Tuesday, November 3, 2009

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

7 comments:

David Ball said...

The bit about "lucky McGeary" winning the toss of the coin for choice of first or last at bats is interesting. I have read a note from a few years later that claimed McGeary had a weighted coin he used to give himself an advantage in the pregame coin toss.

Jeffrey Kittel said...

And I just thought he was on a hot streak as far as the coin toss was concerned but it's really the Brown Stockings' culture of corruption. Fixed games, bribing umpires, gamblers in the stands, weighted coins...they had no shame.

james e. brunson said...

Ahhh, you just can't beat the fun at the old ballpark!

Jeffrey Kittel said...

As much as I'd love to go back in time and watch the Brown Stockings play, I think I'd be scared to sit in some sections of the Grand Avenue Grounds. Tough crowd.

james e. brunson said...

Ahhh... It would have been a rush! Just think about today...

This summer, I attended a Pirates vs. Giants game. Sitting in front of me was a drunken bruiser who, unknown to any of us in the section, dropped his wallet between the seats. He left his seat to wander the park.

The guy next to me discovered the wallet, and gave it to his friend, who had remained. After his friend called and informed him, he returned. The bruiser swore that 50.00 of 70.00 had been removed from his wallet (strange, a thief removes 50.00 and leaves the rest, including credit cards). Amusingly he chose me as the target/culprit and worked hard to get his friend and the guy next to me (who found his wallet to implicate me). I didn't know either guy. He found no takers... For the rest of the game, the besotted fellow studied me while pushing for a fight... I ignored him. He turned his abuse on the other two!

By the eighth inning, he was apologizing to his friend and the other guy.

I can't imagine a postbellum game being too much different...perhaps maybe a fight actualized. Peanuts and beer anyone?!

Jeffrey Kittel said...

I've been lucky and have never been involved or even seen any kind of incident at the ballpark over the thirty odd years of going to games (now hockey games are another story for another time; plenty of violence and blood and fighting in the stands and bathrooms there). But for some reason, whenever I think of these postbellum games, I think of Gangs of New York. I see Bill the Butcher in the stands. It's a bit irrational but I can't help myself.

Having said that, I'd jump at the chance to experience it.

james e. brunson said...

Images matter, my friend. Always have.