The Base Ball Intelligencer, Troy, NY, June 3, 1875:
RED STOCKING CLUB TOPS ASSOCIATION RANKS
Surprising? Not at all - the Red Stocking Club of Boston's play thus far this spring has not been surprising in the least. They were expected to win - frequently - and have done just that. With new chucker Walker Rhoades establishing himself as one of the circuit's top pitchmen, and their usually potent lineup of batsmen, the Red Stockings are winning regularly. Rhoades sports a 15-3 ledger and has allowed opponents just a 1.44 ERA thus far. Among the hitters, veteran Red Stocking first baseman Ron James has led the way with solid contributions from Rube Pitman and Rit Withers as usual. Club manager - and now part-time outfielder - Ernie Biscan is pleased with his club's play thus far. "But there are many contests remaining to be played," he points out.
RON JAMES
CHICAGOANS UNMARRED THUS FAR
The White Stocking Club of Chicago, in the second year of its second incarnation, is enjoying a superlative start to the 1875 campaign. The Chicago nine has won all twelve of the championship contests it has participated in thus far. Hurler Freddy Robinson has led the way, winning all eleven of his starts with an earned run average of below one run. But not everyone is impressed. Says Red Stocking manager Biscan, "When they've played someone other than the St. Louis Clubs or Keokuk - and beaten them - please let me know." Biscan's point is true, as neither of the St. Louis Clubs, nor Keokuk, were Association members in 1874 and all three have struggled thus far with the fast movers in the National Association ranks.
FREDDY ROBINSON
ARE SOME CLUBS SIMPLY 'TRY OUTS' FOR THE SUCCESSFUL CLUBS?
With the revolving door nature of the membership of the National Association, it has been speculated that some of these 'flash-in-the-pan' clubs who join the Association for the mere ten dollar fee, play out a partial schedule and then disappear back into amateur oblivion, are nothing more than proving grounds for young players trying to catch on with clubs such as Athletic, Mutual and Red Stocking. The latest rumor bruited about concerns a young player on the Brown Stockings of St. Louis. His name is Fred Morton and he is a mere slip of a lad of 19 summers. But he has already established himself the best of a somewhat motley collection of ball players, and is earning himself discerning glances from the operators of the 'big' clubs back east - and the Chicago White Stocking club, the biggest operator in the west. Should the Brown Stockings fall after the 1875 campaign, you can expect to see young Mr. Morton donning the duds of one of the 'big' clubs for 1876.
FRED MORTON
STANDINGS AS OF JUNE 1, 1875:
Code:
Standings
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run Streak Last10
Boston Red Stockings 19 6 .760 - 20-5 -1 8-5 11-1 1-0 4-1 L1 8-2
Philadelphia Athletics 17 4 .810 - 16-5 1 5-2 12-2 2-0 5-1 W2 7-3
Chicago White Stockings 12 0 1.000 .5 11-1 1 6-0 6-0 3-0 4-0 W12 10-0
New York Mutuals 11 6 .647 4.0 11-6 0 6-3 5-3 0-0 4-3 W2 6-4
Philadelphia White Stockings 11 9 .550 5.5 11-9 0 3-5 8-4 0-1 4-4 L3 4-6
Brooklyn Atlantics 6 8 .429 7.5 7-7 -1 3-6 3-2 1-2 1-2 W3 4-6
Keokuk Westerns 4 7 .364 8.0 2-9 2 3-3 1-4 1-1 1-1 W1 4-6
St. Louis Brown Stockings 3 6 .333 8.0 4-5 -1 1-3 2-3 0-1 1-2 W1 3-6
Hartford Dark Blues 9 13 .409 8.5 10-12 -1 4-7 5-6 0-0 2-5 L2 4-6
New Haven Elm Citys 5 11 .313 9.5 6-10 -1 3-7 2-4 1-0 2-1 W1 3-7
St. Louis Red Stockings 2 8 .200 9.5 4-6 -2 1-4 1-4 0-2 1-4 L2 2-8
Philadelphia Centennials 3 11 .214 10.5 5-9 -2 0-7 3-4 0-1 0-4 L7 3-7
Washington Nationals 2 15 .118 13.0 2-15 0 1-8 1-7 0-1 0-1 L1 2-8