The 1886 World Series: Game Three

Caruthers was again put in to face the Chicagos from the pitcher's box to-day in the third game of the world's championship series, and had he pitched one-quarter as good a game as he did yesterday the Browns would have again come out victorious. No greater mistake could have possibly been made than in again allowing him to do the twirling. He felt so confident, though, of giving a repetition of his good work of yesterday, and was so certain of success, that President Von der Ahe was finally induced to grant his request. The score tells how the experiment worked. He was batted hard and often, a total of twenty-one bases being made off him. Home-runs were made by Gore and Kelly, a three-bagger by Burns and a double by Ryan, while every man in the Chicago team, with the exception of Clarkson, Anson and Williamson, made singles. The two runs which were given to the home club in the first inning by Caruthers' wildness, took the heart out of the Browns, and they played something after the style in which they handled themselves in Monday's game. They batted Clarkson hard though, but their hits were mostly unlucky ones and scattered badly. They also fielded in excellent style, making many remarkable catches, which were roundly applauded by the spectators. But two errors are placed against them and the Chicagos won simply through their batting. In the seventh inning Bushong retired to third base, and Latham came in and caught for the remainder of the game, doing very well. In the eighth, Anson relieved Kelly behind the bat, and Williamson succeeded Clarkson in the box. John Kelly officiated as umpire. The attendance was 5,000. Both clubs left for St. Louis this evening. It has been decided to play the odd game in Cincinnati.

The Browns won the toss for the first time, and went to the field. Caruthers pitched six bad balls to Gore, the first batter, giving him his base. Kelly got to the bag in the same manner. Anson went out on a grounder to first, sending both runners ahead a base. Pfeffer also got his first on balls, filling the bases, and Williamson then came to the bat, and much to the disgust of the audience Caruthers sent him to his base on balls, forcing Gore across the plate with the first run of the game. Burns knocked a grounder down to Robinson. The latter threw to first in time to cut him off; Pfeffer was playing quite a distance off third, and Comiskey threw to Latham, putting him out also. This double play retired the side, but not until Kelly scored. For the Browns, Latham struck out, much to the delight of the spectators. Caruthers got his base on balls. O'Neil also got his base on balls. Both men were sent ahead on a passed ball. Gleason went out on a fly to Pfeffer, who made a remarkable catch, running with the ball. Comiskey retired the side with a liner into Pfeffer's hands.

Ryan, in the second inning, made the first hit of the game. Dalrymple went out on a long fly to Hudson. Clarkson knocked the ball to Gleason, forcing out Ryan at second. Clarkson stole second, and Gore sent a fly to left, which O'Neil captured in good style.

For the Browns, Welch hit safely to right; Robinson made a single to the same field; Kelly missed Hudson's third strike, but threw Welch out at third, who was forced to run. A long wrangle and discussion followed between Anson, Umpire Kelly and others. The former claimed that Hudson was out for not running immediately after Kelly had dropped the ball. The umpire finally decided it a fair play. Bushong hit to center for a single, and Robinson scored. A wild throw in by Gore let Hudson to third. Latham struck out, and Caruthers went out from second to first, ending the inning and leaving two men on bases.

In the third Kelly was retired on a fly to Hudson. Anson went out from second to first, and Pfeffer went out on a grounder to Comiskey. For the Browns, O'Neil struck out, Gleason fouled out to Anson, and Comiskey also struck out.

In the fourth Williamson led off with a grounder to Comiskey, on which he was easily put out. Burns knocked the leather to center for three bases, and was only prevented from making a home run by the quick fielding of the ball on the part of Welch. Ryan went out on a long fly to Welch, and before it could be returned to the the plate Burns had scored. Dalrymple went out from short to first. Welch for the visitors secured his base on balls. Robinson knocked a fly to Dalrymple, who muffed it. A passed ball advanced both men a base, but Welch only got to third safely by one of his remarkable steals. On Hudson's grounder to Williamson Welch started to come in, but was thrown out. Bushong went out on a fly to center, on which Robinson tried to come in, but he was also retired. Kelly stood on the plate as Robinson came in, and the latter ran into him and doubled him up on the ground.

In the fifth Clarkson knocked a long fly to Welch, which the latter caught easily. Gore went out from second to first. Kelly knocked the ball over the right-field fence for a home run, amid great applause. Anson fouled out to Bushong. Latham, for the Browns, knocked a liner directly in Williamson's hands. Carruthers hit safely to left for a single, and got second on a passed ball. O'Neil knocked the sphere to right for a single, and Gleason was retired on a fly to Anson. Comiskey wound up the inning with a fly to Ryan, leaving two men on bases.

In the sixth Pfeffer opened with a fly to Robinson, and Williamson struck out. Burns hit the ball to right for a single and Ryan followed with a double to the same field. Dalrymple knocked a high fly back of first, which Comiskey muffed, and Burns and Ryan came home. Clarkson went out on a fly to center. For the Browns in this inning Welch made a single to center and Gore let the ball roll through his legs and Welch made third on the error, coming home on Robinson's short hit to right. Hudson flew out to Pfeffer. Robinson got third on a half-passed ball enabled him to reach third. Bushong was thrown out at first on his grounder to right field, but Robinson scored on it. Latham hit safely to left center. Caruthers went out on a grounder to Anson.

Gore opened the seventh by a base hit to Robinson, who could not recover himself in time to throw to first. Kelly hit safely, while Anson went out on a fly to Hudson, which advanced both men a base. Pfeffer hit safely and Gore scored. Williamson knocked a fly to Latham, which the latter purposely muffed, forcing Kelly out at third. Burns hit a hard grounder to second, which Robinson fumbled, falling down in attempting to get it up. Pfeffer crossed the plate on the play. Williamson also started to come in, and Robinson made a very bad throw to head him off, but he scored on the error and Burns reached third. Ryan retired the side with a fly to O'Neil. For the Browns, O'Neil went out from second to first, Gleason struck out, and Comiskey retired on a foul fly to Anson. In the eighth Dalrymple hit safely to center. Clarkson's long fly to O'Neil sent Dalrymple to second. Gore lifted the ball to center field far over Welch's head for a home run. Kelly hit safely to center. Anson went out to the catcher. Welch for the Browns led off with a two-bagger to left. He got to third on a passed ball, and came home on a wild pitch. Robinson got first on Anson's miss of his third strike, and stole second. Hudson struck out, Bushong flew out to Gore and Latham fouled out to the catcher. The game was then called on account of darkness.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 21, 1886

Kind of an interesting game, wasn't it? Some random stuff that jumped out at me:

-Von der Ahe made the call on who was going to start game three? I don't really see this as an instance of VdA meddling with the team but rather Caruthers going over Comiskey's head. Regardless, Caruthers wasn't too sharp to start the game.

-Even with Caruthers not pitching well, the Browns still had a chance to win the game. Two things did them in. They had two runners thrown out at the plate in the fourth and if both runners had scored, they would have tied the game up. In the seventh, Yank Robinson just killed them in the field.

-Lots of walks, strikeouts and home runs in this game. Combined with the errors and poor baserunning, it was kind of like a modern game, except that they played it in two hours and fifteen minutes. And Arlie Latham was running around like a maniac.

-Completely random but Yank Robinson led the AA in walks in 1888 and 1889. He also led the Union Association in walks in 1884 when he was playing with Baltimore. Don't let this one game color your opinion of him. He was a heck of a ballplayer and was a starter on all four of the Browns' championship teams.