The 1887 World Series: Game Five

The Browns and Detroits arrived at Jersey Cit at 9 o'clock this morning. After breakfast on the train they proceeded to New York and the Browns registered at the Grand Central Hotel. This is the first time the teams have vacated the train since leaving St. Louis, and the change was welcomed by all. The Detroits registered at the Victoria. After dinner the teams were driven in hacks over the Brooklyn bridge to Washington Park, Brooklyn, where to-day's game was scheduled to be played. At the grounds an animated scene presented itself. The Brooklyn grounds are built in a hollow, the banks on the sides running up 25 feet. The grand stand was packed and jammed, while many had taken a position on the hills, and from back of the plate a perfect sea of human faces presented itself. There were fully 8,000 people on the grounds. Many notables, too, were present, including Mayor Daniel G. Whitney, of Brooklyn, with his Secretary. A pleasing feature too was the large number of ladies who attended, it being estimated that there were fully 2,000 of the fair sex on the grounds. When the two teams were driven into the park they were received with cheers. During the progress of the game it was hard to tell which team was the favorite of the crowd, each having a number of friends on the grounds. Toward the close the Browns' pretty work caught the crowd, and as they drove away from the grounds they were vociferously cheered. The umpires were changed again, Gaffney going behind the bat and Kelly calling the field decisions. Both were thoroughly impartial. The Browns' played ball in their old style and put up the game which has given them the title of world's champions.

Regaining Confidence.

Notwithstanding their recent defeats, they were not discouraged, but played seemingly with more vim and dash than ever, seeming determined to even matters up if possible. Hitherto they have been afraid to attempt to steal bases on Bennett. Before the game Latham said: "Well, we will show him that he can't throw me out." He was true to his promise. In the first inning he made a break on the first ball pitched and landed safe on second. When he stole third the spell was broken and Bennett was a terror no longer. Whenever the Browns reached first they broke for second, and not a man was put out. It is true that a strong wind interfered with throwing but the Browns have regained their confidence and will keep the Detroits' backstop busy in the future. They could not hit Conway, and won simply on their base-running. Bob Caruthers went into the box again, and once more proved what a terror he is to the Detroit sluggers. They hit him freely, but not safely, to-day, and their base-hit column looks rather deserted. In the three games Caruthers has pitched the Detroits have made just nineteen hits, and one of the games has thirteen innings, too. Boyle caught a splendid game, and threw decidedly better than Bennett. Once he caught Hanlon, Detroit's fast runner, 10 feet off second, on an attempt to steal on him. It was a great test for a young player, but Jack stood it bravely. Latham, as usual, kept the crowd in a roar by his antics, but he played ball as though his life depended on winning, and a large share of the credit of the victory belongs to him. He stole three bases on Bennett-twice to second and once to third. O'Neill played a great game in left, and did some very opportune batting, driving in 3 of the 5 runs made. Welch, in center, did some clever work in the field, too, and his two-base hit to left, on which Caruthers and Foutz scored, virtually decided the contest. Foutz had but little to do in the field and batted well. Gleason was again weak in the field, but made several neat plays. Bill is not playing his best ball just now. Robinson handled everything that came his way, without an error of any kind, and his double plays elicited great applause. While Comisky did nothing of particular brilliancy in the field or at the bat, he handled his men in perfect style, and they did not make a mistake of any kind.

The Detroits' Play.

For Detroit, Conway was very effective, but marred his work by his fatal wildness; thus, in the first inning he hit Gleason and sent Latham to base on balls, and both men scored. After that he was almost invulnerable. Bennett caught his same reliable game, and while his throwing was bad he had the wind to contend against. Ganzel played well at first, but marred his record by a bad muff. The error, however, cost nothing. Dunlap carried off the honors, both at the bat and in the field, for the Wolverines. His fielding was clever, sharp and accurate, and his batting was first-class. Rowe played a perfect game at short, although most of his plays were easy balls to handle. White, who has been playing the game of his life this series, made a couple of blunders, but put up a good game for all that. The outfield had but little to do, but did that well.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 15, 1887