May 15, 1893: Beaneaters win home opener in front of star-studded crowd

The stars of Massachusetts came out to the South End Grounds as the Boston Nationals opened their 1893 home schedule. It was Monday, May 15, 1893, and around 8,000 fans braved the ominous clouds to see the defending champions face the New York Giants.

The grandstand was awash in local dignitaries including mayors, state senators, and other public servants, the crown jewel of which was Governor William Russell. The governor was cheered by the masses and showed a deft politician’s touch by purchasing a scorecard from a small boy selling them.1 Other attendees of note, including John Quincy Adams, the former president’s grandson, and the well-known rooter Arthur “Hi Hi” Dixwell, filed in and took their seats for the start of the contest.2

Boston had played its first 13 games on the road and had won six of them. The Giants’ record was 5-8. The second division was unfamiliar territory for the local nine and even the raising of the 1892 pennant seemed desultory as the flag just hung limply since “there was no breeze and the incident lost most of its charm.”3 The champions took the field marching behind Baldwin’s Cadet Band and stopped at home plate to bow to the fans in the grandstand.4 They were wearing new white uniforms with bright red stockings, which contrasted with the Giants’ outfits of bluish gray flannels with black stockings.5

Boston ace Kid Nichols retired the first batter and then waited for the governor and his party to take their seats before giving up a double to Silent Mike Tiernan.6 However, the Giants failed to score when Roger Connor flied to left. In the bottom of the first, Herman Long provided a jolt of excitement for the crowd. Boston’s star shortstop crushed an offspeed pitch from Ed Crane beyond the left-field fence for a home run. A few batters later, umpire John Gaffney held up the game to present third baseman Billy Nash with a gold locket compliments of the Continental Clothing Company.7 Alas, if Nash was inspired, he had no chance to show it as Tommy McCarthy was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.

For a while it seemed one run would be all the support Nichols needed as he held the opposition scoreless while pitching out of several jams. George Davis doubled in the second but was tagged out in a rundown as he tried to score on a groundball. The Giants next threatened in the fourth when Connor walked and Davis drove the ball to deep left-center field. Cliff Carroll retreated to the depths of the grounds and made a fine catch near the fence. The next two batters went out to strand another runner.

But New York struck in the fifth when Harry Lyons bunted safely and Crane helped his own cause with a single. Eddie Burke then drove in Lyons with a base hit, and a sacrifice moved the runners up. Giants captain John Montgomery Ward grounded to Long, who threw out the man attempting to score. When Ward tried for second on the play, the throw from catcher Charlie Bennett was wild and Burke came home with the go-ahead run. George Davis followed with a single to make the score 3-1, but the Giants would not enjoy the lead for long as their defense fell apart in the home sixth.

Crane was in trouble from the start of the inning as McCarthy singled and Nash doubled, causing General Dixwell to take up his trademark “Hi Hi” cheer.8 Tommy Tucker grounded to first but Connor fumbled the ball long enough for McCarthy to score. Bobby Lowe hit a ball to short and it appeared Nash was hung up off third, but a bad throw by shortstop Shorty Fuller left everyone safe and the game tied. Crane had been betrayed by his defense and now contributed to his own demise by walking Bennett and Nichols, loading the bases and bringing up Long.

The Boston shortstop’s at-bat was not as dramatic as his first one, but it was more productive. He hit a hard shot to third. Davis made a fine stop and threw home trying for the force, but the ball hit the speeding Lowe in the shoulder and rolled all the way to the fence. Instead of a tie game with two out, it was now 6-3 and Carroll made it 7-3 with another hit. Boston had put up six runs in the sixth on a trio of Giants errors and had taken control of the game.

It was 8-4 by the ninth and the Giants tried to make the most of their last at-bat against the tiring Nichols. Crane batted for himself and beat out a bunt. Burke lined to Duffy in center and Tiernan singled sharply to right. McCarthy charged the ball and threw wildly to the infield, allowing Crane to come home and Silent Mike to reach third. Ward had a chance to cut further into the lead but he popped up to Long at short and then Connor singled to right. McCarthy made his second bad decision of the inning by trying to get the man at the plate and Tiernan was easily safe as the batter took an extra base on the throw.

The rooters became anxious; the score was 8-6 and the Giants’ hottest hitter was coming to bat. George Davis was off to a torrid start, already had a pair of hits off Nichols, and had been robbed of another by Carroll’s fine catch in the fourth. The New York Times would have him unofficially leading the National League in batting with a .468 average at the end of the day.9 Now he took the measure of the Boston hurler and drove a ball deep to center, where Hugh Duffy ran it down for the final out. Boston was back to .500 and ready to resume another pennant chase while the dejected Ward was left to vow, “We are due to win a game tomorrow and nothing will stop us.”10

Notes

1 “Play Ball,” Boston Globe, May 16, 1893: 1.

2 “Play Ball,” Boston Globe, May 16, 1893: 6.

3 “Boston 8, New York 6,” New York Sun, May 16, 1893: 4.

4 “Bostons Show Their Mettle,” Boston Post, May 16, 1893: 5.

5 “On Home Grounds,” Boston Herald, May 16, 1893: 1.

6 “Bostons Show Their Mettle.”

7 “On Home Grounds,” Boston Herald, May 16, 1893: 1.

8 “On Home Grounds,” Boston Herald, May 16, 1893: 2.

9 “Giants Defeated Again,” New York Times, May 16, 1893: 3.

10 “Play Ball,” Boston Globe, May 16, 1893: 6.