A Night to Remember: The Philadelphia Athletics 1883 Victory Parade

This article appears in SABR’s “The 1883 Philadelphia Athletics: American Association Champions” (2022), edited by Paul Hofmann and Bill Nowlin.

On Friday, September 28, 1883, the Philadelphia Athletics clinched the American Association pennant, defeating the Louisville Eclipse 7-6, in a game that went 10 innings.1 It was an exciting conclusion to a hard-fought season: the pennant was not decided till the final week,2 and the Philadelphia fans, who had faithfully supported their team, were ready for a celebration.

And there was a lot to celebrate. Not only had the Athletics won, but base ball had won too (back then, the sport was spelled as two words, or sometimes hyphenated as base-ball). As Harper’s Weekly noted, this had been a “remarkable” season, and the sport could now truly say it was America’s “National game.”3

Anyone who read the newspapers knew that Harper’s Weekly was right: Interest in baseball was growing. In years past, it was typical to find only the scores, or perhaps a paragraph about the games. But throughout 1883, coverage of the home team became more thorough, and game stories were longer. In Philadelphia, as in most other cities, the newspapers did not have a sports page yet; but increasingly, reports about the games were given more prominence; in fact, some stories about the Athletics were placed on page 1.4 Bylines were still rare, so we don’t know the names of the reporters who wrote the stories; but the coverage now provided more details – such as highlighting the players who did well and pointing out those who didn’t.

The word fan was also not in common use in 1883; loyal supporters of a team were often referred to as enthusiasts or admirers, and fanatical supporters were called cranks. But whatever you called them, the people who loved their favorite team had lots of choices for base ball news. (And by the way, team was not in common use either – the Athletics were often referred to as a club or a nine). In addition to reading the local newspapers (of which Philadelphia had at least 15), there was a new weekly sports publication called The Sporting Life, which made its debut on April 15, 1883; and the New York Clipper was another excellent resource for national baseball news.

Thanks to the telegraph (many ballparks now had telegraphers situated right near the reporters, so that game summaries could quickly be sent back to the local publications)5, the late editions of your favorite paper might at least have a box score or a short summary. And when the Athletics clinched the pennant, the story appeared in newspapers from coast to coast. (Nearly every paper had an “exchange editor,” who received copies of many out-of-town papers, and selected the biggest stories for re-publication;6 that is how newspapers in cities far from Philadelphia were still able to get stories about the Athletics’ exciting win, and share the news with readers.)

But as the pennant race grew more competitive, some of the team’s most devoted supporters didn’t want to wait for the next edition of the newspaper. They wanted to know what was happening right away; and lucky for them, the Philadelphia newspapers were ready. Most of the city’s major publications were located on or near Chestnut Street, and in that era before radio and television, fans who wanted the latest scores would gather in front of the office of their favorite newspaper. Many publications had bulletin boards, and when the headlines arrived by telegraph, someone from the newspaper would write them out for the public to read. In late September, as it appeared more likely that the Athletics might win the pennant, larger and larger crowds began to gather during each road game, eagerly awaiting information about how the Athletics were doing.7 The day of the pennant-clinching game, not even a rainshower could keep the fans from waiting for the inning-by-inning updates.8 And when the final score arrived from Louisville, “… [M]en threw their hats in the air and shouted themselves hoarse, [and] the ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and in some cases even joined in the shouting.”9

We may never know who first came up with the idea, but on September 18, 10 days before the pennant was won, several hundred loyal fans gathered at the Athletics’ headquarters, 159 North Eighth Street.10 Confident that the club would finish in first place, they decided the Athletics deserved a victory parade when they returned home from the road.11 The supporters formed a number of committees, including one to handle the arrangements, another to handle the finances, a music committee, a committee to hire the carriages, etc. There would also be a reception committee, to greet the players and the various dignitaries participating in the event. As might be expected, the Athletics’ ownership approved of having a parade; in fact, co-owner Charlie Mason even participated in the planning,12 and so did an influential local politician, William B. Smith, president of Philadelphia’s Select Council. At the second meeting, the members of the reception committee elected Smith the chairman.13 (While he may indeed have been a loyal fan, William B. Smith was also a candidate for mayor, and associating himself with a winning baseball club would certainly be beneficial for his campaign.)

Meanwhile, committee member William H. Heck was named chief marshal, and he was tasked with organizing the various groups that would be taking part in the parade. It was rapidly becoming a massive undertaking, as hundreds of people asked to participate – including other athletic clubs, local civic organizations, members of the military, local dignitaries, and even some local merchants. The committee decided to organize the parade’s participants into four divisions, each with its own marshal. Leading the torchlight procession would be the victorious Athletics players and the club’s management, displaying the championship banner as they rode in elegant horse-drawn carriages called barouches.14 Also in that first division would be the members of the reception committee, along with members of several other American Association clubs (the New York Metropolitans and the Baltimore Orioles) and their managers. In the second division would be numerous semipro and amateur clubs from the region; the third would comprise various social and civic clubs; and in the fourth, there would be miscellaneous participants, including some local businesses.

As for the parade route, the plan was to form the line on Broad Street, north of Filbert Street, close to the Broad Street train station, where the team was scheduled to arrive. (Broad Street Station was a major terminal for the Pennsylvania Railroad back then – it was relatively new, having been opened in December 1881,15 and it was conveniently located in the center of the city, not far from City Hall.) According to the Philadelphia Times and other local publications, the assembled marchers would then “countermarch on the west side of Broad Street to Carpenter, east side of Broad Street to Chestnut, to Fifth, to Arch, to Eighth, to Girard Avenue, to Broad, to Market, and [then] dismiss.”16 This route would take the marchers past many of the city’s newspapers, businesses, and stores: one merchant helpfully pointed out in a large newspaper advertisement that anyone planning to participate, whether as a marcher or a spectator, would probably need a warm coat; and luckily, there was a sale on men’s all-wool winter coats at Brownings’ Clothing House, Ninth and Chestnut Streets.17

And no parade would be complete without music: Many bands wanted to take part, but one of them stood out – a local favorite, with a long track record, previously known throughout the state as either Beck’s Philadelphia Band or Beck’s First Regiment Band.18 The band now had a new patron – the Philadelphia Evening Call newspaper. The Evening Call was the newest newspaper in the city, having made its debut on September 28, the day the Athletics won the pennant. The Call was owned by veteran journalist Robert Stewart Davis (who was well-known in the region for publishing a critically acclaimed literary magazine, Saturday Night, from 1867 to 1879). In addition to sending reporters to cover the victory parade, Davis saw an opportunity to get some positive attention for his newspaper by providing some of the music. So he hired Beck’s Band and changed their name to the Evening Call Band. With popular bandleader John G.S. Beck at the helm, they made their debut the same day the Evening Call did, with a concert and a street parade to announce the arrival of the new daily paper.19 (Not only did the band have a new name, but all 50 members were wearing the new uniforms Davis had purchased for them.)20

Now that the pennant was officially won and the Athletics were on their way home, the reception committee was finishing up with last-minute details, and preparing to meet the team. The plan was to hire a special train to meet the victorious Athletics when they got to Harrisburg and bring them the rest of the way.21 Meanwhile, after playing a Sunday morning game on the 30th, the Athletics left Louisville at 3 P.M.; they were due to arrive in Philadelphia on Monday, October 1, at 7:30 P.M. Their train first made a stop in Cincinnati to pick up the New York Metropolitans, who rode with the Athletics to Philadelphia.22 By the time the train reached Harrisburg, 12 members of the reception committee, dressed formally in “black clothes and glistening hats,”23 were waiting to greet the champions and offer congratulations for a job well done. (Wasting no time, Select Council President Smith immediately gave a short speech, praising the players and telling them what their victory meant to the city of Philadelphia.)24 In addition to the reception committee, some fans from Harrisburg were also there to welcome the Athletics and accompany them to Philadelphia.25 And fans from other cities were planning to make the trip: For example, a large group of supporters from Wilmington, Delaware, was traveling to watch the parade.26

In Philadelphia, the organizers were happy to see the weather cooperating. Unlike the day before, when there had been light rain,27 today there was no rain in sight; the forecast was for a clear but cool evening, with temperatures in the 50s. As anticipation grew, some of the newspapers engaged in guesses about how big the parade would be. The Philadelphia Inquirer asserted that about 10,000 people would participate (although that number didn’t include groups that asked to participate at the last minute, or additional bands, or local fife-and-drum corps).28 Several days earlier, the Philadelphia Times said at least 7,000 men and boys would be participating, and more than 40 bands.29 But by the 30th of September, the Times agreed that 10,000 was probably an accurate number.30 Other newspapers didn’t try to guess how many people would participate: they just used adjectives like “immense” to describe the planned torchlight procession.31 And while most of the spectators were expected to be men, there was reason to believe some women would be in the crowd. The Athletics had made attracting female fans a part of their strategy all season, designating each Thursday home game as Ladies Day; the ownership gave free admission to any woman accompanied by a ticket holder.32 (It seemed to work: Reporters noticed that although the majority of the fans continued to be men, a small but steadily growing number of women had begun to attend the games. In early September, the Philadelphia Times remarked that although it wasn’t Ladies Day, there were more than 300 female fans in the grandstand, cheering the Athletics on in a game against St. Louis.)33

The train carrying the Athletics was supposed to arrive at Broad Street Station at 7:30 P.M. on October 1; by most newspaper accounts, it was between 5 and 10 minutes late.34 (The Philadelphia Evening Call, however, claimed the train was five minutes early.)35 But whatever the correct arrival time, anticipation had been building all day, and people from all walks of life and all social classes36 formed a massive throng on every nearby street. The New York Clipper described the crowd as a “veritable tidal-wave of people.”37 When the Athletics emerged from the station, Select Council President William B. Smith led them onto the street, where their carriages were waiting. Fans shouted and cheered and pointed with excitement as they caught a glimpse of players they recognized.38 In addition to the carriages for the Athletics, there were also some for the other teams that had been invited – including the New York Metropolitans and the Baltimore Orioles. As soon as all the players and managers were seated, the parade officially began: the Great Western Band, one of the many musical groups taking part, started things off with a rousing version of “Hail to the Chief.”39 And as the carriages proceeded (slowly, because so many people were crowding the streets that any movement was difficult),40 spectators waved and cheered, and some even threw flowers as the players rode by.41

All along the parade route, streets were illuminated with electric and calcium lights; storefronts and other buildings, including several of the newspapers, had colored lanterns hung in the windows. It seemed nearly every building was draped in festive bunting, and many displayed banners with messages of congratulations to the Athletics. At John Wanamaker’s clothing store at 818 Chestnut Street, the decorations included flags of many nations, banners and streamers; in addition, “lights blazed from every window and an immense gas jet glittered a welcome with the words Well done.”42 Music was everywhere – bands played, as did fife and drum corps, and many in the crowd either sang along or simply cheered as the various carriages passed.43 And as the marchers reached the intersection of Broad and Chestnut, there was even a fireworks display, courtesy of the Hotel Lafayette.44

As for the four divisions that the Reception Committee had diligently planned for, they turned out to be even larger than expected – estimates ranged from 8,000 to 10,000 marchers, in a procession that stretched for about two miles.45 This proved to be a challenge for the several hundred members of law enforcement and the various marshals who were involved in crowd control. Fortunately, despite the massive number of spectators – estimated by the Philadelphia Evening Call at more than 200,000 and by the St. Louis Globe-Democrat at half a million, there was no rioting or vandalism. In fact, there were surprisingly few incidents of bad behavior. Pickpockets had a good night – the police later received complaints from some attendees who reported lost watches or other valuables.46 A man brutally assaulted a woman who had asked him to stop pushing against her: He caused her serious injury by kicking her, and two police officers promptly arrested him.47 There were also several minor injuries: A boy who was trying to get a better view of the parade fell from a tree and broke a wrist, and a woman had one of her feet crushed by the hooves of an unruly horse. And there was one fatality: A 5-year-old girl was run over by a wagon, and she died instantly.48 But overall, the organizers, along with Philadelphia’s political leaders, were pleased by how well everything turned out. As the Philadelphia Times editorialized the next day, “[N]othing in history has surpassed the splendor of last night, when the entire population turned out, with music and banners and fire-works … to do honor to a base ball nine.”49

As the Evening Call’s publisher, Robert Stewart Davis, had hoped, the Evening Call Band was well-received,50 and even his competitors remarked upon its presence; they also remarked upon how he hired a number of wagons to follow behind the band, so that his newsboys and other staff could ride, rather than walk, in the parade.51 Another noteworthy feature of the parade was the large number of baseball clubs that marched – all in their team uniforms, carrying their bats. While many of the clubs were semipro, some were from youth leagues, including several teams from Camden, New Jersey; one of them, the Young Merritts, carried a banner announcing they were the champions from clubs under 16 years old.52 The Sporting Life, in covering the parade, noted with amusement that most residents of Philadelphia had never seen so many baseball clubs, nor realized that such a large number existed. The publication also observed that a party atmosphere prevailed: members of local social clubs and civic organizations were marching in various costumes.53 And one notable display from the fourth division was a float from the Arion Camping Club: it featured a replica of a camp and a fire, with several members of the club inside a tent, and others outside pretending to be relaxing on what looked like grass.54

When the procession finally reached City Hall, at Fifth and Chestnut, Mayor Samuel G. King was waiting there, accompanied by some prominent Philadelphia politicians. A reviewing stand had been set up for the mayor55 so that he could offer his personal congratulations to the winning Athletics and greet the rest of the marchers. This was a more difficult task than one might think, because Mayor King was known for going to bed early. According to the Philadelphia Times, he didn’t even stay up late on the night he won the race for mayor. On this festive occasion, however, he not only stayed up past his normal bedtime – he enthusiastically reviewed the entire parade.56 (By some accounts, the parade took at least an hour and 10 minutes before it completely passed by the reviewing stand.57)

But Mayor King’s evening wasn’t done. When the parade-goers were dismissed, about 150 invited guests, escorted by the marshals, made their way by carriage to Mercantile Hall on Franklin Street, where a banquet was being held in the Athletics’ honor.58 Among the invitees were some prominent local politicians, the mayor among them, and some business leaders. And there were also three professional teams. The victorious Athletics and the previously mentioned Baltimore Orioles and New York Metropolitans. But there was also the city’s other pro team, the Philadelphia Quakers. Philadelphia’s National League franchise was an interesting choice – its president and general manager was former Athletics player Alfred J. “Al” Reach. While he had some success in the early 1870s (and even hit .353 in 1871), his track record in management in 1883 was nothing to brag about – in fact, his team had a truly awful season, finishing dead last, with a record of 17-81. Throughout 1883, while the Athletics were frequently and deservedly praised, Reach’s team lost so many games that it was often mocked by the local press.59 (It is worth noting that the Philadelphia team, which some modern sources say was called the Quakers, and others claim was called the Phillies, seemed to be referred to by neither name in 1883. Most local newspapers called the team either the Philadelphias, the Philadelphia Base Ball Club, or occasionally, the Quaker City Boys.60) And although we do not know why the decision was made to include the club, perhaps it had to do with Reach’s five years as an Athletics player, or perhaps the Athletics were just trying to give the fans of the city’s other team a chance to participate in the festive occasion, even if their team hadn’t provided many reasons for celebration that season.

In addition to the professional clubs, two semipro teams were invited to the banquet. One was the August Flower Club, which had made its debut earlier in 1883;61 it had gotten a lot of coverage from the Philadelphia newspapers, and evidently it was now sufficiently well-known (it was even included in the first division of the Athletics’ victory parade). Also part of that first division, and also invited to the banquet, was the Anthracite Club of Pottsville, Pennsylvania.62 The Anthracite Club had undergone some serious financial struggles during 1883,63 but managed to get through the season and then get invited to the Athletics’ celebration.

Inside the banquet hall, where the tables were attractively decorated with flowers and plants, and there was also a baseball-themed centerpiece featuring “two floral baseball bats standing crosswise over a ball of red and white flowers,”64 the celebratory atmosphere continued, as a band played an up-tempo song, and attendees tried to keep time with the music.65 All the guests were treated to an eight-course meal, and there was a keynote address by Col. Thomas Fitzgerald, an orator, publisher, philanthropist, and the founder of the first Athletics club. (And showing that hyperbole is nothing new in public speaking, the colonel asserted that this celebration far surpassed celebrations in ancient Greece or ancient Rome; he also said that more than 750,000 men, women, and children had witnessed the parade.66)

When it came time for the presentations, William B. Smith gave the championship banner to the team (and also gave another speech);67 and co-owner Mason gave slugger and team captain Harry Stovey, who had scored the winning run in the game that clinched the pennant, a gold watch and chain.68 Several other politicians, including Councilman George W. Hoffman, made speeches in praise of the team, and each member of the Athletics received a gold badge, to commemorate their incredible season.69 By the time the banquet ended, around 1 A.M. (much to the consternation of Mayor King, no doubt), one reporter summed up the festivities by saying this banquet was “one of the largest and most remarkable that has taken place in this city of pageants.”70

While nearly every newspaper reporter was effusive in praise of the Athletics, as well as eager to praise the parade, and the banquet too, every event has a curmudgeon or two, and this one was no exception. An untitled editorial in a West Virginia newspaper groused about the attention given to athletes and complained that more important news was being pushed off the front pages. The writer was especially annoyed that a member of US President Chester A. Arthur’s Cabinet, Postmaster General Gresham, was on the same train as the Athletics, yet he was completely ignored. Further, said the writer, most of the players aren’t even from Philadelphia, so why had the local fans bonded so intensely with players who might be playing for some other team next year?71

But this viewpoint was in the minority. In fact, for the next few years, the city of Philadelphia continued to recall the 1883 Victory Parade fondly, and newspapers would mention it whenever there was an upcoming celebration. For example, in 1888, there was an event that honored amateur baseball in the city, and reporters expressed the belief (or perhaps the hope) that this event would be as exciting and impressive as the 1883 victory parade had been.72 In time, of course, recollections about the victory parade faded, and many of the players did go on to other teams (or leave baseball entirely). But when Harry Stovey died in 1937, at age 80,73 there were still some old-timers who recalled what he did for the Athletics back in 1883; and for one brief moment, memories of a very different era lived again.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-reference.com. The author is also grateful to the reference librarians at the Free Library of Philadelphia, who provided historical information about Philadelphia in 1883.

Notes

1 “The Pennant Won,” Philadelphia Times, September 29, 1883: 2.

2 “The New Base-Ball Champions,” New York Times, October 1, 1883: 2.

3 “Base-Ball Champions,” Harper’s Weekly, October 13, 1883: 653-654.

4 For example, “Both the Home Nines Win,” Philadelphia Times, May 16, 1883: 1.

5 In St. Louis, for example, Western Union announced telegraphers would be regularly assigned to the games, making it easier for reporters covering the 1883 season. “Diamond Dust,” St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat, March 27, 1883: 5.

6 “How They Do It,” Jackson (Ohio) Standard, August 30, 1883: 1.

7 “The Coming Champions,” Philadelphia Times, September 22, 1883: 2.

8 “The Pennant Won,” Philadelphia Times, September 29, 1883: 2.

9 “Out-Door Sports,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 29, 1883: 2.

10 “The Champions,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 19, 1883: 8.

11 “The Athletic’s Reception,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 22, 1883: 2.

12 Edward Achorn, The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants, and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America’s Game (New York: Public Affairs, 2014), 219.

13 “Baseball Notes,” Philadelphia Times, September 22, 1883: 2.

14 “Receiving the Athletics,” Philadelphia Times, September 30, 1883: 2.

15 “The Broad Street Station,” Philadelphia Inquirer, December 2, 1881: 3.

16 “Receiving the Athletics.”

17 “At 7:25,” Philadelphia Times, October 1, 1883: 4.

18 “The Fourth,” Scranton Republican, July 10, 1878: 2.

19 “Greetings from the Philadelphia Journals to the Evening Call,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 29, 1883: 8.

20 “A Military Band at Last Worthy of Our Great Metropolis,” Philadelphia Times, September 29, 1883: 8.

21 “Honoring the Champions: Philadelphia Preparing a Grand Reception for the Victorious Athletics,” New York Sun, October 1, 1883: 4.

22 “Receiving the Athletics.”

23 “The Base Ball Parade,” Philadelphia Times, October 2, 1883: 1.

24 “The Base Ball Parade”

25 “Base Ball Players Going Home,” Harrisburg Telegraph, October 1, 1883: 4.

26 “Notes,” Wilmington (Delaware) Daily Gazette, October 1, 1883: 1.

27 “The Weather in Philadelphia,” Philadelphia Inquirer, October 1, 1883: 8.

28 “After Many Battles,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 27, 1883: 2.

29 “The Last Week,” Philadelphia Times, September 23, 1883: 2.

30 “Receiving the Athletics.”

31 “Honoring the Champions.”

32 Achorn, 44.

33 “On Top Again,” Philadelphia Times, September 7, 1883: 3.

34 For example, a St. Louis newspaper said the club arrived at 7:45 P.M. “The Athletics Receive a Grand Ovation Upon Arriving Home,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 2, 1883: 6; but the Philadelphia Inquirer said the arrival time was actually 7:35 P.M. “The Victors Home,” Philadelphia Inquirer, October 2, 1883: 1.

35 “Champions at Home,” Philadelphia Evening Call, October 2, 1883: 7.

36 “The Athletics’ Reception,” The Sporting Life, October 8, 1883: 5.

37 “The Athletic Club’s Reception,” New York Clipper, October 6, 1883: 469.

38 “The Athletics Receive a Grand Ovation Upon Arriving Home,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 2, 1883: 6.

39 “The Victors Home.”

40 “The Athletics Receive a Grand Ovation Upon Arriving Home.”

41 “Philadelphia Enthusiastic Over the Athletics,” Pittstown (Pennsylvania) Evening Gazette, October 2, 1883: 1.

42 “Champions at Home.”

43 “Base-Ball Champions”; “The Athletics’ Reception,” The Sporting Life, October 8, 1883: 5; “Champions at Home.”

44 “Champions at Home.”

45 “The Athletics Receive a Grand Ovation Upon Arriving Home.”

46 Achorn, 238.

47 “Champions at Home”; Achorn, 238.

48 “Champions at Home.”

49 Editorial page, Philadelphia Times, October 2, 1883: 2.

50 “Champions at Home.”

51 “The Victors Home.”

52 “Athletics’ Parade,” Camden (New Jersey) Daily Courier, October 2, 1883: 1.

53 “The Athletics’ Reception.” See also Achorn, 237.

54 “The Victors Home.”

55 “The Athletics’ Reception.”

56 Editorial page, Philadelphia Times, October 2, 1883: 2.

57 Achorn, 238.

58 “The Athletic Club’s Reception.”

59 Opinion page, York (Pennsylvania) Daily, July 25, 1883: 2; opinion page, Philadelphia Times, August 8, 1883: 2.

60 “Poor Philadelphia,” Philadelphia Times, August 19, 1883: 2; “Base Ball,” Philadelphia Times, October 27, 1883: 2.

61 “Baseball Notes,” Philadelphia Times, March 18, 1883: 7.

62 “Receiving the Athletics,” Philadelphia Times, September 30, 1883: 2.

63 “Current Comment,” Harrisburg Daily Independent, September 20, 1883: 4.

64 Achorn, 239.

65 “The Athletic Club’s Reception.”

66 Achorn, 240.

67 “Champions at Home.”

68 “The Athletics’ Welcome Home,” Harrisburg Telegraph, October 2, 1883: 1; Achorn, 240.

69 “The Victors Home.”

70 “The Champions Home.”

71 Editorial, Wheeling (West Virginia) Daily Intelligencer, October 4, 1883: 1.

72 “Base Ball: The Demonstration Arranged by the Philadelphia Clubs,” Philadelphia Times, June 17, 1888: 16.

73 “Harry Stovey Dies, Old Baseball Star,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 21, 1937: 4.