The Sporting News: First Hundred Years， 1886-1986

ISBN: 9780892042043

定价: 111.00

内容简介

1886-1900:
GROWING PAINS
Wlhen the first issue of The Sporting News eighth??? the Browns rallied for three runs to tie the
rolled off the press in mid.March of 1886??? score. A two-run triple by Arlie Latham ~nt the 8???0..~ 0
major league baseball??? represented by the Sportsman s Park spectators into a frenzy.
National League and the American Association??? was In the last half of the lOth??? with the score still d~td-
suffering from acute growing pains??? locked??? Curt Welch ted off and was struck by a pitch.
Nicholas E??? Young??? the fifth president of the 10- When Anson protested that Welch had stood too cl ~se
year.old National League??? issued orders that were to the plate and made no effort to avoid the pitch??? the
blithely ignored. Franchises were moved like pawns umpire ordered the center fielder to bat again. Welch
on a chessboard. Umpires??? frequently recruited from promptly singled to center field and advanced to third
neighborhood saloons for five dollars per game??? freely on an error and a sacrifice. In the hope of picking off
favored the home team to guarantee continued em- Welch??? who was taking a big lead??? Chicago catcher
ployment. And club executives quarreled endlessly in King Kelly signaled for a pitchout??? but the pitch was
what was commonly referred to as the \"National Pas- too high. The ball glanced off Kelly s mitt as Welch
time.\" stormed across the plate with the winning run. The
The dominant team in the National League in the world championship belonged to the Browns.
nlid??? lBS0s was the Chicago White Stockings??? managed \"Fans went crazy over the victory???\" one scribe re-
by Adrian (Cap) Anson. Its counterpart in the Ameri- ported. \"Many wept tears of joy??? turned somersaults???
can Assodation was the St. Louis Browns??? piloted by handsprings??? and threw hats??? umbrellas and handker-
Charles Cornlskey??? like Arisen a first baseman??? chiefs. Some made runs for the players. As each man
. In the faU of 1885??? the two pennant-winning teams was captured in turn he would be ~arried off the field-
hi a seven???game series to determine the fore- Then 3???000 waited outside the dressing room and
most chlb ill Organized Baseball. The first .game w.as cheered each player as he reappeared.\"
pl~ed ill Chk~ago??? the next three in St. Lores??? one m After the game??? Vonder Ahe wrote to Spalding sug-
Pittahurgh and two in Cincinnati. Each team won gesting an exhibition game in Cincinnati. The Chicago
official wanted no more of the Browns. He replied:
r~ $am~???~wlaile another contest ended in a tie. One
cage victory was a forfeit??? which resulted from Co- \"We must decline with our compliments. We know
???llliskcy???plllltng his team off the field in protest of an when we have had enough. P.S.: Anson joins me in the
i~ph~ s~decision??? above message.\"
~ .WIle/! tile two teams repeated as league champions Next to Anson??? Michael Joseph (King) Kelly was the
ill t~ll~i??? anothor series-this one t~r~r o~az~ and White Stockh~gs most glittering performer. In that
|e~J_llt01l barnstorming tour-was proposed by Chris 1886 season??? the catcher-outfielder led the l~ague in
Von tler Abe??? owner of the Browns. In a letter to AI- batting (.388) and contributed 53 stolen bases. Kelly???
I~rt G??? $1mlding??? owner of the White Stockings??? Von who had a flair for the theatrical on the basepaths???
Abe mggttstt~l a serie6 of five??? seven or nine games??? prompting cries of \"Slide??? Kelly??? slide[\" from the
with the wfiinlng team to take all the gate receipts. The crowd??? was a flee spirit with an ingenious nfind. For
~hlfllon~ was accepted. The seven.game arrangement instance??? King Kel is credited by some with devisin8
w~ ~roed upon??? with the first three games to be the hit-and-run play.
played in Chicago and the remaining games in St. In February 1887??? Kelly was sold to Boston for
Louis. $10???000??? a shocking figure in a day when most player.~
The teams split the first four games before the were receiving $2???000 in annu ???d salary. Kelly agreed t~
Browns gained an edge in the fifth contest??? 10-3. The terms with Boston quickly??? not because of the $2???0~
sixth gmne matched John Clark.son??? Chicago s 35-game figure on his contract??? but because of the $3???000 that nc
winner against Bob Caruthers??? who had won 30 deci- was offered for \"the use of his picture\" in team adver.
stons for the Browns. For seven innings??? Clarkson tising???
hurled magnificently??? allowimz no runs. but in the King Kelly s superiority on the diamond wa???