The 1876 Brown Stockings: Bradley Throws A Two-Hit Shutout

At Grand Avenue Park yesterday afternoon, Chapman's Crew, as the Louisville base ball players are alliteratively designated, made their first appearance before a St. Louis crowd, and created a very creditable impression by their gentlemanly behavior and skill on the field. They were out in full force and found foemen worthy of their sharpest tricks in the famous Brown Stocking team. About 3,000 spectators availed themselves of the beautiful weather and were well repaid for their visit to the Park. the Louisville lads presented a very handsome appearance in their neat, white uniform with blue facings, and their showy, striped blue and white stockings.

Lucky McGeary, as usual, won the toss, and promptly at 4 o'clock Hastings stepped up to the plate and play was called by Mr. Wm. Osborne, a noted Louisville amateur, who had been chosen as umpire. That gentleman evinced a little nervousness, but on the whole gave satisfaction to the contesting nines, his slight errors resulting from an evident earnestness to do what was right. The game eventually ended in favor of St. Louis by a score of 5 to 0, although not a run was scored on either side, and not a base hit credited to the Browns until the seventh inning. The fielding of the home team throughout was simply perfect, and it was undoubtedly the finest fielding display ever witnessed in the history of the game. But one error was committed, and that a very excusable one by Clapp, who fell down in a desperate attempt to capture a foul bound just in front of the plate. Not another chance was missed, the infield stopping hard hit bounders with the utmost ease and throwing with the accuracy of Dollymount marksmen. The only ball sent to the outfield gave Cuthbert a chance to earn a prolonged round of applause by one of the running catches which has made him famous. Clapp and Bradley worked together better than ever. The most effective work for Louisville was done by Somerville, Fulmer and Snyder; the former attending to second base without an error, and making one very difficult fly catch in right field. Fulmer maintained his reputation as one of the very best short fielders in the country, being credited with assisting in two double plays, which were the features of the game. In the second inning he, Gerhardt and Snyder, disposed of Bradley and Blong in style, and in the seventh he froze to Blong's red hot liner and caught Pike off second. In the first six innings not a base hit was secured off Devlin, but in the last three five clear hits were made, Clapp and Pike each getting in two, one of the latter's being a drive for three bags, which brought in two earned runs, and would have brought home three had not Mack preceded the others. Louisville was unusually weak at the bat, only two clean hits having been made off Bradley; one each by Hague and Devlin. The game, taken as a whole, was unusually interesting, and the return contest which takes place on Thursday, will undoubtedly draw out a large crowd.

A difference of opinion exists as to whether Blong's fly to center in the second inning should be credited as a base hit or not. Pike, Eggler, Hines, or any first-class center fielder could easily have secured it, but as the ball was badly misjudged by Hastings, that player is here charged with an error. He acknowledged after the game that he had badly misjudged the ball.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 10, 1876