Evening journal., 1919-10-06
FIRST Big WORLDS
SERIES WAS IN 1883
Detroits and ST. Louis
Browns Played IS Games
> For Championship
WON
5 TEN OF THE GAMES

contests OF the present II was hazy
one. Still the club owners OF the dim
past were not without Imagination ana
enterprise. as was proved by the
worlds series OF 1887, in which the De-
irolt sluggers and the st. Louis Browns
were the contestants.
Considering the rather negative char
.acier Of the three contests for the
Worlds championship that had pre-
ceded the 1887 struggle, It was an event
considerably in advance OF the times.
The worlds series Of 1881. the first
IN the history Of the game. was be-
tween Providence and the Metropoli-
tans, and was limited TO five games. As
the Grays won three in a row it was a
short horse soon curried
The world pennant struggles Of 1885
and 1866 were between The Chicago
Colts and the St. Louis Browns and
COmlskys sprinters tied the 1885 Sc
ries and won that OF 1886 As the
games were played between the two
home cities and the receipts OF both
series were less than 5000. 10 can be
seen that the worlds championship as
feature OF the baseball season was
then in its infancy, to use a Brooklyn
expression.
The Big Four and several more ter
rife hiiters hammered out a National
league pennant for Detroit in 1887.
isnd the men who brought Brouthers,
Richardson. Rowe and White from Buf-
'falo to the City OF the Straits, paying
She munihcent sum Of $500 for a
quartet OF the greatest batsmen IN the
history OF the national game, evolved
the idea OF a greater worlds champion
ship.
Frederick K. Stearns. president OF the
Detroit club. was the originator Of the
idea that was put into effect IN the fall
Of 1887. Chris Won der Abe. then the
head Of the Browns acceded 10 the De-
iroit scheme. although he was a bit
afraid Of what he thought was a daring
experiment The Browns won the pen
nant Of the American Association. as
.was their custom in 1887. and then the
plans were laid for a series 70 consist
of fifteen games. one contest to be
played in every important baseball city
In the country.
The first move was the hiring OF a
special train 70 carry Che players about
The country. there being one coach for
for the officials and members Of the
press. and last but not least a dining
,ar As Comlsky won the toss for
choice Of the place FOR the FIRST game
he naturally selected the Mound City.
and The Detroits went west FOR the
opening struggle.
Comiskey's lineup IN those days con-
sisted of Scissors" Dave Foutz and
prisian Bob Curruthers as his main
stays in the box and Doc Bushong as
his catcher Comlskey himself guard
cd FIRST base. Yank Sullivan. was at
SECOND. BIZ Gleason at short. Arlle
Latham at third.
In lhe oulneld he had the peerless
Curt Welch, the hard-hltting Tip ONeil
and Hugh Nichol.
& The Dciroits had Bennett and Camel
Behind the bat, Pretzel Geizien. Lady
Baldwin and Pete Conway in the box.
Dan Brouthers az FIRST. Hardy Richard /
son at second Jack Rowe at short Dea-
con White at third. Thompson IN right, 1
Hanlon centre and Twltchell LEFT.
Owing 10 the fact that the Browns
had given Ans0n's Colts so hard a tussle
they were installed as hot favorltes to
win a majority Of The games. the ex-
perts holding. that FOultz and Carruth-
ers would be able 10 check the Detroit
ball smashers, while the deerfooted
Browns would scamper about the bases
like scared rabbits.
The FIRST game was played in St.
Louis October 10, 1887, and the Browns
won by 6 TO 4. with Getzlen pitching
This was taken as evidence that the
series was as good as ended so far as
the victor was concerned. However,
the Detroits upset the dope the follow
ing day and won by TO 3, with Lady
Baldwin. one or the best southpaws OF |
the game, In the box
After the second game the teams took |
70 their special train and moved on 10 !
Detroit, where the Wolverines broke |
the Mound City heart by beating tho /
Comiskey clan by . TO 1 IN thirteen !
inning game.
The winning run was scored on a |
play In which Comlskey was charged |
with letting a throw from Gleason get !
away from him. although the old Ro- !
man always Insisted that the ball went |
wide. There was a Detroit runner on |
third at the time, and he came home on
the play.
This defeat seemed 10 take the heart |
out OF the Browns. and The next day |
when the teams met In Pittsburgh the |
Wolverines cantered home by s 10 o.
The next game was played I'm Brook !
lyn, and the Browns perked IN a blt |
after winning by 3 TO ?. The two teams |
then played at the Polo Grounds. the |
Detrolts scoring their second shut-out.
this time my 10 o. This took all the |
pepper out OF The Browns. and thew |
lost the game in Philadelphia Bv 10 |
T. the Boston combat by 10 . the /
Washington contest by 81 10 4 and the /
Baltimore conflict by i3 10 3.
The game ended the Eastern cam |
paign. and the teams headed for De- /
trolt, where on October % the Detrolts /
won by 10 3. Going 60 Chicago the |
next day, the Detroits won by Z 10 2. |
and as The WOLVERINES had now won I
ten out OF thirteen games and had
clinched the worlds title 70 was decided /
10 return 70 Detroit and play the final /
game, as the weather was getting cold
The Detroits also desired 10 do a bit of I
celebrating before disbandlng for the /
season As the Wolverines had the pen
nant cinched AMI had lost interest IN
the struggle. the fifteenth game was
rallied of. The Browns won the four
teenth and last game by 10 3.
Par from being able 10 fool such ter
rinc hitters as Brouthers. Thompson.