stoffers and an 8-1 month by Herbert Kriser. The attacks of Maryland & P.B.C.C. are struggling, but that won’t last long.

INLAND: For now, Lancastra is on top with the N.E.L.’s best record thanks to offense & fielding that are among the best in the N.E.L. However, with Susquehanna two games back that means the lead can change hands in a hurry. The surprise among those close behind: Lake Erie, whose last three seasons have finished 17-53, 18-52, & 16-54.

NEW ENGLAND: Pennant holders Quinnipiac are on top after May, but six teams are within five games and the other team is 7x regional champs Portland at six GB. The leaders have the top two offenses in the N.E.L. right behind them, so it’s shaping up to be an exciting pennant race in New England.

N.B.B.O. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMEN OF THE MONTH
NYL: Albert Alsip (1B, VIC): .422, 1.065 OPS, 17 R, 38 H, 9 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 25 RBI, 7 BB, 2.0 WPA, 1.1 WAR
NEL: James Burke (CF, PBCC): .489, 1.258 OPS, 23 R, 43 H, 9 2B, 6 3B, 18 RBI, 9 BB, 13 SB, 1.4 WPA, 1.8 WAR

PITCHERS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Charles Sturch (FRO): 9-1, 2.28 ERA, 86.1 IP, 8 CG, 27 K, 1.9 K/BB, 1.18 WHIP, 1.6 WAR, 2.3 rWAR
NEL: Ben Lauppe (NAT): 7-2, 2.31 ERA, 78.0 IP, 7 CG, 30 K, 2.1 K/BB, 0.96 WHIP, 1.9 WAR, 2.9 rWAR

GREENHORNS OF THE MONTH
NYL: James Brennan (NYAC): .322, .860 OPS, 21 R, 28 H, 6 2B, 4 3B, 24 RBI, 9 BB, 2 SB, 1.1 WPA, 1.3 WAR
NEL: Charles Pranger (GRA): .322, .878 OPS, 20 R, 28 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 7 BB, 1.2 WPA, 0.7 WAR

N.B.B.O. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .489 by James Burke (CF, Philadelphia B.C.C.)
OPS: 1.258 by James Burke
Home Runs: 2 by ten different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 31 by Scott Conway (CF, Reading A.C.)
Runs: 30 by Edward Shores (LF, Granite) & Charles Towson (SS, Green Mtn.)
Stolen Bases: 17 by Noah Jones (SS, Brighton) & Michael Wolff (LF, Merrimack)
Batsman WPA: 2.7 by Joseph Turner (CF, Lake Erie)
Batsman WAR: 1.7 by John Porretta (2B, Susquehanna)

Wins: 9 by Charles Sturch (Frontier)
ERA (50+ IP): 2.19 by Jacob Wesolowski (Syracuse)
Strikeouts: 39 by Haywood Birch (Eagle)
Complete Games: 9 by Herbert Kriser (Brighton)
WHIP (50+ IP): 0.96 by Ben Lauppe (National)
Pitcher WAR: 2.6 by Harry Miller (Hilltop) & Howard Shepherd (Cont’l)
Pitcher rWAR: 3.7 by Simeon DiStefano (Maryland)

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COASTAL BASEBALL CONFERENCE LEADER

Capitol City at 13-7 (Bridgeport/Essex Co./Sportsman’s 2 GB, Lynn 3 GB, Olympic 4 GB, C. & A. 5 GB)

Thanks to the conference’s best attack and its most talented pitcher, Capitol City ends May in the lead. They have five Batsmen hitting over .300, including 1B Irving Knight at.413, while five-star #1 John Baker is working well with #2 Francis Tinney. Everyone except Highlander is within five games, and for Bridgeport it could just be a matter of them taking over once their new lineup members are done settling in.

C.B.C. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Mark Russo (CF, SPO) – .429, 1.052 OPS, 22 R, 39 H, 8 2B, 3 3B, 11 RBI, 5 BB, 5 SB, 1.5 WPA, 1.6 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Francis Tinney (CC) – 7-1, 1.79 ERA, 80.2 IP, 5 CG, 20 K, 2.0 K/BB, 9.0 H/9, 1.13 WHIP, 1.4 WAR, 1.7 rWAR

C.B.C. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .429 by Mark Russo (CF, Sportsman’s)
OPS: 1.052 by Mark Russo
Home Runs: 2 by Harold McMichael (3B, Bridgeport) & Jonathan Richards (SS, Olympic)
Runs Batted In: 24 by Harold McMichael (3B, Bridgeport)
Runs: 24 by three different Batsmen
Stolen Bases: 13 by Robert Werstler (CF, Bridgeport)
Batsman WPA: 1.9 by Lacy LeGendre (2B, Camden & Amb.)
Batsman WAR: 1.6 by Mark Russo

Wins: 7 by William Rucker (Essex Co.) & Francis Tinney (Cap. City)
ERA (50+ IP): 1.79 by Francis Tinney
Strikeouts: 48 by Stephen Willis (Sportsman’s)
Complete Games: 7 by three different Pitchers
WHIP (50+ IP): 1.13 by Francis Tinney
Pitcher WAR: 2.5 by Stephen Willis
Pitcher rWAR: 1.7 by Francis Tinney

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PHILADELPHIA CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE LEADERS

EAST: Frankford & Queen Vill. at 13-7 (Pt. Richmond 0.5 GB, S.o.B./Yorktown 3 GB, Spartan 4.5 GB, Keystone 5 GB)

It’s not about who’s there, but who’s NOT there. Frankford Arsenal, no surprise, has the league’s best offense, Queen Village is also hitting well, and Port Richmond’s attack is right behind Frankford’s. The big thing here is that Minerva, who went 54-16 last year and took the Philadelphia title, is in last place after a 5-15 May in which their record-setting offense crashed.

WEST: Bartram Vill. at 12-8 (all other teams within 4 GB)

As usual, the West is a mess. Bartram is on top after having won their final four games to end the month. However, Germantown, Merion, and pennant holders Schuylkill are one game back, and favorites Overbrook are two behind. It could take quite a while to figure out who the contenders are.

P.C.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Caesar Sorensen (2B, QV) – .405, 1.093 OPS, 22 R, 34 H, 10 2B, 4 3B, 23 RBI, 9 BB, 6 SB, 1.7 WPA, 1.5 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Jonathan Parker (QV) – 7-3, 1.27 ERA, 92.0 IP, 10 CG, 1 SHO, 25 K, 0.9 K/BB, 1.37 WHIP, 1.2 WAR, 4.2 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Frank Miceli (LF, SCH) – .374, .964 OPS, 19 R, 34 H, 8 2B, 4 3B, 21 RBI, 7 BB, 2 SB, 1.2 WPA, 1.1 WAR

P.C.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .430 by Haywood Saban (2B, Pt. Richmond)
OPS: 1.093 by Caesar Sorensen (2B, Queen Vill.)
Home Runs: 2 by three different batsmen
Runs Batted In: 25 by James Niven (CF, Overbrook)
Runs: 29 by Haywood Saban
Stolen Bases: 16by Jonathan Auriemma (2B, Minerva)
Batsman WPA: 2.0 by William Greene (3B, Schuylkill)
Batsman WAR: 1.7 by Archie Bell (SS, Minerva) & Paul Ward (SS, Frankford)

Wins: 7 by Jonathan Parker (Queen Vill.)
ERA (50+ IP): 1.27 by Jonathan Parker
Strikeouts: 34 by Oliver Greene (Frankford) & Orville Oliver (Keystone)
Complete Games: 10 by Jonathan Parker
WHIP (50+ IP): 1.14 by Henry Brown (Merion)
Pitcher WAR: 2.0 by Thomas Bath (Penn) & Byron Chase (Sons of Ben)
Pitcher rWAR: 4.2 by Jonathan Parker

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MIDWEST BASEBALL RECAP: MAY

MIDWEST U.S.A. (May 31, 1882) – The first month in the history of Midwestern league baseball is in the books. As the moon comes up over the final night of May, here is how each of the three Midwestern competitions looks.

MIDWESTERN BASEBALL ASSOCIATION STANDINGS

The Saints & Robins being two of the three best teams at the end of May was expected, but the Bluebirds being the other team wasn’t. St. Louis’ big team is 14-9 thanks to their offense, and Jacob Milburn is batting .358 (.924 OPS). However, it’s the Bluebirds who have the M.W.B.A’s #1 attack thanks to the league’s best baserunning, but at 6th in Average it’ll be interesting to see how long that production holds up. Detroit’s hurling & fielding are carrying them, as expected.

The Sluggers have won a number of close games but have frequently looked bad in losses. Chicago’s North Side team has the B.o.t.M., while the South Side team has benefitted from a league-best Hurling Rotation. In spite of the #2 offense, Indianapolis isn’t off to their expected start because their hurling & fielding are among the worst of the ten teams. Cleveland is struggling due to their Hurling Rotation, as is Cincinnati. Milwaukee, no surprise, is in last because their Outfield has really struggled.

M.W.B.A. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Franklin Smith (CF, NCHI) - .392, 1.087 OPS, 17 R, 38 H, 5 2B, 7 3B, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 13 BB, 2.5 WPA, 1.3 WAR

HURLER OF THE MONTH
Arvid Summers (StLS) – 7-1, 2.58 ERA, 69.2 IP, 7 CG, 22 K, 1.0 K/BB, 1.28 WHIP, 1.1 WAR, 1.8 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Robert Drake (1B, CLE) – .427, .993 OPS, 19 R, 41 H, 8 2B, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 5 BB, 0 SB, 1.5 WPA, 1.4 WAR

An interesting opening month for the Batsmen. Cleveland 1B Robert Drake had the #1 Average (.427), teammate William Crim had the best On-Base (.490), Bluebirds RF Jack Tornow topped the Slugging charts (.634), and Gales RF Pat Mackey had the most RBI (23). However, it was Smith who topped the league in OPS, OPS+, & WPA, so he’s the league’s first B.o.t.M.

Unlike with the Batsmen, Summers was the only man seriously considered to take home the league’s first H.o.t.M. award because the Saints Hurler earned two more Wins than anyone else while putting up a fine set of statistical output. The unluckiest Hurler was Milwaukee’s Ammon Zedlacher, who had a league-leading 2.14 ERA & 1.8 WAR but went just 3-4.

And it’s NOT Jacob Milburn who takes the first G.o.t.M. honor. The Saints prodigy had an excellent month (.358, .924 OPS, 21 R, 15 RBI, 1.4 WAR) but Drake’s league-leading .427 Batting Average couldn’t be ignored, and thus the Cleveland man becomes the first young player honored by the M.W.B.A.

M.W.B.A. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .427 by Robert Drake (1B, Cleveland)
OPS: 1.087 by Franklin Smith (CF, N. Chicago)
Home Runs: 3 by William Saylor (C, N. Chicago) & Oscar Wright (LF, Detroit)
Runs Batted In: 23 by Patrick Mackey (RF, N. Chicago)
Runs: 27 by Frank Connelly (LF, N. Chicago)
Stolen Bases: 12 by Oscar Kress (CF, StL Saints)
Batsman WPA: 2.5 by Franklin Smith
Batsman WAR: 1.8 by James Barlow (SS, Detroit)

Wins: 7 by Arvid Summers
ERA (50+ IP): 2.14 by Ammon Zedlacher (Milwaukee)
Strikeouts: 33 by Joseph Myers (Cincinnati)
Complete Games: 7 by seven different Hurlers
WHIP (50+ IP): 1.24 by Francis Brewer (StL Bluebirds)
Pitcher WAR: 1.8 by Ammon Zedlacher
Pitcher rWAR: 2.7 by Robert Hancock (S. Chicago)

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GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE LEADER

Evansville at 15-2 (Ft. Wayne/Toledo 2 GB, Grand Rapids 6 GB, Cook Co./Dayton 8 GB)

One month in and it’s looking like Evansville is going to be the dominant team in the G.L.C. They won their last dozen games in May, and their Run Differential of +52 is easily the best of any team. What’s scary is that they were projected as part of a three-way tie for 3rd based on the idea that they had a league-best group of young Batsmen who would need time to develop.

Ft. Wayne is playing very well, with their Hurling Rotation’s ERA of 1.94 leading the conference and all three members of the trio looking excellent. Toledo is 13-4 thanks to a quality offense led by 1B Charles “Captain” Morgan and fine fielding.

After the top three, it looks like there will be seven teams spending a lot of time playing for pride. The best-looking team among the seven has been Grand Rapids, whose impressive hurling & fielding have them above .500. The other impressive team of note has been Dayton, who has the conference’s #1 attack and has been a bit unlucky late in games. The disappointment: Columbus, as the conference’s other “big” club has seen its team start the inaugural season 4-13.

G.L.C. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Clifford Gaul (2B, EVA) – .450, 1.064 OPS, 13 R, 36 H, 9 2B, 1 3B, 11 RBI, 1 BB, 0 SB, 0.4 WPA, 1.5 WAR

HURLER OF THE MONTH
Oliver Clark (EVA) – 5-1, 1.32 ERA, 54.2 IP, 6 CG, 1 SHO, 6 K, 0.7 K/BB, 0.99 WHIP, 1.0 WAR, 2.6 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Bailey Fleming (FtW) – 4-1, 2.17 ERA, 54.0 IP, 4 CG, 1 SHO, 15 K, 1.1 K/BB, 1.17 WHIP, 1.0 WAR, 1.9 rWAR

G.L.C. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .450 by Clifford Gaul (2B, Evansville)
OPS: 1.064 by Clifford Gaul
Home Runs: 2 by three different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 18 by Robert Baird (3B, Dayton)
Runs: 24 by three different Batsmen
Stolen Bases: 19 by Rudolph Andrews (LF, Ft. Wayne)
Batsman WPA: 1.6 by James Kilner (RF, Dayton)
Batsman WAR: 1.5 by Clifford Gaul

Wins: 5 by five different Hurlers
ERA (50+ IP): 0.96 by Jonathan Rush (Grand Rapids)
Strikeouts: 29 by Ben Long (Youngstown)
Complete Games: 6 by four different Hurlers
WHIP (50+ IP): 0.93 by Andrew Lahey (Evansville)
Pitcher WAR: 1.4 by three different Hurlers
Pitcher rWAR: 3.6 by Jonathan Rush

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PRAIRIE LEAGUE LEADER

St. Paul at 12-5 (Des Moines/Kansas City/Omaha 2 GB, Sioux City/St. Joseph 3 GB, Minneapolis 3.5 GB)

Surprisingly, it’s the Prairie League, where the four “big” clubs are supposed to dominate, that sees its standings closer together than the Great Lakes Conference after one month.

St. Paul is in 1st due to utterly dominant hurling, with their rotation sporting a collecting ERA of 1.84 during May. They’ve also been without star 3B Clay Wilkinson for the last week, so his return will place them back on a more dominant footing.

Kansas City has the league’s #2 Run Differential, and they’ve played well in every facet of the game. Des Moines is 10-7 thanks to some big bats in the middle of their lineup. Omaha started slow but won their last four games thanks to excellent baserunning & fielding. Sioux City is a bit lucky to be 9-8 as their RD is -8. St. Joseph’s Hurlers have been doing good work. Minneapolis has been the disappointment among the big clubs so far, but with their talent in attack that could change very quickly.

The one team that has faced major struggles is Dubuque, who were picked to finish last but their 3-13 May is a much worse win rate than their 47-61 projection by the Midwestern Writers Pool.

P.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Jonathan Haug (CF, MPLS) – .406, 1.069 OPS, 10 R, 28 H, 7 XBH, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 7 BB, 5 SB, 1.1 WPA, 1.2 WAR

HURLER OF THE MONTH
Richard Levesque (StP) – 5-1, 1.13 ERA, 55.2 IP, 6 CG, 20 K, 1.7 K/BB, 1.13 WHIP, 1.5 WAR, 2.7 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Laurent Bourgeois (StP) – .338, 1.005 OPS, 13 R, 22 H, 5 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 7 BB, 0.7 WPA, 0.8 WAR

P.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .450 by Clifford Gaul (2B, Evansville)
OPS: 1.064 by Clifford Gaul
Home Runs: 2 by three different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 18 by Robert Baird (3B, Dayton)
Runs: 24 by three different Batsmen
Stolen Bases: 19 by Rudolph Andrews (LF, Ft. Wayne)
Batsman WPA: 1.6 by James Kilner (RF, Dayton)
Batsman WAR: 1.5 by Clifford Gaul

Wins: 5 by five different Hurlers
ERA (50+ IP): 0.96 by Jonathan Rush (Grand Rapids)
Strikeouts: 29 by Ben Long (Youngstown)
Complete Games: 6 by four different Hurlers
WHIP (50+ IP): 0.93 by Andrew Lahey (Evansville)
Pitcher WAR: 1.4 by three different Hurlers
Pitcher rWAR: 3.6 by Jonathan Rush

[tm1681]

BOYCE, BUSBY, HUDSPETH, & STRACHAN RETIRE
PRO STARS HANG UP CLEATS AFTER FAILURE TO FIND NEW TEAMS; OTHER NOTABLES ALSO QUIT

NORTHEASTERN U.S.A. (June 1, 1882) - Now that a month of the 1882 baseball season has passed, teams have finished making late signings and their rosters are set for the rest of the season. That means anyone who hasn’t found a club will have to wait for next year, and for older players it will lead them to call time on their careers.

With the above noted, a number of well-known A.P.B.L. stars have decided to retire after failing to find places to play in 1882: Peter Boyce, William Busby, Clive Strachan, & Clyde Hudspeth.

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Peter Boyce was one of the mainstays of the American B.C. dynasty that ruled the A.P.B.L. during the middle of the 1870s. He joined American ahead of the 1865 season, and after taking a year to acclimate himself to league ball in the N.B.B.O. he became one of the sport’s best Second Basemen as a 23-year-old, earning a place in the N.E.L. Team of the Year in 1866. He was an All-Star in 1866, ’67, ’68, & ’70 before American’s move to the A.P.B.L., and he remained an outstanding Middle Infielder for some time after that.

Boyce made four of the first six A.P.B.L. All-Star Games (1871, ’73, ’75, ’76), giving him a total of eight top-flight All-Star nods for his career. He was the starting 2B for all four American teams that won the Founders Cup over a five-year span from 1873 to ’76, rating as an above-average Batsman all five years and earning a spot in the 1873 Team of the Year. Boyce didn’t slow down until his Age 36 season in 1879, although he still ranked as a league-average Batsman with a .300 Average and an OPS of .704.

Boyce left American after the 1879 season and moved back to the N.B.B.O. to play for Maryland in 1880 & ’81. He was an above-average 2B both seasons, registering a WAR above 2.0 over the 70-game schedule twice and easily hitting over .300 both years. After failing to agree to a return for 1882 Boyce decided to retire, and in retirement he leaves an extensive legacy.

• NBBO (65-70): 420 G, .322, .766 OPS, 461 R, 634 H, 148 XBH, 9 HR, 302 RBI, 120 SB, 16.4 WPA, 14.8 WAR
• APBL (71-79): 783 G, .318, .734 OPS, 745 R, 1,130 H, 210 XBH, 12 HR, 669 RBI, 285 SB, 31.6 WPA, 22.9 WAR
• NBBO (80-81): 140 G, .318, .753 OPS, 122 H, 200 H, 48 XBH, 0 HR, 118 RBI, 23 BB, 32 SB, 4.8 WPA, 4.7 WAR

• 4x A.P.B.L. Champion (1872-73, 75-76)
• 8x Tier 1 All-Star (NBBO NEL: 1866, 67, 68, 70; APBL: 1871, 73, 75, 76)
• 2x Tier 1 Team of the Year (NBBO NEL: 1866, APBL: 1873)

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William Busby is the second member of the American dynasty to retire. He joined American ahead of the 1864 season, and after a year in the reserves during which he made one spot start Busby became American’s First Baseman in 1865, the same year Boyce became a regular for American.

Busby didn’t have the immediate success Boyce did, eventually losing his place in the lineup 26 games into the 1866 season. However, Busby was given another chance in 1867 and responded with an All-Star campaign during which he led the N.B.B.O. in both Home Runs (6) & RBI (85). The next year Busby made history, becoming the first player ever with 10+ Home Runs in a single season, finishing 1868 with 13 Home Runs & 77 RBI while batting .366 (1.019 OPS), granting him a status as one of the most exciting players in the sport. Busby would repeat the trick again in 1869, smashing 10 Home Runs and driving in 82 Runs while batting .382 (1.010 OPS), turning him into a genuine star. After earning his fourth straight Home Run crown in 1870, he joined the A.P.B.L. with American.

Busby would be the Home Run Champion in both of the A.P.B.L.’s first two seasons, hitting eight in 1871 and five in 1872 as American won the first of their four titles. Although his power left him for a number of years after that, Busby was a central figure in their next three titles, finishing with an Average as high as .361 an as many as 97 RBI in a season during their five-year dynasty.

Busby won his seventh and final Home Run title in 1880, hitting seven round-trippers for American, and after what turned out to be his eighteenth and final season in an American shirt Busby put away his bat after failing to find a club for 1882.

• NBBO: (64-70): 378 G, .357, .917 OPS, 372 R, 551 H, 140 XBH, 36 HR, 388 RBI, 159 BB, 20.1 WPA, 15.7 WAR
• APBL: (71-81): 983 G, .315, .763 OPS, 807 R, 1,281 H, 238 XBH, 28 HR, 808 RBI, 345 BB, 31.9 WPA, 25.7 WAR

• 4x A.P.B.L. Champion (1872-73, 75-76)
• 6x Tier 1 All-Star (NBBO NEL: 1867-69, APBL: 1871-72, 74)
• 5x Tier 1 Team of the Year (NBBO NEL: 1867-69, APBL: 1872, 74)
• 7x Tier 1 Home Run Champion (NBBO NEL: 1867-70, APBL: 1871-72, 80)
• Only player in baseball history with 10+ Home Runs in a season (2x: 1868-69)

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The second well-known Second Baseman to call it quits is Clyde Hudspeth.

Hudspeth started his career with Massachusetts Bay as a 23-year-old in 1868 and immediately became their regular 2B due to his fielding ability. However, after just two seasons in Boston he was allowed to leave, and Hudspeth took advantage of an opening in the Knickerbocker lineup to become their 2B in 1870. After a fine season in Manhattan, he moved with Knick to the A.P.B.L.

Hudspeth was a Knick man for the first two seasons of the A.P.B.L.’s existence, but after being forced to play SS during 1872 he joined Excelsior that winter, after their front office offered him a thirty percent pay raise. During three seasons in Brooklyn the sure-handed Hudspeth would win three consecutive Golden Hands awards for his work at 2B, but again he went on the move after Niagara offered to nearly double his pay during the winter of 1875/76.

After nearly a decade of being an underappreciated but reliable Middle Infielder, Hudspeth made his first All-Star Game during his first season wearing a Niagara shirt. He would also win his fourth consecutive Golden Hands award and then a fifth in 1877, before the legendary Anthony Mascherino took one in 1878 after his move to the position. While Hudspeth’s fielding wasn’t as outstanding as it had been by the end of the decade, he made his 2nd & 3rd All-Star Games in 1879 & 81 due to decent hitting combined with fielding that earned him a Zone Rating comfortably in the Double Digits. Hudspeth then retired after failing to find an A.P.B.L. front office that would pay him what he wanted.

• NBBO: (68-70): 210 G, .311, .741 OPS, 156 R, 279 H, 79 XBH, 148 RBI, 16 SB, +41.1 ZR, 3.1 WPA, 8.1 WAR
• APBL: (71-81): 990 G, .266, .622 OPS, 624 R, 1,062 H, 220 XBH, 590 RBI, 127 SB, +176.3 ZR, 17.0 WPA, 23.6 WAR

• 3x A.P.B.L. All-Star (1876, 79, 81)
• 5x A.P.B.L. Golden Hands at 2B (1873-77)

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The final A.P.B.L. All-Star to retire is Clive Strachan, who was excellent across the Outfield for fourteen years.

Strachan got his start in league baseball as a 24-year-old with Gotham in 1868, having immediately become their RF after signing the previous October. He was an All-Star in his Greenhorn campaign, during which he hit .338 (.833 OPS) and stole forty bases. After slightly reduced production in 1869, Strachan produced another All-Star campaign in 1870 (.359, .842 OPS, 50 SB, 3.5 WAR) before making the jump to the A.P.B.L. with Gotham.

Strachan became one of the best Outfielders in baseball when the A.P.B.L. got up and running, enjoying his finest year in its inaugural season: a .355 Average (.847 OPS), 104 Runs, 37 Extra Base Hits, 65 Stolen Bases, & 4.6 WAR. He would go on to make each of the first four A.P.B.L. All-Star Games, and after two good seasons with Gotham in 1875 & ’76 he stunned their front office by joining bitter rivals Knickerbocker.

Strachan would experience a return to form during his first season in a Knick shirt, batting .338 (.810 OPS) while pilfering 62 bases, making the All-Star Game and helping guide the team to their first Metropolitan Conference title. Strachan didn’t make the All-Star Game the next year, but he would be part of a Knick squad that won their first A.P.B.L. title when they beat St. John’s 4-2 in Founders Cup VIII, a series in which Strachan had ten Hits. Strachan would then be part of a Knick team that took their third straight Metropolitan pennant in 1879, and he made his final All-Star Game in 1880 thanks to another fine season (.327, .818 OPS, 48 SB, 4.1 WAR). However, Strachan suffered career lows across the board in 1881, and with that weighing on his mind he decided to transition into coaching, instead of move to the N.B.B.O., at the age of 38.

• NBBO: (68-70): 203 G, .336, .820 OPS, 239 R, 312 H, 92 XBH, 148 RBI, 19 BB, 132 SB, 11.1 WPA, 9.0 WAR
• APBL: (71-81): 984 G, .318, .755 OPS, 1,016 R, 1,433 H, 313 XBH, 535 RBI, 107 BB, 617 SB, 42.2 WPA, 33.6 WAR

• 1x A.P.B.L. Champion (1878)
• 8x Tier 1 All-Star (NBBO NYL: 1868, 70; APBL: 1871-74, 77, 80)
• 1x A.P.B.L. Team of the Year (1874)
• 1x A.P.B.L. Golden Hands at RF (1871)

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Other notable veterans have also decided to retire after failing to find a new place to play by the end of May. Among them:

• Howard LeBouf (C, Syracuse 1868-69, American 70-72, Gotham 73-80, Marathon 1881): A 5x All-Star (1x NBBO, 4x APBL) who was a dependable hand behind Home Plate and was the regular Catcher for American’s first title-winning team. Spent ten years in the A.P.B.L.

• Raynard Steinbach (C, Binghamton 1870-72, American 73-77, Tiger S.C. 78-81): Signed by American to replace LeBouf and was the backstop for their last three title winners. Won two Golden Hands awards in the A.P.B.L.

• Gil Cappelletti (1B/3B, Excelsior 1867-79, Pt. Jersey 80-81): Signed by Excelsior in 1864 and became their 3B in 1867. 3x N.B.B.O. All-Star before moving with the club to the A.P.B.L. and made one further A.S.G. after moving to 3B in 1873. Moved to Pt. Jersey for the final two years of his career after having spent thirteen in an Excelsior shirt.

• Wilbur Graff (1B, Lake Erie 1863-69, Union 70-71, Mutual 72-73, Niagara 74-76, Philadelphia B.C.C. 77-79, Mercury 80-81): Started his career with Lake Erie, where he was teammates with Franklin Petty. A remarkably patient Batsman who was a 5x N.B.B.O. All-Star over 11 years before trying his luck in the A.P.B.L. Signed with P.B.C.C. after three decent seasons with Niagara, and then made the N.B.B.O. All-Star Game in each of the last four years of his career, including 1881 at age 42. A 4x Team of the Year honoree in the N.B.B.O.

• Joe Mitchell (1B, Lake Erie 1874-81): Didn’t break into league ball until he was 30. In an otherwise average career earned 1877 N.E.L. Batsman of the Year when he led the league in Average (.375), On-Base (.430), and Hits (122) while making his only All-Star Game.

• Jackson Wright (1B, Gotham 1870-73, Atlantic 1874-81): Started his career with Gotham, but after three years of sub duty in the A.P.B.L. joined Atlantic. Took N.Y.L. Batsman of the Year in 1876 by leading the league in all three parts of the slash line (.413/.442/.530), OPS (.972), & Doubles (22). Part of Atlantic’s first title-winning team in 1880. A three-time N.Y.L. All-Star & Team of the Year honoree.

• Henry Nabors (SS/3B, Victory 1866-81): Immediately became one of the best Shortstops in the N.B.B.O. upon joining Victory as a 25-year-old, making the first of his dozen All-Star Games as a Greenhorn. Earned N.Y.L. Batsman of the Year in 1873 after leading the league in all parts of the slash (.397/.408/.490), OPS (.898), Hits (141), & Total Bases (174). Finished his career with 1,815 Hits, 1,153 Runs, & 1,016 RBI. Career Average was .352, and career OPS was .827 (140 OPS+). In addition to twelve All-Star Games, was named to the N.Y.L. Team of the Year seven times. Victory B.B.C.’s greatest player.

• William Buschmann (CF, Utica 1867-77, Tiger S.C. 1878-80, Squirrel Hill 1881): Stalwart Utica CF for eleven years, making three N.B.B.O. All-Star Games and earning pair of Golden Hands awards while being a key part of their cup-winning team in 1873. More than 2.5 WAR per season for Utica. Signed by Tiger to be their CF when they moved to the A.P.B.L..

• Ben Roberts (3B/RF, Merion B.C.C. 1873-77, Queen Village 1787-81): Star 3B on the Merion team that won the 2nd Liberty Bell Classic. Also a key player on the 1878 Queen Vill. team that lost the L.B.C. after a 50-20 season. Was one of the best players in the P.C.L. for a number of years.