July 4, 1873: Boston Red Stockings bounce back with 32-3 blowout of Elizabeth Resolutes

After Mike and Hugh Campbell helped the upstart Irvington Club pull off its historic 1866 upset of the champion Brooklyn Atlantics, they had plenty of time to enjoy the fruits of victory before a rematch. However, in the case of the Resolutes’ equally shocking victory over the Red Stockings in the July 4, 1873, morning game, the time between matches was measured in hours, not days. With the first game ending about 11:30 A.M., the two clubs probably left the hot playing field looking for any shade they could find, which unfortunately gave little respite from the oppressive heat. Although Harry Wright’s primary concern with the impact of conflicting events on attendance was the 2:30 regatta, all accounts agreed that a good crowd made its way to the Red Stockings grounds for the afternoon game with the Boston Evening Journal estimating the attendance at over 1,800.1

The Red Stockings probably couldn’t wait to get back on the field and made only one change in their lineup: George Wright replaced Charles Sweasy, who in the morning had played his only game with Boston. There were, however, some position changes. Jim O’Rourke moved from right field to catcher, exchanging places with James “Deacon” White, who had caught the first game. Interestingly, in spite of the brutal loss and the club’s relatively subpar performance thus far in 1873, Harry Wright didn’t panic with his choice of pitchers. While pitchers of the era typically pitched every game, Wright appeared to have recognized that asking his ace, Albert Spalding, to pitch twice in such heat was too great a long-term risk. Instead Wright elected to make his second pitching start of the year with Spalding taking his manager’s place in center field.2

Elizabeth, on the other hand, which probably didn’t have any substitutes, not only went with the same players, but in the same positions, a decision that probably helped to determine the outcome or at least the final margin. Doubtless deriving added confidence from their win in the morning game, the Resolutes quickly loaded the bases in the top of the first. Boston, however, had no intention of having a second consecutive let down and retired the side on what the Boston Evening Journal labeled “a good double play,” thanks to a shrewd maneuver by O’Rourke.3 Nevin of Elizabeth struck out, but instead of taking the one out and giving Elizabeth another chance, the Red Stocking catcher intentionally dropped the ball, stepped on the plate to force the runner on third and then threw to Barnes at third for the final out.4 Barnes was especially aggressive on foul balls throughout the game, retiring three Resolutes on bound catches which the crowd “greeted with rounds of applause.”5 All told, Boston made only one error in the match and the defense played a key part, especially in the early innings because the Red Stockings offense was still having a hard time with Campbell’s pitching. Boston did manage two runs in its first four at-bats, but the Red Stockings and their fans must have got more than a little nervous when the Resolutes scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead.

Boston regained the lead by scoring twice in the bottom of the inning and led 4-3 after six innings. By this point, however, both Hugh Campbell and his catcher, Doug Allison, must have been close to exhaustion. Boston broke through for five runs in the seventh and a 9-3 lead. At that point, according to the Elizabeth Daily Journal the Resolute battery “gave out” and “Fleet had to pitch then and [A.] Allison catch.”6 According to National Association historian Bill Ryzcek, Frank Fleet had the dubious distinction of being “the most traveled player in the league’s history.”7 Fleet was primarily an infielder, but with limited ability at any position, and pitching was clearly not his forte. The Resolutes did manage to limit Boston to two runs in the eighth and then went out in order in the top of the ninth. Even though the Red Stockings had won the game, however, under the rules of the day, the two teams still had to play the bottom of the ninth. At this point, the combination of exhaustion and nothing to play for helped turn the ninth into a graphic illustration of the Resolutes inability to compete in the National Association. Having suffered an especially galling defeat in the first game of the holiday twin bill, Boston was in no mood to be merciful and gave full vent to their frustrations by scoring an incredible 21 times before the side was finally retired. All told Boston racked up 13 hits and 12 stolen bases, aided and abetted by eight Resolute errors. Finally Spalding hit a fly ball to Wordsworth, the Resolutes shortstop, who had already made three errors in the inning, but managed to make this catch ending the 32-3 debacle8

Newspapers in both cities recognized the magnitude of the rout. The Elizabeth Daily Journal informed its readers that “the Bostons ran up the score then out of all proportions.”9 After giving due credit to Elizabeth for its opening-game victory, the Boston Daily Advertiser said the visitors “could not have expected to defeat the Bostons a second time on the same day but it is doubtful they anticipated the terrible drubbing of 32-3.” The paper also noted that the Resolutes’ “depleted treasury” had received some badly needed “replenishment.”10 The New Jersey club’s bank account doubtless received further “replenishment” the next day when Boston took the final game by a comfortable but more reasonable 13-2. Probably no day of baseball ended with two teams going in more dramatically different directions. Boston was now headed toward the second of four consecutive championships, while Elizabeth was sliding toward oblivion before the season even ended. Even so, the Boston Daily Globe’s description of the July 4 holiday experience of visitors to Boston might very well have applied to both clubs – they “returned home at night, tired and cross, but satisfied [at least partially] with the day’s enjoyment.”11 And the fans who attended both games could take added satisfaction from being part of baseball’s first professional doubleheader.12

Notes

1 New York Clipper, July 12, 1873: 117; Boston Evening Journal, July 5, 1873: 1.

2 New York Clipper, July 12, 1873: 117.

3 Boston Evening Journal, July 5, 1873: 1.

4 Robert Tiemann transcription of the Red Stockings score book, Harry Wright’s 1873 Boston Scorebook, BL-57-42, Scorebook Collection, BA-MSS 115, National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, New York, hereafter Tiemann transcription.

5 Boston Evening Journal, July 5, 1873:1.

6 Elizabeth Daily Journal, July 7, 1873: 3; New York Clipper, July 12, 1873: 117.

7 William J. Ryczek, Blackguards and Red Stockings: A History of Baseball’s National Association, 1871-1875 (Wallingford, Connecticut: Colebrook Press, 1992), 51.

8 Tiemann transcription.

9 Elizabeth Daily Journal, July 7, 1873: 3.

10 Boston Daily Advertiser, July 5, 1873: 4.

11 Boston Globe, July 5, 1873: 1.

12 Ryczek, 116.