Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-21
ORIGINAL IRON MAN
OF BASE BALL GAME
Radbourne Pitched Twenty.
Two Successive Games for
Providence Grays.

remarkable In many respects WAS TIC
base ball season of 1884. In that CAM
paign the record for successive victories
for major league club was established
by the Providence Grays. who put to-
gether twenty straight; Charley Sweeney
famed eighteen men in nine-inning con-
test. which still remains a big league
record, and Charley Rsdbourne gained
fame and renown by twlrling twenty
two consecutive championship games.
Early historians OF base ball say that
Rad, kingpin of pitchers in his time.
worked in twenty-seven successive battles.
but the files of base ball papers OF that
year show that twenty-five was the num-
Der. 1t is possible that the ''Old Hoss"
pitched twenty-seven consecutive contests.
but If he did SO five of these were eXhibi-
ton affairs, OF which there is not now
any trace. writes L. j. Lanisan.
Radbourne not only pitched twenty-five
games in a row for the Rhode Islanders
twenty-five years ago in order to win the
pennant for the Providence team, which
was managed by Frank Bancroft. bow
business representative of the Cincinnati
club, but he otficiated on the rubber that
season in seventy-tWo contests. and when
he wasn't pitching was playing either
right field. shortstop or first base. Rad
bourne seems to have been base balls
original iron man. Certain Is 1t that there
Is no finger nowadays capable of pitching
twenty-five games in a row, or of accom-
plishing what Radbourne did In 1854
winning tifty-nine contests.
Sweeney Deserts.
Providence's average that year was 100.
the National League teams then playing
lie games. OF the eighty-four triumphs
of the Grays Radbourne was responsible
for fifty-nine, Charley Sweeney bagging
the lions share OF the other wins But
Sweeney jumped the Rhode Island team
in midsummer, leaving the Grays WIN
Radbourne to depend on to win the pen
nant They had two other hurlers-Coniy
and Miller-but these-men were inexperl-
ented, and Bancroft seldom USED them.
There are many tales Of how Radbourne
started on his record breaking exploit OF
pitching twenty-five straight games. some
chroniclers say that Sweeney walked OF
the field IN ST. Louis and refused 10
pitch any more for Providence. leaving
the ''Old Hoss' as the teams lone oox-
man. II the Californian did this the pub
lie 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 occasionally twirled for the Grays
after Sweeney jumped to the st. Louis
Maroons Of the short-lived Union Asso-
citation.
Radbourne's remarkable record OF tWen-
ty-two games in a row. of which nineteen
were victories, started August Il, lisa
against the Chicago club. and ended sep
tember a, against the same team
Eleven Straight.
Eleven Of Radbourne's twenty-five
games were consecutive victories, the
break coming September 8. when the Bur
falos with Jimmy Calvin pitching. took
the Grays into camp by score or 10 Y.
The Bisons on that date, moreover. stop
ned Providence from recording twenty-one
tri,,rAphs in a row. The temporary set
back did not disconcert Radoourne ana
his teammates, for they got busy again
and won eight contests in a stretch. Their
next defeat was sustained at the hands OF
Detroit, which club had Charles Getzeln
on the rubber. and then won its only game
of the season from the champions. the
score being to l. 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
ninging for the New Englanders.
In the twenty-five games Rauoourne
onnonents only thrice were able to make
ten or more hits off him. August -
the Chicagos, who finished fourth in that
year. got eleven wallops Off ProNldence
iron man. while August 80 and Ssptem-
Der is the Detroits, who We're talienuers.
made ten safeties of him, the first OF
these games going eleven innings. snow
ing his great and sustained effectiveness
Radbournes adversaries were able to pat
only a .2l1 clip in these twenty-five games
and averaged less than three runs TO the
contest His record OF twenty-five
straight engagements follows: