The 1887 World Series: Game Twelve

The series was already decided but they played on:

About 800 people sat and shivered at Washington Park, Brooklyn, to-day, to watch the twelfth game between the Browns and Detroits for the championship of the world. The teams left Baltimore at 4 o'clock this morning, and arrived at Jersey City at 10 o'clock. The weather was simply execrable. The wind was cold and piercing, while heavy clouds kept the sun's rays from reaching and warming the bleaching boards. It was really unfit for ball-playing, but when the small crowd seemed anxious for a game, the manager called play. The audience sat wrapped in heavy overcoats, and the players never took off their heavy flannel coats. Bennett's hands were so sore that he laid off, and Ganzel went behind the bat. Brouthers made his first appearance in the series, and, besides fielding well, showed some of his skill as a batter. He was compelled to get some one to run for him. Dunlap was still too lame to play, and Richardson went to second. Twitchell played left field. The Browns, too, were switched around, Foutz covering first and Comiskey going into right. Both did well. The Browns won by outplaying the Wolverines at every point. They hit Conway hard, ran bases well, and fielded in almost perfect style. King was put into the box and again proved very effective. The Detroits were almost at the mercy of his speedy delivery, Ganzel and Brouthers being the only one who seemed to be able to gauge his curves. Bushong caught him well and also threw well to bases. Foutz did good work at first. Gleason, besides playing a perfect game in the field, batted very hard. Latham led at the bat, but marred his record in the field by a wild throw, O'Neill, Welch and Comiskey caught some difficult flys, while the trio also did some clever work with the stick. The Detroits evidently had been celebrating their victory, as they could neither field nor bat. They resembled a band of cripples, and Rowe was added to the list to-day, hurting his hand and giving way to Getzein in the fifth inning. Conway was wild and ineffective and was but indifferently supported. Ganzel caught in very fair shape for a man with sore hands. Richardson played well at second, but was weak at the stick. Rowe and White played poorly. Hanlon carried off the fielding honors, taking some very difficult fly balls in good style.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 23, 1887

"The Detroits evidently had been celebrating their victory..." I'm thinking that's probably a bit of understatement.

These last few games are just so strange. Can you imagine them playing all the games of a modern World Series after, say, a sweep or a five game victory. Crazy. It just underscores the exhibition nature of the 19th century world's series. But, on the positive side, at least Brouthers got to play.