The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-04-24
IS ORIGINAL IRON
MAN OF BASEBALL
RASOURNE PITCHED TWENTY.
TWO SUCCESSIVE GAMES FOR
PROVIDENCE GRAYS.
WON REMNANT FOR HIS TEAM


In Other Positions Rest OF the
TIme-Eleven Of the Games Were
Consecutive Victories.
Remarkable IN many respects was
the baseball season OF 1884. In that
campaign the record for successive
Victories for major league club was
established by the Providence Grays
who put together 20 straight; Charley
Sweeney famed IS men In nine-in
ming contest, which still remains big
league record and Charley Radbourne
gained fame and renown by twirling
90 consecutive championship games
Early historians of baseball say that
Rad. kingpin of pitchers in his time
worked in q successive battle, but the
files OF baseball papers Of that year
show that % was the numbSS 1t is
possible that the "Old Hoss" iMChed
81 consecutive contests, but If he\did
so, five of these were exhibition af
fairs, of which there Is not now any
trace.
Radbourne not only pitched % games
in a row for the Rhode Islands 25
years ago in order to win the pennant
for the Providence team, which was
managed by Frank Bancroft, now bust
ness representative OF the Cincinnati
club. but he officlated on the rubber
that season in 70 contests, and when
he wasn't pitching was playing either
right field, shortstop or first base. Rad,
bourne seems to have been baseball's
original iron man, Certain IS it that
there Is no finger nowadays capable
Of pitching % games in row, or OF
accomplishing what Radbourne did in
1SS4-winning SO contests.
Providence's average that year was
$50, the National league teams then
playing 112 games or the S4 triumphs
of the Grays, Radbourne was respon'
sible for 50, Charley Sweeney baggins
the lions share Of the other wins. But
Sweeney jumped the Rhode Island
team in midsummer leaving the Grays
with Radbourne to depend on to win
the pennant. They had two other
hurlers-Conly and Miller-but these
men were inexperienced and Bancroft
seldom used them.
There are many tales Of how Rad
bourne started on his record-breaking
exploit of pitching % straight games.
Some chroniclers say that Sweeney
walked off the field and refused to
pitch any more for Providence, leaving
"Old Hoss" as the teams lone box
man II the Californian did this, the
public prints of 1884 do not mention
that fact, and the tale that the team
had no other pitcher than RadbOurne
doesn't agree with the scores, which
show that Miller and Comfy were on
the clubs pay roll and occasionally
twirled for the Grays after Sweeney
jumped to the st. Louis Maroons OF
the short,ived Union association.
Radbourne's remarkable record OF
% games in a row, Of which 19 were
victories, started on August q, 1884.
against the Chicago club. and ended
on September "a, against the same
team.
Eleven OF RadbOurne's % games
were consecutive victories, the break
coming on September Q, when the
Buffalos, with Jimmy Calvin pitching,
took the Grays into camp by score OF
2 to 0, The Bisons on that date, more
over. stopped Providence from re.
cording 81 triumphs in n row. The
temporary setback did not discourage
Radbourne and his teammates, for
they got busy again and won eight
contests in stretch. Their next de
feat was sustained at the hands Of
Detroit, which club had Charley Cat
zein on the rubber, and then won IT'S
only game Of the season from the
champions. the score being to T. On
September "a the Grays again were
beaten, this time by Chicago and ON
the next day Radbourne took a well
earned rest, Comfy doing the flinging
for the New Englandcrs.
In the % games RadbOurne's oppon
ents only thrice were able 10 make
ten or more hits off him on August
% the Chicagos, who finished fourth
in that year. got II wallops off Proyi
dence's iron man. while on August 20
and September rs the Dctrots, who
were tailenders, made ten saferics Of
him, the first OF these game going II
innings Showing HIS great and sue.
tanned effectiveness, Radbourne's adj
yersaries were able to bat ou.y n .2ll
clip in these % games and averaged
less than three runs TO the contest
His record Of p straight ENGAGEMENTS
follows: