The 1876 Brown Stockings: A Lost Ball In The Tall Weeds (or A Winning Streak Goes To Waste)

There was no improvement in the attendance at Grand Avenue Park yesterday afternoon to witness the St. Louis and Cincinnati clubs play the seventh game of their series. It was a toss up whether Clack of Cincinnati, or Mack of St. Louis, would umpire, and as Gould won his associate filled the position. The Reds won the toss and sent their opponents to the bat shortly before 4 o'clock. Dean commenced by pitching wildly, and Cuthber was sent to first on three balls. Errors by Booth and Sweazy allowed him to tally. Singles by Clapp and McGeary, and a two-base drive to left center by Battin brought in two earned runs, and Battin also tallied on errors by Pearson and Booth. The outs were Pike, Bradley and Dehlman, the latter on a splendid stop and throw by Foley. For Cincinnati, Jones and Booth led off with base hits, but the former foolishly allowed himself to be caught at second on Booth's hit over McGeary, and Gould and Kessler were easily disposed of. In the second inning Pearce, Cuthbert and Clapp were

Retired In Succession,

Snyder making a good running catch of Clapp's foul bound. Pearson opened for Cincinnati with a beauty to right for two bases, and got to third on a passed ball, where he was left, Dean being thrown out at first, and Sweasy sending a red-hot liner direct to Dehlman, by which he and Pearson were doubled up. In the third Pike made a base hit, but McGeary, Battin and Blong were easy victims to Foley, Jones and Dean. Dean, Sweasy and Foley all died at first, McGeary making a fine one-handed stop of Foley's corker. In the fourth inning, Bradley and Cuthbert flew out to Kessler, and Snyder disposed of Dehlman on a foul bound. For Cincinnati, Jones got in a base hit, and Pearce missed a double play on Booth's bounder, but both were left, Snyder having been thrown out by Pearce, Gould striking out, and Battin capturing Kessler's foul bound. In the fifth inning Gould muffed Sweasy's beautiful throw, and Clapp was safe. McGeary got in a base hit, Battin's foul tip was splendidly held by Booth, after Pike had retired by hitting direct to Gould. Two men were left as another

Sharp Foul Tip

from Blong's bat was brilliantly held by Booth. Sweazy, after a fine base hit, was left, Foley, Pearson and Dean going out on weak hits. Bradley earned first in the sixth inning, but Dehlman hit to Sweazy, who doubled them both up in style, and Foley captured Cuthbert's foul fly, after Pearce had earned first by a fair foul. For Cincinnati, Snyder flew out to Blong, Jones got in his third hit on a long one to left, and as the ball was lost in the grass he came all the way home. Booth also made a base hit, but was left, Pearce throwing Gould out at first, and Kessler furnishing McGeary with a fly. In the seventh inning, Clapp, McGeary and Pike went out on throws by Foley and Dean, and a fly catch by Jones. For Cincinnati, Pearson flew out to McGeary, Dean was splendidly thrown out by Battin, and Sweazy by McGeary. The eighth inning was marked by the most brilliant play of the game. Foley's wild throw, after a splendid left-handed stop, gave Battin third. Blong retired on a foul tip. Bradley drove a difficult liner to right, which Pearson held, and by an accurate throw

Nipped Battin

at the home-plate. Foley, Snyder and Jones were disposed of in one, two, three order. In the ninth inning, Blong earned second and Bradley first. Dehlman hit to Dean, who threw too late to third, and all were safe. Pearce flew out to Gould. Cuthbert flew out to Jones, who might have ended the inning, but he threw wild to second, and Blong tallied. Dean threw Clapp out at first. The Reds failed to increase their score, Pearce throwing Booth and Gould out at first, and Battin doing the same thing for Kessler.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 23, 1876

So not exactly a great series of baseball games and I can't really blame the fans for staying away.

This was the Brown Stockings' seventh win in a row. When the started the winning streak, they were five and a half games behind Chicago. After this seventh win, they were five and a half games behind Chicago. They would lose their next two and find themselves seven and a half games back. They won their next four and picked up a half game. So, all and all, between July 8 and August 8, the Brown Stockings went 11-2 and lost a game and a half in the standings.

That's baseball for you.