British and Irish Baseball

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Two: Saturday 18 August 1866

On a day of close games in the Metropolitan League, the City of London Club moved closer to the championship with yet another win. Their game at Angel Islington was scoreless all the way until the eleventh inning when the City Club scored three, and they are so difficult to score against that Angel had no chance of coming back.

Clapham Common are still four wins short of the league leaders after a narrow win at Marylebone. The Common trailed 2-1 before tying the game in the sixth inning and scoring again in the eighth to win it.

Kensington led a single run lead get away on two separate occasions as they took on the Old Westminsters, but in the eighth inning they moved ahead for a third time and finally held on for victory.

Scores:
City of London Club 3-0 Angel Islington (11 innings)
Old Westminsters 2-3 Kensington Victoria
Clapham Common 3-2 Marylebone Regents

Standings:
City of London Club 16-6
Clapham Common 12-10
Kensington Victoria 11-11
Marylebone Regents 10-12
Old Westminsters 9-13
Angel Islington 8-14

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Three: Saturday 25 August 1866

Many baseball followers are already awarding this year's championship to the City of London Club, but nobody has told Clapham Common that it is all over. The Common closed the gap at the top of the standings to three games by outlasting the City Club in a long fourteen inning battle, finally prevailing 3-2.

Elsewhere today, there were wins for both of the bottom two teams in the standings. The Old Westminsters have struggled of late, but they did not struggle in the third inning against Marylebone as they put up five runs. The Regents fought back, but eventually went down 5-3.

Last-placed Angel Islington edged ahead of Kensington in the sixth only for Victoria to tie it in the seventh. Angel would not be denied though, scoring the winning run in the eighth inning.

Scores:
City of London Club 2-3 Clapham Common(14 innings)
Angel Islington 2-1 Kensington Victoria
Marylebone Regents 3-5 Old Westminsters

Standings:
City of London Club 16-7
Clapham Common 13-10
Kensington Victoria 11-12
Marylebone Regents 10-13
Old Westminsters 10-13
Angel Islington 9-14

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Four: Saturday 1 September 1866

When we look back at the second season of the Metropolitan League, week twenty-four may be remember as the day that the destination of the championship was decided. Mathematically the race goes on, but the City of London Club are now very close to being crowned as champions.

The City Club had seen a 2-1 lead over the Old Westminsters slip away in the eighth inning, but they recovered in the ninth to seal the victory. At the same time, second-placed Clapham Common held a 1-0 lead over Angel Islington after seven innings only for Angel to tie it in the eighth and win the game with two runs in the ninth.

The Marylebone Regents will not be retaining their title this year, but today was one of their better days as they scored three first inning runs on the way to a 4-0 win over Kensington.

Scores:
Old Westminsters 2-3 City of London Club
Angel Islington 3-1 Clapham Common
Kensington Victoria 0-4 Marylebone Regents

Standings:
City of London Club 17-7
Clapham Common 13-11
Kensington Victoria 11-13
Marylebone Regents 11-13
Angel Islington 10-14
Old Westminsters 10-14

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Five: Saturday 8 September 1866

It is almost all over. City of London are just one win away from securing the Metropolitan League after their victory today over Kensington. The City Club jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and although Victoria fought back in the later innings, they could not draw level.

Meanwhile second-placed Clapham lost again, a three-run fifth inning sealing a 4-1 win for the Old Westminsters. Angel Islington are now left alone at the bottom of the standings, after they were shut out 3-0 by outgoing champions Marylebone.

The facts are simple now, if the City Club win next week, they can begin to celebrate.

Scores:
Marylebone Regents 3-0 Angel Islington
City of London Club 5-3 Kensington Victoria
Clapham Common 1-4 Old Westminsters

Standings:
City of London Club 18-7
Clapham Common 13-12
Marylebone Regents 12-13
Kensington Victoria 11-14
Old Westminsters 11-14
Angel Islington 10-15

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Six: Saturday 15 September 1866

In the twenty-sixth week of last season, the Marylebone Regents clinched the league championship. Exactly a year on, they had to watch as the City of London Club celebrated taking over as champions. It wasn't how the City Club wanted to win the title though, as they went down to a narrow defeat against the Regents. Marylebone took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and although City Club stayed close, they could never get back on level terms.

The celebrations had to wait until news came from down the road in Kensington that the home side had beaten Clapham Common. Clapham led 4-3 in the seventh inning but then gave up three runs, and although they got one back in the ninth it was not enough.

In the day's third game, the Old Westminsters won the battle of the bottom two as a single run in the sixth inning was enough to defeat Angel. Westminsters pitcher Caleb Dean secured a complete game shut-out, allowing Angel just five hits. Dean now has six complete game shut-outs this season, three of them against Angel who will be pleased that they do not have to face him again until next year.

Scores:
Old Westminsters 1-0 Angel Islington
Clapham Common 5-6 Kensington Victoria
City of London Club 4-5 Marylebone Regents

Standings:
City of London Club (C) 18-8
Clapham Common 13-13
Marylebone Regents 13-13
Kensington Victoria 12-14
Old Westminsters 12-14
Angel Islington 10-16

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Seven: Saturday 22 September 1866

The championship may be won, but the City of London Club are not letting up. They celebrated clinching the title last week with another win today, dealing with an early rain delay and beating Angel Islington 1-0 thanks to a run in the second inning.

Although the Marylebone Regents did not come close to retaining their title this year, they have now moved into second place on their own after a three run third inning set up a 4-2 victory over Clapham Common. This was the Regents' fourth win in succession and Common's fourth loss.

Finally today, the Old Westminsters scored two in the first and two more in the eighth in shutting out Kensington for a comfortable win.

Scores:
Angel Islington 0-1 City of London Club
Marylebone Regents 4-2 Clapham Common
Kensington Victoria 0-4 Old Westminsters

Standings:
City of London Club (C) 19-8
Marylebone Regents 14-13
Clapham Common 13-14
Old Westminsters 13-14
Kensington Victoria 12-15
Angel Islington 10-17

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Eight: Saturday 29 September 1866

It might not matter any more for the championship, but the City of London Club will not be happy with today's defeat at the hands of Clapham Common. The City Club had tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the eighth inning, but could not take the lead and eventually fell to a Clapham run in the eleventh.

Last year's champions Marylebone are finishing with a flourish this year, they have now won five in a row after holding off a fightback from the Old Westminsters. Marylebone led it 5-0 after four innings but gave up two runs in each of the sixth and seventh, hanging on for a narrow win.

If Angel Islington had lost their game with Kensington, they would have been certain to finish bottom of the pile this year. Angel are not accepting that fate without a fight though, a three-run fourth inning setting up a 3-2 victory and they are now just one win worse off than Kensington.

Scores:
Kensington Victoria 2-3 Angel Islington
Clapham Common 3-2 City of London Club (11 innings)
Old Westminsters 4-5 Marylebone Regents

Standings:
City of London Club (C) 19-9
Marylebone Regents 15-13
Clapham Common 14-14
Old Westminsters 13-15
Kensington Victoria 12-16
Angel Islington 11-17

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Nine: Saturday 6 October 1866

With the championship already won, the City of London Club are still winning games. Two runs in the first inning would have been enough to beat the Old Westminsters today, but the City Club added three more in the sixth on the way to a 5-1 win.

Marylebone's good run of late is over, as they lost out in a tight battle with Kensington Victoria. Victoria found the winning run in the ninth inning to take the game 2-1.

Two runs in the sixth inning were the difference between Angel Islington and Clapham Common, Angel taking the game 4-2 to win their second in a row.

Scores:
Clapham Common 2-4 Angel Islington
Marylebone Regents 1-2 Kensington Victoria
City of London Club 5-1 Old Westminsters

Standings:
City of London Club (C) 20-9
Marylebone Regents 15-14
Clapham Common 14-15
Kensington Victoria 13-16
Old Westminsters 13-16
Angel Islington 12-17

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Thirty: Saturday 13 October 1866

Today was the day that the City of London Club were presented with the Prince of Wales Cup as the new champions of the Metropolitan League. Unfortunately for the City Club they chose this occasion to have one of their worst performances of the season, losing 6-0 to Kensington as Victoria pitcher Lyn Duncalf enjoyed a seven hit complete game shut out.

Angel Islington finish this season at the bottom of the standings after they lost 2-1 to Marylebone in a long game which finished in near darkness. Angel led 1-0 in the ninth but gave up the tying run and the teams played on until the sixteenth inning when the Regents took the win.

Finally for this season, Clapham Common ended with a win as they overcame the Old Westminsters 2-1. After a wonderful start to the season, Westminsters finish with three losses in a row and are only just ahead of Angel in the standings.

Scores:
Kensington Victoria 6-0 City of London Club
Old Westminsters 1-2 Clapham Common
Angel Islington 1-2 Marylebone Regents (16 innings)

Standings:
City of London Club (C) 20-10
Marylebone Regents 16-14
Clapham Common 15-15
Kensington Victoria 14-16
Old Westminsters 13-17
Angel Islington 12-18

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1866 Season Review

Two seasons of the Metropolitan League have now been completed, and this year the team backed by many to finish as champions have fulfilled those expectations. The City of London Club were in a close race at the top of the standings as the season approached half-way, but they took control of the league by winning ten out of eleven games and could not be caught.

The City Club scored more runs than any other team and allowed fewer, and on those statistics could have won the title even more easily. Their success came on the basis of their record on other teams' home grounds, where they won twelve of their fifteen games.

It was Kensington Victoria and the Old Westminsters who were challenging the City Club early on, only for those two clubs to struggle through the second half of the season and finish in the lower half of the standings.

Last year's champions, the Marylebone Regents, did not at any time look like winning it again this year. However, they did enjoy a good finish to the season as they rose through the standings to finish second - just ahead of Clapham Common. A bad run approaching middle of the season condemned Angel Islington to last place, they lost seven in a row and couldn't escape the bottom of the standings.

League Leaders (Batting):
Batting Average: Archibald Farleigh (City of London) .377
Base Hits: Archibald Farleigh (City of London) 43
Doubles: Danny Brandon (Kensington) 11 (new record)
Triples: Oliver Gander (City of London) 3 (tied record)
Home Runs: Elliot Laurie (Kensington) 3 (tied record)
Runs Batted In: Wayne Barke (City of London) 20 (new record)
Runs Scored: Archibald Farleigh (City of London) 17 (new record)
Stolen Bases: Archibald Farleigh (City of London) 16

League Leaders (Pitching):
Earned Run Average: Lawrence Ringer (City of London) 0.80
Wins: Gilbert Attwell (City of London) 16
Losses: Caleb Dean (Old Westminsters) 16
Innings Pitched: Joseph Nicholls (Angel) 270 1/3 (new record)
Shutouts: Caleb Dean (Old Westminsters) 7 (new record)
Strikeouts: Joseph Nicholls (Angel) 193 (new record)

League Champions: City of London Club

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1866 Award Winners

The Metropolitan League's award winning players and manager for the 1866 season have now been announced:

Best Player: Oliver Gander (City of London)
Best Pitcher: Gilbert Attwell (City of London, 2nd time)
Best Newcomer: Thomas Hodson (Old Westminsters)
Manager of the Year: Paul Brunt (City of London)

Best Hitter by Position:
Pitcher: Michael Savage (Marylebone, .246)
Catcher: Alfred Berry (Marylebone, .280)
First Base: Max Armstrong (Clapham, .316)
Second Base: Alastair Sanders (Angel, .328)
Third Base: Oliver Gander (City of London, .352, 2nd time)
Shortstop: Danny Brandon (Kensington, .337)
Left Field: Nathan Mungavan (City of London, .313, 2nd time)
Centre Field: Wilson Todd (Clapham, .292)
Right Field: Archibald Farleigh (City of London, .377, 2nd time)

Best Defender by Position:
Pitcher: Joseph Nicholls (Angel, 2nd time)
Catcher: Francis Godhold (Angel)
First Base: Fraser Barber (Old Westminsters)
Second Base: Archibald Smith (Clapham)
Third Base: Huw Herivel (Marylebone, 2nd time)
Shortstop: Danny Brandon (Kensington)
Left Field: Brad Hobden (Marylebone)
Centre Field: Joe Coles (Kensington)
Right Field: Archibald Farleigh (City of London, 2nd time)

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1866-67 Offseason Announcements

With two successful seasons of Metropolitan League baseball now having been played, a number of other clubs are pressuring the league to be allowed to join. The Metropolitan League has decided that although the 1867 season will be played in the same format with six clubs, two more teams will be admitted to membership in time for the 1868 season.

A decision will be made during the summer, with interested clubs invited to submit applications at any time. Favoured to gain a place in the league are the Meridian Baseball Club, based in Greenwich Park and considered to be the leading team among those not in the Metropolitan League.

The second place in the league is wide open though, with a number of works and military teams rumoured to apply. Also in contention could be a new club recently formed out to the north-east of the city at Hackney, by former committee members of the City of London Club. Despite the club's on-field success, some members had fallen out with the rest of the committee and broken away to form a team of their own.

The league has also announced that following the long sixteen inning game between Angel and Marylebone in the final week of the 1866 season, which ended in near darkness, that games in the first two weeks of the season and the last four weeks will begin at 2.00pm instead of the usual 3.00pm. It is hoped that by games starting earlier in late March and from late September onwards, the chances of fading light affecting the outcome of a long game will be reduced. A proposal to change the start time of all games to 2.00pm was rejected by a vote of the clubs.

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1867 Season Preview

The third season of Metropolitan League baseball is almost upon us, and the experts are predicting that last season's champions, City of London, are going to stay on top of the pile. The City Club are widely backed to claim their second title in a row, with many predicting that Kensington Victoria will emerge from the pack to be their closest challengers this time around.

Last year the City Club based their success in winning most of their games on the other teams' home fields. If anyone wants to take the crown away this season they are going to have to make more of home advantage and make sure that the get the wins when the champions visit. City Club must also overcome the loss of their manager Paul Brunt, who has chosen to step down.

Angel Islington finished last in 1866, but they are expected to improve a little this year at the expense of Clapham Common. Few anticipate the Common enjoying much success in 1867 and they are the most popular choice to finish at the bottom of the pile.

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week One: Saturday 23 March 1867

The City of London Club are well fancied to take league championship honours again this year and on the opening day of the season, they showed why.

They actually fell behind in the second inning at Kensington, but turned it around in the fourth and then kept scoring, including six runs in the seventh. Although Kensington rallied for five in the eighth, it was much too late and the City Club became only the second team to reach double figures in a Metropolitan League game.

Elsewhere, Angel Islington made a good start to the season as their pitcher Joseph Nicholls shut out Clapham Common, allowing only six hits in the whole game. Angel scored two in the first inning and went on to win 4-0.

Today's games started at the earlier time of 2.00 pm as the league tried to reduce the chance of a game concluding in near darkness, but the plan didn't work as Marylebone and the Old Westminsters played the longest game we have seen so far in the short history of the league.

Westminsters had led from the first inning only for the Regents to tie it in the eighth and the teams then played more than another whole game's worth of baseball. The spectators could only just see through the evening gloom as the Westminsters finally won it in the nineteenth inning.

Scores:
Clapham Common 0-4 Angel Islington
City of London Club 10-6 Kensington Victoria
Old Westminsters 2-1 Marylebone Regents (19 innings)

Standings:
Angel Islington 1-0
City of London Club 1-0
Old Westminsters 1-0
Clapham Common 0-1
Kensington Victoria 0-1
Marylebone Regents 0-1

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Two: Saturday 30 March 1867

The most remarkable story in the first two weeks of the new season must be the form of Angel pitcher Joseph Nicholls. For the second week in a row, he secured a complete game shut-out win, this time against the Old Westminsters who could manage only four hits. For their part, Angel took the lead in the first inning and kept scoring regularly throughout, capped by a four run eighth inning as they won it 9-0.

Champions City of London also have two wins out of two, as they recovered from giving up a first inning run to turn it around with two in the third and go on win 3-2.

In another tight game, Kensington and Clapham both enjoyed single run leads at different times but went to the ninth tied at 3-3. There it was Victoria who found the winning run, taking it 4-3 for their first win of the year.

Scores:
Marylebone Regents 2-3 City of London Club
Kensington Victoria 4-2 Clapham Common
Angel Islington 9-0 Old Westminsters

Standings:
Angel Islington 2-0
City of London Club 2-0
Kensington Victoria 1-1
Old Westminsters 1-1
Clapham Common 0-2
Marylebone Regents 0-2

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Three: Saturday 6 April 1867

Angel Islington still have a perfect record this season after earning their third win in a row, although they did finally allow their opponents some runs. Angel are scoring runs regularly throughout games so far this year though and put up six more today as they overcame Kensington 6-2.

City of London also have three wins out of three, although they looked to be heading for defeat as they trailed the Old Westminsters 2-1 after seven innings. Four men crossed home plate in the eighth however to turn it around for the reigning champions.

On one of the higher scoring days we have seen in the Metropolitan League, there were also plenty of runs at Marylebone as the visiting Clapham Common team scored two in the eighth and four more in the ninth to turn a close game into a big 8-2 win.

Scores:
Old Westminsters 2-5 City of London Club
Angel Islington 6-2 Kensington Victoria
Clapham Common 8-2 Marylebone Regents

Standings:
Angel Islington 3-0
City of London Club 3-0
Clapham Common 1-2
Kensington Victoria 1-2
Old Westminsters 1-2
Marylebone Regents 0-3

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Four: Saturday 13 April 1867

Last year's worst team, Angel Islington, are now the only team in the league without a defeat this year after they won a long battle with the Marylebone Regents. Angel led 4-0 after five innings but let their advantage go in a very bad seventh. After six innings went by without a run, Angel grabbed the crucial score after a Regents error in the fourteenth. Angel outfielder John Moore became the first player to achieve five base hits in one Metropolitan League game.

City of London were also undefeated this morning but their run came to an end after a comfortable loss at the hands of Clapham. The Common scored in five different innings on their way to a 5-1 win.

In the day's final game, the Old Westminsters levelled the score against Kensington with a run in the eighth inning only for Victoria to earn the win in the tenth.

Scores:
Marylebone Regents 4-5 Angel Islington(14 innings)
City of London Club 1-5 Clapham Common
Old Westminsters 1-2 Kensington Victoria (10 innings)

Standings:
Angel Islington 4-0
City of London Club 3-1
Clapham Common 2-2
Kensington Victoria 2-2
Old Westminsters 1-3
Marylebone Regents 0-4

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Five: Saturday 20 April 1867

Angel Islington's winning start to the season is over and it was the champion City of London Club who were the team to beat them. The game was scoreless until the eighth inning, when the City Club found two runs to claim the victory.

Marylebone's losing run continues though, as the Regents have now lost to all five of the other clubs to start the season. They started badly against Kensington, giving up five runs in the first inning, before going on to lose the game 7-1.

In another tight game, Clapham Common scored runs in the fifth and the eighth innings on their way to a 2-0 win over the Old Westminsters. Westminsters have now lost four in a row.

Scores:
Angel Islington 0-2 City of London Club
Kensington Victoria 7-1 Marylebone Regents
Clapham Common 2-0 Old Westminsters

Standings:
Angel Islington 4-1
City of London Club 4-1
Clapham Common 3-2
Kensington Victoria 3-2
Old Westminsters 1-4
Marylebone Regents 0-5

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Six: Saturday 27 April 1867

The City of London Club and Angel Islington continue to lead the way in the league standings as both won their matches today. Angel might have feared letting a game slip away when they allowed Clapham Common to tie it up in the eighth inning but they managed to grab a run in the thirteenth to win a long game.

The City Club scored twice in the third inning and then added another in the fourth as they comfortably overcame Kensington Victoria, who were not able to trouble the scorers at all.

Marylebone's terrible season goes on as they are still looking for their first win. Today they fell behind in the first inning of their game against the Old Westminsters and never managed to get back on level terms, eventually falling 3-1.

Scores:
Kensington Victoria 0-3 City of London Club
Angel Islington 2-1 Clapham Common (13 innings)
Marylebone Regents 1-3 Old Westminsters

Standings:
Angel Islington 5-1
City of London Club 5-1
Clapham Common 3-3
Kensington Victoria 3-3
Old Westminsters 2-4
Marylebone Regents 0-6

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Seven: Saturday 4 May 1867

The City of London Club are now out on their own at the top of the standings after another win, this time beating the Marylebone Regents 3-1 thanks to runs in the eighth and ninth innings. The Regents have now lost all seven of their games, the worst start any team has made in the Metropolitan League's three seasons.

Angel Islington lost ground as they faltered against the Old Westminsters. Angel have played several long games already this year and this was another, going to the thirteenth inning tied at 1-1 before the Westminsters earned the win.

In the day's other game, Clapham Common beat Kensington 2-1. Common had led 2-0 before Victoria got one run back in the sixth inning but couldn't level the score.

Scores:
Old Westminsters 2-1 Angel Islington (13 innings)
Clapham Common 2-1 Kensington Victoria
City of London Club 3-1 Marylebone Regents

Standings:
City of London Club 6-1
Angel Islington 5-2
Clapham Common 4-3
Kensington Victoria 3-4
Old Westminsters 3-4
Marylebone Regents 0-7