August 1, 1875
The Athletics have pulled away slightly from the rest of the pack, with the Brooklyn Atlantics also having a good month but unable to fully keep up. The Athletics have been getting superb pitching from starter Joe Gotcher, but the offense has also been impressive. The team leads the NA with a .264 batting average this season, and their 8 home runs are also tops in the league. Only Hartford and Boston have hit more than 2 as a team.
The National Association saw two more teams fold mid season. This news comes after the Keokuk Westerns decided to call it quits in mid June, and has the more accomplished teams in the league complaining about a lack of a strong, centralized structure of leadership in the NA.
In Other News
July 3: Philadelphia Athletics right fielder Jim Shemo hits for the cycle against the Philadelphia White Stockings.
July 4: The Washington Nationals defeat the St. Louis Red Stockings 11-8 in St. Louis. After the game, Nationals players report that a club official has absconded with team funds and are unable to pay for their return trip. The Nationals are forced to cancel their remaining games for the season due to poor finances. The Red Stockings are also forced to end their season after failing to succeed financially.
July 30: Atlantics catcher Mike Stanley extended his hitting streak to 31 games at Union Grounds against the Chicago White Stockings. Stanley’s 31 game hit streak is the longest of the season, and third longest in league history. He’ll need to hit consecutively in 36 games to tie John Retherford’s record. The 35 year old Retherford accomplished his streak with the Baltimore Canaries, but is now Stanley’s teammate in Brooklyn.
Standings
Code:
W L PCT GB
Philadelphia Athletics 31 14 .689 -
Brooklyn Atlantics 20 11 .645 4.0
Chicago White Stockings 23 17 .575 5.5
Washington Nationals 17 11 .607 5.5
Philadelphia White Stockings 24 20 .545 6.5
New York Mutuals 21 21 .500 8.5
Hartford Dark Blues 22 23 .489 9.0
St. Louis Red Stockings 8 11 .421 10.0
St. Louis Brown Stockings 18 22 .450 10.5
Philadelphia Centennials 4 10 .286 11.5
Keokuk Westerns 3 10 .231 12.0
Boston Red Stockings 23 31 .426 12.5
New Haven Elm Citys 11 24 .314 15.0
League Leaders
Average
.365 Mike Stanley (ATL)
.346 Jim Shemo (PHA)
.333 Bill Devos (CEN)
Total Bases
95 Charlie Rossi (BOS)
89 Fred Mannion (BOS)
87 Jim Shemo (PHA)
Stolen Bases
12 John Gano (PWS)
11 John Nero (NY)
11 Sam Shokes (NY)
ERA
1.35 Frank Reimann (NY)
1.43 Charlie Barta (WAS)
1.68 Art Stokes (CHW)
Wins
22 Joe Gotcher (PHA)
16 Jack Anderson (BAL)
13 Charlie Barta (WAS), Pete Cannon (SBS), John Fortenberry (PWS), Frank Reimann (NY)
Strikeouts
21 Frank Reimann (NY)
18 John Fortenberry (PWS),
18 Fred Ross (BOS)