Baseball – 1902

Baseball in 1902

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January

January 4Bill Dinneen‚ winner of 36 games for the Beaneaters (NL) in the past 2 years‚ signs with the rival Boston Somersets (AL)‚ for whom he will win 20 or more for the next 3 years.
January 26Lulu Ortman‚ a recently jilted girlfriend of Boston’s Chick Stahl‚ is arrested in Fort Wayne‚ IN‚ after an unsuccessful attempt to shoot him.
January 30Dashing Tony Mullane‚ the first player to have jumped the reserve rule by signing with the St. Louis Unions of the Union Association in 1883‚ signs a contract with Toledo‚ of the new American Association (AAA).

February

February 20Nick Young remains as NL president when A. G. Spalding bows out of the battle‚ but the league will have no effective leadership until 1903.

March

March 12Cincinnati OF “Turkey Mike” Donlin is arrested for assaulting actress Minnie Fields and her escort. Donlin will plead guilty and serve a 6-month sentence.
March 27The Chicago Daily News uses the name “Cubs” (both with and without the quotes) in print‚ but the Colts moniker will occasionally be used for another three years.

April

April 3The NL names club owners Arthur Soden‚ John T. Brush‚ and James Hart as an interim committee to run the league.
April 17After the playing of “The Star Spangled Banner” before infield practice at the Polo Grounds‚ Christy Mathewson tosses a four-hit shutout over the Phillies. New York wins‚ 7-0‚ beating Harry Felix‚ before a crowd of 24‚000.

According to the NY Evening Telegram‚ the Superbas also have a band in Brooklyn‚ and the music is “On a Sunday Afternoon‚” a curious choice for a Thursday home opener. Bill Donovan beats Boston‚ 21.

The Reds open a new ballpark called “the Palace of the Fans” and inaugurate the occasion by losing to Chicago‚ 6-1. John Taylor wins his 2nd straight opener.

The Pirates edge St. Louis‚ 1-0. when Tommy Leach scores in the 3rd inning. Deacon Phillippe‚ on his way to his 4th 20-game season in a row‚ is the winner. Going the other way‚ Stan Yerkes loses his 1st of 20.
April 19Righthander Bob Ewing‚ 29‚ makes his ML debut with the Reds‚ and ties a NL record by walking 7 batters in the 4th inning. The Chicago Cubs get 5 runs on one hit in the inning. Ewing adds another 3 walks en route to a 9-5 loss.

At Boston’s Huntington Avenue Grounds‚ 15‚000 watch Boston defeat Baltimore‚ 7-6‚ in the AL Opening Day game. Cy Young is the winner.

The Cardinals fumble their way to 10-4 loss against Pittsburgh‚ setting a since-tied NL record with 11 errors. Pittsburgh adds 4 errors for a 2-team 20th C. NL record‚ which will be matched just once‚ in 1904.
April 20In an exhibition match in Chicago‚ the Milwaukee Brewers top the White Stockings‚ 3-2. Chuck Comiskey scheduled the tune-up with the American Association squad after the Brewers took three straight from the Cincinnati Reds.
April 21The Pennsylvania Supreme Court‚ reversing a lower court’s decision‚ grants a permanent injunction (effective only in Pennsylvania) barring jumpers Nap Lajoie‚ Chick Fraser‚ and Bill Bernhard from playing for the A’s‚ or any team but the Phillies. Not mentioned‚ but covered by the decision‚ are: Elmer Flick‚ Monte Cross‚ and Bill Duggleby of the A’s; Ed Delahanty‚ Al Orth‚ Harry Wolverton‚ and Jack Townsend of Washington; Ed McFarland (White Stockings) and Red Donahue (Browns).

Mathewson gives the Giants its 2nd victory‚ winning his 2nd by topping Boston‚ 6-3.
April 23St. Louis Cardinals owner Frank DeHaas Robison offers to put up $10‚000 that the Pirates will not repeat as NL champions. Pittsburgh players accept the challenge with a matching pool‚ and go on to win the pennant.

The White Stocking open the season at home by marching in from the outfield accompanied by Thompson’s American Band. After unfurling the AL pennant‚ the Chicagoans then stop the Detroit Blues‚ 12-2 behind Nixey Callahan.

Let the injunction wars begin: The Supreme Court of the District of Columbia issues a restraining order returnable May 3 against the National Baseball League stopping that organization from interfering with the 4 Washington AL ball players. In Chicago‚ Charles Comiskey comes to the defense of Eddie McFarland saying the White Stockings just won’t play him in Pennsylvania. In St. Louis‚ lawyers for the NL Cardinals initiate proceedings in the circuit court of St. Louis to restrain Harper‚ Wallace‚ and Heidrick from playing with the St. Louis American League team. All three have signed contracts with the Cards. In Philadelphia‚ President Shibe of the AL Athletics says‚ according to his lawyers‚ the Supreme Court ruling applies only to Lajoie and has no reference to any other player.

In front of nearly 13‚000 at Baltimore‚ the Athletics beats the Orioles and Joe McGinnity‚ 5-1. In the 8th inning‚ when Connie Mack hears about the injunction affecting Nap Lajoie‚ he pulls him from the game.
April 24The Giants lose 8-4 to Boston when RF Jim Delahanty lets a bases loaded single skip by him and three runners score. New York scores 3 in the bottom of the 9th‚ but Boston still beats Mathewson.

Brooklyn scores 5 in the 9th and wallops Philadelphia‚ 16-6. Willie Keeler scores 5 runs for an ML record 6th time.

Cy Young pitches Boston to an 11-3 win over Washington. Buck Freeman has 4 hits‚ including 3 doubles‚ while Jimmy Collins and Hobe Ferris homer. Lew Drill‚ a rookie from Georgetown University‚ drills 2 singles and a homer in his first 3 at bats before Young finally strikes him out.
April 25In a 9-8 win over the Cincinnati Reds‚ St. Louis Cards Homer Smoot hits a pair of inside-the-park homers. In a related note‚ the president of the Worcester club of the Eastern League orders Smott to report to their team or he is going to sue the Cardinals. Smoot played for Worcester last season in the first year of a two-year contract‚ before jumping to St. Louis.

Cleveland’s Erwin Harvey collects 6 hits of the 21 hit off Bill Reidy in a 10-0 win over St. Louis.
April 26In his ML debut‚ Cleveland’s Addie Joss fans 4 of the first 6 batters and hurls a one-hitter against the Browns to win 3-0. The only hit is a scratch single by Jesse Burkett‚ which RF Zaza Harvey claims he caught. Ump Bob Caruthers calls it a hit‚ a ruling that will irk Joss for years.

Boston and Washington combine for 17 extra base hits‚ with Washington winning‚ 15-7. The Nationals have 3 homers‚ 4 doubles and a triple off Bill Dinneen and Pep Deininger‚ making his pro debut. Pep will appear in one more game before departing the majors.
April 27Cubs rookie lefthanded pitcher Jim St. Vrain‚ batting righthanded at the urging of manager Selee‚ grounds to Pittsburgh SS Honus Wagner. But then‚ the confused St. Vrain runs toward 3B as the astonished Wagner throws him out at 1B. Pittsburgh wins‚ 2-0‚ as Deacon Phillippe is the winner. The Pirate infield records all the putouts with 16 made at 1B. The Cubs now return to Chicago for a 25-game homestand.

In a 9-0 whitewash over Cleveland‚ White Sox hitter Sam Strang draws 5 walks. He is the first to do it in the league‚ setting the AL mark. Jimmie Foxx will break it in 1938 with 6.
April 28Outfielder Jimmy Sheckard of the AL Baltimore Orioles jumps the team and returns to the NL‚ the first American Leaguer to jump to the NL. In his short stay in the AL‚ Sheckard had been constantly razzed by fans about his contract jumping. White Sox president Comiskey says‚ “We don’t want Sheckard in our league. He has broken too many contracts.” President Tom Daly of the Ball Players’ Protective Association echoes the sentiments. “Our organization is unalterably opposed to such tactics as Sheckard has made use of. I am glad he has gone back to Brooklyn‚ for while he is a great ball player and a nice fellow personally we do not countenance violating a written contract as he has done. I suppose (Ned) Hanlon scared him into jumping.” With Sheckard (and his $1‚000 signing bonus gone) Orioles manager John McGraw will play 3B with Kelly moving to CF.

In Chicago‚ Cleveland’s Dummy Taylor shuts out the White Stockings‚ 2-0. Many of the Cubs players are on hand to watch the former Giant pitcher beat the locals.

In the A’s 12-0 victory over Washington‚ Monte Cross has a pair of homers. Wiltse is the winner.

President Mautner of the Ft. Wayne team gets papers ordering the arrest of P George Mullin for obtaining money under false pretenses. Mullin‚ now with Detroit‚ played for Ft. Wayne last year.
April 29Brickyard Kennedy‚ a member of the Brooklyn Superbas for 10 years‚ makes his first start as a New York Giant and shuts out his old team‚ 6-0‚ on 4 hits. Two of the hits are by Sheckard‚ now in LF. It will be Brickyard’s only win of the year and his only win as a Giant. The loser is John McMakin. The Giants also announce the release of Jim Delahanty‚ who hit .231 in 7 games. He’ll reappear in the majors in 1904 and play another 11 years.

May

May 1Mathewson pitches his 2nd shutout of the year against Philadelphia‚ this time allowing just two Quaker hits while striking out 8. Matty also has 2 hits and cracks his first ML homer‚ off Cy Vorhees‚ to win 3-0.

Boston beats Baltimore‚ 6-4 and John McGraw is tossed in the 9th after being hit on the butt with a pitch only to have umpire Sheridan say he didn’t try to avoid the pitch. Sheridan also upsets the crowd with a foul call on a ball. After the game, a fan heaves a brick at the ump but hits a policeman instead.

An article in the Washington Post states the following: “The new rule adopted by the National League which prohibits a player from taking first on being hit by a slow pitch is bound to add to the trouble of the umpires.”
May 2At Boston‚ the Orioles tag Cy Young for 6 runs in the first inning and the ace is folded. Baltimore scores another 8 runs off reliever George Prentiss (who pitched as George Wilson last year) to win 14-6. Baltimore likes Prentiss so much they will purchase him in June.
May 4The AL suspends John McGraw for 5 days for rowdyism on the field May 1st. To show how evenhanded the AL is‚ Detroit catcher Fritz Buelow is suspended for 5 days for the same reason. McGraw will use the time to go scouting.

George Schultz‚ manager of the Ermine club in the Syracuse city league‚ is electrocuted when he touches a grandstand fence that had accidentally been charged by an electrical wire.
May 6A circuit court in St. Louis rules that the NL reserve clause is unfairly restrictive on 3 defectors. who jumped to the Browns. The injunction brought by the NL is denied‚ thus allowing Wallace‚ Harper and Heidrick to stay as Browns. The inability to retrieve jumpers gives the NL a strong push to reconcile differences with the AL.
May 7Elmer Flick signs with Cleveland. Sporting Life says that A’s officials “presumably consented” to the move. The presumption is cash.

The Cubs Jack Taylor beats Christy Mathewson 4-0 at Chicago’s West Side Grounds. Taylor gives up just 2 hits‚ while Matty allows five. Following a Giants’ protest tomorrow that Taylor was pitching from in front of the rubber‚ this game will later be ruled invalid and all the records will be thrown out‚ including Taylor’s win and Matty’s loss.
May 8Chicago again tops the Giants‚ winning 10-4. Cubs manager Frank Selee comments that the distance from the pitcher’s mound to the plate looks short. Horace Fogel‚ the Giants manager‚ measures the distance and finds the lane is 15 inches short. New York protests and it is upheld on June 3rd. The two games are ordered replayed and the Giants will win them both.

Bill Duggleby‚ the first jumper to return to the Phillies‚ loses‚ 2-1‚ to St. Louis. Dugglesby‚ who made $1200 last year and jumped to the A’s for $2200‚ jumped back for $24000. Dummy Taylor rejoins the Giants after jumping to Cleveland (AL) and will go 1-3. Returnee Chick Fraser will win his first start on May 23rd‚ 5-2 over Chicago. Harry Wolverton will return after 59 games with the Washington Nationals. All others will remain with their new teams. Of all those that the Athletics acquired‚ only Monte Cross stays.

At Detroit‚ the Browns beat the Tigers‚ 5-0‚ behind the 2-hit pitching of Jack Powell. Both hits are by opposing pitcher Ed Siever.
May 13The Reds roll over the visiting Phillies‚ 24-2‚ with each of the 9 players in the lineup collecting at least 2 hits. Winning pitcher Bill Phillips has 4 as Cincinnati totals 28 hits. It is the highest score in the ML this year. Just 400 fans watch.

Chicago defeats Brooklyn‚ 2-0‚ though they make only one hit off Bill Robinson. Miller’s single in the 6th is part of a rally that includes a walk and two errors. Jock Menefee‚ the winning pitcher‚ scores one of the runs after he is safe on an error by Donovan. Chicago 3B Charlie Dexter pulls off a hidden ball trick in the 7th inning on Bill Dahlen.

Arthur Hall‚ 23-year-old shortstop for St. Joseph (Western League) is struck by lightning while leaving the field when the game is called on account of rain. He is expected to recover.
May 14New York batters Cardinal pitcher Mike Joyce for 14 hits sending the Irish-born hurler to a 10-7 loss. St. Louis manages 9 hits off Christy Mathewson‚ the winning pitcher. New York is a distant third to the leading Pirates (19-3).

Without a goodbye to his St. Louis teammates‚ Davy Jones jumps the Browns for a better offer from the Chicago Nationals. He takes a train from St. Louis in the morning and plays in the 3-2 win over Brooklyn. Jones was hitting .224 for St. Louis and will improve to .305 this year in Chicago.
May 16Two deaf-mutes face each other for the first time and only time when Dummy Hoy leads off for the Reds against Dummy Taylor of the Giants. Leadoff batter Hoy greets Taylor with “I’m glad to see you” in sign language. The Giants win 5-3 with a 5-run rally in the 9th. Hoy goes 2-for-4‚ the only Reds batter to collect 2 hits.

The Browns Dick Padden has the lone hit against White Sox hurler Wiley Piatt as Chicago wins‚ 2-1.

Boston’s Tenney and Pittsburgh manager Clarke get into a fight in the 8th inning of Pittsburgh’s 5-1 win. Both are ejected. Pittsburgh also releases pitcher George Merritt‚ 3-0 last year. His release is not a result of threats to enforce the 16-man rule‚ but rather that Clarke did not need him.
May 17The Reds take one from the Giants‚ defeating Christy Mathewson‚ 6-1. Bill Phillips scatters 6 hits to win.

The Boston Americans drop a 7-4 decision to the visiting Athletics in 10 innings. The A’s smack 4 consecutive singles in the 10th off Bill Dinneen to score 3. Lave Cross is 5-for-5 while Harry Davis has 2 doubles and a triple.

Ban Johnson says the AL is no longer trying to retain Lajoie‚ Bernhard and Fraser but is letting them return to the NL. “We are willing to fight their battles for them‚ but they were afraid to take any chances in the courts. All we can do is let them go.”
May 18White Sox pitcher Nixey Callahan has 5 hits against St. Louis‚ the 2nd of 3 times he’ll do it. But his White Sox don’t follow suit in a 17 inning 2-2 tie‚ the AL’s longest game to date.

At Detroit‚ Cleveland follows yesterday’s 14-0 whitewash by scoring 11 runs‚ but Detroit wins 19-11 in a game called with 2 outs in the 7th because of a storm. Cleveland scores 5 in the 3rd on 4 errors and 3 hits but Detroit gets on the board by scoring in the 4th on Deacon McGuire‘s grand slam‚ then plating 5 runs in each of the next three frames.
May 19The board of control of the NL decides to indefinitely postpone the enforcement of the 16-man limit rule.
May 21At Pittsburgh‚ the Giants top the leading Pirates‚ 5-2‚ with Christy Mathewson winning in relief. Matty takes over for Dummy Taylor in the 7th‚ allows a tying run to score‚ then scores the winning run himself in the 8th.
May 22In a 6-0 loss to Pittsburgh‚ Giants’ star George Van Haltren‚ age 36‚ snaps a small bone near his right ankle while stealing second base. Van Haltren is done for the season‚ and will play only 80 more big league games.
May 23Cleveland financier Charles Somers‚ who is also the president of the Boston club‚ meets with Lajoie in Philadelphia and guarantees him a 4-year contract at $7‚000 per year no matter what the legal outcome of his case. Lajoie had played one game‚ then sat in the stands. In 1903‚ Cleveland fans will vote to rename the club the Naps in honor of Lajoie.
May 24In a 15-9 slugfest win against Philadelphia‚ Bill Bradley‚ Cleveland 3B‚ is the AL’s first to hit an HR in 4 consecutive games‚ a record not matched until Babe Ruth does it June 25‚ 1918.
May 30In front of a Polo Grounds crowd of 26‚000‚ the Phillies sweep two from the Giants‚ winning 5-3 and 6-0.

Baltimore’s Roger Bresnahan connects for two inside-the-park homers in the opening 12-4 win against Cleveland. He’ll repeat the performance with the Giants in 1904. Baltimore wins the 2nd game the same way‚ 10-7.

The Cleveland Blues send Candy LaChance to the Boston Americans for Charlie Hickman.

June

June 2Baltimore scores 9 runs in the 3rd inning of a 14-1 victory‚ as Cleveland kicks in 6 errors‚ the most boots in one inning by any club in the 20th century.

In a 12-0 win‚ the Senators unload 3 homers in the 3rd inning against the White Sox P Clark Griffith as Ed Delahanty‚ Bill Coughlin George Carey belt the Old Fox‚ though not consecutively. After Wyatt Lee doubles‚ Griffith takes himself out. According to the Chicago Daily Tribune‚ a Washington fan had offered each member of the Nationals an expensive panama hat for their first shutout and a $50 bonus to whichever pitcher performed the feat. With little chance to win in the 9th‚ Chicago “allowed themselves to be put out without effort” so that the Washington players could win their prize (as noted by Greg Beston).

After the team loses 14 of the last 15 games in May‚ the Giants strip Jack Doyle of his captain’s role and give the job to George Smith. Doyle will be released in late June.
June 3The Cardinals’ Mike O’Neill‚ a pitcher and one of 4 ML brothers‚ hits the first pinch grand slam ever in the majors‚ against Boston Beaneater Togie Pittinger. It is an inside-the-park HR at Boston and scores his brother Jack as the Cardinals win‚ 11-9. O’Neill becomes the first pitcher in the NL to hit a grand slam this century.

The Giants manager Horace Fogel leaves the team because of his father’s death‚ and he will not return. The Giants will replace him with 2B George Smith on the 11th. The change lasts 6 weeks before Smith goes back to the infield and John McGraw takes over.
June 4The Boston Americans buy two pitchers: George Prentiss and Bert Husting, from the Baltimore Orioles‚ and waste no time putting Prentiss to work. He starts today in a 4-3 loss to Cleveland. Prentiss played under the name George Pepper Wilson last year.
June 6In New York‚ the Pirates pull off a triple play versus the Giants on a hotly disputed catch by 2B Claude Richey. The game ends in a 4-4 tie.
June 7At Cleveland‚ Bill Bernhard (2-0) makes his first start for the Blues and beats Baltimore and Iron Joe McGinnity‚ 7-3‚ his first win for Cleveland. Bernhard was just acquired from the Philadelphia Athletics for Frank Bonner and Ossee Schreckengost. He will go 17-5 for Cleveland‚ to lead the AL in win percentage‚ the only pitcher to do so for a 2nd division team (5th).
June 8At Dayton‚ Ohio‚ 4‚900 fans turn out to watch Baltimore top Cleveland‚ 6-2. The winning battery is Tom Hughes and Wilbert Robinson.

At St. Louis‚ the Boston Americans Cy Young (13-1) wins 7-1 for his 10th win in a row.
June 10Bobby Wallace‚ slick-fielding St. Louis SS‚ handles an AL record 17 chances in a 9-inning game while losing 5-4 to Boston. Wallace‚ whose 25-year career will place him in the Hall of Fame‚ has 11 assists and 6 putouts‚ but makes 2 errors.

Led by Erve Beck‚ the Reds roll over Bill Duggleby and the Phillies‚ 10-1. Beck has 5 hits‚ including a pair of triples. Ewing is the victor.
June 11Chicago’s Clark Griffith beats the Boston Americans‚ 3-2 snapping Cy Young‘s win streak at 10 games.

Connie Mack signs Rube Waddell‚ who was pitching in the Pacific Coast League. He will go 24-7 during the remainder of 1902.
June 15Corsicana (Texas League) shows no mercy in beating Texarkana‚ 51-3. Due to Sunday laws forbidding baseball‚ the game is shifted to a smaller park in Ennis‚ where the RF fence is only about 210′. The team’s 53 hits include 21 HRs‚ mostly over the short RF fence. Nig Clarke‚ later to play in the ML‚ is perfect going 8-for-8-all home runs‚ collecting 16 RBIs and 32 total bases‚ all organized baseball records. Clarke is a switch-hitter but bats lefty against a righty pitcher‚ who is not one of the regular players but the son of part-owner C. B. DeWitt. Allegedly‚ at the urging of the crowd‚ the Texarkana pitchers lay it in for Nig in his last 3 at bats. He collects $185 from the appreciative fans. Two others are 8-for-8‚ including 2B William Alexander who has 3 home runs and a double. Manager Michael O’Conner is 7-for-8 with 3 HRs. Corsicana still strands 15 runners while scoring in every inning. Despite leading 17-1 after 3 innings‚ Corsicana steals 5 bases and “as was the custom of the day‚ took their last at bats even though they were the home team.” They score 8 more times in the final inning. The game is detailed in The Man Who Stole First Base by Eric Nadel & Craig R. Wright.

In Canton‚ Ohio‚ Cleveland loses to Boston‚ 5-2‚ before a crowd of 6‚000 ringing the outfield. Balls hit into the crowd are doubles‚ and 10 are collected today. Buck Freeman has a pair.
June 16At the Polo Grounds‚ the Reds rattle Mathewson for 12 hits to beat the Giants‚ 6-4. Matty strikes out just one.

At Boston‚ the Pirates are leading 4-0‚ in the 4th inning when the Boston hurler attempts to stall by holding on to the ball longer than the 20 seconds allowed. The fans run out of patience before the ump does and they rush the field. A forfeit is called against Boston.
June 17At Boston‚ the Giants lose two and also lose Libe Washburn for a month. Boston wins 6-3 and 13-2‚ while backup Washburn sustains a broken nose when hit by a pitch‚ He’ll miss a month.
June 22Cleveland plays its 3rd straight Sunday game in a minor league park‚ this time in Ft. Wayne‚ Indiana. Cleveland beats Washington‚ 6-4‚ behind Addie Joss.

At Chicago‚ the locals tie the first-place Pirates with a run on a hit and 2 errors in the 9th‚ then the two teams battle 19 innings before Chicago wins‚ 3-2. Kling singles and‚ 2 outs later‚ scores on Bobby Lowe‘s single. Both pitchers hurl the entire game: Jack Taylor for Chicago and Deacon Phillippe for Pittsburgh.

At Cincinnati‚ rookie Henry Thielman wins his 5th straight game‚ 7-2‚ beating the Cardinals battery of the O’Neill brothers: pitcher Joyce‚ as listed in the box score‚ and catcher Jack. It is the first loss in almost a month for the O’Neill battery (according to the New York Times). Thielman was acquired earlier in the year from the New York Giants and‚ despite his modest winning streak‚ he’ll finish the year at 8-15.
June 23In a 7-2 Pittsburgh win‚ Wid Conroy and Joe Tinker get into a brawl. Conroy gets a 20-game suspension for it while Tinker gets just 3 games.
June 25A federal court judge rules that Brooklyn has no claim on C Deacon McGuire‚ who jumped to Detroit. Two weeks later‚ another U.S. judge denies jurisdiction to stop Lajoie from playing for Cleveland‚ thus ending the Phillies’ chances of regaining him legally.

The Phillies beat New York and Christy Mathewson‚ 3-1. The Quakers SS Rudy Hulswitt kills a New York rally in the 8th inning by tagging out Steve Brodie with a hidden ball trick.
June 26The Giants uses a triple play-6-4-3-2-against the Phils but still lose 4-1. The Phillies use a courtesy runner when their catcher is hit in the head. Feeling better he returns to play.
June 30At least he keeps the score in single digits. Jim Jones‚ Giants LF‚ throws 3 base runners out at home in an 8-0 loss to Boston. His three assists ties the ML record set by Dummy Hoy on June 19‚ 1889. It’ll be tied again in 1905.

Cleveland is the first AL team to hit 3 consecutive HRs in one inning as Nap Lajoie‚ Piano Legs Hickman‚ and Bill Bradley connect in the sixth off St. Louis‚ with all the hits ending in the LF bleachers at St. Louis. The last 2 come on the first pitch thrown. Jack Harper tees up the gopher balls in the 17-2 loss. It was last done on May 10‚ 1894. Game 2 ends in a 3-3 tie in 15 innings. Neither team scores after the 8th.

July

July 1Rube Waddell wins his first game for the Athletics‚ blanking Baltimore on 2 hits 2-0. He fans the side 3 times‚ once on 9 pitches in the 3rd‚ and faces only 27 batters‚ as C Ossee Schreckengost throws out the 2 base runners. In fanning the side in the 3rd‚ 6th‚ and 9th‚ Waddell strikes out the same 3 men each time: Billy Gilbert‚ Harry Howell‚ and Jack Cronin.
July 4At Exposition Park the Pirates literally splash their way to a doubleheader shutout over visiting Brooklyn‚ winning 3-0 and 4-0 behind Jesse Tannehill and Jack Chesbro. Tannehill allows 3 runners to reach 1B in an errorless game for the Bucs. Because of heavy rains and flooding from the Alleghany River‚ a portion of the first game and all of the second are played with part of the field under water (according to Ed Luteran). The water is about thigh deep in center and right fields‚ and about head deep in deep center field‚ where any ball hit is a single. Players occasionally catch a ball and dive under the water.
July 5At St. Louis‚ the Cards win their 3rd straight from the Giants‚ beating New York‚ 1-0. The Card lone run comes in on a wild pitch by Christy Mathewson.
July 6Corsicana of the Texas League wins its 27th game in a row‚ topping Charlotte’s record of 25 set earlier this year. Corsicana will ?nish the year with a 57-9 record.
July 7At Chicago‚ Elmer Flick and Nap Lajoie have three hits apiece as Cleveland beats the White Sox‚ 6-2. Flick has 3 triples in 4 at bats to set the AL record for triples.
July 8John McGraw‚ accused by Ban Johnson of trying to wreck the Baltimore and Washington clubs‚ negotiates his release from the Orioles and officially signs to manage the Giants at $11‚000 a year‚ although he’d already secretly signed a contract several days earlier brought to Baltimore by Giants secretary Fred M. Knowles. McGraw says‚ “I wish to state that I shall not tamper with any of the Baltimore club’s players.” But conspiring with NL owners Brush and Andrew Freedman‚ McGraw swings the sale of the Orioles their way‚ enabling them to release Orioles Dan McGann‚ Roger Bresnahan‚ Joe McGinnity‚ and Jack Cronin for signing by the Giants. Joe Kelley and Cy Seymour go to Brush’s Cincinnati Reds. Both the Orioles of the AL‚ and the Giants of the NL will finish in last place‚ the only time a manager has skippered both last-place teams in the same year.

In the first of two‚ the Giants edge Chicago‚ 1-0‚ with Christy Mathewson outpitching Bob Rhodes. Chicago wins the nitecap‚ 2-0‚ in 7 innings.

A rough outing as Boston righthander Doc Adkins faces 16 batters and gives up 12 hits and 12 runs in the 6th inning of a Philadelphia A’s 22-9 win over the Somersets. Five players-Hartsel‚ Davis‚ Lave Cross‚ Seybold‚ and Murphy-collect two hits apiece in the frame. The A’s new 2B Danny Murphy does not arrive until the 2nd inning and takes over for Lou Castro in the field with no batting practice. He has 6 hits‚ 6-for-6‚ including a three-run homer off Cy Young‚ while handling 12 chances flawlessly in a sensational AL debut (he played briefly in the NL last year). Teammate Harry Davis adds a grand slam. The 45 hits-27 by the A’s-by the two teams sets an AL record that will be tied in 1928. Rube Waddell picks up the win‚ facing just three batters in one inning of relief‚ while singling in the big inning.
July 9The A’s Rube Waddell and Boston’s Bill Dinneen battle for 16 innings before the visiting Philadelphians push across two runs in the 17th to win‚ 4-2. Shortstop Monte Cross hits a 2-run HR in the 17th.
July 11Bid McPhee is released as Reds manager and is replaced by interim manager Frank Bancroft.

In a 6-3 win against the Giants‚ the Pirates’ Lefty Davis‚ 26‚ in stealing second “broke his leg in the same manner Van Haltren did two months ago on the same spot‚” according to The Sporting Life. Davis‚ a .287 hitter with 45 steals in 171 big league games so far‚ is out for the season. He’ll return‚ but bat only .234 with 20 thefts in 177 more games.
July 12Overcoming poor Buc baserunning‚ Pirates star Jack Chesbro pitches a 5-hit shutout and strikes out 11 Giants to beat Christy Mathewson‚ 4-0. As noted by Clifford Blau‚ the Buccos lose 5 straight runners via baserunning errors. With 2 outs in the third‚ Ginger Beaumont is on 2B‚ with first base empty‚ and he is put out trying to advance to third on a grounder. In the 4th‚ Hans Wagner leads off with a triple‚ but is out at the plate on Kitty Bransfield‘s grounder to first. Bransfield is then thrown out trying to steal 2B. Claude Ritchey draws a walk‚ but is picked off first. Jimmy Burke leads off the fifth with a double‚ but tries to stretch it into a triple‚ and is tagged out by Matty‚ covering the bag.
July 14At Philadelphia‚ Highball Wilson‚ who pitched a game for Cleveland in 1899‚ makes his AL debut a good one for the A’s by defeating Boston‚ 4-3 in 10 innings. Cy Young is the losing pitcher.
July 15At Cincinnati‚ Christy Mathewson starts a triple play in the 2nd inning by catching a pop bunt‚ but Matty then exits trailing‚ 6-0. The loss leaves the Giants pitcher with a 6-8 record.
July 16Giants owner Andrew Freedman announces he has purchased a controlling interest in the Baltimore club and releases Dan McGann‚ Roger Bresnahan‚ Joe McGinnity‚ and Jack Cronin to sign with New York. Mike Donlin‚ Joe Kelley and Cy Seymour go to the Reds‚ where Kelley will take over as manager.
July 17Left with only 5 players available to play‚ the Orioles forfeit a game to St. Louis and their franchise to the league‚ which borrows players from other teams and operates the club for the balance of the season.
July 18At a meeting of the AL Board of Directors in Baltimore‚ the league votes to resolve that the Baltimore franchise is forfeited. The Baltimore papers are supportive of the AL and denounce the “despicable sell out” of the team by McGraw‚ Kelley‚ and “Sonny” Mahon.

In Cleveland’s 14-4 victory over Boston‚ Elmer Flick has 5 walks.
July 19The last-place Giants lose their first game under new manager John McGraw 4-3 to the Phillies. They will end the season in last place. In part to make room for the four new Orioles who have landed in New York‚ McGraw releases 9 Giants.

Snake Wiltse‚ sold by the A’s to Baltimore‚ leaves Philadelphia today to join his new team. Snake’s younger brother Hooks will join the Giants in 2 years.
July 21At Brooklyn‚ the Superbas maul the Phillies‚ 10-1‚ nicking Doc White for 14 hits. Doc gets his due in the 4-run 5th inning when he strikes out 4 batters‚ the first pitcher to strike out 4 in an inning since 1888 and the first to do it at 60’6″ (the record books list Wiltse in 1906 as the first this century). The Brooklyn Eagle reports tomorrow‚ “White had the unusual record of four strikeouts in one inning yesterday. It happened in the fifth when the Superbas scored their second cluster of four runs. Dahlen and Irwin fanned while two runs were being scored. Then Wheeler came up and slashed at a bad pitch on his third attempt‚ the ball slipping through Dooin’s hands to the fence. Wheeler got first on the error and Ahearn (now listed the record books as Hearne) scored. Then after Kitson had singled‚ White retired Sheckard on strikes. The Philadelphia twirler is credited with four strikeouts in the records.” The New York Times notes only the first 3 strikeouts‚ saying that Wheeler stole second and Dooin’s wild throw allows McCrory to score. “Wheeler got in with the last run made in the game on Kitson’s single to left field‚” ends the Times story. White fans 5 in the game.

The Athletics spot visiting Cleveland 6 runs‚ then tie it in the 7th on three errors and a home run by Topsy Hartsel. Hartsel scores the winning run in the 9th to win‚ 11-10. Rube Waddell‚ with a scoreless two innings of work‚ gets the decision.

The New York Herald writes that “Harry Wolverton is a Quaker‚” noting that their former third baseman had “informed the ‘Phillies’ he had tired of his job with the Washington American League club and had decided to go back to his first love. He will meet the ‘Phillies’ when they return home.” Wolverton hit .249 for the Senators this year.
July 22Jack Pfiester beats Doc Scanlan to give Chicago (NL) a 6-3 win over Brooklyn.

The A’s Rube Waddell beats Addie Joss and the visiting Clevelanders‚ 9-4. With 2 outs in the 9th inning‚ and with two strikes on Harry Bay‚ Waddell gestures to the crowd to go home. He then strikes out Bay to end the game‚ his 2nd win in 2 games with Cleveland. Rube will end the night by refereeing the Grif Jones-Jimmy Farren lightweight fight.
July 23John McGraw has his first win as the Giants manager‚ when New York downs Brooklyn‚ 4-1.

Baltimore‚ McGraw’s old team‚ downs the visiting White Sox‚ 7-5 behind rookie Charlie Shields. Shields pitched the last 4 innings of yesterday’s game against Detroit without giving up a hit or a run‚ and does the same in the first 7 innings today. After 11 straight no hit innings‚ he allows 5 runs in the 8th but holds on for the win. Baltimore will think so much of Shields‚ they’ll sell him to the Browns in September.

In front of a “big crowd” (Philadelphia Inquirer) in Atlantic City‚ the locals beat the Cuban X Giants‚ 2-1‚ in 11 innings. Chick Hartley’s 11th inning homer over the RF fence is the winning blow.

Both Boston teams are at home. The Boston Americans whip the Browns‚ 3-2‚ in 13 innings‚ taking an hour: 55 minutes to do it. Bill Dinneen is the winner in front of 5‚046. The Boston Nationals win‚ 3-0‚ in front of just 600 fans.
July 24At Washington Park‚ the Giants win their 2nd in a row under McGraw‚ beating Brooklyn‚ 2-0. Christy Mathewson strikes out 11 to even his record at 8-8. Matty will top Brooklyn by the same score on the 28th‚ in a rain-shortened game.
July 25At Chicago‚ the Reds Cy Seymour sets an ML record by hitting 4 sac flies in a 6-1 win over the Chicago Colts. Seymour’s mark will be tied but never topped.

August

August 1At the Polo Grounds‚ the Cards and Giants split a pair‚ St. Louis topping Joe McGinnity in the opener to win‚ 4-3‚ then losing 4-2. Christy Mathewson scatters 11 hits in beating Alex Pearson. In the opener‚ the Giants have 3 runners thrown out at home in just 2 innings‚ and 6 runners thrown out trying to steal or take an extra base. Showing their wide-open style‚ Bresnahan scores from 2B on a bunt.

Washington’s Jack Townsend walks 12 in a 13-0 loss to Detroit.
August 2Brooklyn edges the visiting Reds‚ 2-1‚ as players Wild Bill Donovan and Billy Maloney‚ acquired during the season from the Browns‚ do the umpiring when the regular umps fail to appear.
August 3Before a Sunday crowd of 4‚500 in Columbus‚ Ohio‚ Cleveland loses to Washington‚ 5-2.

The Nationals play two exhibition games in New Jersey. Chicago beats Newark‚ 4-2‚ getting all their hits in the first three innings. At the St. Georges Cricket Grounds in Hoboken‚ a local nine beat the Cincinnati Reds‚ 4-2‚ for the 2nd time this season.
August 5Rookie Otto Hess‚ who made his debut two days ago after being signed during an open tryout‚ wobbles to a 7-6 ten-inning win in Cleveland over the visiting Washington Nationals. The Nats test the rookie by laying down 14 bunts‚ three of which are misplayed by Hess‚ four are hits‚ and seven go for sacrifices. Cleveland SS Johnny Gochnauer breaks his finger in the 3rd inning when he tries to flag down a line drive hit by Ed Delahanty. Gochnauer stays in the game and doubles in the tying runs in the 8th inning and doubles home the winner with one out off Casey Patten in the top of the 10th.

The first place Pirates whip New York‚ 3-0 behind Jesse Tannehill‘s 2-hitter. Mathewson strikes out 11 Bucs in the loss.
August 6The Pirates shut out the Giants for the 2nd day in a row‚ as Jack Chesbro beats Dummy Taylor‚ 2-0. Jimmy Jones assaults umpire Bob Emslie over a call‚ and will be suspended for the season and then released by the Giants.
August 7For the 2nd time this year, Boston’s Cy Young gives up 6 runs in the first inning and is lifted. This time the Browns bomb him en route to a 12-4 victory in St. Louis. Young will complete 41 of 43 starts this year. Former teammate Emmet Heidrick is a pain for Boston‚ scoring 4 times on 4 long hits-2 doubles and 2 triples.
August 9John T. Brush sells the Cincinnati Reds to Julius and Max Fleischmann‚ George B. Cox‚ and August “Garry” Herrmann for $150‚000. Brush then buys control of the Giants from Andrew Freedman.

Brooklyn SS Bill Dahlen makes three straight errors in the 1st inning‚ but Jim Hughes overcomes that with steady pitching as Brooklyn beats St. Louis‚ 4-1. Smoot smites the only hit for St. Louis. Hughes helps with a triple and single.
August 10At Chicago‚ Boston tops the White Sox 5-4 in 11 innings as Cy Young records his 25th win.
August 13In the 6th inning of a game with the Tigers‚ Harry Davis of the A’s attempts a double steal with Dave Fultz‚ who is on 3B. But Davis does not draw a throw as he goes into 2B. On the next pitch he “steals” 1B without a throw by pitcher George Mullin. The next time he steals 2B he does draw a throw and in the rundown Fultz scores and Davis then reaches 2B‚ with both getting credit for a steal. This double steal maneuver will be attempted in later years by Fred Tenney (July 31‚ 1908)‚ and Germany Schaefer (August 4‚ 1911)‚ though the details are contradictory. The Athletics plate 17 runs in the twinbill sweep‚ while the Tigers never score.

In the 2nd game of a doubleheader in Boston‚ Pirate Honus Wagner steals 2B‚ 3B‚ and home in the 7th inning. Wagner also did it in 1899. Pittsburgh splits‚ losing 8-6 and then winning‚ 6-1.
August 14Little Tommy Leach of Pittsburgh‚ never considered a long-ball threat‚ hits 2 HRs over the fence at Boston in a 6-1 win. He will close out the season with only 6‚ but it is enough to give him sole leadership of the NL‚ which totals only 99 homers. Leach’s leading number is the lowest since Paul Hines hit 4 in a 60-game schedule in 1878.
August 16The Athletics move into first place to stay as 18‚675‚ the largest crowd of the year‚ see them beat Chicago 2-1. Rube Waddell strikes out 11 in topping Clark Griffith.
August 18The first unassisted triple play since Paul Hines disputed one 21 years ago is executed by 1B Hal O’Hagan of the Rochester Broncos (IL) against Jersey City in a 10-6 win. O’Hagan catches a bunt attempt tags 1B and runs to 2B to complete the TP.

Mathewson shuts out Chicago‚ 5-0‚ on 4 hits to give last-place New York its 4th straight win over the host Windy City squad. Jack Taylor takes the loss.
August 19Baltimore outfielder Albert ‘Kip’ Selbach sets the post-1900 mark in the AL by making 4 errors‚ a mark tied by Braves flychaser Fred Nicholson in 1922. Baltimore loses to St. Louis‚ 11-4. Three of the errors come on fly balls‚ and another hit goes through his legs. Another outfield error gives the O’s an ML record for OF errors.

The front-running Pirates edge the Giants‚ 5-4‚ when Ginger Beaumont plates the winning run‚ scoring from 1B on a single. Jack Chesbro‚ on his way to a 28-6 record is the winner.
August 21Sam Leever hurls a two hitter to give the first-place Pirates a 2-0 win over the Giants and Mathewson.
August 22The first-place Athletics triple the Browns‚ winning 12-4‚ to stay three games ahead of the pack in the AL. Danny Murphy‚ who was married in the morning to 17-year-old Catherine Moriarty‚ has two hits in the afternoon game.
August 23Brooklyn collects a record-tying 4 triples in the 3rd inning‚ all in succession‚ and all are needed. The Brooks win‚ 9-8‚ over Pittsburgh.
August 25At Baltimore‚ the Orioles pummel the Chicago White Sox‚ 21-6. The O’s are led by Jimmy Williams‚ who collects 6 hits-4 singles‚ a double and a triple-off Clark Griffith and Dummy Leitner. With 21 triples‚ Williams will lead the AL for the 3rd time in 4 years. Herm McFarland scores 5 runs for the O’s.

Ban Johnson announces the AL’s intention to have a New York team in 1903‚ with Clark Grifith as manager. The Baltimore franchise will be moved.
August 26At Cincinnati‚ Mathewson tosses his 7th shut out of the year‚ beating the Reds‚ 6-0. Henry Thielman loses his 3rd encounter of the year with Matty.
August 31In Ft. Wayne‚ Indiana‚ a Sunday crowd of 3‚500 watch a matchup of Cleveland’s Addie Joss and Boston’s Cy Young. Boston pushes over 2 runs in the 11th to win‚ 3-1.

September

September 1In today’s split with the Phillies‚ Tinker‚ Evers‚ and Chance appear together in the Chicago Cubs lineup for the first time‚ but not in the positions that will earn them immortality. Johnny Evers‚ a New York State League rookie‚ starts at SS‚ with Joe Tinker at 3B‚ Frank Chance at 1B‚ and veteran Bobby Lowe at 2B. Philadelphia takes the opener‚ 11-3 behind White‚ while Chicago is victorious in the nitecap‚ 6-1‚ behind Jack Taylor’s pitching.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the last-place Giants follow a successful road trip (7-4) by dropping two games to the Cards. St. Louis wins‚ 6-4 in game 1 as 5 of the first 6 batters in the 2nd inning lay down bunts. 3 runs score. The Cards then pummel Mathewson for 12 hits in the nitecap to win‚ 8-2.
September 2With Harry Bay and Bill Bradley scoring 5 runs each‚ Cleveland pounds the Orioles‚ 23-7‚ collecting 23 hits off Bird pitcher Jack Katoll‚ a 10-game winner with the White Sox last season. Katoll goes the route.
September 3In New York‚ Reds rookie pitcher Henry Thielman‚ who started the year with the Giants‚ beats them‚ 2-1‚ allowing 3 hits‚ 2 to Bowerman. Cy Seymour scores both runs for the Reds.

Mal Eason walks 13 and hits one batter as Boston loses‚ 12-5‚ to Pittsburgh. The Pirates score 5 runs in the 7th on one hit. Eason’s teammates don’t help much‚ making 8 errors‚ 4 by Herman Long.
September 4Dave Fultz steals 2B‚ 3B‚ and home in the 2nd inning against Detroit‚ as the A’s romp 13-3.

Chicago Cubs rookie Alex Hardy debuts with a 1-0 shutout victory over Brooklyn‚ and becomes the first 20th century NL pitcher to toss a shutout in his first game. It’s happened twice already in the AL.
September 5The St. Louis Browns roll by visiting Boston‚ 12-3‚ helped by John Anderson. The veteran‚ known as the “Terrible Swede” (he was born in Norway) hits a grand slam in the 8th.
September 6The New York Giants borrow catcher Jack Robinson from Bridgeport and he makes his debut catching Christy Mathewson. As noted by Cliff Blau‚ Robinson‚ in just 7 innings‚ lets 5 pitches get by him resulting in runner advancement. Blau notes that the Evening Telegram and the Times‚ disagree on the scoring‚ one giving Robinson 4 passed balls‚ while the other blamed only 2. He also allows 4 stolen bases in as many tries. The last place Giants tie the champion Pirates with a run in the 5th‚ but Mathewson gives up 13 hits and allows 8 runs in the last 4 innings‚ for a 9-3 finale. The game is enlivened a bit when in the 4th inning a small fire starts behind the Giants bench but it is quickly extinguished by buckets of water handed to the fans by the players.

Boston defeats St. Louis 6-5 as Cy Young wins his 30th of the year.
September 10In Philadelphia‚ 17‚291 see the Athletics beat Baltimore twice‚ 9-5 and 5-4‚ while 172 watch the Phils play Pittsburgh. With the A’s 1902 attendance almost 4 times that of the Phillies‚ and the AL planning to oppose the weak Giants in New York‚ pressure mounts among NL directors for peace talks. The A’s bring Rube Waddell in for 8 innings of relief in the opening win. Rube comes back to pitch another two innings of relief in the nitecap to pick up his 2nd win for the day. It won’t happen again until 1915.

Billy Wolfe‚ half brother of the Reds Bill Phillips‚ makes his only ML appearance pitching for the Phillies. He loses to Pittsburgh and Jesse Tannehill‚ 5-1.
September 11And that’s no malarkey. At Boston‚ Boston Nationals pitcher John Malarkey hits a game-ending homerun‚ off the Cardinals Mike O’Neill in the 11th inning‚ to win‚ 4-3. It’s Malarkey’s only ML homer. Game 2 ends in a 2-2 tie.
September 13Tinker‚ Evers‚ and Chance play their first game as a SS-2B-1B combo for Chicago. Germany Schaefer is at 3B as Chicago clips St. Louis‚ 12-0. Tinker starts a DP‚ but it goes to Evers and then to P Jock Menafee covering 1B.

Cleveland beats the St. Louis Browns twice‚ 4-1 and 2-1. In game 2‚ Nap Lajoie strikes out against Willie Sudhoff‚ just the 6th time this year that he’s K’ed.

The Superbas top the Giants’ Christy Mathewson‚ 7-2‚ with the help of 5 New York errors‚ three by 3B Bill Lauder.
September 14As noted by Gil Bogan‚ Tinker‚ Evers‚ and Chance pull off their first DP in a 7-4 win over the Reds. Alex Hardy beats Bill Phillips. This date is one day earlier than that generally used for the trio’s first DP.
September 15Chicago’s infield combo of Tinker‚ Evers‚ and Chance pull off another double play to back up Carl Lundgren‘s 6-3 win over the Reds.
September 20OF-P James “Nixey” Callahan of the White Stockings pitches a no-hitter against Detroit‚ winning 3-0.
September 23Boston beats the Giants‚ 2-1‚ with both runs scoring on wild pitches by Christy Mathewson.

Cy Young eases to his 32nd win as Boston pounds the A’s‚ 14-1.
September 29In the final game played in Baltimore’s Oriole Park‚ Boston wins‚ 9-5.

Brooklyn edges the Giants‚ 5-2‚ pushing the last place New Yorkers 52 games behind Pittsburgh. Frank Bowerman scores one New York run when his routine ground ball is fielded by SS Bill Dahlen and thrown into the stands behind 1B. The rules state the ball is still in play and Bowerman circles the bases.

The AL season ends with the Athletics five games in front of St. Louis Browns. Philadelphia’s Socks Seybold hits 16 HRs for the highest total to lead the AL until Babe Ruth‘s 29 in 1919.

October

October 2In the Giants 2-1 loss at Boston‚ there is one stolen base but eight runners are caught trying to steal (as noted by Cliff Blau). In addition‚ three runners are picked off base (although one manages to advance thanks to an error) and two more are thrown out at the plate. Ed Gremminger scores the winning run in the 14th inning‚ beating the throw from the Giants’ third baseman‚ Billy Lauder‚ who had fielded Pat Moran‘s grounder. Roger Bresnahan is ejected from the game for arguing after he was caught trying to steal third with two outs. With all these lost runners‚ and with the help of three double plays‚ Luther Taylor nearly gets away with yielding 9 walks.
October 4When Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss demands a game be played despite a rain-soaked Exposition Park field‚ Cincinnati plays most of its team out of their normal positions. The Pirates insist on playing for a record 103 wins so the Reds show their displeasure when Kelley‚ Seymour and Donlin all smoke cigarettes while playing on the field. First sacker Jake Beckley starts on the mound for the only time in his career‚ pitching four innings and giving up 8 runs‚ 4 earned. Outfielder Cy Seymour follows. This is Seymour’s last pitching appearance as the versatile player finishes his pitching career with a 63-56 mark. Turkey Mike Donlin finishes up. Reds rookie pitcher Rube Vickers tries his hand at catching‚ and sets a modern ML record with 6 passed balls to help Pittsburgh win 11-2 [It is also a record for both teams in a game. Vickers makes no effort to retrieve wide pitches‚ and it’s a surprise he only has six passed balls.] But Dreyfuss refunds the fans’ money and the Reds return their share of the gate to keep the irate fans (not for nothing were they call ‘cranks.’) from wrecking the stadium.

At Boston‚ the Nationals splits a doubleheader with New York‚ beating Christy Mathewson‚ 5-2. It is Matty’s 17th loss of the year. Iron Joe McGinnity wins the nitecap for New York‚ 5-1.
October 7At Pittsburgh‚ Sam Leever and the Pirates beat a team of American League all-stars‚ 4-3. Cy Young takes the loss.
October 12At Chicago’s South Side Grounds‚ the NL all-stars down the AL all-star squad‚ 7-3. Joss declines to start on the mound and plays LF instead. Donovan and Mercer are the opposing hurlers.
October 19In Omaha‚ the AL all-star team loses to the NL all-star squad‚ 7-5. Donovan and Mercer are the opposing pitchers.

In practice before a game between Racine and host Kenosha‚ WI‚ former Chicago hurler Fred Pfeffer‚ 42‚ fractures his arm attempting to throw from 2B to home. Doctors say he will never pitch again.

November

November 8The Sporting Life today reports a bizarre death of a scorekeeper during a town game at Morristown‚ Ohio on November 28. Stanton Walker was keeping score and‚ needing to sharpen his pencil‚ borrowed a knife from the person next to him. He was sharpening a point when a foul ball struck his hand‚ driving the knife blade into his heart‚ killing him.

December

December 9The AL announces the purchase of grounds for a stadium in NY‚ and the next day the NL declares its readiness to make peace. Led by Ban Johnson‚ the AL decides that foul balls will be strikes‚ except for a 3rd strike will not be called on a foul ball. This is to speed up the game.
December 12Harry Pulliam is elected president of the NL.