The 1876 Brown Stockings: Here We Go Again

The third game of the Mutual-St. Louis series was played this afternoon in Brooklyn, in the presence of about 1,500 people, Mr. Daniels umpiring. The Mutuals won the toss, and took the field at 4 o'clock. Cuthbert went out by Hallinan's assistance. Clapp was saved by an error of the same player, and scored on Pike's two-baser to right field. For the Mutuals, Holdsworth and Start made safe hits. Tracy hit to McGeary, and the latter threw wild to Mack, to make a double play, Holdsworth scoring. Start was forced at home plate on Hallinan's hit to Mack. Another bad throw by McGeary of Craver's hit let Tracey home, and Hallinan scored on Hick's high fly to Blong. Booth ended the inning for three runs by going out at first.

In the second inning Blong, Bradley and Dehlman went out in the order named. After Mack had cleverly disposed of Matthews and Nichols, Holdsworth hit safe, and Battin muffed Start's grounder. McGeary muffed Tracey's fly, and threw high home to catch Holdsworth. Hallinan hit safe past third, and two runs came in. Hick's high fly to Battin ended the inning for the three runs.

In the third inning Mack and Cuthbert went out at first. Clapp also retired on a line hit to center, well caught by Holdsworth. Booth, matthews and Nichols were retired on weak hits to the in-field. In the fourth inning McGeary took first on Hallinan's juggle, stole second, and scored while Battin was being thrown out at first, Pike and Blong being the other outs. Holdsworth retired on a weak hit to Bradley. Start and Tracey made safe hits, the former being forced out at third on Hallinan's hit to Bradley, and, as Craver also hit to Bradley, he retired.

The fifth and sixth inning saw both sides blanked in first-class style, Battin putting three players out in splendid style, and the Browns all going out on fly balls. The remaining innings were devoid of interest, save the eighth, when Bradley and Dehlman, by errors of Hallinan and Craver, made their bases. Mack then hit direct to Nichols, and a double play resulted, destroying all hopes of the St. Louis Club making a rally. The game was lost by the bad playing of McGeary, whose errors gave the Mutuals every run they made.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 28, 1876

McGeary had five errors in the game and let's just say that we're going to be talking about that for the next few days. The Globe's headline for this article was "McGeary Responsible for a Brown Stocking Defeat." Anybody want to guess what the New York press had to say about all of this? Mike McGeary. The Brown Stockings. The New York press. Nineteenth century baseball. Anybody? I'll take "Accusations of Game Fixing" for a thousand, Alex.