Desevring Of Credit Instead Of Abuse

The young man who furnishes the Republican with its base ball news was slightly mistaken when he accused Houtz and McSorley of jumping the Stocks of this city and joining the Stars of Covington, Ky. These two players, it is true, had signed to play with the Stocks, but only conditionally, as they had previously signed with the Stars. The latter club promised to send them a sum of money by a certain date, but failed to do so, and they accepted an offer from the Stocks of this city, who paid them a certain sum to bind the contract. When they signed, however, they expressly stated that should the Stars forward them the promised sum, they would consider themselves under obligations to play with that club. The manager of the Stocks agreed to this arrangement, and, subsequently, the boys received their money from Covington. They at once returned the money advanced by the Stocks, and canceled their contracts with that club, and got from its managers a written release, which they carried with them to Covington. This is the true inwardness of the whole matter, and throughout the whole transaction Houtz and McSorley acted in a most honorable manner, and are deserving of credit therefor instead of abuse.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 21, 1876

This is a fascinating little example of how complicated it was to contract for baseball players in the 19th century and how easy it was for a player to get tagged as a revolver.

I Guess Billy Redmon Was A Globe-Democrat Reader

To the Editor of the Globe-Democrat.

St. Louis, February 28, 1876.-Dear Sir: We notice, in your issue of the 27th, that the Red Stocking Base Ball Club have secured the gallant little "short stop," Redmond,...(and) also Galvin, the "home runner" and excellent pitcher. Your reporter must have been misinformed in regard to the above players, as they are both engaged on the Stocks Base Ball Club.

C.Y. Bachelder,

Manager Stocks B.B.C.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, February 29, 1876

The following note from Mr. Redmon, the excellent short stop player, explains itself:

To the Editor of the Globe-Democrat.

St. Louis, February 29, 1876.-Dear Sir: I notice a card in your issue of to-day from the manager of the Stocks Base Ball Club, stating that your reporter must be misinformed when he stated that I would play with the St. Louis Reds during the coming season, and that I had been engaged by the Stocks. Your reporter was right. I will play with the Reds, as I agreed to do last December.

W. Redmon.

One word in regard to Mr. Galvin, the St. Louis pitcher. Last Friday night one of our reporters dropped in at the Reds' headquarters, and not only saw Mr. Galvin sign papers to play with the Reds, but was asked to witness his signature, which he did. Of course, he might have jumped the Reds since then, as some of the ball players are rather slippery. One thing is certain-Galvin is a real good player, and no mistake.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 1, 1876

The Reds Get Their Revenge

The Reds ended their tumultuous 1875 season with a four game series against the Stocks. Playing at the Compton Avenue Park, the two teams met on four Sunday afternoons in October. The Stocks, bidding to become the unofficial champions of St. Louis, defeated the Reds in the first game, upset the Empires on October 10th, and then beat the Reds again in the second game of the series.

The Stockyard nine was on a roll when they met the Reds for the third time on October 24th. But the Red Stockings, "chagrined at the double defeat" and playing before a crowd of more than 2,000 people, jumped on their rivals and took a quick 4-0 lead. The rout was on and the Reds took the third game by a score of 12-2.

On October 31st, the two teams met for the final game of the series. The game was a barn burner. The Stocks were leading 5-3 after two innings when the Reds scored one in the third and five in the fourth to go ahead 9-5. Coming back, the Stockyards scored three in the bottom of the fifth to cut their deficit to one run. The Reds immediately answered back in the top of the sixth with two more runs to put the game away. The final score was 13-9. In their final game of the season, the Reds managed to half the series and regain a bit of their pride.

The Reds nine, in these final games of 1875, was, due to the turmoil of the summer, a bit different than the nine that competed in the NA. The team consisted of Charlie Houtz (1b), Art Croft (2b), Dan Collins (3b), Billy Redmon (ss), John Magner (LF), Tom Loftus (CF), Tom Oran (RF), and a battery of Silver Flint (C) and Pidge Morgan (P). In game two of the series, Croft pitched in place of Morgan, who was home with his pregnant wife. In that game, Welch played 2b in place of Croft and "the substitute" Roe replaced Loftus in center field. The Globe-Democrat singled Welch out for poor play in game two and wrote that his fielding "lost the game".

The Stocks Shock The City

The Stocks, one of the best teams in St. Louis in 1874, staked their claim to being "the best amateur nine" in the city in October of 1875 with a string of three straight victories over their top competition. Over three consecutive Sundays, the Stocks defeated the Reds, the Empire, and then the Reds once again.

The Stocks first victory was on October 3rd. In the first of a four game series between "the famous Red Stockings and the amateur Stocks" at the Compton Avenue Park, the Stocks shocked the over-confident Reds in what would later be described as "a hard fight". While the Globe-Democrat failed to report the Stocks win, coverage on the day of the game predicted a "massacre" of the Stocks by the Globe's favorite baseball team.

A week later, at the Grand Avenue Grounds, "the Stockyard nine" took on the "State champions of Missouri", the Empire Club. On a cool fall afternoon, the Stocks took it to the Empire, jumping out to a 4-1 lead after two innings before winning in a rout, 10-3. The Globe praised the Stocks play, saying it was "up to the professional standard".

The Stocks completed their run on October 17th against the Reds in what must have been one heck of a ballgame at the old Compton Avenue Park. Falling behind 5-4, the Stocks tied the game with a run in the seventh. In the eighth, they pushed across two runs to take the lead and won the game 7-5. "(This) victory," wrote the Globe, "places (the Stocks) in the front ranks of amateur clubs" in the nation.

The Stocks team that shocked the city of St. Louis with this string of upsets consisted of Bill Gleason ( 1b), McManus (2b), Jack Gleason (3b), Newell (ss), Monsel (lf), Gunsolis (cf), Glenner (rf), and a battery of Rippey (c) and Meagher (p). Newell is probably T.E. Newell.

Where The Games Were Played

In the 1860's and 70's, amateur teams played baseball in a variety of locations around St. Louis. Some of the more prominent locations are listed below.

• The first recorded game played in St. Louis was at the Old Fairgrounds in north St. Louis.
• The Empire and the Union clubs played some of their earliest games in a field located near the Rock Church on Grand Ave.
• The Elephant and Saw Log Grounds was an open field near the riverfront just east of Broadway.
• The Rowenas and Vanities played in an open field south of Lafayette Park.
• The Gamble Lawn Grounds, located "near the old Rock Springs", was used by both the Empire and the Union.
• In the early 1860's, Thomas McNeary built what would become known as Red Stockings Base Ball Park on Compton Ave.
• In 1871, the Grand Avenue Park was built by August Solari and would be used between 1875-1877 by the Brown Stockings. Later, Sportsman's Park would be built on the site.
• Stocks Park was built in 1875 by a combination of livestock dealers and baseball enthusiasts near the corner of Easton and Vandeventer Ave.