The Browns met their match yesterday in the Atlantics of Brooklyn. The visitors are by odds the best club that has visited St. Louis this year, and out-played the home team both in the field and at the bat. The Atlantics are strong all around. They have a good battery, a fine infield, and a superb trio on the outside.

The Game.

In yesterday’s game they earned four of their seven runs. The first two of these they made in the first inning, when Walker was on first and Larkin made a home run. In the fifth inning the visitors got in a lucky streak of batting and earned two more runs. During the whole game the Browns were unable to earn a single, but they got half a dozen for all that, Farrell, the Atlantics’ third baseman, doing his share toward giving them these by making two very wild throws to first. The game all through was a nip and tuck affair. When the eighth inning was over it stood six to six. In the ninth inning Walker led off for the Atlantics with a grounder, which got between J. Gleason’s legs and into the outfield. Larkin hit safe to center and Walker went to third. A passed ball let Walker in. Mansell, who was running for Larkin, tried to steal third, but failed in the attempt. Clinton reached first on J. Gleason’s error, and then stole second. Rip tipped out. The Browns went into their half of the ninth wanting a run to tie and a couple to win. J. Gleason was the first to the front, and, after breaking a bat and hitting the ball foul three times, he was called out on strikes. W. Gleason hit a grounder to short, which beat him to first. McCaffrey squared himself for a long hit, but luck was not with him, and he ended the game by fouling out…In today’s game Baker will support McGinnis, and his presence behind the bat will strengthen the home team materially. Owing to the funeral of the President these clubs will not play the game advertised for to-morrow. They will play the third game of their series on Tuesday afternoon.  

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 25, 1881

The Dubuque base ball team, the crack organization of the Northwest, came to grief at the Grand Avenue Base Ball Park, yesterday afternoon, the popular Brown Stockings adding another well-earned victory to their long list of triumphs this season. It was the best week-day attendance seen at the park thus far this year, and while the spectators were very impartial in distributing applause, it could be seen that they were gratified at the success of the home players. Recognizing the fact that the task on hand was a difficult one, the Brown Stockings presented as strong a team as they have placed in the field in many a day, Baker being the only absentee. McGinnis was in the pitcher’s square, Seward behind the bat, and the Gleason boys in their home positions. This is a rare sight in week-day contests, and one that lent confidence to the other members of the nine and the club’s many well-wishers.

The Game.

Owing to the terrible heat, Sullivan, Dubuque’s pitcher, was forced to retire in the seventh inning. Both nines had up to that time played a close and spirited game, but the change of pitchers raised the mischief with the visitors. Morrison was the man sent in to relieve Sullivan, and he was batted clean out of the diamond. Before he was retired again to his position at short field, the Browns had earned seven runs off his delivery, and might perhaps have earned more, but that Sullivan came to the front again. He put an end to the run, getting in short order. The visitors play a plucky fielding game, but as batsmen they failed to master McGinnis. Perhaps they will do better to-day. In yesterday’s game there were several splendid plays. Lear, the Dubuque’s right, and Keyes, their left fielder, made some magnificent running catches, while Macdonald, of the Browns, also distinguished himself in that way. Seward, in the absence of the mighty Baker, caught well. Loftus created any amount of laughter when he sneaked the ball away from Comiskey and then walked up to McGinnis and touched him out as he stood off his base. Seward did the best batting of all. Sullivan, who pitches for the Dubuques, Loftus, their second baseman, and Comiskey, who guards their first bag, are a little team in themselves. They play a grand game.  

-St. Louis Globe Democrat, July 17, 1881

The Browns are a hard team to beat. Yesterday afternoon they met the Eckford Club, of Chicago, an organization that tied the famous Dreadnaughts for first place in the race for the amateur championship of Chicago, and defeated them by a score of 8 to 4. It is true this was done on a wet field and with a slippery ball, but it was done for all that. The

Luck, It Should Be Stated

was all with the Browns. On several occasions the Eckfords had men on second and third bases, and as many times were they left by two men going out in succession. The Chicago lads play a very pretty fielding game, and are no slouches at the bat. The score proves this. In base-running, however, they are a trifle backward, manifesting too much timidity. If they had run the bases yesterday as they should the score would have been a different one. Their infield is as good as can be found. Roche, at third, made some wonderful stops and catches. Their first baseman takes in everything that comes his way. The short stop is a fine all-round player, throwing and picking up very well. Sautry covers second superbly.

Their Battery

is a strong one. Sullivan is a very tricky pitcher, while Featherstone supports him well. In the outfield they are also strong. Gillan, who played with the Aetnas of Chicago and in the Northwestern League, is in left. He made himself felt yesterday, missing nothing in the field, while he scored a base hit three times out of four at the bat. The features of yesterday’s game were the foul tips that Seward caught on the head in the second inning, the fine stop of a liner in the third inning by Haley, the Eckfords’ third baseman, the two double plays made by the Eckfords, and the fine throwing home from right by Baker. In fact, take the game, rain and all, and it was refreshing and enjoyable. The Chicago players are prettily uniformed, their colors being white, with blue stockings.


-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 19, 1881