The 1884 Maroons: Pounding The Ball All Over The Field

The St. Louis Unions won another victory from the Nationals, of Washington, yesterday, in a contest terminated by rain at the end of five innings.  The visitors played a poor fielding game, but at the bat they made a better showing.  The home team, as usual started in pounding the ball all over the field, and took all the vim out of their opponents.  In the first inning a three-base hit by Gleason and a single by Rowe, sided by errors of the Nationals scored three runs.  In the second hits by Rowe, Dunlap and Taylor assisted by wild throws added four more to the score.  In the third singles by Dunlap, Baker and Brennan, and wretched fielding by the opposing nine gave them three more.  A fine drive for three bases to the right field fence by Rowe, followed by Taylor's long hit to the left field fence, added another in the fourth, making a total of eleven.  The visitors scored two in the third, three in the fourth, and one in the fifth by hits of Wise, Evers, Moore, and McLaughlin.  Taylor pitched a fine game while Baker supported in fine style.  For the visitors Lockwood pitched, McKenna being his support.  There were about 1,500 people in attendance.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 12, 1884


Thirteen straight wins.  And the team was just battering that left-field fence.

What Did Dunlap Do?  The T-800 was two for three with a couple of runs scored.  Like a machine.

It should also be noted that while the Maroons drew 1,500 fans to their game, the Browns drew what the Globe described as the biggest baseball crowd of the season to their game against Columbus.  The crowd at Sportsman's Park was estimated at around 12,000.  It looks like, at that point in the season, Von der Ahe and the Browns were winning their fight against the upstart Maroons.  It remains to be seen how the Maroons would draw the rest of the season but to get only 1,500 on a Sunday in St. Louis was pretty weak.