​The second game for the base ball championship of the United States came to an abrupt termination today. The day was bright and warm and 2000 persons assembled to see the game. The Chicagos were minus the services of Gore, their crack batsman, and the St. Louis were without Bushong, their regular catcher. In the first inning Sunday, after Dalrymple had been retired at first by Comiskey, hit safe to left, and then went to second on a passed ball. Kelly hit safe over Gleason, and Welch fumbling the ball Sunday came all the way home. Gleason led off for the Browns with a hit over Clarkson for two bases, Welch sent the ball through Williamson's legs and Barkley advanced Welch to second by sacrificing to Pfeffer. Comiskey hit to Pfeffer, who threw home to catch Gleason, but failed. Kelly threw to Pfeffer to catch Comiskey as he stole second. Pfeffer muffed the ball, and Welch came home while Comiskey went to third, and the latter scored a moment later on a passed ball.

In the second inning Pfeffer hit to right field for two bases, and came home on Nicol's muff of Burns' fly. In the fourth Robinson reached first on Burns' error. O'Neill hit to Burns, forcing Robinson at second. Then Latham hit to centre for three bases, and O'Neill came home. In the fifth both sides drew blanks, and at the commencement of the sixth inning the Browns were in the lead by 4 to 2.

Up to that time Umpire Sullivan of the regular League corps had been giving the home team a tough deal, and the crowd were ripe for a row. Sunday led off in this inning with a double over Nicol. Kelly hit to Gleason and was thrown out at first, but Sullivan, who was watching Sunday steal home, did not see the play at first and refused to declare Kelly out. There was a great to-do in consequence. Play was suspended for full fifteen minutes and Captain Comiskey threatened to withdraw his nine from the field. He was at last induced to go on with the game. Kelly held his place at first, went to second on a wild pitch and came home with the tie run on Anson's hit to centre. Pfeffer hit an easy fly to right, which Nicol muffed, but Anson was forced out at second. Pfeffer stole second and went to third on a passed ball. Williamson was at the bat, and the Chicago's prospects of securing another and leading run were excellent. Williamson hit the ball on the ground in such a way that it first rolled foul and then curved around into fair ground. Comiskey fielded the ball on fair ground and threw it to Barkley, who had covered first. Williamson beat the ball to the bag by at least five feet, and Pfeffer scored on the stroke, but Comiskey claimed that the ball Williamson hit was foul, and that Sullivan had shouted foul, and he asserted that unless the umpire called it foul he would quit the field. Sullivan at first said that Comiskey was right, and that Williamson would have to go back to the bat, but when the Chicagos kicked he changed his mind. Before the controversy ended the crowd had jumped from the grand stand and had taken possession of the field. Several persons made for the umpire, but he was taken care of by the police. In the midst of the uproar both sides left the field.

Tonight the Chicagos are claiming the game by a score of 9 to 0, on the ground that the St. Louis left the field, while St. Louis deny that they left the field, and claim they were simply forced off by the crowd. Umpire Sullivan left the grounds with the Chicagos. At the hotel tonight Sullivan gave the game to Chicago by a score of 9 to 0. Tomorrow's game will be played with some local man umpiring.
-Boston Daily Globe, October 16, 1885

​...while bickering ballplayers from each side swarmed the umpire to offer their own perspectives on the play, the [Chicago] Tribune reported that "about two hundred men" left their seats and stormed the field with intentions to do bodily harm to Sullivan. Amidst the subsequent pandemonium, Sportsman's Park security personnel whisked Sullivan off the field to an awaiting carriage, the White Stockings armed themselves with their baseball bats to fend off the uncontrolled mob, and the Browns left the ballpark.

The question of precisely when the Browns departed the diamond later took on increased importance. Sullivan, from the safety of the Lindell Hotel, ruled the game forfeited to Chicago on the basis that Comiskey had pulled his men from the field of play. The Browns raised two objections: they had not left the field prematurely, but had exited with the White Stockings when both teams simultaneously were forced off by the rampaging spectators; and the declaration of a forfeit was invalid because Sullivan did not issue it on the playing site as required by the rules, but waited instead until he was ensconced at his hotel. Ironically, a Chicago newspaper offered a time sequence supportive of the Browns' version of events. The Tribune noted that "the spectators and players walked off the field in a bunch," thereby lending credence to the Browns' claim that they had been "forced off by the crowd." In another surprise, however, three St. Louis newspapers concurred with Sullivan's opinion that Comiskey pulled the Browns off the field before the fans rushed onto the diamond. These St. Louis newspapers differed only in how they assessed the propriety of Comiskey's actions.

The first game at Sportman's Park between the Chicago Club and the Browns proved a poor contest, very badly umpired and terminating in a forfeiture by the home club to the visitors, the end being attended by a scene of excitement and confusion that was rarely, if ever, been equaled at any previous ball game in this city. Sullivan, the League umpire, came down from Chicago to act in the game, and a more unfortunate selection could not have been made. In the first inning he gave Kelly out at second on a steal, when nearly everybody thought the runner was safe. In the third he more than evened up matters by declaring foul a safe hit to right by Foutz, who, on the hit and a fumble by Clarkson, reached second, from which he was called back. This decision aroused the spectators to great indignation and Sullivan was loudly and roundly denounced. When, in the third inning, Barkley was called out on a ball that was above his head, another storm of hissing and shouts of "Get another umpire" followed. During the fourth and fifth inning nothing especially exciting occurred, but in the first half of the sixth a crisis was reached. After Sunday had led off with a double to right and gone to third on a passed ball, Kelley hit a grounder to Gleason, who fumbled and then threw to first, clearly putting out Kelley. Sunday scored on the play and Kelley was decided "safe." While the crowd uttered exclamations of amazements, some of the more impetuous shouted "robbery." Comiskey came in off the field, protested against the decision, and objected to Sullivan umpiring any longer. Sullivan immediately went to the players' bench, put on his coat and sat down. Anson refused to permit a change of umpires, and a long wrangle followed. Finally Hon. John J. O'Neill stepped out of the grand stand into the field and joined the wrangling players. Anson asked what his business was on the field, and the answer was, "That's none of your business."

"Well, it is my business, and you have no business on the field," retorted the big captain of the Chicago team.

"I am the President of the club," said the Representative of the Eighth District.

"I always thought Von der Ahe was the President," remarked Anson as he was very suspiciously eyed the M.C.

"Well, I'm the Vice President of the club, and in the absence of the President from the city the Vice President takes his place, don't he?" was the rejoinder of the friend of the laboring man.

The upshot of it was that O'Neill remained and the game proceeded.

Kelly quickly stole second, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single to center by Anson. Pfeffer raised a fly to short right and Nicol muffed it, but threw Anson out at second, while Pfeffer secured his base. After Pfeffer had stolen second Williamson hit a slow grounder along the line to first. The ball was spinning as it traveled, and when near first base it reached the outside of the base line it struck the edge of the turf and turned so sharply inside the line that Comiskey failed to stop, and it struck the inside of the bag and ran a short distance beyond it. Meanwhile somebody shouted "Foul!" Pfeffer ran in from second and Williamson, after hesitating when the ball was outside the line, made a dash when it changed its course and reached first in safety. Comiskey claimed that the ball was foul, Sullivan insisted that it was fair, but Comiskey said it was not under American Association rules, to which Anson answered by calling for the rules. Another squabble was followed by Comiskey calling his men off the field. There was a rush of spectators into the field and while one crowd gathered around Anson, Superintendent Solari and a special officer escorted Sullivan off the field, a second crowd following them to the gate and abusing Sullivan at every step.

By leaving the field Comiskey made a serious blunder, for the rules made it the imperative duty of the umpire to declare the game forfeited, and while the act caused the home team the irretrievable loss of a game that they had a chance to win, it also gave to the backers of the Chicago Club considerable money that was wagered on the result. Under all rules the ball was a fair one, and the umpire was in no way to blame for the deceptive course it took. It was generally believed that Sullivan had called the ball "foul," but this he denies, and is supported in his denial by Robinson, the home catcher, who asserted that it was Anson who made the call in question; but even if he had declared it "foul" before it had passed inside the line, he would have been obliged to correct his decision and declare "fair."

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 16, 1885

The last professional game to be played in [Chicago] this season took place yesterday between the St. Louis Browns and the White Stockings, resulting in a tie game at the end of the eighth inning, by a score of 5 to 5. The Browns are, without doubt, a very smooth organization, and can play ball with the best of them. Had they been the League instead of the American Association team at St. Louis during the past season, the Mound City would quite likely have ranked other than last in the race. Latham's play at third was admired by every one of the 2,000 people that witnessed it yesterday, and the invariable rule which seems to obtain among the entire nine of going for everything and missing nothing was seen and appreciated. They pull together splendidly, and are unquestionably one of the strongest teams in the country. It is undeniably a fact that Chicago has let down astonishingly since winning the pennant by beating the Phillies in the first game of their last series. The strain upon the boys had been a long and hard one and with the championship in their possession they have seemed to feel that their season's work was accomplished and that the many restrictions that they had voluntarily placed themselves under could with safety be tossed overboard. The result is that late hours and other indiscretions have unfitted the boys for work upon the diamond and their play has most plainly shown it of late. One of the results of the game yesterday was the suspension of Gore, who for some time past has been playing indifferently. Yesterday his indifference was so marked that he was told by Anson at the conclusion of the game that he might remain in Chicago, and that Sunday would look after his territory during the coming games with the Browns. Gore's disposition is not one of the most amiable in the world, and the lesson may prove of value to him. It has been intimated that the centre fielder has been playing for his release, but this report is not credited, and Gore himself refuses to talk upon the subject. The Whites left for St. Louis last night for games with Browns at St. Louis today, Friday and Saturday, at Pittsburg on the 22d, Cincinnati on the 23th and 24th, Baltimore the 27th, Philadelphia on the 28th and 29th, and Brooklyn on the 30th and 31st. The team winning the majority of the games in the series will take the $1,000 deposited by Spalding and Von der Ahe as a special purse to be divided equally among the players of the winning team. The season has practically ended here and interest in the game has vanished with the season.
​
-Sporting Life, October 21, 1885

The first of the series of games between the Chicagos, champion club of the National League, and the St. Louis, champion club of the American Association, for the championship of the world, was played this afternoon [in Chicago], and resulted in a tie in eight innings, though the Chicagos would doubtless have won in the next, as they had just begun to play when game was called. Previous to the game throwing and running contests were held. Williamson threw the ball 133 yards, 1 foot, 4 inches, defeating five others. Pfeffer ran the bases in 15 1/4 seconds, defeating five contestants. The Chicagos sent the visitors to bat, and toyed with them. The runs were made as follows: For the visitors, Comiskey got a base on error and scored on two other errors in the second. In the fourth O'Neill, Robinson, Latham and Caruthers got in runs off of two safe hits and three errors, Kelly scoring. In the eighth Gore got a base on balls, and scored off singles by Kelly and Anson. Pfeffer followed with a home run, and tied the game. The umpire called the game on account of darkness. The two clubs go to St. Louis, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburg, Philadelphia and Brooklyn.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 15, 1885

The Empires, our champions, will play the Lone Stars at the Ball Park this afternoon, and base ballists say that we will have a good game, the Empire men being confident and ready to cross bats with our Southern friends.

The Lone Stars are the champions of Louisiana - now on their first annual tour - reached St. Louis Thursday night and are stopping at the Everett House, the guests of the Empire B.B.C.  They left New Orleans Tuesday, the 19th inst., and played the first game of the tour at Memphis, Tennessee, July 21st, with the Bluff city club, winning by the handsome score of 54 to 12.  

To-morrow they will engage the Unions and Tuesday morning they will leave for Chicago, stopping to play at Springfield and Bloomington.

Their route from here will be via Chicago to Rockford, Ill.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Cincinnati and Portsmouth, Ohio; Louisville, Ky.; and Nashville, Tenn., thence home.  They expect to play about twenty (20) matches during their trip, and reach New Orleans 20th of August.  They have games with White Stockings, of Chicago, Forest City, of Rockford, and Red Stockings included in their programme.

The have a good reputation as ball tossers, and we expect a large attendance at the park to-day, for the game will undoubtedly be an interesting one.

​-Missouri Republican, July 24, 1870

According to previous announcement, the Harvard University Base Ball Club, of Cambridge, and the Union, of this city, met yesterday afternoon on the St. Louis base ball park.  Owing to some misunderstanding between the two clubs in regard to the time when the game was to be called, the members of the Union did not arrive on the field until 4 o'clock.  Unluckily the Harvards had arranged to leave on the 5:15 train for Chicago.  This of course made the proposed game short, only one inning being terminated.

The game was called at 4:10 by the favorite umpire, Mr. W. Kennon, of the Olympic Base Ball Club, of Carondelet.  His fame in the position of umpire is well known.  During his short term of office yesterday, he acquitted himself in his usual creditable manner.  

The Unions winning the toss, went to the field; the Harvards the "bat."

First Inning.

Harvards. - Eustis, on a low grounder made his first.  Wells out on first by Easton, assisted by Greenleaf.  Prim got his base on called balls. Eustis came home on a passed ball by W. Wolf.  Prim stole home on a passed ball.  Bush attempted to steal home but was put out at the "plate" by Turner.  Austin Smith and Willard scored each a run.  White was put out on first, closing the inning with a total score of 5 runs.

Union. - Turner took his base on called balls.  Gorman knocked a low one to second base, which was held and then thrown to first, putting Turner and Gorman both out, by this beautiful, but easy and mechanical double play of the Harvards.  Easton got his first on a swift grounder to centre.  Stansberry out on first, leaving Easton on second and adding the last 0 for a white-wash; terminating the first inning with a score of 5 to 0 in favor of the Harvards.

Second Inning.

This inning was not completed on account of the hastened departure of the Harvards.  The Harvards had 9 runs with two men out and two on bases, when the captain of their nine called them from the field, thus ending the game.

It might be well to state, that unless five innings are played the game cannot be called a match, hence we omit the base ball order of the score, it being enough that the game was entirely under control of the Harvards, they using their opponents to suit themselves.

The crowd being a little displeased at the sudden termination of the game, Clay Sexton, assisted by some members of the Empire club, made up a picked nine, composed of the best players on the ground, including, we believe, some members of the Lone Star B.B.C. of New Orleans.  The bat thrown down by the Harvards was taken up by this undaunted picked nine, and the Union found in them some true base ball metal.  This impromptu match was quite interesting and the spectators were highly pleased with it.

-Missouri Republican, July 24, 1870  

The following description of a base ball pitcher in action will be appreciated by all who have watched this important member of the nine: "On receiving the ball he raises it in both hands until it is on a level with his left eye.  Striking an attitude, he gazes at it two or three minutes in a contemplative way, and then turns it around once or twice to be sure that it is not an orange or a coconut.  Assured that he has the genuine article, he then winks once at the first baseman, twice at the second baseman, and three times at the third baseman, and, after a scowl at the shortstop and a glance at the home-plate, finally delivers the ball with the precision and rapidity of a cannon shot."

​-Missouri Republican, July 18, 1870

The Occidental, Jr. base ball club, of Quincy, Ill., arrived in the city yesterday morning, and played the Unions in the afternoon at the park.  The number of spectators was small.  

The Quincy boys are a fine looking set of young men, and their playing, as developed during the game showed them to be quite accomplished for a junior organization, in all the points of the game.  Their batting was extremely good, many hard and effective hits being made.  Their pitcher delivered his balls in a quick and accurate manner, and were well handled behind the bat by the catcher.  The third baseman and the centre fielder were particularly noticeable for the style in which they acquitted themselves.

As usual the Unions played with a short nine, Carr, W. Wolf and Lucas being absent.  Turner of course played faultlessly.  O'Brien never caught better since he joined the club.  Gorman had few opportunities to display his general excellence as short stop.  E. Wolf, in the centre, unaccountably muffed badly in the first inning.  He was afterwards put on second base, Gorman going to centre.

The Union batted Sander's swift pitching all over the field, with little trouble, and made many beautiful strikes.  Mr. Charles Maffitt acted as umpire.

​-Missouri Republican, July 16, 1870

President Von der Ahe, of the St. Louis Club, says: "I'm going to return to baseball next season, after an absence of some years.  I'm going to be strictly in it again."  It will be a good thing for baseball at the Mound City if the genial German would pay more attention to the game than he does to outside matters.

​-New York Clipper, November 6, 1897