The 1884 Maroons: Their Vigorous, Hurricane Way

The St. Louis and Altoona Clubs played there second game [in Altoona] to-day before another large audience.  The St. Louis Club were without the services of Dunlap, who was called home to Philadelphia on important business.  Schafer captained the nine and played second base, Brennan going to right field.  The St. Louis Club started in their vigorous, hurricane way, and never let up until they piled up fifteen runs.  The fielding of the Altoonas, in the face of the heavy hitting of the St. Louis Club, was very good.  The conspicuous features of the St. Louis Club's play were the right fielding and batting of Brennan, the short stopping of Whitehead, the catching of Baker and the first base play of Quinn.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 3, 1884


Brennan did indeed have a good game, with three hits and four runs scored.  But nobody could replace Dunlap.  Oh, wait.  The Maroons won 16-3 without their captain and best player?  I guess it didn't really matter.  I'd have to assume that the Maroons would have won the UA even without Dunlap.

 

The 1884 Maroons: The Visitors Were Very Weak

The second Union Association championship contest of the season was played yesterday by the Altoona Club, of Altoona, Pa., and the St. Louis Unions at Union Park.  About 3,000 spectators were present and witnessed a game, which, while it developed many brilliant features, was by no means interesting.  The visitors were very weak in their battery, Brown and Moore, the former being severely punished by the veterans of the home nine, and the catcher doing very poor work.  Fourteen hits were scored off Brown's delivery, and five passed balls and three errors were charged against Moore.  Brown, however, got his revenge on the young players, and succeeded in striking out seven men.  The home team presented Werden and Brennan.  Werden was but little more effective than Brown, the visitors slashing him for nine clean hits, one of them a home run, scored by Brown.  Brennan had two errors in his score, one for a throw to second when Dunlap was playing wide from the base, and another for overrunning a foul fly that he went back after.  Otherwise his support was admirable. 

The Batting 

was strong on both sides, Shaffer, Rowe and Brennan of St. Louis, and Smith and Coons of Altoona making two-base hits.  Shaffer and Rowe led for the home team, each scoring three hits out of five times at the bat.  Brown, of the visiting team, made three hits out of four chances, and achieved the honor of being first to knock a ball over the left field fence, the feat being accomplished by a wonderful drive that carried the sphere high over the wire screen.  Great cheering followed the performance.  In the field Dunlap, Jack Gleason and Shaffer did the best work for St. Louis.  Dunlap put out six men and assisted once, and made one muff on a rather wide short throw by Whitehead.  In the fourth inning he made a brilliant catch of a hot liner from Moore's bat, having to jump to get the ball, and doubled up Koons, who had moved away from second, by a quick throw to Whitehead.  Jack Gleason, who is playing great ball, scored three outs and three assists without an error, and closed the game by taking a sharp hit fly from Smith's bat and throwing to Taylor in time to put out Leary.  Shaffer had three chances and accepted all.  Whitehead was weak at shortfield.  Taylor played first faultlessly.  Harris, at first, made one error, but redeemed himself by playing in good form afterwards, his score showing 12 outs.  The game was umpired by Mapledoram, of New York, who filled the position very creditably.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 25, 1884


The Mountain City of Altoona were not a particularly good baseball team and they wouldn't last long in the Union Association, playing only twenty-five games and winning only six.  Is their rather tenuous claim to fame that Jim Brown hit the first home run at the Union Grounds in St. Louis?  Maybe it's the fact that Orator Shafer's brother, Taylor Shafer, played for the club.  I guess it has to be that the young Germany Smith broke in with them as a rookie.  I'm sure that somewhere out there is somebody who loves this club but, to me, they're a pretty nondescript bunch.

So let's get to the important stuff:

What Did Dunlap Do?

Just your regular old two for five game with three runs scored.  He made an error but was busy in the field and made a jumping snag of a line drive, resulting in a double play.  Also, he probably pissed off Jack Brennan by not being in position to receive his throw to second.  Getting hits, scoring runs, making great plays in the field and pissing off his teammates-just another day at the office for Teh Fred.

The 1884 Maroons: A Good, Honest Fight

Until after 1 o'clock yesterday it was a matter of uncertainty whether the game announced to take place at the St. Louis Athletic Grounds between the Union and Prickly Ash nine would be played or not.  There were puddles on the ground, but a wet spot behind second base was planked and carpeted and the gates were thrown open a little before 2 o'clock.  Before they were opened fully 500 persons went away, thinking there would be no game.  Nevertheless, when play was called a gathering of nearly, if not quite, 5,000 occupied seats in the stands and positions around the field.  The pitchers had difficult work from the start, and it was impossible for them to do themselves justice, owing to the moisture and mud that gathered on the ball whenever it struck the ground.  Three balls were used in the game.  One went over the fence on a foul hit and was carried off by a young hoodlum.  Some time afterward another ball was hit over the fence and a chap about 26 years old undertook to run off with it.  Delegate Sullivan, who happened to be near by, gave chase to the young thief and fired a couple of blank cartridges after him.  The boy ran into the brickyard north of the grounds and then dropped on his knees, held him his hands, and trembling with fear, cried out:  "Oh!  don't shoot, mister!  Here's the ball.  Oh!  don't shoot; please don't!"

The Game. 

The Prickly Ash team proved themselves worthy the name of local champions, and it was only after a good, honest fight that the professionals won the ball.  In the P.A. B. ranks there are several old-time local players who occasionally play ball in a manner that would honor distinguished professionals.  That they have some reputation was proved by the crowd that assembled to witness their contest, and that they have many friends was also established by the shouts that went up when, in the final inning, their chances for victory were steadily increasing.  For the first six innings the fight was a pretty one, each side scoring a single.  In the first half of the seventh the professionals commenced to drive the ball about and five runs crossed the plate before the local cracks had recovered themselves.  In the Unions half of the ninth inning Dickerson drove the ball too far right and Carey went out and made a grand catch, and then made a beautiful throw to first, cutting off Dunlap, who had started for second when the hit appeared a safe one.  The double play was the feature of the game, and created great enthusiasm.  The city champions went to the bat in their last half feeling very happy indeed.  Werden, who had been sending the sphere very fast, now slackened his pace, for the ball was heavy and hard to handle.  As a result, he pitched wild, and one man walked to first, while another struck at three wild pitches, the last ball getting away from Brennan.  After these two had reached first there came a hit or two and aided by errors on the part of the infield the local champions got in six runs. At this juncture the excitement was something wonderful, the friends of the nine at the bat fairly screaming with delight as the last runs were tallied.  It wanted but a single run to tie and there was a man on second and two out.  Decker who was at the bat drove the ball hard toward third base, and another shout went up.  Jack Gleason, however, dove after the ball, gathered it cleanly, ending the struggle by cutting Decker off at first.  The play on both sides from first to last was spirited and interesting  The lion of the day was young Brennan who faced Werden's terrific pitching, he catching in great style, although all through the ball was wet and heavy and very difficult to handle.  Besides that he batted splendidly.  Dickerson and Shaeffer also did good work with the stick.  For the P.A.'s Peterson's work at third, Walsh's play at short, Decker's catching and the outfielding of Cunningham, Rodemacher and Carey were the best features.  

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


I'm going to guess and say that, after this game, the Maroons didn't have any more problems with people trying to run off with foul balls.

But the more important thing here is What Did Dunlap Do?

Well, he didn't do much.  Hitless in four at-bats, he did reach base twice (probably on a walk and an error).  He also got doubled up at second and it looks like he had three errors.  Not a great day for teh Fred.  And, yes, I think I will be referring to Dunlap from now on as teh Fred or, even better, Teh Fred (with an exclamation point).  

Teh Fred!

     

How Jack Brennan Came To Be Called Jack Brennan

In the post yesterday about Jack Brennan, I had a bit of a throwaway line about not knowing why Jack Brennan, who, according to B-Ref, was born John Gottlieb Dorn, was actually called Jack Brennan.  Well, I got an email from David Ball mentioning that there was an entry on Brennan in Major League Baseball Profiles and it mentioned how Brennan came to be called Brennan.  David, as usual, was correct:

Reportedly, after catching amateur games in the early 1880s he would tour St. Louis taverns, endlessly singing the song "Brennan on the Moor."  Eventually, he became known as Brennan himself.  The story is no doubt somewhat apocryphal, as is the version that he clandestinely assumed the identity of John Brennan, a boy who lived down the street from him, and to further baffle his pursuers he was listed for well over a century in baseball reference works as James Augustus Brennan, who proved to be a different man entirely.  The first intimation that something odd was afoot with Brennan came when he and Perry Werden appeared in the TSN offices one day in the spring of 1890 and Werden informed TSN that Brennan's real name was John Gottleib Dorn, leading Brennan to counter that Werden was really Patrick Ward.  

-Major League Baseball Profiles, 1871-1900, Volume 2

The entry on Brennan, which was written by Peter Morris and David Nemec, lists Brennan's actual name as John Gottleib Doering Jr., which is an even better name than John Gottlieb Dorn.  It also mentions that Brennan, during the 1890s, worked winters at a gambling hall in Madison, Illinois, which is about thirty blocks from where I'm currently sitting.

And, yes, this is really nothing more than a shameless plug for the book.    

   

The 1884 Maroons: Still Putting The Team Together

The St. Louis Union Club have signed young Brennan, who caught Hodnet so well in Sunday's game.  Brennan is the youngest player on the Union team, and one of the most promising.  He caught last year on the local Grand Avenue and Liberty teams, Werden being his pitcher.  He also went to Chillicothe, Mo., with Werden, and played quite a good game up there.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 8, 1884


Jack  Brennan was actually born John Gottlieb Dorn.  I have no idea why he changed his name unless it was because he wanted to hide his professional baseball activities.

Brennan appears to have played an important role on the Maroons as a utility guy and first guy off the bench.  He played in 56 games and appeared at catcher, third base, short and in the outfield.  He went on to have about as successful career as a utility guy who can't hit can have, playing five seasons in the majors and continuing his professional career into his thirties.

There's a couple of good Jack Brennan stories here and here, if you're interested.  

Jack Brennan Signs With The Maroons

Speaking of the engagements made by Ted Sullivan at New Orleans for the Lucas nine, McGinnis said: "Wolfe is a fair batter, an excellent fielder and one of the best runners I have ever seen. He is a young lawyer and is strictly temperate. The Boston and Chicago clubs had tried to get him to leave New Orleans, but could not do it, and Sullivan must have held out a strong inducement to secure him. Brennan had not played ball for eight months, but he stood right up and took Mullane's fiercest balls in fine style. Some of the boys thought Tony was trying to knock him out, but if he was he didn't succeed. Brennan's weak point is his throwing. At the bat he is a strong man.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 22, 1883

I'm not sure who Wolfe is but Brennan is Jack Brennan, who appears to have signed on with the Maroons while playing with Sullivan's touring club. Jumbo McGinnis, the source of the report, was also on tour with Sullivan's club.

Perry Werden

A fine, stalwart player was Perry Werden, at one time one of the best known of major league players. Werden's home position was at first base although he set out as a pitcher. Werden won his first honors in the baseball line while pitching for the Peach Pies in St. Louis. His first professional engagement came to him in 1882 when he joined the Lincoln (Neb.) team. He was with other teams in the Western League until 1884 when he was signed to pitch for the St. Louis Unions with Jack Brennan as his receiver. After the Union smash-up Werden set out as a first baseman and he held down the initial bag for several major league clubs, notably St. Louis. Three years ago Werdon went to Indianapolis and was the coach and trainer of the American Association Championship team of Indianapolis. Werden is a giant and while he has been playing ball for nearly thirty years, he is still active and can get around as well as the liveliest youngster. In his day he was a fine first baseman as well as one of the hardest hitters in the business.

-The National Game


In The Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James names Perry Werden as the best minor league player of the 1890's (for whatever it's worth). David Nemec, in The Beer & Whiskey League, writes that "Werden set a 19th century record when he slammed 45 homers for Minneapolis of the Western League in 1895. Minneapolis's tiny park had a lot to do with his feat. During Werden's AA sojourn in Toledo and Baltimore, most of his long blasts were only good for triples. He had 38 in 1890-91."

The First Game At The Union Grounds

The Sporting News, in an article that appeared in the August 23, 1886 issue, reported Henry Lucas' sale of the Maroons. Lucas stated that the both the team and the Union Grounds would most likely be "dismantled" after the season. To commemorate the sad occasion, The Sporting News published the box score from the first game played at the Union Grounds on April 3, 1884. I've posted on the game before but I had never seen the box score (which appears below).

One of the more interesting things about this game was that Joe Blong was still kicking around St. Louis playing baseball. It's entirely possible that he was trying to play his way onto the Maroons. Jack Brennan, who played in the game with the picked nine, did just that. "Brennan played so well in this game," The Sporting News article stated, "that at its conclusion he was given a regular position on the Union team and remained with it during its first season."

Jack Brennan Was A Piece Of Work

It seems that Jack Brennan had a nose for trouble. Just a few months after getting out of jail in St. Louis, Brennan returned to the city and had a sordid tale to tell in the December 4, 1886 issue of The Sporting News.

"Jack Brennan, the catcher for the old St. Louis Union team, has just returned from Little Rock. He tells quite a story of how a gambler down here gave him $50 to throw a game. As soon as Jack had the money in hand, he told the manager of the Little Rocks about the offered bribe, and then went in and instead of helping to throw the game, he helped win it. And he was able to do that, because he was catching. The Madisons, of Edwardsville, were playing in Little Rock at the time. After the disposal of three games they were about to leave town for St. Louis, when a man named Rich approached the manager of the Madisons and asked if he would stay over and play a fourth game. The manager asked what there was in it. Rich replied that he had bet the Little Rock Club $500 that the Madisons could beat them and he had put up a $200 forfeit. The manager replied: 'I will play if we get half of the gate receipts.' After talking the matter over with the manager of the Little Rock Club it was decided to give the Madisons half of the gate receipts in order to keep them over to play for the $500 bet.

"The same night a certain person approached Rich, saying: 'Why don't you get somebody to sell the game?'

"Rich replied: 'Who can I get?'

"The other person (who, by the way, pretends to be an honest player) said: 'Why not get Jack Brennan? If you get him to sell the game, we will have them, for he is the 'kingpin' of the team.'

"After some further conversation, it was agreed to get Brennan to sell the game that night. While Brennan was passing the Capital Hotel he was approached by Rich, who asked Brennan to take a buggy ride with him. After riding around awhile and taking a few drinks, Rich said: 'Jack, how would you like to make fifty dollars?'

"'That would hit me were I live,' said Brennan, 'but how am I to make it?'

"'I can put you on to a scheme that will work to perfection,' said Rich, at the same time giving Brennan a poke in the ribs.

"'Well, spit it out,' said Jack.

"'Well,' said Rich, 'if you will throw this game for me to-morrow, I will give you fifty dollars.'

"Brennan said: 'All right; give me the fifty.'

"Rich replied: 'I have not got it just now, but if you will meet me at the Capitol Hotel in about five minutes, you can have it.'

"Brennan went around to the hotel and there met Zlick Alexander, the assistant manager, and Douthett, the centre fielder of the Little Rock Club.

"After standing there about three minutes, who should come out of the door of the hotel but Rich, who called Brennan to him, and walking along side of him said, 'Here is your money,' and slipping it into Brennan's hand, walked away. After Rich had gone, Brennan went up to Alexander and Douthett and said: 'Let's take a walk in the park. I want to tell you something.'

"When in the park they seated themselves, and Brennan said: 'Zlick, a man approached me and asked me to sell to-morrow's game and gave me fifty dollars to signify that he meant business.'

"'Well, are you going to sell the game?' asked Douthett.

"'No, you fool; what do you take me for? I'm no chump,' said Brennan. 'I only want to show the sucker how easily he can be bled.'

"The next day, as already stated, Brennan went in and played like a good fellow, his side winning the game easily. Of course the gambler was enraged and threatened to shoot Brennan, but that was all. The fifty dollars was turned over to the Little Rock management, who in turn gave it to one of the local charitable institutions."


I have to give a big hat tip to Jason Christopherson, who sent me a bunch of information on Brennan, including the above piece.

Jack Brennan In Trouble

"Bright and happy little Jack Brennan is in trouble. While on a toot recently little Jack happened into the Missouri Pacific yards, and believing that he had arrived at his own residence, tried to open the door of a freight car. About this time a railroad watchman came along, nabbed Jack, and preferred a charge of burglary against him. When last heard from he was resting uneasily in one of Jailor Siegemund's apartments."


-from The Sporting News, March 29, 1886