The Olympics of Washington‚ at home‚ score 18 runs in the 6th and defeat Ft. Wayne‚ 32-12. Four players go to bat three times in the big inning-John Glenn‚ Andy Leonard‚ Asa Brainard and George Hall. Leonard scores 3 times.
The Mutuals‚ after a fine start‚ lose their fifth game in a row‚ to Eckford‚ 7-0. Only 2 hits are allowed by La “Phonney” Martin.
At the start of a Mutuals-Haymakers game in Troy‚ NY‚ Even though it is customary to allow the visiting team to choose which ball to use, Troy captain Bill Craver refuses to play unless their ball is used. Heated words are exchanged throughout, with the Mutuals even being threatened with bats. Mutuals captain Bob Ferguson is convinced the ball used is not legal. Troy then wallops the non-standard ball for a 37-16 win‚ with Steve King and Dickie Flowers collecting 6 hits each. Later‚ the Van Horn ball and the Ryan ball are found to each have the same amount of rubber but the former is “twice as lively.”
Both Athletic of Philadelphia and the Troy Haymakers score in each inning, with Athletic winning, 49 – 33, the highest-scoring contest in the history of the National Association. The 42 hits made by Athletic (including a 7 for 7 day by John Radcliff and 6 for 8 performances by Al Reach and Levi Meyerle) is also a league record.
From the New York Sunday Mercury: Answers to Correspondents-“Of course a player can wear gloves if he likes. A half glove covering the palm of the hand and first joints of the fingers is excellent in saving the hand of the catcher and first baseman.”
Forest City of Cleveland travels to Philadelphia‚ and while playing an exhibition game against the Experts of Philadelphia‚ their substitute C Elmer White‚ chasing a poorly thrown ball‚ runs into the fence and breaks his arm.
The Kekiongas visit Boston and are shut out by Al Spalding and the Reds 23-0. Ft. Wayne makes only one hit.
After 6 innings of play at Troy‚ NY‚ the ball becomes ripped. The umpire decides that it is unfit and calls for another. The Kekiongas‚ winning at the time 6-3‚ refuse to allow another ball to be used and refuse to continue to the game because of the reputation of the Haymakers using illegal balls in the past. The umpire (Isaac Leroy or Ed Tighe depending on the source), after five full minutes of ordering Fort Wayne back on the field, calls the game a 9–0 forfeit in favor of the Haymakers.
Former Civil War General Abner Doubleday‚ now a Colonel in command of the 24th U.S. Infantry’s “Colored Regiment”‚ Fort McKavett‚ TX addresses a request to General E.D. Townsend‚ Adjutant General‚ U.S. Army‚ Washington‚ D.C.: “I have the honor to apply for permission to purchase for the Regimental Library a few portraits of distinguished generals‚ Battle pictures‚ and some of Rogers groups of Statuary particularly those relative to the actions of the Colored population of the south. This being a colored regiment ornaments of this kind seem very appropriate. I would also like to purchase baseball implements for the amusement of the men and a Magic Lantern for the same purpose. The fund is ample and I think these expenditures would add to the happiness of the men.”
The eagerly awaited series opens between the White Stockings and the Mutuals before 10‚000 at the Union Grounds in Brooklyn. Five of the old Eckfords play for Chicago while 5 of last year’s Atlantics play for the Mutuals. Fielding decides the game‚ as Chicago makes 19 errors to 7 for the Mutuals. New York wins 8-5.
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