Coming down the Allegheny Mountains Sunday night, the special train bearing the Browns and Detroits ran at times at the rate of seventy-five miles an hour. In the dining-car nothing could be kept on the table, and the rolling of the cars was such that a number of the occupants became sea-sick. Mr. Stearns was frightened almost to death, and said that he would rather give $1000 than repeat the experience.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 27, 1887
Considerable money was made on the late championship games, and Messrs. Stearns and Von der Ahe have a neat surplus for their trouble. The following list will show about the amounts taken in and expended: At St. Louis, $9000; Detroit, $6750; Pittsburg, $2300; Brooklyn, $5800; New York, $4100; Philadelphia, $8000; Washington, $800; Boston, $3100; Baltimore, $2000; Chicago, $200. This, in round numbers, gives a total of $42,000. The estimated expenses of the trip are $18,000, leaving a balance of $24,000. This, divided at the rate of 75 and 25 per cent, would give Mr. Stearns $18,000 and Mr. Von der Ahe $6000. Mr. Stearns has promised his players $500 each, so that his share of the profits will be little more than Mr. Von der Ahe's.
[Above] will be found the tables showing the base hits, errors, etc., of the players in the late world's championship series. It will be seen that the Detroits outbatted and outfielded the Browns, and consequently won on their merits. The Browns team averages were: Batting, .258; fielding, .904. The Detroits: Batting, .279; fielding, .925.
The Browns' victories of late have been like angels visits, few and far between, but they come sometimes, and yesterday was one of the occasions. They outplayed the Wolverines at every point, winning the game in the first inning, and clinching it in the second, making 7 runs in the first two innings. Sportsman's Park wore a deserted look. Not over 800 people sat, shivered and watched the game, and they evidently came for the purpose of guying the home team whenever the occasion offered. But, as luck would have it, they had little chance to badger the home lads, who played ball something like the Browns of old. The home players looked in vain for sympathy from the crowd. Latham waddled up to the plate and the accustomed cheer was not forthcoming. Lyons made his appearance without attracting attention. O'Neill stalked up to the plate and the usual cry of "Kill it, Jim!" was not heard. The crowd seemed to care little whether he hit the ball or not. When Comiskey, the Browns' hard-working captain, advanced to the batsman's position, not a hand was raised. Caruthers was cheered as he stepped to the plate, and was the only one of the Browns who was noticed at all. Such is a ball player's life. The Browns have won two world's championships, and three Association pennants, and their present defeats should not dim the luster of their former great triumphs. Bill Gleason was laid off yesterday, and Lyons put in his place. The youngster batted well, but was a trifle nervous in the field, making three errors. Caruthers was fairly effective, and was well supported. Latham led at the bat, and Bushong also did good work with the stick. Baldwin pitched for the visitors and was hit hard. Ganzel and Sutcliffe caught him well. Kelly took care of the field, while Gaffney attended to the balls and strikes. The Detroits left for home last night...
[After the sixth inning,] It grew so dark and cold that the game was called.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 27, 1887
The Browns arrived in the city yesterday morning, accompanied by their victorious rivals, the Detroits. The welcome was in marked contrast to the triumphal entry of the Wolverines into their native city last Monday. The ex-champions asked the trainmaster to bring them in very early, and at 7 o'clock the special train sneaked into the Union Depot. The players looked out of the window, and seeing the coast clear, scattered in all directions, and taking by-ways proceeded to their various domiciles. They were not the same victorious crowd which this time last year was crowing about their victory over Chicago. They returned with their banners trailing in the dust. There were few to meet them and the depot loungers cast a careless glance at them as they slunk away. Such is fame. But although defeated, the Browns are still a great ball team and will yet assert themselves. They are not as strong as they have been, as the powers of some of their old players are on the wane. Mr. Von der Ahe is very sore over his defeat, but takes it philosophically and swears that he will get even in the spring. He will spare no expense to strengthen the weak points of his team, and the Browns will once more be a championship club.
Oh! it was cold for base ball at White Stocking Park [in Chicago] this afternoon. At 2:15 o'clock there were two blue-nosed shivering individuals in the grand-stand and about seventy-five cranks sought the sunny side of the bleaching boards and stamped their feet and kept their hands in their pockets to keep warm while waiting for the appearance of the great rival ball teams. The frozen ground of the base lines was raked and softened, and the whitewash marks looked positively chilly and made the poor spectators hug themselves a little tighter. There was quite a debate as to whether the game should be played or not. The money that would be taken in would certainly not pay for one-half the discomfort of the players in trying to handle a ball with the thermometer but [twenty degrees] above zero. Mr. Stearns at first decided not to play, but Mr. Von der Ahe thought it would be better to play the game anyhow, even at a great inconvenience, rather than disappoint the people who braved the wintry weather to see the champion representatives of the national game. At 2:25 there was not a sign of a ballplayer on the field. The wheezy strains of the alleged band were again heard by the crowd who had so often suffered during the past season. Time when play should have been called came and went, and there was no ball club, champion or otherwise, on the field, but it was said the game would be played, and the people waited in hope.The Browns came out for practice at 2:50, and were welcomed with as much enthusiasm as the half-frozen spectators could give. The cheer was repeated with a little more emphasis when the Detroits appeared, but it was evident that "wild applause" would not be a feature of the description of the game. The Browns lost again after a hard struggle. King pitched a great game, striking out nine of the Wolverines. He was poorly supported, however. The errors made were excusable, owing to the cold weather. Getzein pitched for Detroit, and, although hit hard, managed to keep the hits well scattered. He was fairly well supported. Both teams left for St. Louis to-night. Owing to the cold weather the three games between the Browns and Chicago, scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, have been postponed until next spring.
Prior to entering on the contest for the world's base ball championship the St. Louis Browns boasted of their ability to steal bases and based their hopes of success in the contest largely on this feature of the game. In the games that have been played the Detroit boys have shown that they were capable of giving the Browns pointers on this feature of the game and have been stealing bases with an audacity that has astonished their competitors. The Browns find they are not playing an Association team.-[Cheboygan Tribune.]
The Browns and Detroits were accorded a royal reception on their arrival [in Detroit] this morning. They were met at the depot by a delegation of the leading citizens of Detroit and a tremendous crowd of enthusiasts. As the train pulled into the depot the Detroits were greeted with prolonged cheers. Arrived at the depot the Wolverines were the recipients of many congratulations and a general hand-shaking was the result. The two teams were escorted to carriages and, headed by the Detroit Brass Band, paraded through the principal streets of the town. Everywhere the teams were applauded to the echo, and it was unquestionably a great day in the history of the City of Straits. The principal streets were handsomely decorated, and everything presented a holiday appearance. The reception committee carried huge brooms, which were the occasion of much merriment. The teams were driven to the Russell House, where a lunch was spread for them. At 7 o'clock this evening the two clubs and visiting journalists were banqueted at the Russell House, Mayor Chamberlin presiding...The teams left at 10 o'clock for Chicago. The day was really unfit for ball playing, being very cold, while a piercing wind swept across the grounds. Notwithstanding this fully, 4000 people assembled to witness the contest. Both teams were the recipients of prolonged applause as they stepped on the field.Presentations were the order of the day. Ganzel was presented with a gold watch and Brouthers with the champion's bat for the best batter in the Detroit team. Bennett was not forgotten. In the fourth inning a delegation headed by a fife and drum marched into the grounds wheeling a barrow containing 500 silver dollars, which were presented to the great catcher. Bennett will need no advance money this year. O'Neill was presented with a bouquet of flowers. The game was close for a few innings, and then the Wolverines forged ahead and won rather easily. Caruthers was hit hard, and did not seem to exert himself as he might have done. Bushong's work was poor. Welch, Latham, Gleason and Comiskey did good work. Baldwin won his fourth game from the Browns, being as effective as usual. Ganzel caught him well. Sutcliffe, the old Maroon catcher, made his first appearance for Detroit, and did poorly. He can not bat, and is but an ordinary fielder. White had another great day, batting in great style and also fielding well. Richardson and Hanlon also did well.
The last contest of the world's championship series in the Eastern cities was played at Washington Park yesterday in the presence of over 2,000 people, despite the fact that a cold, blustering northeast wind made it extremely uncomfortable for the spectators, the temperature being decidedly Wintry. The players felt it, too, their hands tingling again every time they fielded a ball, so chilled were they even with their active work on the field...It was no day to play ball in, and the players on both sides went into the contest to rush it up as quickly as they could and get back to their hotels.
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
Although a few scheduled games between the champions of the National League and the American Association for the championship of the world remain to be played, the question at issue has been decided and the Detroit Club will wear the proud title for a season. And they deserved to win it. They played good ball from start to finish and won every game upon its merits. As for the St. Louis Browns, let them hold their peace and enter no pleas of ill-luck, poor form, and other conventional excuses. They were fairly outplayed and squarely beaten, and must drink the cup they have so often held to the lips of others. Though beaten they are not disgraced. They played splendid ball, but could not overcome the handicap of superior weight. It was trickery, agility and brilliant skill against steady skill, muscle and weight, and the latter won by virtue of superior force. For the League the triumph of the Detroits is as sweet as it is bitter to the Association, which will share the humiliation of defeat with the Browns in fullest measure; as the result will indirectly reflect lustre upon the entire League and dim the fame of the Association. In public estimation the League will now, for a season at least, rank as the stronger organization. It could not be otherwise, considering that Detroit, which has such a hard struggle with the clubs of its organization, should have had such a comparatively easy victory over a team which had a walk-over in its own class. No amount of analysis, argument and comparison can change that the the Association champion club and its fellow-clubs will have to grin and bear it, trusting to the future for a reversal of positions. Meantime we heartily congratulate the Detroit Club officials and players upon their double success. The club itself for years [struggled] against heavy odds and only got to the top by great liberality, unfailing courage and grim determination. As for the players, we regard their triumph as a victory for decent base ball. They have not only played steady ball, but have at no time given offence either to their superiors, to their home supporters or to the general base ball public, either on or off the field. In character, habits and deportment they have approached nearer the ideal professional standard than any set of players ever before collected under one club standard. They are in every sense model ball players and gentlemen, and as such we salute the "Champions of the World."
Chris Von der Ahe says his team is getting some of the "big head" knocked out of it, and he thinks the men will be more reasonable next spring when asked to sign for another season.
Von der Ahe has been complaining of the umpiring of Kelly, claiming that the Browns have got the worst of it all through. The Detroit players laugh at this, as they declare that the Wolverines have had two close decisions given against them where the Browns have had one.
The present series has set Mr. Von der Ahe to thinking, and he has agents now out on a still hunt for players. There will probably be a new short-stop in the team next year, a new right-fielder, a couple of pitchers, and another good catcher. The latter has been secured in the person of Gibson, late of the Philadelphia club. A new pitcher has been signed. He comes from the Eastern league, and is said to be a first class twirler. Hudson will no doubt be sold and Knouff released. Foutz, too, will be called on to do better work, or he may also receive his walking papers. The Browns may be deprived of the services of Bushong next season. The Doctor told a Globe-Democrat representative lately that he was going to California this winter, and it was very questionable if he returned. The Browns can ill-afford to lose the great catcher.An Offer For Caruthers.Caruthers, too, claims that he will quit ball playing next year. This will weaken the Browns beyond measure. Caruthers, besides being a great pitcher is a reliable batter and one of the finest fielders in his position in the world. It will be a sorry day for the Browns when they lose Caruthers. The trouble with Caruthers is this, that an Association manager, presumably Charley Byrne, of the Brooklyn Club, has made him dissatisfied by offering him a fabulous salary if he could secure his release from the Browns. Caruthers gets but $3000 with the Browns, while Mr. Byrne has offered him $4500.
The Browns have lowered their colors to Detroit. The admission of the superiority of the Wolverines is a galling one but nevertheless it must be made. The Browns themselves feel disgusted with their showing and can not account for it. They did not go into the contest with a great amount of confidence. After running up a record of victories unparalleled in the history of the national game, they became crippled during the summer months and made a very weak finish. Detroit, on the other hand, made a great finish and knew her strength. There is no club in the country that has had such a run of hard luck during the past season as have the Browns, and their wonderful work under the circumstances stamp them as one of the pluckiest aggregations in the world. To begin with, in the early spring Foutz came back from California with a dead arm and only in condition to sign-nothing else. He has not pitched his game this season, and it is evident that his powers as a twirler are on the wane. Then a number of new men who were signed proved to be failures, King and Boyle being the only good men out of the lot. When Foutz broke down Mr. Von der Ahe turned to Hudson, of whom much was expected. After securing this pitcher at much expense he proved to be a dire failure. Then followed a chapter of accidents, sufficiently great to almost turn the team into a hospital. O'Neill was hit by a pitched ball and forced to lay off, Bushong had his finger broken, Comiskey his thumb broken, Welch was hit in the face with a bat, Caruthers stricken with fever and Robinson's hands made so sore that he was forced to lay off. It was, indeed, a sorry aggregation that started from St. Louis for the last Eastern trip. There were but nine men in the party, including two pitchers and a catcher, yet this team played good ball, showing the marvelous strength and pluck of the Brown Stocking team.Only One Pitcher.Scarcely had the team become united again than the series with Detroit commenced, and the russet-hosed lads were on the field with their confidence considerably shaken. After the first game, in which Caruthers pitched and won the Browns took hope, seeing that they had one pitcher at least on whom they could depend. The next game, however, showed them that Foutz would be practically useless to them. Whenever Caruthers pitched the Browns played a strong, steady game, and gave the Wolverines all they could to to win. Caruthers won three of the games he pitched, and had Foutz held up his end the result might have been different. King, after his pummelling at Pittsburg, pitched good ball, and in the game at Philadelphia, showed a steadiness that was really wonderful in so young a player. Behind the bat the Browns were weak, neither Bushong nor Boyle catching good ball. Detroit, on the other hand, had three pitchers in magnificent condition, and all were equally effective. Bennett caught almost all the games, and his work was perfect. He had a very sore hand, too, and showed wonderful pluck. In the field positions it is hard to compare the teams. This much, however, may be said: Those of whom much was expected realized the least. O'Neill was the weakest of infants at the bat. Caruthers and Foutz were but chance hitters, too. Robinson played the game of the team. His work was simply marvelous, and made thousands of friends in the cities visited. He kept up his good work at the bat, too. Welch, too, did good batting, but did not show up as strongly in the field as expected. Gleason's work was very poor, and many of his errors were costly in the extreme. Latham played the game of his life in the field, but was very weak at the bat. His base-running, however, was always a feature of the game. Comiskey was not steady as usual at first, although he batted well. The Detroits played better ball than they knew how.The Detroits' Great Work.That old fossil, Deacon White, in the first part of the series played one of the most marvelous games ever seen on a ball field. Nothing was too hard for him. He also did some opportune batting. Rowe's work throughout has been steady and reliable, while his work with the stick has been first-class. Dunlap's play, like Robinson's, was brilliant and generally reliable, and "Denny" has lost none of that wonderful skill which earned for him the title of "king-pin of second baseman of the world." Bennett and Ganzel alternated at first, and both did good work. The outfield is wonderfully strong, while every man is a good batter. Hanlon, the weakest hitter of the club, makes up for his weakness by his wonderful base-running powers. Taken all in all, the Detroits, as at present constituted, are a wonderfully strong aggregation. They were not seen in their full strength either, as Brouthers, their heavy hitter, was incapacitated from work by a sprained ankle. How fortunate it is that the series of games did not see-saw in regard to victories and defeats, as it would have given the chronic kickers a chance to cry "Fraud," "hippodrome," and such like absurdities. As a matter of fact, the League had a question of the greatest importance to determine and they took the present series of games to settle it. It is a well-known fact that in a number of League cities people are compelled to pay 50c to see base ball games. These people naturally ask how it is that they are compelled to pay twice as much as patrons in the Association cities. The answer has been, "We furnish you a better article of ball." This the League managers called on Detroit to prove in the last series, and their orders to the Wolverines were to defeat the Browns as often and by as large scores as possible, so as to prove their arguments by facts. Then, too, there was too much feeling among the players to even arrange a hippodrome.
The Browns have lost their title as World's Champions, having given up that proud title to Detroit. They played very little like a champion club this afternoon, and an amateur team could have defeated them. They could not hit a balloon or catch anything, while the indifference of Foutz was disgusting. he seemed to care little whether he won or lost, and played a slovenly, don't care sort of game that disgusted even his warmest admirers. The whole team played poor ball, with the exception of Robinson, Latham and Comiskey. The former's work was really brilliant. He fielded in marked contrast to his associates, and made half the hits credited to his side. The Detroits played poorly in the field, but batted well and won in this way. Kelly was in the field this afternoon and Gaffney behind the bat. The weather was clear, but cold, and the attendance 2500.
The Browns won a game from Detroit this morning. It was a long and weary wait for victory, but it came at last and was appreciated beyond measure by the admirers of the world's champions. The Browns played ball as of yore, and put up a game which could have beaten any club in the country. They knocked Getzein all over the field and practically knocked his pretzels out of the box. The game was full of incidents. Bennett's sore hand at last became so painful that he retired in favor of Ganzel. Dunlap was run into by Robinson and his broken leg again was hurt. The lively batting and sharp fielding dept up the interest to the close. Latham, Welch and Richardson made home runs and Foutz a three-bagger. Gleason's triple play was a magnificent piece of work, while his batting was a feature of the game. Brother Bill seems to have recovered his nerve, and much may now be expected of him. Caruthers, although suffering from a very sore arm, kept the Wolverines down in good shape. It looked as though they were going to knock him out of the box in the first inning, when they opened with a home run and a single, but after that they could do but little with him. The Detroits did not play with the same vim that has characterized their work on the trip, and seemed badly rattled by the Browns' new showing. Kelly called the balls and strikes and Gaffney took care of the field. Owing to the fact that the game took place in the morning, only about 3000 people attended. The grounds were soft from last night's rain and many of the errors were caused on this account.
Richardson hit a high fly, which dropped between O'Neill and Gleason. Ganzel drove a corker to right for a base, Richardson going to second. Rowe also popped up a high fly and once more did the ball fall on vacant ground, this time between Foutz and Comiskey. The bases were full, and with Thompson at the bat the prospect looked blue for the Browns, but the St. Louis lads completed a play which happens but seldom on a ball field. Thompson drove a terrific liner at Gleason, who caught the ball. Richardson had started for home and Rowe for third, and the ball flew to Latham and then to Robinson and a triple play was the result. The crowd applauded vociferously.
A heavy rain set in early this morning [in Washington, D.C.] and continued all day, so that it was impossible to play, and the game scheduled for this city was postponed until to-morrow morning. It was determined that if the weather permitted the two games would be played to-morrow, the morning game at Washington and the afternoon game at Baltimore.The revised schedule of games reads as follows: To-morrow, Washington and Baltimore; Saturday, Brooklyn; Monday, Detroit; Tuesday and Wednesday, St. Louis; Thursday, Chicago; Friday and Saturday, Kansas City. The Browns are feeling very sore over their defeats. It is evident that they have not been playing their game for several months back; in fact ever since they were so badly crippled on their last Eastern trip. In three of the seven games lost to Detroit a few sacrifice hits would have turned the tide in the Browns' favor, but they were not forthcoming, and defeat was the result. Then, too, they have had to depend on Caruthers almost entirely, although King may be expected to do good work the rest of the series. Comiskey, too, is bothered with a very sore face, the result of the old trouble in his left cheek, which was lanced in New York recently. The players spent the day in lounging on the train, which was side-tracked. Gaffney, the popular umpire, and late manager of the Washingtons, was to-day presented with a handsome diamond pin, the gift of the players he has had under him the past year in the Washington club.
