The 1884 Maroons: The Hard Life Of 19th Century Catchers

The first game of the home series between the St. Louis and Chicago Unions attracted only a light attendance to Union Park yesterday afternoon.  Heavy batting by the home team made the contest one sided, but it was, nevertheless, a well-played game, the fielding errors being limited to three for each side.  In the first inning Tony Suck, who was playing left field, closed in on a line hit from Gleason's bat, and in endeavoring to capture it had one of his fingers knocked out of joint, the injury causing his retirement from the field, Atkinson being sent out to fill his position.  In the same inning Krieg, the catcher, wrenched his ankle, and had to play the game out in a crippled condition.  As Suck and Krieg are the club's two regular catchers their injuries may necessitate the immediate engagement of new men to play behind the bat.  Even with a lame leg Krieg showed himself a first-class catcher.  The home nine guaged Daily's delivery from the start, earning two runs in the first inning, and subsequently adding five more, four of which were earned.  Twelve hits with a total of eighteen bases was the aggregate of their work at the plate.  Dunlap scored three hits, and Shafer, Rowe, Gleason and Boyle two each.  Three-base hits were credited to Shafer and Gleason, and Dunlap and Rowe each made a two-bagger.  The visitors made seven hits off Sweeny, two of them being two-baggers by Gardner and Wheeley.  Their hits, however, were scattering and failed to earn a run.  Double plays were made by McGarr and Schoeneck, and Whitehead and Dunlap.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 14, 1884