British and Irish Baseball

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twelve: Saturday 6 June 1868

Today's game between Angel Islington and the City of London Club was highly anticipated, but sadly the weather had other ideas. Heavy overnight rain had left the field waterlogged and it was decided to postpone the game. Having now had two games called off, Angel face the prospect of playing twice in a day on two separate occasions in September.

The other three fields in use were just about fit for play and two of the games would be decided by only one run. The Old Westminsters scored in the first inning and then held the lead with pitcher Caleb Dean's complete game performance, shutting out Kensington and allowing them only three hits. The run came in the seventh inning for Greenwich Meridian against the Royal Artillery, but it was still all that was needed.

Most of the runs scored today came at Regent's Park, where Marylebone and Clapham were tied at 2-2 after five innings. It was all about Clapham from then on though, as the Common scored five in the sixth and two more in the eighth to earn a big 9-2 win.

Scores:
City of London Club v Angel Islington postponed
Clapham Common 9-2 Marylebone Regents
Kensington Victoria 0-1 Old Westminsters
Greenwich Meridian 1-0 Royal Artillery Barracks

Standings:
City of London Club 8-3
Old Westminsters 8-4
Angel Islington 6-4
Greenwich Meridian 7-5
Kensington Victoria 6-6
Marylebone Regents 5-6
Clapham Common 4-8
Royal Artillery Barracks 2-10

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Thirteen: Saturday 13 June 1868

The City of London Club have extended their lead at the top of the standings with another win today as their rivals faltered. The City Club overcame an early deficit against Kensington Victoria as a two-run third inning set them up for a 3-1 victory.

The Old Westminsters seemed set to keep pace with the City Club when they scored twice in the eighth inning to open up a 4-1 lead at Clapham, but the Common immediately responded with four runs to take it 5-4. Newcomers Greenwich are now tied for second place as they overcame Angel Islington with two runs in the third and two more in the eighth.

Royal Artillery have now lost five in row after falling to Marylebone in a marathon game. The Artillery led 2-1 in the ninth but couldn't hold the lead and again let an advantage slip in the fifteenth, before losing 4-3 in eighteen innings.

Scores:
Kensington Victoria 1-3 City of London Club
Old Westminsters 4-5 Clapham Common
Angel Islington 0-4 Greenwich Meridian
Royal Artillery Barracks 3-4 Marylebone Regents (18 innings)

Standings:
City of London Club 9-3
Greenwich Meridian 8-5
Old Westminsters 8-5
Angel Islington 6-5
Marylebone Regents 6-6
Kensington Victoria 6-7
Clapham Common 5-8
Royal Artillery Barracks 2-11

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Fourteen: Saturday 20 June 1868

It was not a day to arrive late for a game as no runners crossed the plate after the fourth inning of any of the four Metropolitan League games. Champions City of London went down to a rare defeat despite taking a second inning lead over Clapham Common, as Clapham responded with two in the third and held on for a fourth win in succession.

The Old Westminsters took the chance to close the gap in the standings as they beat Marylebone by the same score of 2-1, all the runs coming in the second inning either side of a delay for rain. Greenwich Meridian lost ground after giving up three runs in the first at Kensington and falling to a 4-2 loss.

In the day's remaining game there was a rare win for the Royal Artillery Barracks after they scored two in the third and another in the fourth on the way to a 3-0 success over Angel Islington. Angel have now lost three in a row to fall back into the middle of the standings.

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

Standings:
City of London Club 9-4
Old Westminsters 9-5
Greenwich Meridian 8-6
Kensington Victoria 7-7
Angel Islington 6-6
Marylebone Regents 6-7
Clapham Common 6-8
Royal Artillery Barracks 3-11

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Fifteen: Saturday 27 June 1868

The Metropolitan League season is now at the half-way mark and the champion City of London Club lead the standings by the smallest of margins after they and the Old Westminsters both won today. The City Club took control of their game at Marylebone with a three-run fourth inning, going on to win it 4-1.

The Old Westminsters scored two in the first and two more in the second against the Royal Artillery Barracks, but found themselves clinging on to the narrowest of win as the Artillery fought back with three in the seventh and finally fell one run short.

Three runs in the first helped Angel Islington end their losing run with a win over Kensington, although they too were clinging on after Victoria made it close with two in the seventh. Clapham Common meanwhile have now won five in a row after a poor start to the season. They overcame Greenwich today by scoring two in the ninth to tie it and winning the game in eleven innings.

Scores:
Kensington Victoria 2-3 Angel Islington
Clapham Common 4-2 Greenwich Meridian (11 innings)
City of London Club 4-1 Marylebone Regents
Royal Artillery Barracks 4-5 Old Westminsters

Standings:
City of London Club 10-4
Old Westminsters 10-5
Angel Islington 7-6
Greenwich Meridian 8-7
Clapham Common 7-8
Kensington Victoria 7-8
Marylebone Regents 6-8
Royal Artillery Barracks 3-12

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Sixteen: Saturday 4 July 1868

There are new leaders in the Metropolitan League after the Old Westminsters overcame City of London in this afternoon's battle of the top two. The City Club had led from the first inning but the Westminsters tied it in the fourth and went ahead in the eighth for a 2-1 victory.

Greenwich Meridian are next in the standings after taking control of their game with the Marylebone Regents in a two-run fifth inning, while Clapham Common now have as many wins as losses this year after claiming their sixth victory in succession. It took two games' worth of play for Common to get the win today though, 2-1 over Angel Islington in eighteen innings.

Kensington Victoria remain level with Clapham in the standings after they shut out the Royal Artillery Barracks, pitcher Lyn Duncalf going all nine innings and allowing just six hits. Three runs in the fifth inning put the game beyond the Artillery.

Scores:
Old Westminsters 2-1 City of London Club
Angel Islington 1-2 Clapham Common (18 innings)
Marylebone Regents 0-4 Greenwich Meridian
Kensington Victoria 5-0 Royal Artillery Barracks

Standings:
Old Westminsters 11-5
City of London Club 10-5
Greenwich Meridian 9-7
Clapham Common 8-8
Kensington Victoria 8-8
Angel Islington 7-7
Marylebone Regents 6-9
Royal Artillery Barracks 3-13

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Seventeen: Saturday 11 July 1868

The Old Westminsters continue to lead the way after a low scoring day in the Metropolitan League. Westminsters narrowly overcame Greenwich Meridian thanks to runs in the first and seventh innings, holding on for the win when Meridian grabbed one back in the ninth. City of London are still right behind the Westminsters, a three-run third inning setting the champions on the way to a comfortable win over the Royal Artillery Barracks.

Elsewhere, Kensington Victoria's pitcher Lyn Duncalf was in magnificent form again, ending Clapham Common's winning run by allowing them only two hits all game. A run in the first inning was enough to win it for Kensington. Two early runs were also good enough for Angel Islington, as the Marylebone Regents also failed to trouble the scorers.

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

Standings:
Old Westminsters 12-5
City of London Club 11-5
Angel Islington 8-7
Greenwich Meridian 9-8
Kensington Victoria 9-8
Clapham Common 8-9
Marylebone Regents 6-10
Royal Artillery Barracks 3-14

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Eighteen: Saturday 18 July 1868

Runs were hard to come by again today as the two leading championship contenders couldn't manage one between them. The Old Westminsters fell to defeat at Angel Islington after allowing two in the second and another in the eighth, but City of London could not take advantage. The City Club drew a blank at Greenwich Meridian, who ended up winners after scoring the game's only run in the eighth.

A three-run sixth inning set Clapham Common on the way to a victory at the Royal Artillery Barracks, although they had to hold on after the Artillery scored in each of the last two innings to make it close. The real star of the moment is Kensington's pitcher Lyn Duncalf, who has now thrown complete game shut-outs in three consecutive games. Duncalf has only allowed ten hits across those three games and today the Marylebone Regents could only manage two, as Kensington won it 3-0. The Regents have now lost five in a row.

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

Standings:
Old Westminsters 12-6
City of London Club 11-6
Angel Islington 9-7
Greenwich Meridian 10-8
Kensington Victoria 10-8
Clapham Common 9-9
Marylebone Regents 6-11
Royal Artillery Barracks 3-15

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Nineteen: Saturday 25 July 1868

It is beginning to look like a battle between the City of London Club and the Old Westminsters for the Metropolitan League title, as both clubs won again today after another round of games where everyone found runs hard to come by. The Old Westminsters continue to lead the way after two fourth inning runs saw them past Kensington Victoria, with pitcher Caleb Dean earning another complete game shut-out having allowed Kensington only two hits.

The City of London Club wasted a number of good chances to score, but eventually forced a run home in the tenth inning to beat Angel Islington and stay close behind the Westminsters in the standings. One run, a home run in the third inning, was also enough for Clapham Common to overcome the Marylebone Regents who have now lost six in succession.

The Royal Artillery Barracks earned just their fourth win of a difficult season, breaking a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning to slip past Greenwich Meridian 2-1.

Scores:
Angel Islington 0-1 City of London Club (10 innings)
Marylebone Regents 0-1 Clapham Common
Royal Artillery Barracks 2-1 Greenwich Meridian
Old Westminsters 2-0 Kensington Victoria

Standings:
Old Westminsters 13-6
City of London Club 12-6
Angel Islington 9-8
Clapham Common 10-9
Greenwich Meridian 10-9
Kensington Victoria 10-9
Marylebone Regents 6-12
Royal Artillery Barracks 4-15

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty: Saturday 1 August 1868

Just as the top two teams in the standings seemed to be moving clear, the Metropolitan League is much closer again tonight after the Old Westminsters and City of London both lost their games today. The Westminsters gave up five runs in the third inning and three more in the seventh on their way to a heavy 9-2 defeat to Clapham Common. It was the Westminsters first defeat on their home field in ten games this season, as well as Clapham's ninth win out of their last ten games.

The City Club could not take advantage to move to the top of the standings though, as an eighth inning run for Kensington Victoria broke a 1-1 tie and earned Kensington the win. Angel Islington also edged closer to the top of the standings as the only run of the game earned them a win over Greenwich in ten innings.

There was also only one run scored at the Royal Artillery Barracks, where the home team earned their second win in a row to move closer to today's opponents Marylebone at the bottom of the standings.

Scores:
Greenwich Meridian 0-1 Angel Islington (10 innings)
City of London Club 1-2 Kensington Victoria
Clapham Common 9-2 Old Westminsters
Marylebone Regents 0-1 Royal Artillery Barracks

Standings:
Old Westminsters 13-7
City of London Club 12-7
Angel Islington 10-8
Clapham Common 11-9
Kensington Victoria 11-9
Greenwich Meridian 10-10
Marylebone Regents 6-13
Royal Artillery Barracks 5-15

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-One: Saturday 8 August 1868

After several weeks spent chasing, the champion City of London Club returned to the top of the standings today with an impressive victory over a previously in-form Clapham Common. The City Club took control with two runs in the third and two more in the fifth, going on to take it 6-1.

That win takes the City Club to the top because the Old Westminsters lost for the second time running. They gave up four runs in the first inning against a Marylebone team which had lost seven in a row. The Westminsters could not recover and lost the game 6-1.

Kensington Victoria pitcher Lyn Duncalf has now enjoyed four complete game shut-outs in six games as he stopped Greenwich Meridian from scoring today. Meridian put up just five hits while Victoria scored two in the seventh and one more in the eighth for the win.

After a tough first season in the Metropolitan League, the Royal Artillery Barracks are at last showing some good form as they won for the third week in succession. Today they led Angel Islington 3-0 in the first only to see their advantage wiped out, but recovered to retake the lead in the fourth and clinch the win with another run in the ninth.

Scores:
Royal Artillery Barracks 5-3 Angel Islington
City of London Club 6-1 Clapham Common
Kensington Victoria 3-0 Greenwich Meridian
Old Westminsters 1-6 Marylebone Regents

Standings:
City of London Club 13-7
Old Westminsters 13-8
Kensington Victoria 12-9
Angel Islington 10-9
Clapham Common 11-10
Greenwich Meridian 10-11
Marylebone Regents 7-13
Royal Artillery Barracks 6-15

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Two: Saturday 15 August 1868

The City of London Club might just be edging their way to a third consecutive Metropolitan League championship after a dramatic victory over the Marylebone Regents. The City Club led 2-1 going to the ninth inning only for the Regents to tie it, but the reigning champions hit straight back to claim the win.

The Old Westminsters are losing ground as they were beaten for the third time running after falling 3-0 behind after three innings against the improving Royal Artillery. The Westminsters tried to battle back but could not overcome the deficit. Artillery have now won four in a row, while the only joy for the Westminsters was that their right fielder Thomas Hodson has set a new league best with his fourth home run of the season.

Kensington Victoria are now tied for second place as they scored twice in the first inning against Angel Islington, before keeping Angel off the board to secure the win. Clapham Common have now lost two in a row after their good run, as they battled back from 2-0 down to tie their game with Greenwich after five innings only to see Meridian win it with a run in the eighth.

Scores:
Marylebone Regents 2-3 City of London Club
Greenwich Meridian 3-2 Clapham Common
Angel Islington 0-2 Kensington Victoria
Old Westminsters 2-4 Royal Artillery Barracks

Standings:
City of London Club 14-7
Kensington Victoria 13-9
Old Westminsters 13-9
Clapham Common 11-11
Greenwich Meridian 11-11
Angel Islington 10-10
Marylebone Regents 7-14
Royal Artillery Barracks 7-15

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Three: Saturday 22 August 1868

It has been at this time of year in the last two seasons that the City of London Club have moved clear of the chasing pack and they are showing the form to do that again this time. The City Club won again today, 4-0 over Angel with all their runs coming in the sixth inning.

The Old Westminsters meanwhile are falling away, losing for the fourth week in succession after Clapham Common tied their match-up with two runs in the sixth and then scored again in the seventh to win it. Kensington Victoria are now in second place on their own after beating Marylebone. Kensington had taken a 3-2 lead in the eighth only for the Regents to tie it in the ninth, but Victoria hit straight back to take it 4-3.

Marylebone's defeat means that for the first time all season, the Royal Artillery Barracks are clear of last place in the standings. Trailing after two innings against Greenwich Meridian, the Artillery scored two in the third to take the lead and held on for their fifth successive win.

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

Standings:
City of London Club 15-7
Kensington Victoria 14-9
Old Westminsters 13-10
Clapham Common 12-11
Greenwich Meridian 11-12
Angel Islington 10-11
Royal Artillery Barracks 8-15
Marylebone Regents 7-15

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Four: Saturday 29 August 1868

It has been a truly terrible month for the Old Westminsters. At the start of August they led the standings but today's loss to the City of London Club means they have now lost five in a row and their championship hopes are almost over. Today they trailed as early as the second inning and were 5-0 down after seven, with a late rally not enough to tie the scores.

That was the City Club's fourth win in succession and their main challengers are now Kensington Victoria, who have won five in a row. Today Victoria ended the Royal Artillery's winning run, taking control with two in the first and another in the second on the way to a 5-2 victory.

Elsewhere, a two-run eighth inning lifted Clapham Common to a 3-1 win at Angel, while Greenwich Meridian scored six runs across the opening four innings at Marylebone on the way to a comfortable success over the last-placed Regents.

Scores:
Clapham Common 3-1 Angel Islington
Royal Artillery Barracks 2-5 Kensington Victoria
Greenwich Meridian 6-1 Marylebone Regents
City of London Club 5-3 Old Westminsters

Standings:
City of London Club 16-7
Kensington Victoria 15-9
Clapham Common 13-11
Old Westminsters 13-11
Greenwich Meridian 12-12
Angel Islington 10-12
Royal Artillery Barracks 8-16
Marylebone Regents 7-16

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Five: Saturday 5 September 1868

Things remain largely unchanged in the race for the Metropolitan League championship after both of the leading contenders lost today. City of London fell to a defeat at the rapidly improving Royal Artillery Barracks, the Artillery scoring one in the seventh and two more in the eighth to pull clear from a 1-1 tie.

Second placed Kensington couldn't take advantage though, as their five game winning run ended at Clapham Common. Common took the game 3-0, all their runs coming through a single home run in the sixth inning. The Old Westminsters continue to fall away as they lost a sixth consecutive game, this time 3-1 at Greenwich.

Because of a postponement earlier in the season, Angel Islington and the Marylebone Regents played two and won one each. In the first game the Regents broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth and added another in the fifth to complete the scoring. The second game ended in poor light as the Regents tied it in the ninth to force extra innings at 2-2, only for Angel to retake the lead and win it in thirteen innings.

Scores:
Kensington Victoria 0-3 Clapham Common
Old Westminsters 1-3 Greenwich Meridian
Angel Islington 1-3 Marylebone Regents(Game One)
Angel Islington 3-2 Marylebone Regents (Game Two, 13 innings)
City of London Club 1-4 Royal Artillery Barracks

Standings:
City of London Club 16-8
Kensington Victoria 15-10
Clapham Common 14-11
Greenwich Meridian 13-12
Old Westminsters 13-12
Angel Islington 11-13
Royal Artillery Barracks 9-16
Marylebone Regents 8-17

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Six: Saturday 12 September 1868

For the first time, the Metropolitan League championship is not decided after week twenty-six but the City of London Club took a large step towards their third title in succession today. They looked to be in trouble when visitors Greenwich Meridian tied the game at 3-3 with two runs in the ninth innings, but the City Club quickly responded with the winning score.

Each time another team looks set to challenge the City Club, they appear to fall away at the crucial time and now it is Kensington's turn. In fine form a few weeks ago, they lost a second consecutive game after giving up two fourth-inning runs to Marylebone and failing to get back on level terms.

Clapham Common are now tied for second with Kensington after they eased to victory over the Royal Artillery Barracks, a three-run third inning the key to the victory. There was also joy at last for the Old Westminsters after six successive losses, as they came from 2-1 down in the seventh inning to defeat Angel 3-2.

Next week, the City Club play two games against Angel Islington and should they win both, there is a small chance that they could clinch the title there and then. To do so, they would require Clapham and Kensington both to have lost their own games.

Scores:
Greenwich Meridian 3-4 City of London Club
Royal Artillery Barracks 1-5 Clapham Common
Marylebone Regents 3-1 Kensington Victoria
Angel Islington 2-3 Old Westminsters

Standings:
City of London Club 17-8
Clapham Common 15-11
Kensington Victoria 15-11
Old Westminsters 14-12
Greenwich Meridian 13-13
Angel Islington 11-14
Marylebone Regents 9-17
Royal Artillery Barracks 9-17

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Seven: Saturday 19 September 1868

The City of London Club stand just one win away from another Metropolitan League championship after defeating Angel Islington twice today. In the first game, the City Club took the lead in the first inning and were never threatened, as Angel took until the eighth inning to manage their only hit in a wonderful complete game performance from City Club pitcher Gilbert Attwell. Angel couldn't score in game two either, going down 3-0, meaning that in the four years of league play they have won just three of twenty-four games against the City of London.

The only team that can now catch the City Club is Clapham Common. Today they scored three in the fourth and five more in the seventh as they beat Marylebone 8-1. Common must surely be regretting their poor start to the season, which brought just two wins from the first ten games, as with a better start they might now have been heading for the title.

Kensington Victoria have fallen away at the vital moment and cannot now catch the City Club. They looked like winners against the Old Westminsters today when they led in the seventh inning, but the Westminsters shocked them with four quick runs to take the game.

Finally today, Greenwich Meridian held off a late comeback against the Royal Artillery Barracks to record a narrow win. Meridian led 4-0 after seven, but the Artillery scored one in the eighth and two more in the ninth to make it interesting.

Scores:
City of London Club 5-0 Angel Islington (Game One)
City of London Club 3-0 Angel Islington (Game Two)
Clapham Common 8-1 Marylebone Regents
Kensington Victoria 1-4 Old Westminsters
Greenwich Meridian 4-3 Royal Artillery Barracks

Standings:
City of London Club 19-8
Clapham Common 16-11
Kensington Victoria 15-12
Old Westminsters 15-12
Greenwich Meridian 14-13
Angel Islington 11-16
Marylebone Regents 9-18
Royal Artillery Barracks 9-18

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Eight: Saturday 26 September 1868

For the third year in succession, the City of London Club are the champions of the Metropolitan League. They are the team who have performed consistently well all season and made the vital hits when they needed to, never more so than today as they trailed for much of the game to Kensington before scoring three in the seventh inning to turn it in their favour.

Second placed Clapham needed the City Club to lose to have any hope of catching them, but it would not have made any difference if they had as the Common went down to a 2-1 defeat against the Old Westminsters. Tied at 1-1 after nine innings, the Westminsters eventally won it in eleven.

The day's other games also went to extra innings, with Angel Islington scoring the game's only run in the eleventh to beat Greenwich. In the battle of the bottom two in the standings, the Royal Artillery Barracks led 3-0 in the ninth inning only for Marylebone to tie it and it was the Regents who won it 4-3, also after eleven innings.

Scores:
Kensington Victoria 1-4 City of London Club
Old Westminsters 2-1 Clapham Common (11 innings)
Angel Islington 1-0 Greenwich Meridian (11 innings)
Royal Artillery Barracks 3-4 Marylebone Regents (11 innings)

Standings:City of London Club (C) 20-8
Clapham Common 16-12
Old Westminsters 16-12
Kensington Victoria 15-13
Greenwich Meridian 14-14
Angel Islington 12-16
Marylebone Regents 10-18
Royal Artillery Barracks 9-19

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Twenty-Nine: Saturday 3 October 1868

The City of London Club keep winning championships because when they really need to, they produce the performances. Although the title was already won, today was no exception as the City Club came from behind with two runs in the sixth inning to beat Clapham Common 2-1.

The battle for second place will go to the final day, as Kensington ground out a 1-0 win over Greenwich Meridian after eleven innings to move level with both Clapham and the Old Westminsters. The Westminsters today gave up three first inning runs and another three in the fifth on their way to a 7-4 loss at the hands of Marylebone.

The Royal Artillery Barracks will now finish at best in a tie for last place, but after falling behind early today they hit back to tie the game against Angel Islington before clinching the win in the eleventh inning.

Scores:
Clapham Common 1-2 City of London Club
Greenwich Meridian 0-1 Kensington Victoria (11 innings)
Marylebone Regents 7-4 Old Westminsters
Angel Islington 1-2 Royal Artillery Barracks (11 innings)

Standings:
City of London Club (C) 21-9
Clapham Common 16-13
Kensington Victoria 16-13
Old Westminsters 16-13
Greenwich Meridian 14-15
Angel Islington 12-17
Marylebone Regents 11-18
Royal Artillery Barracks 10-19

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Metropolitan Baseball League
Week Thirty: Saturday 10 October 1868

The fourth season of Metropolitan League baseball is over and the three-times champion City of London Club have ended with a new record of twenty-two wins from their thirty games. The City Club trailed Marylebone 2-0 after one inning today and 3-0 after four, but hit back with six in the seventh on the way to a 7-3 win. That was their sixth win in succession to end the season, having really found top form at the right time.

Marylebone's loss to the City Club means that they finish in a tie for last place with the Royal Artillery Barracks. The Artillery had a poor start to their first league season but have gradually improved and today beat the Old Westminsters 4-0, pitcher Harry Erskine getting through the whole game allowing only four hits and no runs. Having won three out of four against the Artillery, Marylebone may claim on that basis not to be the weakest team in the league.

In the day's other games, Kensington and Clapham both enjoyed 2-0 victories, over Angel Islington and Greenwich respectively. Those wins mean that the teams finish tied for second in the standings, although Kensington did win three of the four match-ups between the clubs.

Scores:
Kensington Victoria 2-0 Angel Islington
Clapham Common 2-0 Greenwich Meridian
City of London Club 7-3 Marylebone Regents
Royal Artillery Barracks 4-0 Old Westminsters

Standings:
City of London Club (C) 22-8
Clapham Common 17-13
Kensington Victoria 17-13
Old Westminsters 16-14
Greenwich Meridian 14-16
Angel Islington 12-18
Marylebone Regents 11-19
Royal Artillery Barracks 11-19

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1868 Season Review

It was a familiar story in the Metropolitan Baseball League this year as the City of London Club won a third championship in succession. Just as in previous years, they pulled clear of the chasing pack in the second half of the season, winning their last six games to set a new league record of twenty-two victories in a season.

Midway through the campaign, the Old Westminsters looked to be in with a really good chance of taking the title for the first time but their season floundered with a six match losing run from the beginning of August. That dropped the Westminsters out of contention and they would ultimately finish fourth.

As the Westminsters struggled, Kensington Victoria and Clapham Common emerged from the pack with impressive runs of form but they in turn also faltered as the City Club maintained their consistency. Clapham's run was all the more remarkable for the fact that they began the season with two wins and eight losses in the first ten games. At that point, they were five wins worse off than the City Club and the margin was the same come the end of the season.

Also suffering a much worse second half to the season were Angel Islington and newcomers Greenwich Meridian, but Meridian can take great pride in their first season in the league as they finished with fourteen wins from their thirty games and regularly caused the established clubs problems.

At the bottom of the standings, it was another poor season for the Marylebone Regents who are hoping that a new manager might change their fortunes next time around. The Regents finished level with the league's other newcomers, the Royal Artillery Barracks, at the wrong end of the league but the Artillery finished the season as one of the stronger teams. Having lost fifteen out of their first eighteen games, they ended the season with eight wins and only four losses from the last twelve as they grew in confidence during the season.

League Leaders (Batting):
Batting Average: Thomas Hodson (Old Westminsters) .370
Base Hits: Thomas Hodson (Old Westminsters)/Jonas Myers (City of London) 44
Doubles: Joseph Logan (Royal Artillery) 8
Triples: Julius Minet (Marylebone)/Josiah Ramadge (Old Westminsters) 2
Home Runs: Thomas Hodson (Old Westminsters) 4 (new record)
Runs Batted In: Jonas Myers (City of London) 19
Runs Scored: Jonah Field (City of London) 18 (tied record)
Stolen Bases: Oliver Gander (City of London) 17

League Leaders (Pitching):
Earned Run Average: Fred Bates (City of London) 0.84
Wins: Gilbert Attwell (City of London) 17 (tied record)
Losses: Michael Savage (Marylebone) 15
Innings Pitched: Caleb Dean (Old Westminsters) 257 2/3
Shutouts: Caleb Dean (Old Westminsters) 6
Strikeouts: Gilbert Attwell (City of London) 196 (new record)

League Champions: City of London Club