THE BASEBALL ALLIANCE: Baseball in the British Isles

[joefromchicago]

1909 MID-SEASON

Westminster threatened to run away with the EL pennant race before it had really started. The Peers blazed their way to a 20-3 mark in April to start the season, and then, as if to prove that was no fluke, started May with an eleven-game winning streak. "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth and Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly topped the rotation and combined for a 31-6 record. At the plate, George Wardle, getting his first chance to start after the departure of Doug Burman, responded with a .314 average, while defensive specialist Roderick Breed led the club with a .317 mark. It was not all good news for Westminster, however, as Pitchforth went down with a shoulder injury on the eve of the All-Star Game and will probably not return to action until September. Camberwell, ninth-place finishers a year ago, climbed to second place on the right arm of Trevor Tuffley, who collected sixteen wins in twenty-two decisions before going down with an arm injury on 12 July that will sideline him for the remainder of the campaign. Dublin, ravaged by injuries in 1908, recovered behind the solid hitting of Andrew Berridge and the pitching of second-year man Leo Hollingsworth. Picked by some to win the pennant, Liverpool played well but had trouble winning close games, prevailing in only nine of thirty-one contests decided by a single run. Declan "Poet" MacHutchin captained the pitching staff and went 13-6 with a microscopic 0.92 ERA, while outfielder Jacob Smith nicked thirty-six bases while topping the team with a .295 average. Portsmouth's .259 team batting average was second only to Westminster's .268, but, aside from Cosmo Button and his 1.86 ERA, the Neptunes lacked a solid presence on the mound. Batting averages were up by eight points overall from a year ago, and Salford's Bill Younger led the League with a .317 mark.

In the DA, Leeds showed that they were serious about winning their third pennant in a row, as they jumped out to a 17-7 record in April and kept the momentum going all the way through to the midsummer break. William "Gaffer" Love, showing no signs of slowing down at age thirty-five, led the team with a .287 average, and Dave Vance drove in forty-two runs while stealing fifty-three bases. On the hill, Jake Bain and Ron "Snuffy" Gamble continued to guide the club, but the big story was the re-emergence of Casey Pidcock, who spent all of last year at triple-A Reading and who came back to the big club after Paul Pomfret was dealt to Belfast. Pidcock, the DA's outstanding pitcher in 1901, responded with a perfect 10-0 record. 1908's wooden spoon recipients, Kensington, catapulted into second place on the basis of a .261 team batting average, the best in the Association. Meanwhile, relief specialist Dennis Graves amassed thirteen saves to go along with his 7-1 record and 1.23 ERA. Injuries, however, limited the Knights' advance, and they could climb no higher than second place. Right behind them were Islington, who boasted the BA's best hitter in catcher Wynn Lund. His .349 average set the tempo for a lineup that hit .258, second-best in the DA. Last year's runners-up Sheffield rode a hot June to slip into fourth place. The Steelers benefitted from the acquisition of Henry Claridge, as the former Peer led the Argonauts with a .309 average. John Godden helmed the pitching staff, winning sixteen of his twenty-one decisions and carrying a 1.73 ERA. Leicester, a pre-season favorite to topple Leeds from their spot at the top of the ladder, instead plunged to last place before climbing back to tenth. A formidable offense could not overcome the Leopards' weaknesses on the mound or the second-worst defense in the Association.



Stoke hosted its second All-Star Game, and 11,008 fans packed into Potters Field to see the BA's best in action. The visiting Empires struck first with a run in the opening frame off Belfast starter Paul Pomfret, but the Dominions quickly retaliated with a run of their own in the bottom of the second. The Empires came back, scoring once in the fourth and again in the seventh before the Dominions tied it up again with two runs in the bottom of the seventh on Belfast first baseman Olcan Elphicke's two-run home run off Newcastle reliever Phil Dansey. In the eighth, with Peer ace "Dummy" Kirbishly on the mound for the Empires, DA hitting leader Wynn Lund came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out and hit a line drive double down the left field line that scored two runs. Lund came around to score on an error by Westminster's Daniel McLeish, and the Dominions prevailed by a final score of 6-4. Leeds catcher Henry Pick, who played the entire game behind the plate for the victors and who had two hits in three at-bats and two RBI, was tabbed as the game's best player.

[joefromchicago]

1909 FINAL

It was deja vu all over again in the Baseball Alliance, as last year's pennant winners made a repeat appearance in 1909. In the Empire League, Westminster's torrid pace slackened when "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth (17-6, 1.66 ERA) missed over two months with a sore shoulder. But even a 12-13 record in August could do little to diminish the enormous lead that the Peers had built up in the first half of the season. Shortstop Roderick Breed (.288, 2 HR, 48 RBI), most noted for his defensive abilities, was the team's surprise leader at the plate, and George Wardle (.285, 1 HR, 38 RBI), replacing the departed Doug Burman, showed that the front office's confidence in him was not misplaced. Taking Pitchforth's place at the top of the rotation, Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly (26-8, 1.47 ERA) quietly established himself as the EL's premier hurler, while Murrough Ariss (15-6, 12 SV, 0.74 ERA) proved invaluable in a relief role. Liverpool compiled the League's best post-break record at 43-27 but gained only four-and-a-half games on Westminster. Jacob Smith (.285, 1 HR, 59 RBI), the League-leader in on-base percentage, was the key to the Argonaut offense, while ERA king Declan "Poet" MacHutchin (25-10, 1.24 ERA) and Wilford Johnstone (20-9, 2.05 ERA) anchored the rotation. Dublin received solid performances from Andrew Berridge (.285, 2 HR, 70 RBI), who topped the EL's RBI category, and rookie hurler Jamie Murchie (18-10, 1.63 ERA), whose efforts helped the Shamrock pitching staff to a 1.85 team ERA. London benefitted from the resurgence of Arthur Nancekevell (24-8, 1.75 ERA), who recaptured some of the magic that made him the EL's top pitcher in 1906 and 1907, but the rest of the pitching staff failed to live up to expectations, and the collapse of Jeff Graham (.236, 2 HR, 53 RBI), who dropped sixty-two points from his outstanding-hitter performance of 1908, limited the Bulldogs to a fourth-place finish. In second place at the all-star break, Camberwell tread water in the second half. Staff ace Trevor Tuffley's (16-6, 2.13 ERA) absence due to a rotator cuff injury exposed the Whitecaps' lack of pitching depth, which could not be masked by the team's woeful .237 team batting average. Salford's Bill Younger (.313, 0 HR, 64 RBI) won the EL's batting title for the second year in a row, but it was not enough to overcome the Bees' miserable pitching staff, which combined for a League-worst 2.80 ERA. Westminster eased into the post-season after clinching the pennant on 19 September, two weeks before the end of the regular schedule, giving the club ample time to rest their starters for the Cup Finals Series.

It was the same story in the Dominion Association. Leeds dominated the opposition with a combination of overpowering pitching and timely hitting. Jake Bain (24-11, 1.67 ERA) and Ron "Snuffy" Gamble (21-16, 2.24 ERA) continued to be the mainstays of the staff, but they were joined by Callum McGreal (25-11, 1.93 ERA), who took over the number three spot in the rotation after the departure of Paul Pomfret to Belfast. The Ironside offense could only muster a .245 average, eighth-best in the DA, but they still scored more runs -- 622 -- than anyone else. Jack Johnstone (.282, 0 HR, 33 RBI) was the motor that powered the Leeds attack, but he injured his shoulder at the end of July, and both he and center fielder Dave Vance (.265, 0 HR, 54 RBI), who wrenched his knee in August, will miss the post-season. That left the venerable William "Gaffer" Love (.267, 4 HR, 54 RBI) to lead the Ironsides into the Cup Finals Series. Sheffield, in fourth place at the midsummer break, rose two positions in the standings but still fell fifteen games behind the leaders. Henry Claridge (.294, 3 HR, 47 RBI), given a chance to start by the Steelers, responded with a stellar performance, and Donagh Hankinson (.274, 0 HR, 56 RBI) had another solid year at the plate. On the mound, John Godden (24-12, 2.09 ERA) and Wes Davis (20-12, 1.94 ERA) topped the rotation. Kensington, in second place at the break, were within striking distance of Leeds, but quickly dropped out of sight after the resumption of play, winning only five of their first twenty-five games in the second half. No one stood out in a lineup that relied heavily on a platoon system but which resulted in a .247 team batting average, fourth-best in the DA. Ambrose Haworth (14-12, 1.90 ERA) carried the pitching duties, but Jamie MacKinley (9-19, 3.16 ERA), acquired in the off-season from neighboring Westminster to shore up the shaky pitching staff, proved to be a disappointment. Islington's charge into second place was led by Wynn Lund (.307, 1 HR, 81 RBI), who took the DA's RBI title, and Maurice Kielty (.297, 0 HR, 47 RBI). The mound corps was anchored by Ryan "Guesses" MacChrystal (25-14, 1.92 ERA), who cracked the twenty-win barrier for the first time in his six-year career. Belfast compiled an Association-best 44-27 record in the second half behind Paul Pomfret (27-11, 1.64 ERA), which earned them a fourth-place tie.



1909 CUP FINALS SERIES: WESTMINSTER v. LEEDS

Jake Bain faced "Dummy" Kirbishly in the series opener at Westminster's Parliament Grounds and pitched a beauty. The visitors staked out a one-run lead in the first inning when Bill "Piano Mover" Washington (.230, 1 HR, 29 RBI) was hit by a pitch, moved to third on two Peer errors, and scored on a fielder's choice. That was all the scoring that Bain required, as he went he distance for a complete-game 1-0 shutout. Roderick Breed had three of the home team's six hits. Henry Pitchforth faced "Snuffy" Gamble in game two, and this time it was Leeds that couldn't put a dent in the scoreboard. Cameron MacGeechan (.275, 1 HR, 68 RBI) started the scoring with an RBI-double in the third, the first of his three hits, and the Peers went on to score four more times while Pitchforth held the visitors to six hits en route to a 5-0 victory. Another day, another shutout, as game three saw Callum McGreal throw a gem. Leeds scored twice in the bottom of the first when Murray MacLean (.232, 1 HR, 29 RBI) stroked a double that scored "Piano Mover" Washington and "Gaffer" Love. The Ironsides added a run in the seventh, while former-Peer McGreal scattered eight hits on the way to a 3-0 triumph. Owen Rising (.276, 0 HR, 31 RBI) had three hits in a losing cause. In contrast to the first three contests, it was a high-scoring affair in game four. The Peers got on the board first with four runs in the third inning, keyed by a George Wardle two-run double, and the visitors led 6-1 in the sixth when Leeds rallied with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Love's triple with two runners aboard was the big hit of the inning. The Peers added a run in the eighth, which proved crucial, as Leeds came back with two runs, including a solo homer by Washington, in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 7-6. Murrough Ariss, however, came on in the ninth and shut down the Ironsides, preserving the win for Pitchforth. Leeds scored aces in the first and second innings of game five against Peer starter Dennis "Gimpy" Drakes (14-9, 2.26 ERA), and "Snuffy" Gamble did the rest, limiting Westminster to two hits and a walk while striking out four in a 2-0 shutout. Westminster returned home needing to win twice. Kirbishly took the mound for the home team against McGreal, and for the third time the Peer ace was the victim of a shutout, as McGreal held Westminster to three hits while the Ironsides took charge on the basis of a four-run first inning that featured Love's RBI-triple and Kevin Alward's (.266, 2 HR, 34 RBI) run-scoring double. Kirbishly settled down after that, but he couldn't do anything to inspire the punchless Peer offense, and Leeds walked off with a 4-0 win and the BA Cup, their first against Westminster in three tries. Washington, acquired from Bristol in June, was the hitting star with a .429 average and the only home run of the series, but it was McGreal's two complete-game shutouts that earned the right hander the MVP laurels. McGreal and his colleagues on the Leeds pitching staff held Westminster to a combined .203 batting average for the series.

THE MINORS

Bradford's triple-A affiliate, the Greenwich Admirals, won the Southern Conference flag and then went on to defeat the Wolverhampton Wolves, Birmingham's farm club, in a five-game series for the Second Tier championship.

Bradford's double-A squad, the Swansea Swans, repeated as winners of the Albion Conference, but fell in four games to the Northampton Archers, Bristol's third stringers, who won their first Third Tier crown since 1889.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .313 Bill Younger, Salford
HR: 5 Ludwig Roga, Newcastle
RBI: 70 Andrew Berridge, Dublin
R: 86 Doran Peterson, London
SB: 90 Doran Peterson, London
Pitching
W: 26 Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly, Westminster
L: 24 William Duggleby, Salford; Dennehy Nobles, Salford
K: 223 Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly, Westminster
ERA: 1.24 Declan "Poet" MacHutchin, Liverpool
SV: 13 Stephen Garbutt, Nottingham

Peterson's ninety stolen bases are the most in the BA since Liam Walsh's ninety-three in 1901. Kirbishly missed the pitching triple crown when he placed second behind MacHutchin in the ERA category.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .309 Jean-Jacques Clement, Leicester
HR: 7 Shaun Sawkings, Belfast
RBI: 81 Wynn Lund, Islington
R: 101 William "Gaffer" Love, Leeds
SB: 65 Nick Smith, Lambeth
Pitching
W: 27 Paul Pomfret, Leeds/Belfast
L: 25 George Wordsworth, Hull
K: 220 Jake Bain, Leeds
ERA: 1.64 Paul Pomfret, Leeds/Belfast
SV: 20 Paul "Mule" Parkhouse, Bristol

Parkhouse set the Alliance save record for a season with twenty. Bain led the Association in strikeouts for the fourth year in a row.

[joefromchicago]

1909-10 OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Empire League
Hitter: Bill Younger, Salford (.313, 0 HR, 64 RBI, 62 R, 32 2B, 42 SB, .361 OBP, .398 SLG)
Pitcher: Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly, Westminster (26-8, 1.47 ERA, 386.1 IP, 223 K, 0.92 WHIP, .211 OAVG)
Manager: Eric Bellairs, Westminster (101-53, 1st place)
Rookie: Jamie Murchie, Dublin (18-10, 1.63 ERA, 243.1 IP, 84 K, 1.06 WHIP, .219 OAVG)

Dominion Association
Hitter: Maurice Kielty, Islington (.297, 0 HR, 47 RBI, 96 R, 17 3B, 104 BB, 53 SB, .417 OBP, .395 SLG)
Pitcher: Paul Pomfret, Leeds/Belfast (27-11, 1.64 ERA, 340.2 IP, 122 K, 1.08 WHIP, .219 OAVG, 8 SHO)
Manager: Alex Earlam, Leeds (100-54, 1st place)
Rookie: Luke "Country" Ricketts, Leicester (16-21, 2.49 ERA, 307 IP, 127 K, 4 SHO)

Kirbishly wasn't the only player left speechless when the awards were announced. Manchester rookie John Dansey (.293, 2 HR, 53 RBI), along with much of the crowd, was dumbfounded when Ricketts was announced as the DA's rookie of the year. Younger went home with his second outstanding hitter award. Earlam, in his third year managing Leeds, won his third-straight manager-of-the-year trophy.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The sole member of the Hall of Fame's class of 1909 was pitcher Jayden "Chink" Gilbert. Coming up with Leeds in 1891, Gilbert spent his most productive years in an Ironsides' uniform before transitioning to Belfast in 1901, where he pitched until his retirement in 1904. Finishing with a lifetime 259-174 record and a 2.85 ERA, Gilbert was twice name the DA's outstanding pitcher, and he helped Leeds to three Cup Finals Series appearances, where he was 6-1 in seven starts. He twice led the DA in wins and was named to five all-star squads.



The EL witnessed two no-hitters in 1909. Charlie Coggins, long overshadowed by Arthur Nancekevell in the London rotation, stole the spotlight on 13 August when he no-hit Bradford and won the game 8-0. On 21 September, with the season drawing to a close, Dublin starter Larry Parson shut down Birmingham on no hits and three walks. Parson was rewarded after the season ended by being traded to Sheffield. On the same day that Coggins threw his no-hitter, Lambeth rookie Luke MacTavish pitched no-hit ball against Kensington for ten innings. Unfortunately, it was an eleven-inning game, and MacTavish ended up losing the contest 2-1. Leeds first baseman Kevin Alward went seven-for-nine in a seventeen-inning game against Islington on 26 May. Blue Sox slugger Doug Burman became the seventh player to reach the 2,500-hit plateau when he stroked a single against former teammate "Dummy" Kirbishly in an 18 June game at Westminster.

ALLIANCE NEWS

As the 1909 season drew to a close, it became increasingly evident that Nottingham, Dublin, and Salford would not meet the Alliance-imposed deadline for replacing their antiquated ballparks in time for the 1910 season opener. The topic was hotly debated at the annual owners' meeting in Brighton, but no decision was reached. Instead, the matter was referred to a special committee to be headed by Sir Barnard Baloneigh, the commissioner's son. Meanwhile, Islington owner Paul Wakeling, Jr. announced that work would begin on a modern stadium that, he promised, would be a "palace of the fans." The new ball field is expected to be the largest in the Alliance and will reportedly hold over twenty-thousand spectators.

Liverpool shored up their bullpen when they signed free agent rookie reliever Jack Hoy to a one-year, $7,616 deal. In February, Edinburgh signed reliever Callum Gray to a one-year contract worth $7,160. Spring training's first victim of 1909 was Manchester first baseman Christie Owen, who hit .305 last year for the Millers. He will miss three months due to a torn calf muscle suffered in a pre-season game against Sheffield. Hull hurler Henry Nottingham, who went 8-18 for the Kings in 1909, was sidelined with shoulder inflammation and will probably not pitch again until July. Liverpool's Jacob Smith, a .285 hitter and gold glove winner in right field last year for the Argonauts, injured his ankle in a 21 March contest and will be laid up until late July at the earliest. Jean-Jacques Clement, the Leicester left fielder who won the 1909 EL batting title, was hobbled by an ankle injury on the last day of spring training and, as a consequence, will spend the first three months of the season watching from the bench.

WESTMINSTER NEWS

The 1909 edition of the Peers won more games than any previous squad, but a six-game defeat in the Cup Finals Series left a bitter aftertaste to an otherwise sweet season. The pitching tandem of "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth and "Dummy" Kirbishly proved nearly unbeatable. Kirbishly accepted the EL's outstanding pitcher award for his work, while the prospect of a healthy Pitchforth for the 1910 season has fans expecting even better things next year. The only disappointment for the pitching staff was the performance of much-heralded rookie Ian Harker, whose 4-6 record and 3.54 ERA saw him go from the starting rotation to the bullpen shortly after the start of the season. "I'm working on that," confidently asserted pitching coach James MacIlroy.

On the hitting side of the equation, the performances of Roderick Breed and George Wardle were pleasant surprises, although the year-long slump of second baseman Charlie Gare was rather less pleasant. Catcher Paul Wass, who two years ago hit a dismal .141, raised his average to .272 and made a bid to regain his starting role behind the plate, although he will have a tough time dislodging Daniel McLeish, the left-handed batting backstop who hit .293 in his sophomore season.

Westminster owner Ambrose Redlaw, Jr., who was hunting tigers in India and missed the playoffs, proved generous to his players despite the outcome of the Cup Finals Series. That pushed the payroll over $200,000 again, which had the club's resident guiding genius, Barnaby Heep, looking to cut costs. That led to the departure of Own Rising, who was dealt to Lambeth in December for two double-A prospects, and Daniel Brigg, who travelled the same road across the Thames in February in exchange for minor-league infielder Finlay McDade. The fans were none too happy with that latter move, but Brigg had under-performed against expectations since his two outstanding pitcher awards, and manager Eric Bellairs assured management that Ian Harker was finally ready to assume Brigg's place in the rotation. Fans were also dismayed by the departure of catcher Daniel MacLeish, but management was dissatisfied with his glovework behind the plate.

[joefromchicago]

1900s IN REVIEW

EMPIRE LEAGUE



Decade record: 840-700, .545 (3 of 24)
Best finish: 1902 (98-56, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1905 (71-83, 9th place)
Pennants: 3 (1900-01, 1903)
BA Cups: 2 (1900, 1903)
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 14
Attendance: 5,092,664 (3 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 1 -- Bryan Conway (1903)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 3 -- Matthew Bent (1901), Eric Farnsworth (1902), William Revell (1903)
Best hitter: Bryan Conway (1900-09): .310, 8 HR, 594 RBI
Best pitcher: William Revell (1902-09): 158-97, 1.94 ERA



Decade record: 777-763, .505 (12 of 24)
Best finish: 1906 (95-59, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1902 (64-90, 11th place)
Pennants: 1 (1906)
BA Cups: 1 (1906)
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 7 (1900, 1903-09), 8 (1901-02)
Attendance: 4,373,718 (7 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 2 -- Michael Devyr (1900, 1905)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Michael Devyr (1900-09): .282, 5 HR, 570 RBI
Best pitcher: Michael "Laz" White (1901-09): 123-106, 2.29 ERA



Decade record: 707-833, .459 (22 of 24)
Best finish: 1909 (82-72, 5th place)
Worst finish: 1907 (63-91, 12th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 2 (1900, 1907)
Market size: 11
Attendance: 2,170,642 (21 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Griff Knight (1900-09): .304, 39 HR, 430 RBI
Best pitcher: Trevor Tuffley (1906-09): 60-53, 2.52 ERA



Decade record: 756-784, .491 (16 of 24)
Best finish: 1902 (86-68, 2nd place)
Worst finish: 1905 (69-85, 11th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 1 (1905*)
Market size: 8
Attendance: 1,868,976 (23 of 24)

*shared with Liverpool

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Andrew Berridge (1900-09): .294, 37 HR, 668 RBI
Best pitcher: Owen "Moonbeam" Bebbington (1900-09): 160-186, 2.31 ERA

[joefromchicago]

1900s IN REVIEW

EMPIRE LEAGUE (continued)



Decade record: 725-815, .471 (18 of 24)
Best finish: 1900 (82-72, 3rd place)
Worst finish: 1909 (55-99, 12th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 2 (1906, 1909)
Market size: 8
Attendance: 3,095,701 (17 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Bill Llewellyn (1900-09): .281, 12 HR, 644 RBI
Best pitcher: Gearoid "Pip" Coulton (1905-09): 95-93, 2.31 ERA



Decade record: 789-751, .512 (7t of 24)
Best finish: 1902 (88-66, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1901 (66-88, 12th place)
Pennants: 1 (1902)
BA Cups: 1 (1902)
Wooden spoons: 2 (1901, 1905*)
Market size: 19
Attendance: 3,544,698 (11 of 24)

*shared with Dublin

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Robin Broughton (1900-05): .320, 22 HR, 524 RBI
Best pitcher: Richard "Warhorse" Holmes (1900-08): 131-109, 2.42 ERA



Decade record: 771-769, .501 (13 of 24)
Best finish: 1907 (92-62, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1904 (58-96, 12th place)
Pennants: 1 (1907)
BA Cups: none
Wooden spoons: 2 (1903-04)
Market size: 20
Attendance: 3,512,187 (13 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 2 -- Jeff Graham (1902, 1908)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 2 -- Arthur Nancekevell (1906-07)
Best hitter: Jeff Graham (1900-09): .278, 38 HR, 498 RBI
Best pitcher: Arthur Nancekevell (1901-09): 162-120, 2.08 ERA



Decade record: 721-819, .468 (21 of 24)
Best finish: 1902 (83-71, 4th place)
Worst finish: 1901 (68-86, 11th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 7
Attendance: 3,541,882 (12 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 1 -- William Timperley (1901)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: William Timperley (1900-09): .280, 14 HR, 588 RBI
Best pitcher: Arlen Forster (1902-09): 114-131, 2.38 ERA

[joefromchicago]

1900s IN REVIEW

EMPIRE LEAGUE (continued)



Decade record: 789-751, .512 (7t of 24)
Best finish: 1904 (93-61, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1906 (67-87, 11th place)
Pennants: 1 (1904)
BA Cups: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 6 (1900-03), 7 (1904-09)
Attendance: 2,143,342 (22 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 1 -- Roger Britten (1904)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Michael Wiles (1900-09): .310, 12 HR, 565 RBI
Best pitcher: Ids Snelleman (1900-07): 123-106, 2.68 ERA



Decade record: 736-804, .478 (17 of 24)
Best finish: 1901 (80-74, 4th place)
Worst finish: 1902 (62-92, 12th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 2 (1902, 1908)
Market size: 5 (1900-05), 6 (1906-09)
Attendance: 2,853,949 (19 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Declan MacBean (1900-08): .258, 14 HR, 498 RBI
Best pitcher: Cosmo Button (1903-09): 119-103, 2.14 ERA



Decade record: 757-783, .492 (15 of 24)
Best finish: 1904 (88-66, 3rd place)
Worst finish: 1909 (62-92, 11th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 6
Attendance: 1,417,094 (24 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 2 -- Bill Younger (1907, 1909)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Bill Younger (1900-09): .309, 5 HR, 572 RBI
Best pitcher: Ivar "Hush" de Leeuw (1902-09): 137-111, 2.20 ERA



Decade record: 872-668, .566 (2 of 24)
Best finish: 1909 (101-53, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1901 (73-81, 8th place)
Pennants: 3 (1905, 1908-09)
BA Cups: 2 (1905, 1908)
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 9 (1900-05), 8 (1906-09)
Attendance: 5,623,302 (1 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 1 -- Doug Burman (1906)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 5 -- Bevis Hurley (1900), Daniel Brigg (1904-05), Henry Pitchforth (1908), Andrew Kirbishly (1909)
Best hitter: Cameron MacGeechan (1901-09): .296, 13 HR, 480 RBI)
Best pitcher: Daniel Brigg (1900-09): 167-151, 2.41 ERA

[joefromchicago]

1900s IN REVIEW

DOMINION ASSOCIATION



Decade record: 723-817, .469 (19t of 24)
Best finish: 1909 (82-72, 5th place)
Worst finish: 1901 (61-93, 12th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 2 (1901, 1904)
Market size: 9 (1900-03), 10 (1904-09)
Attendance: 3,304,052 (15 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- Paul Pomfret (1909)*
Best hitter: Finlay Donaldson (1900-04): .294, 14 HR, 299 RBI
Best pitcher: Samuel MacCulloch (1901-09): 114-133, 2.38 ERA

*Also played for Leeds



Decade record: 798-742, .518 (5 of 24)
Best finish: 1906 (85-69, 3rd place)
Worst finish: 1905 (73-81, 9th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 9
Attendance: 4,606,597 (4 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 1 -- Jeff Cornelison (1902)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Jeff Cornelison (1900-05): .317, 7 HR, 384 RBI
Best pitcher: Kieran Bett (1901-06): 93-88, 2.49 ERA



Decade record: 782-758, .508 (10 of 24)
Best finish: 1902 (92-62, 2nd place)
Worst finish: 1909 (72-82, 9th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 16 (1900), 15 (1901-09)
Attendance: 4,366,652 (8 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Bob Kraus (1902-07): .304, 7 HR, 261 RBI
Best pitcher: Tom Oulton (1900-09): 161-137, 2.48 ERA



Decade record: 695-845, .451 (23 of 24)
Best finish: 1906 (83-71, 4th place)
Worst finish: 1909 (52-102, 12th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 3 (1901, 1903*,1909)
Market size: 6 (1900-01), 7 (1902-09)
Attendance: 3,499,958 (14 of 24)

*shared with Manchester

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- Daniel Ravenscroft (1906)
Best hitter: Carlton Radford (1900-08): .295, 11 HR, 414 RBI
Best pitcher: Daniel Ravenscroft (1902-09): 116-139, 2.44 ERA

[joefromchicago]

1900s IN REVIEW

DOMINION ASSOCIATION (continued)



Decade record: 795-745, .516 (6 of 24)
Best finish: 1905 (88-66, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1900 (65-89, 11th place)
Pennants: 1 (1905)
BA Cups: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 13 (1900-08), 12 (1909)
Attendance: 4,458,126 (6 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 1 -- Maurice Kielty (1909)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Henry Aves (1901-09): .282, 7 HR, 501 RBI
Best pitcher: Jack Buchanan (1902-09): 139-103, 2.45 ERA



Decade record: 723-817, .469 (19t of 24)
Best finish: 1903 (84-70, 2nd place)
Worst finish: 1902 (55-99, 12th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 3 (1902, 1905, 1908)
Market size: 9 (1900-07), 8 (1908-09)
Attendance: 3,146,375 (16 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 2 -- Sam Borthwick (1903), Jay MacRae (1904)
Best hitter: Liam Walsh (1900-05): .306, 15 HR, 364 RBI
Best pitcher: Jay MacRae (1900-08): 134-132, 2.60 ERA



Decade record: 780-760, .506 (11 of 24)
Best finish: 1902 (97-57, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1906 (61-93, 12th place)
Pennants: 2 (1902-03)
BA Cups: none
Wooden spoons: 1 (1906)
Market size: 12
Attendance: 4,050,552 (10 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Pat Mecham (1900-07): .315, 7 HR, 340 RBI
Best pitcher: Danny Philby (1900-08): 130-112, 2.63 ERA



Decade record: 882-658, .573 (1 of 24)
Best finish: 1908 (109-45, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1902 (67-87, 10th place)
Pennants: 5 (1901, 1904, 1907-09)
BA Cups: 4 (1901, 1904, 1907, 1909)
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 12 (1900-04), 11 (1905-09)
Attendance: 5,286,264 (2 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 3 -- William Love (1900, 1904, 1907)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 4 -- Jayden Gilbert (1900), Casey Pidcock (1901), Jake Bain (1907-08)
Best hitter: William "Gaffer" Love (1900-09): .302, 49 HR, 634 RBI
Best pitcher: Jake Bain (1905-09): 112-52, 1.49 ERA

[joefromchicago]

1900s IN REVIEW

DOMINION ASSOCIATION (continued)



Decade record: 764-776, .496 (14 of 24)
Best finish: 1901 (83-71, 2nd place)
Worst finish: 1904 (68-86, 11th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 6
Attendance: 3,087,374 (18 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- Declan MacHutchin (1905)
Best hitter: Olcan Elphicke (1900-07): .298, 20 HR, 372 RBI
Best pitcher: Declan "Poet" MacHutchin (1900-06): 153-99, 2.41 ERA



Decade record: 684-856, .444 (24 of 24)
Best finish: 1904 (79-75, 5th place)
Worst finish: 1907 (58-96, 12th place)
Pennants: none
Wooden spoons: 2 (1903*, 1907)
Market size: 17 (1900-02), 18 (1903-09)
Attendance: 2,421,087 (20 of 24)

*shared with Hull

Outstanding Hitter awards: none
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: William Theyer (1900-09): .301, 31 HR, 484 RBI
Best pitcher: Ryan Fairlie (1900-09): 145-143, 2.73 ERA



Decade record: 827-713, .537 (4 of 24)
Best finish: 1900 (88-66, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1901 (75-79, 8th place)
Pennants: 1 (1900)
BA Cups: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 11
Attendance: 4,582,632 (5 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 2 -- Arthur Dansey (1903), Donagh Hankinson (1908)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: none
Best hitter: Maddox Minty (1900-08): .285, 7 HR, 452 RBI
Best pitcher: John Godden (1902-09): 144-106, 2.27 ERA



Decade record: 787-753, .511 (9 of 24)
Best finish: 1906 (91-63, 1st place)
Worst finish: 1900 (69-85, 10th place)
Pennants: 1 (1906)
BA Cups: none
Wooden spoons: none
Market size: 5 (1900), 6 (1901-09)
Attendance: 4,294,512 (5 of 24)

Outstanding Hitter awards: 2 -- Alf Garlick (1905), Dougal Mabbitt (1906)
Outstanding Pitcher awards: 1 -- Blair Cattanach (1902)
Best hitter: Dougal Mabbitt (1900-09): .307, 37 HR, 693 RBI
Best pitcher: Blair "Kid Boots" Cattanach (1900-05): 87-69, 2.34 ERA

[joefromchicago]

1910 MID-SEASON

In contrast to recent years, the Dominion Association featured a close pennant race. Leeds, winners of the last three DA titles, started well but then went 1-10 at the beginning of May and fell deep into the second division before staging a comeback in June that put them into sixth place. Starters Jake Bain and Callum McGreal fell off their performances of 1909, while the offense, apart from William "Gaffer" Love, dropped precipitously. Surprise contenders Manchester and Leicester battled to occupy the Ironsides' customary place at the apex of the ladder. Manchester, who have finished in the first division only once in the past eleven seasons, fought their way to top on the strength of their offense, led by center fielder Dave Mask and shortstop John Dansey. On the mound, Ryan Fairlie paced the staff with a 13-6 record. The Millers moved up to the head of the Association table in May and managed to hang on despite the loss of both Mask and Dansey to injuries less than two weeks before the all-star break. Leicester won their biggest victory of the season off the field when they signed much-coveted rookie Patrick Stay to an unprecedented three-year, $47,142 contract on 9 April. The left-handed outfielder hit .295 for the Leopards and stole 36 bases. Together with Stephen "Jerky" Benstead, another rookie who hit .307 in the first half, Stay ignited the Leicester offense. Meanwhile, the Leopard pitching staff, featuring Jim Pursley, led the Association with a combined 2.36 ERA. Stoke stayed close behind, boosted by the hitting of Alf Garlick, who punished opposing pitchers at a .342 tempo, and Jack MacNab, who raised his average seventy-five points over his .238 mark from last year. The Potters' pitching staff was headed by the duo of Murray Abernethy and Alleyn McRankin, who together boasted a 24-14 record. Islington rode a 17-11 May into contention, and finished the first half with a six-game win streak. Right hander Ryan "Guesses" MacChrystal, rapidly asserting himself as one of the BA's premier pitchers, went into the break with a 15-6 record and an Association-best 1.63 ERA. Sheffield, who once again were picked by many to contend for the pennant, led the circuit with a combined .268 batting average and 387 runs scored, but the pitching staff gave up 326 runs, and the Steelers, after going 29-23 in the first two months, slumped in June and dropped to .500. Glasgow first baseman Olcan Elphicke led the DA with a .344 batting average, but the Gaelics' pitching was the worst in the circuit and doomed the team to the cellar.

The drama was all in the DA, as Westminster threatened to run away with the pennant in the Empire League. The Peers, relying on the pitching duo of Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly and "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth, who combined for a 28-13 mark, started the season by winning eighteen of their first twenty-three contests, and then put together a twelve-game winning streak in June. Third baseman Cameron MacGeechan and first baseman Charlie Gare spearheaded an offense that pushed 367 runs across the plate, tops in the EL. Liverpool, behind the left-right pitching combination of Declan "Poet" MacHutchin and Colm Lawry and the hitting of Kirby Edmands, attempted to stay in step with the Peers. A 14 June trade for veteran Leicester second baseman Maddox Minty spurred the Argonauts to come within six games of the leaders in the midst of an 18-6 record in June before falling back on the eve of the all-star break. No other team could keep up with the blistering pace set by Westminster. Portsmouth started strong and boasted a starting trio of "Cheerful" Micah Greening, Daniel Wynn, and William Gayford that put together a 38-20 record, but the Neptunes slumped in May and only recovered in July to finish the first half a distant third. Salford showed some grit in recovering from their eleventh-place finish in 1909 to contend in the early stages of the 1910 season. Hitting star Bill Younger led the Bee offense but once again found himself without much support from his teammates, while Ivar de Leeuw and Dylan "Warhorse" Middlemiss headed a pitching staff that combined for a 2.82 ERA, ninth-best in the League. Dublin, who finished third last year, fell all the way to eleventh this year when the normally reliable Andrew Berridge, showing the strain of seventeen seasons in a Shamrock uniform, dropped to a .244 batting average. London possessed the EL's best hitter in Bob Kraus, but neither the left fielder's .342 average nor starter Arthur Nancekevell's 15-6 record could lift the Bulldogs above sixth place.



It was an unusually cold and wet July day in Liverpool for the BA All-Star Game. The visiting Dominions established a 2-0 lead before rain delayed play in the fourth inning. When the action resumed, the Empires scored twice against Manchester reliever George "Bubbles" Aldridge. In the bottom of the sixth, local favorite Kirby Edmands hit a double off Leeds righty Ron "Snuffy" Gamble for his second hit of the game. That scored Westminster's Shay Scruby, and Edmands came around to score on a base hit by Nottingham's Roger Britten. The home team added another run in the seventh, as eight Empire pitchers held the Dominion all-stars to eight hits en route to a 5-2 victory. Edmands, with two hits and two RBI, became the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP award in his home ballpark.

[joefromchicago]

1910 FINAL

The story in the Dominion Association was the emergence of rookie phenomenon Patrick Stay (.334, 4 HR, 60 RBI). Courted by nearly every team in the BA during the pre-season, his three-year deal with Leicester made the twenty-four-year old center fielder the highest paid player in the Alliance. He repaid his new employers by winning the DA batting crown and making his team immediate contenders. Aided by Carlton Radford (.289, 1 HR, 58 RBI), obtained from rival Manchester in May, and fellow rookie Stephen "Jerky" Benstead (.295, 0 HR, 58 RBI), Stay boosted the Leopards to a .269 team batting average -- the best in the Association. The pitching chores were carried out by Jim Pursley (23-9, 2.48 ERA), while Charlie Megginson (11-3, 2.40 ERA) performed well in the home stretch after being obtained from Nottingham at the trade deadline. Keeping step with Leicester were Manchester, led by Dave Mask (.299, 1 HR, 45 RBI) and John Dansey (.311, 0 HR, 53 RBI) at the plate and Ryan Fairlie (23-13, 2.20 ERA) on the hill. The rivals were neck-and-neck through August, and when they met for a crucial four-game set in Manchester the Millers had a three-game lead over the Leopards. Leicester, however, took three out of four from Manchester and then went on to win their next nine games in a row, leaving the suddenly slumping Millers in their wake. Leicester finished with a six-game win skein and grabbed their first DA pennant by a comfortable seven-game margin. Stoke, a close third at the all-star break, relied on the hitting of Alf Garlick (.324, 1 HR, 52 RBI) and Dougal Mabbitt (.293, 3 HR, 62 RBI) and the pitching of Murray Abernethy (24-13, 2.11 ERA) to keep them in contention, but injuries to Garlick and Jack MacNab (.294, 2 HR, 45 RBI) slowed the Potters in the second half and made them a non-factor in the pennant race. Reigning BA Cup holders Leeds regrouped after the midsummer hiatus and climbed into fourth place. Callum McGreal (21-13, 2.59 ERA) went 14-2 after the break, but staff ace Jake Bain (16-17, 2.07 ERA) continued to struggle, and a spate of injuries in the final months of the season kept the Ironsides from advancing further.

While the DA resembled a horse race, the EL was more like a gladatorial contest where one participant slaughtered everyone else in the arena. Westminster crushed their opposition, racking up a League-record 107 wins and building a nineteen-game margin over their nearest rivals. The Peers ranked first in almost all offensive and pitching categories, and also committed the fewest errors of any EL team. The lineup featured Cameron MacGeechan (.311, 3 HR, 59 RBI) and Charlie Gare (.311, 3 HR, 78 RBI), while the pitching staff boasted three twenty-game winners: "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth (29-9, 1.88 ERA); Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly (23-13, 2.37 ERA); and Ian Harker (21-4, 2.07 ERA). Meanwhile, Murrough Ariss (14-7, 10 SV, 1.05 ERA) continued his fine work from the bullpen. In the face of the Westminster onslaught, the rest of the League was left defenseless. The Liverpool lineup was anchored by Kirby Edmands (.315, 4 HR, 75 RBI) and Nicholas Hollick (.282, 2 HR, 46 RBI), and the pitching duties were ably handled by Colm Lawry (23-12, 2.02 ERA) and Declan "Poet" MacHutchin (18-12, 1.94 ERA). Any chance of the Argonauts advancing, however, were thwarted soon after the all-star break when the team dropped six of seven games to the Peers, including a four-game sweep at Westminster. "Cheerful" Micah Greening (23-10, 2.08 ERA) was all smiles after leading the Portsmouth pitching staff, but he lacked any support after Daniel Wynn (24-9, 2.25 ERA) was snatched off waivers by Manchester in early August. Salford were the only other team that finished above .500. The Bees were led, as usual, by second baseman Bill Younger (.290, 1 HR, 52 RBI), while Ivar "Hush" de Leeuw (23-12, 2.37 ERA) and William Duggleby (17-13, 2.09 ERA) anchored the mound corps. Apart from Younger, though, the hitting was dismal, and the Bees managed an anemic .238 team average, besting only Camberwell's .234 mark. A 3-2 win over Edinburgh on 8 September clinched the pennant for Westminster, who then had the luxury of resting their regulars for nearly a month before the start of the post-season.



1910 CUP FINALS SERIES: WESTMINSTER v. LEICESTER

The bookmakers established Westminster as the prohibitive favorite to win the series, which explains why many punters were left in dismay as Leicester charged out of the gate in the opening game, scoring three runs in the first two innings against "Dummy" Kirbishly and going on to a 6-1 victory. Patrick Stay was held to one hit, but that was a two-run triple in the seventh that effectively put the game out of reach for the Peers. Jim Pursley pitched complete game for Leicester and limited the Westminsters to six hits. Henry Pitchforth went to the mound in game two to face Charlie Megginson. The Peers took a 2-1 lead into the fourth when Megginson hit a bases-loaded double that scored two runs in the midst of a four-run rally, and Westminster was uncharacteristically sloppy in the field, committing four errors and helping Leicester to a 7-3 triumph. The action moved to Leicester, where Peer lefty Ian Harker faced Dermott Wanlace (13-14, 2.28 ERA). The clubs were deadlocked at two runs apiece when light-hitting catcher Fraser MacAra (.249, 3 HR, 61 RBI) came up in the top of the eighth with a runner on and two outs. He lofted a fly ball to straightaway left field that cleared the fence, putting Westminster ahead 4-2. That was the final score, as Harker shut down the Leopards the rest of the way. Michael Carylyon (.228, 0 HR, 14 RBI), subbing for an injured Shay Scruby (.296, 1 HR, 46 RBI), had two hits and stole two bases for the visitors. Pursley and Pitchforth squared off in game four, and Leicester struck first with two runs in the fourth on Peter van den Hombergh's (.241, 3 HR, 33 RBI) bases-loaded single. Stay manufactured a run in the next inning when he singled, stole second, went to third on MacAra's throwing error, and scored on a wild pitch. The teams traded runs in the eighth, and Pursley went on to a complete-game 4-1 victory. With their backs to the wall, the Peers turned to Kirbishly, who pitched a gem, holding the Leopards to three hits en route to a 3-1 triumph. Shortstop Axel Backhouse (.236, 0 HR, 28 RBI) had two hits and drove in two runs for the visitors, while Stay scored the lone Leopard run after hitting another triple in the seventh. Back in Westminster, Pitchforth and Pursley faced each other again, with the Peers attempting to become the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the Cup. Leicester staked out a 3-1 lead early, and then, in the fifth inning, batted around and scored four runs, with another van den Hombergh's bases-loaded single providing the final two runs of the frame. With the visitors' lead increased to 8-1, the Peers staged a feeble rally in the ninth that garnered them but a single run, and Leicester prevailed by the final score of 8-2, winning their first BA Cup on their first try. Stay finished with a .350 average and four RBI, but it was Pursley, with three victories and a 1.33 ERA, who merited the MVP selection.

THE MINORS

The Greenwich Admirals repeated as Southern Conference champions and then swept the Northern Conference title holders South Shields Vikings, Edinburgh's affiliate, for the Second Tier crown.

Manchester's farm club, the Derby Lancers, won their first Albion Conference title since 1883 and went on to defeat Dublin's youngsters, the Cork Green Sox, in a three-game whitewash to capture the Third Tier championship.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .315 Kirby Edmands, Liverpool
HR: 8 Adam Cruthers, Edinburgh; Liam "Poison" Stallard, Newcastle
RBI: 78 Charlie Gare, Westminster
R: 84 Freddie Beecroft, Nottingham
SB: 78 Freddie Beecroft, Nottingham
Pitching
W: 29 "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth
L: 21 William Revell, Birmingham
K: 221 Leo Hollingsworth, Dublin
ERA: 1.88 "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth
SV: 12 Mark "Sure Shot" Brann, Birmingham

After bottoming out in 1908, batting averages in the BA have continued to inch upward. Six players in the EL hit .300 or better, compared with only one in 1909.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .334 Patrick Stay, Leicester
HR: 7 Olcan Elphicke, Glasgow; Stephen "Flip Flap" Wilsdon, Kensington
RBI: 73 Stephen "Jerky" Benstead, Leicester
R: 102 Patrick Stay, Leicester
SB: 71 Mike Powell, Lambeth; Nick Smith, Lambeth
Pitching
W: 25 Ryan "Guesses" MacChrystal, Islington
L: 23 Robbie Cassidy, Islington
K: 209 Jake Bain, Leeds
ERA: 1.79 Nathan Kernuish, Belfast
SV: 12 Dennis Graves, Kensington/Lambeth

Stay's .334 average was the highest since Patrick Allmark reached that level in 1904. With two of their players sharing the top in the stolen bases category, it was no surprise Lambeth led the DA in base thefts with 318.

[joefromchicago]

1910-11 OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Empire League
Hitter: Kirby Edmands, Liverpool (.315, 4 HR, 75 RBI, 79 R, 14 3B, 44 SB, .428 SLG)
Pitcher: "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth, Westminster (29-9, 1.88 ERA, 354.2 IP, 177 K, 1.01 WHIP, .218 OAVG, 6 SHO)
Manager: Eric Bellairs, Westminster (107-47, 1st place)
Rookie: Ryan Darroch, Birmingham (.288, 2 HR, 63 RBI, 67 R)

Dominion Association
Hitter: Patrick Stay, Leicester (.334, 4 HR, 60 RBI, 102 R, 23 3B, 65 SB, .482 SLG)
Pitcher: Ryan "Guesses" MacChrystal, Islington (25-14, 1.95 ERA, 337 IP, 144 K, 1.10 WHIP, .249 OAVG)
Manager: Jeremy Gregory, Manchester (88-66, 2nd place)
Rookie: Patrick Stay, Leicester (.334, 4 HR, 60 RBI, 102 R, 66 BB, .421 OBP)

Stay becomes the fifth player to win the rookie of the year award and the outstanding hitter award in the same season, and the first since Joel Inglis did it in 1883. Stay is also the first position player to win the DA rookie award since 1894. Edmands is the first Argonaut to win the EL outstanding hitter award since 1884.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Two pitchers comprised the Hall of Fame's class of 1910. Canadian right-hander Ed Organ made his debut with Manchester in 1890 and was awarded the rookie of the year trophy for his 26-19 debut. Traded to Kensington after the 1897 season, he pitched eight more seasons before retiring in 1905 with a 281-224 career record. Cursed with playing his entire career for mediocre clubs, he consistently outperformed the teams for which he pitched, and won twenty or more games eight times in his career. Sweeney Valance started his career with London in 1886 and finished in Dublin nineteen years later. In between, he amassed a 327-318 record. His 35-14 mark in 1891 earned him the EL outstanding pitcher award. Named to six all-star teams and honored as the pitcher of the month ten times, Valence's career win total is seventh on the all-time list, and his 5718 innings pitched puts him fifth.



Bradford right hander "Gentleman" Jackie Neecey recorded the EL's only no-hitter on 26 May when he blanked Nottingham 3-0. The only no-hitter in the DA occurred on 6 September, when German righty Leon Krause, in only his fifteenth major-league start, pitched Kensington to a 2-0 whitewashing of Glasgow. Liverpool's Paul Coatsworth struck out fourteen Camberwell hitters and gave up only two hits in twelve innings but left the game without a decision. Liverpool went on to score a run in the sixteenth inning to win the contest 1-0.

ALLIANCE NEWS

The Baseball Commission, acting on the recommendations of the special committee chaired by Sir Barnard Baloneigh, pursued a carrot-and-stick approach to the owners of Salford, Dublin, and Nottingham regarding their antiquated ballparks: accept an Alliance loan to build larger stadiums, or else sell the teams to someone who would. Salford and Dublin readily accepted, while Nottingham convinced the Commission to give them another year in which to secure outside financing. Meanwhile, Belfast, London, and Sheffield announced plans to build new stadiums along the lines of the one that opened in Islington in 1910.

Kensington made the first big free agent acquisition of the off-season when they signed second baseman Harvey Spurrell to a one-year deal worth $8,748.

The wind-up to the 1911 season saw Edinburgh pitcher Sean O'Quane, who finished 13-10 last year, fall to an elbow injury that will keep him out of action for the first half of the season. Kensington second baseman Jon Fitzwallace will be sidelined for two months with tendonitis of the arm. John Dansey, who hit .311 for Manchester in 1910, suffered a concussion while attempting to steal second base in a 15 March game against Belfast, and doctors fear that he will miss the entire season. The Millers received even worse news when their star pitcher, Ryan Fairlie, who put up a 23-13 season last year, tore a muscle in his right arm and will not play again until 1912.


WESTMINSTER NEWS

Team owner Ambrose Redlaw, Jr., taking some time off from his busy schedule in Monte Carlo, was delighted to hear that his charges had performed so well during the regular season, and rewarded them accordingly. Team general secretary Barnaby Heep, however, was less-than-happy about Westminster's performance in the Cup Finals Series, and vowed to make substantial changes before the 1911 opener. Out went fan favorite George Wardle, who led the team in OBP and stolen bases but batted only .269 during the season, and highly touted rookie Tom Allen, who never fulfilled expectations and batted a disappointing .206 in 252 at-bats. Also departing were spot-starter Chris Coe, utility infielder Kevin Sammonds, and rookie third baseman George Mattison, all of whom performed below expectations in limited service but who were also inexplicably popular with the fans.

[joefromchicago]

1911 MID-SEASON

Reigning BA Cup champions Leicester put to rest any lingering doubts about their ability to repeat their success of 1910 by starting 1911 with a sixteen-game winning streak. Patrick Stay bettered his award-winning performance of the previous year by batting .388 in the first half and stealing forty-eight bases. Stay set the pace for the Leopards' offense, which collectively hit an Association-best .281, despite injuries to .326-hitter Stephen "Jerky" Benstead that limited him to forty-nine games. On the hill, southpaw Jim Pursley won his first eleven decisions and went into the all-star break with a 15-3 record. Jim "Snake" Edkins was right behind Pursley with a 13-5 mark, and both pitchers earned invitations to the All-Star Game along with five of their teammates. Glasgow won the bidding war for rookie Matthew Dover, who was rewarded with a three-year, $51,824 contract, and the promising center fielder helped the Gaelics to second place in the early going before a nine-game losing streak in June saw the Glaswegians drop in the standings and an abdominal injury saw Dover go on the disabled list. Stoke were 25-25 on the first day of June, but then went on a 17-5 tear for the month, including taking three-of-four against Leicester on the road. The Potters relied on the veteran batting tandem of Alf Garlick and Dougal Mabbitt at the head of a lineup that hit .273 as a team, second only to Leicester. The left-right combination of "Dashing" Jonah MacBride and Murray Abernethy compiled an 18-7 record to lead the pitching staff. Islington's Henry Aves hit .354 in the early going, good for second in the DA after Stay, which helped boost the Owls to a 17-10 mark in May. On the other hand, the Association's incumbent outstanding pitcher, Ryan "Guesses" MacChrystal, slumped to a 9-10 record in the first half, and that, together with an injury to shortstop Maurice Kielty, the BA's highest-paid player, kept the Owls from contending. Manchester, last year's runners-up, were expected to challenge Leicester again this year, but a rash of injuries devastated the team, making it increasingly unlikely that the Millers will end their twenty-seven year playoff drought this season. Sheffield, a perennial pre-season favorite once again picked by many to contend for the pennant, lost the ace of their pitching staff, John "Hush" Findlay, to an elbow injury in June, and not even the torrid hitting of sophomore Eddie Barford could prevent the Steelers from slipping into the second division.

Liverpool was expected by many to end Westminster's three-year reign at the top of the EL, and the Argonauts got off to a promising start, winning twenty of their first twenty-seven games and climbing to the top of the ladder. Jacob Smith, Maddox Minty, and Kirby Edmands spearheaded an attack that combined for a .279 team batting average, second-best in the League. But Minty and Edmands were vexed with injuries, and the pitching staff lacked any reliable starters behind Colm Lawry and Colby "Dupee" Goguen, which resulted in a slump in May that allowed Westminster to dislodge them from first place. The Peers started 4-3, but then reeled off seventeen victories in their next twenty games. After taking two-of-three from Liverpool on the road Westminster resumed their accustomed spot at the head of the League table. Center fielder Cosmo Debenham surprised everyone by leading the EL with a 354 average, and the starting trio of Ian Harker, Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly, and "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth combined for a 46-19 record. Sophomore hurler William Bent led the surprising Bradfords with a 13-6 record, and lefty reliever Diarmaid Desmond contributed with thirteen saves as the Badgers steadily climbed up to third place. Michael Fowles, acquired from London at last year's trade deadline, led the League's third-best offense with a .307 average, and center fielder Donnelly Norton contributed with a .321 average despite two trips to the DL. London followed on the strength of a pitching staff led by Arthur Nancekevell and an offense paced by third baseman Dylan Durden, but a season-ending injury to outfielder Doran Petersen hobbled the Bulldog advance. Nottingham started slowly, hampered by a weak attack that ranked eleventh in the EL, but the pitching staff, headed by Adam "Twilight" Perkins and Doran McDermott, was second only to Dublin's. Portsmouth, last year's third-place finishers, started with a 5-20 mark but recovered in May with a 20-7 mark. A spate of injuries, however, prevented them from building any momentum.



The brand-new and capacious Baverstock Stadium in Sheffield hosted the 1911 All-Star Game, and 19,376 spectators in attendance witnessed a classic contest between two evenly matched sides. With the score tied at one in the sixth inning, Bradford second baseman David Osmond led off the visitors' half of the frame against Stoke reliever William Bullivant with a home run to deep center field. The Empires could not hold the lead, however, as the Dominion all-stars scored twice in the bottom of the seventh without the benefit of a hit, as Dublin's Carleton Spon, rattled by two errors behind him, issued three walks, the last with the bases loaded. In the next inning, Liverpool catcher Nicholas Hollick drove in the tying run against Belfast hurler Gerald "Monk" Longworth, and the score remained knotted at three apiece until the top of the tenth, when Argo shortstop George Patterson led off with a single, stole second and third, and came home on a double by Nottingham's Kevin Metcalfe. Portsmouth lefty Ciaran Galloway retired the Dominions in order in the bottom of the inning to preserve the 4-3 victory. Metcalfe, with three hits on the day, received the MVP honors.

[joefromchicago]

1911 FINAL

The close pennant race in the EL that was supposed to pit Westminster against Liverpool never took place, as Westminster ran away from the pack in the second half to capture their fourth-straight League title. The Peers boasted three twenty-game winners -- Ian Harker (29-7, 1.80), Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly (28-10, 2.62 ERA), and "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth (23-13, 3.23 ERA) -- while bullpen specialist Murrough Ariss (7-6, 21 SV, 0.89 ERA) performed heroically in the late innings. At the plate, Cosmo Debenham (.305, 3 HR, 76 RBI) and Cameron MacGeechan (.304, 5 HR, 96 RBI) helped guide the offense to a League-leading .280 team batting average. The Peers, up by six-and-a-half games over Liverpool at the all-star break, took charge after play resumed. When the top two teams met for a four-game series at Westminster at the beginning of September, the Peers were riding a nine-game winning streak and had just completed a 21-6 August. Liverpool played well in the second half but were simply unable to keep up with the torrid pace set by Westminster. The Argonauts, led by Nicholas Hollick (.304, 3 HR, 58 RBI) and Jacob Smith (.298, 2 HR, 65 RBI), hit a combined .276, while the pitching staff sparkled under the leadership of Colm Lawry (22-11, 2.90 ERA). Team leader Kirby Edmands (.288, 5 HR, 64 RBI), however, missed over two months of action with injuries and never got back the form that won him the 1910 outstanding hitter award. When the weakened Argos dropped three-of-four to the Peers at the start of September, that effectively crushed their last chance at contending for the flag. Nottingham climbed to third place on the backs of starting pitchers William Oxpring (17-7, 2.31 ERA), Doran McDermott (19-15, 3.11 ERA), and Adam "Twilight" Perkins (19-17, 2.94 ERA). The offense, however, was suspect, and nagging injuries to Michael Wiles (.312, 0 HR, 37 RBI) kept the hitting star out of the lineup for over a month. Fourth-place Portsmouth, led by the hitting of Fraser Stewart (.317, 1 HR, 53 RBI) were the only team to have a winning record against Westminster. Much of the Potters' success was attributable to reliever Toomey "Lumpy" Munroe (17-5, 11 SV, 1.87 ERA), who pitched 120.1 innings out of the bullpen and placed second behind Micah Greening (19-17, 2.79 ERA) for the team lead in wins. Bradford, twelve games above .500 at the break, played break-even baseball afterwards and finished in a tie for fourth. The Badgers depended on the pitching of Gene Englund (20-13, 2.30 ERA) and "Gentleman" Jackie Neecy (21-15, 2.52 ERA) and the hitting of Michael Fowles (.314, 3 HR, 81 RBI) to keep them in the first division. Lightning struck twice on 30 September as the Peers were gearing up for the postseason. The team's leading hitters, Debenham and MacGeechan, both went down with injuries that will keep them out of the Cup Finals Series. Westminster, however, would not be the only team going into the playoffs with a depleted roster.

Leicester faced no real challenge to their dominance of the Dominion Association, even though they played only three games over .500 for the second half. Sensational sophomore Patrick Stay (.357, 2 HR, 66 RBI) won the DA batting crown again, although he spent four weeks on the bench with injuries. He was joined by Montague "Hawk" Orde (.320, 6 HR, 72 RBI), Jean-Jacques Clement (.353, 6 HR, 74 RBI), and Stephen "Jerky" Benstead (.310, 5 HR, 67 RBI) in the Association's most fearsome lineup. On the mound, Jim Pursley (23-9, 2.40 ERA) and John Edkins (21-14, 2.95 ERA) delivered a lethal left-right combination. Pursley, however, developed arm problems in a 22 September game against Stoke that doctors predict will keep his arm in a sling until next year, thus eliminating him from the postseason. The Potters, in second place for most of the season, failed to capitalize on the Leopards' second-half problems, and actually lost ground to Leicester. Stoke's formidable offense was spearheaded by Dougal Mabbitt (.317, 1 HR, 70 RBI) and Alf Garlick (.292, 1 HR, 84 RBI), while the pitching staff depended upon southpaw "Dashing" Jonah McBride (16-6, 2.31 ERA), who carried the team until a mid-September back injury ended his season. Belfast, mired in tenth place at the midsummer break, shot up to third on the strength of a 19-6 record in September. Catcher Graham Gillingham (.309, 3 HR, 78 RBI) was the hitting star for the Unions, while starter Gerald "Monk" Longworth (19-13, 2.26 ERA) and reliever Joey Beardsley (12-9, 19 SV, 2.38 ERA) led the pitching staff. Lambeth infielder Mike Powell (.330, 4 HR, 70 RBI) finished second in the DA batting race, and speedy third-sacker Nick Smith (.295, 6 HR, 68 RBI) lived up to his name by nicking ninety-five bases at the top of the Lamb lineup. Aside from Naoise Ambross (18-13, 2.90 ERA) and Keller "Topper" Wellsteed (8-3, 7 SV, 0.95 ERA),though, the Lambeth pitching staff was a shambles. Despite the performances of Eddie Barford (.325, 6 HR, 91 RBI) and Donagh Hankinson (.314, 2 HR, 57 RBI), Sheffield continue to perform below expectations. Rookie Fallon Eade (16-13, 2.86 ERA) led the Steeler mound corps until a shoulder injury in early September put him out of action for the rest of the schedule. Injuries plagued highly touted Glasgow rookie Matthew Dover (.272, 6 HR, 61 RBI) all season, and the Gaelics dropped into the second division as a result.



1911 CUP FINALS SERIES: WESTMINSTER v. LEICESTER

It was a rematch of last year's Cup Finals Series, and the opener at Westminster featured Ian Harker for the home team against surprise starter Matthew Montgomerie (5-3, 3.05 ERA), subbing for the injured Jim Pursley. Westminster scored aces in each of the first three innings, with Harker helping his cause by slapping an RBI-double in the second. Leicester closed the gap with two unearned runs in the fourth before the Peers closed the scoring with a single run in the fifth. Harker pitched a complete game and held the lefty-dominated Leopard lineup to seven hits in winning the initial contest 4-2. The Peers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game two against John Edkins, and "Dummy" Kirbishly limited the Leopards to five hits on his way to a complete-game 3-1 victory. Patrick Stay had three singles in a losing cause, and Daniel Barber, called up from the minors to replace Cameron MacGeechan in the lineup, stroked two doubles and scored a run. As the action shifted to Leicester, a telegram arrived from Venice announcing the unexpected death of Westminster team owner Ambrose Redlaw, Jr. The stunned Peers took to the field wearing black armbands, and led 3-1 going into the bottom of the ninth when the Leopards rallied against Harker. With runners on second and third and one run already in, "Jerky" Benstead lined a shot down the left field line that scored both runners and won the game, 4-3. Carlton Radford (.234, 0 HR, 19 RBI) had three hits and former Peer William Pretty (10-5, 2.33 ERA) pitched a complete game for Leicester. Montgomerie took the mound for Leicester in game four and tied the game in the third inning with a solo home run off "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth. After nine innings of play the two teams were tied 3-3. In the bottom of the thirteenth, J-J Clement faced Murrough Ariss with a man on and nobody out and sent a 2-2 fastball into the seats in right field for a two-run walkoff homer. Clement and Radford both ended the day with three hits apiece, while Barber continued his hot hitting for Westminster with three hits of his own. Game five saw more late-inning heroics from the Leopards. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Leicester loaded the bases with two outs against Ariss. Stay strode up to the plate and dropped a single behind second base. That scored two runs, and the Leopards prevailed by a 3-2 final. It was back to Westminster for game six, and the home team came from a 3-0 deficit to take a 5-3 lead, with Harker scoring the final Peer run with a sixth-inning solo homer. Leicester, however, rallied in the seventh. George Stoneman (.275, 0 HR, 37 RBI) hit a two-run triple and came home on William Midgely's (.257, 0 HR, 23 RBI) base hit. The visitors added three more runs in the eighth, and again Stoneman accounted for two runs with a two-out single. Pretty was good enough, despite giving up fourteen hits, to prevail 10-5 in a complete-game performance that captured Leicester's second-straight BA Cup. In recognition of his .360 batting average, 5 RBI, and .520 slugging percentage, Clement received the MVP award.

THE MINORS

Bradford's triple-A club, the Greenwich Admirals, made it three-in-a-row, winning their third Southern Conference title and third Second Tier championship in succession, this time defeating Portsmouth's Halifax Saints in a three-game finals sweep.

The Northampton Archers of the Bristol minor-league system captured the Britannia Conference title and went on to defeat Westminster's youngsters, the Hackney Mudlarks, in four games to clinch the Third Tier championship.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .317 Dylan Durden, London
HR: 9 Jeff Mathieu, Edinburgh
RBI: 96 Cameron MacGeechan, Westminster
R: 107 Cosmo Debenham, Westminster
SB: 83 Ted Hunt, Camberwell
Pitching
W: 29 Ian Harker, Westminster
L: 25 William Revell, Birmingham
K: 208 "Gentleman" Jackie Neecy, Bradford
ERA: 1.80 Ian Harker, Westminster
SV: 21 Murrough Ariss, Westminster

Ariss set the BA record for saves in a season. Durden (.3172, 157 H, 495 AB) barely edged out Portsmouth's Fraser Stewart (.3170, 142 H, 448 AB) for the batting crown.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .357 Patrick Stay, Leicester
HR: 9 William "Gaffer" Love, Leeds; Shaun Sawkings, Leeds
RBI: 91 Eddie Barford, Sheffield
R: 105 Patrick Stay, Leicester
SB: 95 Nick Smith, Lambeth
Pitching
W: 25 Callum McGreal, Leeds/Stoke
L: 22 Alleyne "Rawmeat" McRankin, Stoke
K: 205 Jake Bain, Leeds
ERA: 2.08 Paul Pomfret, Islington/Camberwell
SV: 19 Joey Beardsley, Belfast

Smith's ninety-five stolen bases set a DA record and were one off the major-league mark set by Liverpool's Gabriel Vesey in 1895.

[joefromchicago]

1911-12 OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Empire League
Hitter: Jacob Smith, Liverpool (.298, 2 HR, 65 RBI, 88 R, 33 2B, 26 3B, 101 BB, 69 SB, .403 OBP, .460 SLG)
Pitcher: Ian Harker, Westminster (29-7, 1.80 ERA, 350.2 IP, 173 K, 56 BB, 1.05 WHIP, .236 OAVG)
Manager: Eric Bellairs, Westminster (105-49, 1st place)
Rookie: Michael "Monger" Ballard, Portsmouth (14-12, 2.88 ERA, 243.2 IP, 126 K, 3 SHO)

Dominion Association
Hitter: Patrick Stay, Leicester (.357, 2 HR, 66 RBI, 105 R, 92 BB, 79 SB, .472 OBP, .480 SLG)
Pitcher: Callum McGreal, Leeds/Stoke (24-13, 2.19 ERA, 324 IP, 139 K, 1.22 WHIP, .248 OAVG)
Manager: Bert Debenham, Leicester (94-60, 1st place)
Rookie: Fallon Eade, Sheffield (16-13, 2.86 ERA, 283 IP, 133 K)

Stay became the third player to win the outstanding hitter award in his first two years in the majors. He repeats the feat first accomplished by Connor "Plumber" Ayling in 1873-74 and then duplicated by Samuel MacGachan in 1874-75. Debenham, who filled the vacancy left when manager Jimmy Wooten retired after guiding the Leopards to their first Cup in 1910, had previously managed Newcastle to five-straight second-division finishes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Oran Taafe became the latest addition to the roster of inductees into the Hall of Fame. Starting his career in 1888 with Westminster, he won the EL outstanding hitter award in 1890, when he led the League in batting average, RBI, and runs scored. Traded to Islington after the 1893 season in exchange for fellow Hall-of-Famer Andrew "Midget" Gunton, Taafe continued to perform well until his retirement from baseball in 1906. Taafe finished with 1,430 runs scored, fourth on the all-time register, and was named to five all-star squads.



Leeds outfielder William "Gaffer" Love, showing no signs of slowing down despite his thirty-four years, recorded his 3,000th career hit in a 29 May game at home against Belfast. Later in the season he collected his 3,040th hit, which moved him past Ed Densmore into first place on the all-time list. As the season drew to a close, Bill Younger notched his 2,500th career hit, all in a Salford uniform. With batting averages continuing their rapid ascent, there were no no-hitters in the BA for the first time since 1907. On 23 July, Portsmouth pitcher Micah Greening gave up an infield hit to the first batter he faced, Dublin shortstop Cameron Tripp. Greening then held the Shamrocks hitless for the next nine innings in a 5-0 shutout.

ALLIANCE NEWS

Nottingham agreed to a loan from the Baseball Commission that will cover the costs of a new stadium, to be ready in time for the 1912 season opener. Also on schedule for next year are new ballparks in Bradford and Stoke.

Left hander Diarmaid Desmond, who recorded twenty saves for Bradford in 1911, tore a shoulder muscle in a spring training game on 11 March and will miss the entire 1912 season.

WESTMINSTER NEWS

It was a somber occasion as officials and players from the Westminster club filed past a flower-bedecked bier that contained the mortal remains of beloved team owner Ambrose Redlaw, Jr. After taking over the team's reins from his father in 1893, Redlaw saw the Peers win seven EL pennants and four BA Cups -- or, at least, he saw reports of those successes, as there's no evidence that he actually attended any games. His eldest son, Ambrose Redlaw III, decided to concentrate his attentions on the family distillery, leaving the team to his younger brother, Jamie, who wasted no time in helping himself to $628,978 of the team's funds that had been carefully accumulated during his father's tenure.

The new owner promised a more hands-on management style, and his first task was to hand team general secretary and eminence grise Barnaby Heep his walking papers. "I'll be the one making the decisions around here," Redlaw told the sporting press. Apart from trading utility infielder Axel Backhouse to London, however, there were no major roster moves prior to the 1912 opener, meaning that the Peers would defend their League title with largely the same ensemble that won the pennant in 1911.

[joefromchicago]

1912 MID-SEASON

Exciting pennant races in both the League and the Association captured the nation's fancy for the first time in years. In the EL, Westminster and Nottingham duelled for possession of first place. The Peers, looking for their fifth-straight League flag, relied on the starting duo of Ian Harker and Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly, who teamed up for thirty wins in forty-four decisions and led the pitching staff to a League-best 2.39 ERA. At the plate, rookie infielder Mike Tarrant, promoted directly from double-A Hackney to a starting role on the major-league roster, responded with a team-leading .322 batting average. Injuries to hitting stars Cameron McGeechan and Daniel Barber, though, slowed the once-formidable Westminster juggernaut, and allowed Nottingham to contend for the lead. The Foresters benefitted from the hot bat of Kevin Metcalfe, who hit .332 in the early going, and the pitching tandem of Adam "Twilight" Perkins and Declan Odem. The two teams played a game of musical chairs at the top of the ladder, with Westminster finding themselves in the lead when the music stopped. Bad news, however, darkened the Peers' prospects for the second half, as Ian Harker went down with a shoulder injury on the eve of the All-Star Game and will be lost to the team for the rest of the season. Close behind the leaders were London, who turned Westminster-castoff Tom Allen into an offensive force. On the mound, Arthur Nancekevell, at 15-6, put in another stellar performance for the Bulldogs. Birmingham, last year's wooden spoon recipients, vaulted into fourth place despite ranking in the middle of the pack in offense, pitching, and fielding. They did, however, manage a winning record against each of the three teams ahead of them in the standings, which kept them in the running. Liverpool, last year's runners-up, featured the pitching of Declan "Poet" MacHutchin and the hitting of Norbert Flanders, a backup outfielder for most of his career who, given the chance to start by manager new skipper Jeremy Gregory, repaid his confidence with a .339 batting average.

In a race that saw nine teams in contention, Glasgow occupied the top of the DA table, a spot normally reserved for Leicester. The Gaelics, who finished a distant seventh last season, climbed to the top with the help of sophomore sensation Matthew Dover, whose .330 average and ten home runs supplied the steam for the Glasgow engine, and Andrew Revell, who batted cleanup behind Dover and batted .315. Ambrose Haworth, with a 14-5 record and 2.05 ERA, was the anchor of the Glaswegian pitching staff that, at 2.62, topped the Association in team ERA. Leicester mounted an impressive 20-8 record in May and looked to be unstoppable in their quest for a third-straight BA Cup, but Patrick Stay injured his wrist in June and missed twelve games, during which the Leopards went 2-10, including a four-game sweep by Glasgow at home. Stay, batting .356, ceded the team leadership to Stephen "Jerky" Benstead, who led the BA with a .393 average. Pitching remained a concern for the Leopards, and only Jim Pursley distinguished himself in the first half, going 12-7 with a 2.21 ERA. Belfast made steady progress and rose to third place, with the acquisition of outfielder Ed Leahy off waivers from Manchester providing a much-needed boost to the offense. The Ulstermen could have advanced farther but for the season-ending injury to Godfrey Taylor in mid-June. Kensington rose from the cellar that they occupied in 1911 on the strength of a lineup that included .300-hitters Hartigan Fahey and Harvey Spurrell and a pitching staff that combined for a 3.03 ERA. Leeds legend William "Gaffer" Love showed that, even at thirty-eight, he could still hit with the youngsters, as his .330 attested. The Ironsides, attempting to return to the top after being displaced by Leicester, showed their desire by acquiring hard-hitting third baseman Henry Claridge from Manchester in a 6 June trade. On the mound, Ron "Snuffy" Gamble returned to form with a 14-8 record, but Jake Bain was sidelined with an arm injury in June that will keep him out of the rotation until at least August. Hull right hander Theron Joyce rebounded from a 13-21 record last year to lead the Kings with a 14-6 record in the first half of 1912, which was crucial considering that his teammates were last in the DA in offense.



Portsmouth played host to the All-Star Game for the first time, and a packed house at Scammell Park saw the visiting Dominions take an early lead with two runs against Empire starter Arthur Nancekevell. The home squad, however, retaliated in the third inning by sending nine men to the plate and scoring five runs off Hull's Theron Joyce, with Bradford's George Wardle providing the big hit of the frame, a two-run double. The Empire all-stars added another run in the fourth on Liverpool outfielder Jacob Smith's RBI-single against Hull right hander Luke "Country" Ricketts. The Dominions staged a rally in the sixth on a two-run triple by Sheffield's Bob Blosser, but that was all the scoring, as three different Empire relievers shut down the Dominions the rest of the way to preserve a 6-4 victory. Jacob Smith, with two hits an two runs batted in, claimed the MVP honors.

[joefromchicago]

1912 FINAL

The Dominion Association race came down to the wire, as Leeds and Leicester competed for the pennant. Leeds, in fifth place at the all-star break but only two-and-a-half games back of leaders Glasgow, stepped to the forefront with a 19-7 record in August, leapfrogging past the competition into first place. William "Gaffer" Love (.336, 7 HR, 81 RBI), now in his nineteenth season in an Ironsides' uniform, and rookie Henry Baul (.292, 6 HR, 84 RBI) led an otherwise-weak lineup that combined for a .265 team batting average, better only than Hull. Yet the Ironsides made those relatively infrequent hits count, as their 716 runs were fourth-best in the circuit. It was the pitching, however, that drove the Leeds machine, and Ron "Snuffy" Gamble (29-10, 2.09 ERA) who supplied the petrol. Keeping pace with Leicester were two-time reigning champs Leicester, paced by the phenomenal Patrick Stay (.415, 4 HR, 77 RBI). Already being compared to that Yank chap Ty Cobb, Stay batted an astounding .463 in the second half, almost single-handedly keeping the Leopards in the pennant chase and boosting the team to a DA-leading .296 batting average. Stephen "Jerky" Benstead (.339, 3 HR, 119 RBI), who led the Association in RBI, and Jean-Jacques Clement (.319, 3 HR, 65 RBI) formed a "murderers' row" that punished opposing pitchers. On the mound, Jim Pursley (22-13, 2.77 ERA) and John Edkins (23-10, 3.32 ERA) proved a formidable left-right combination. The Leopards were four games behind the Ironsides when the rivals met for a four-game series in Leicester starting on 23 September. Leeds took the first game, but Leicester swept the remaining three, cutting the deficit to two games. But then the Leopards split their remaining eight games while Leeds won five of their last six games to claim the DA crown. Hull combined the worst hitting in the Association with the best pitching, which was good enough for third place. Theron Joyce (24-12, 2.81 ERA) captained the Kings' pitching staff. Glasgow fell out of the top perch with a 12-15 August, despite the mammoth contributions of Matthew Dover (.319, 17 HR, 92 RBI). Ambrose Haworth (18-10, 2.29 ERA) led the Gaelic pitchers until a shoulder injury in mid-September put him out of action. Sheffield moved up to fourth place behind the hitting of Donagh Hankinson (.331, 0 HR, 52 RBI) and Bob Blosser (.303, 1 HR, 96 RBI).

The close pennant race that was supposed to take place in the Empire League didn't. Westminster, leading Nottingham at the midsummer break by a mere half-game, went on a tear in the second half, putting up a 55-20 record and running away with their fifth title in a row. The absence of left hander Ian Harker (14-6, 3.00 ERA) did not slow down the Westminster juggernaut, as Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly (27-13, 2.08 ERA) ably handled the principle pitching duties and "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth (19-12, 2.09 ERA) won ten of fifteen decisions in the second half. At the plate, the Peers led the EL with a .281 team batting average, buoyed by Shay Scruby (.321, 1 HR, 74 RBI) and rookie infielder Mike Tarrant (.315, 0 HR, 77 RBI). Nottingham wilted in the face of Westminster's advance. Kevin Metcalfe (.293, 6 HR, 56 RBI) and Roger Britten (.283, 1 HR, 84 RBI) led the offense, but injuries to William Oxpring (9-8, 3.29 ERA) and Declan Odem (16-12, 3.34 ERA) stymied the Foresters. Liverpool passed slumping Nottingham into second place on the left arm of Declan "Poet" MacHutchin (24-11, 2.39 ERA) and the bats of Oliver MacGibbon (.312, 1 HR, 85 RBI) and Jacob Smith (.311, 1 HR, 42 RBI), while Paul "Dazzy" Vowles (9-4, 11 SV, 1.55 ERA) provided effective service from the bullpen. London dropped to fourth, despite a mound corps topped by Arthur Nancekevell (24-13, 1.96 ERA) and "Little" Greg Chisholm (23-11, 2.48 ERA) and the hitting of Doran Peterson (.278, 5 HR, 58 RBI) and Tom Allen (.292, 3 HR, 71 RBI). Dropping twelve of fourteen games against Westminster certainly didn't help the Bulldogs' chances. Dublin's sophomore center fielder Eddie Yates (.333, 3 HR, 62 RBI) won the EL batting crown, but it wasn't enough to lift the Shamrocks out of tenth place. Westminster, after clinching the pennant on 20 September, saw two of its starting rookie infielders, Tarrant and Daniel Barber (.355, 0 HR, 28 RBI) struck down by injuries, which will leave them on the bench for the Cup Finals Series.



1912 CUP FINALS SERIES: WESTMINSTER v. LEEDS

For the fourth time these two teams face each other in the Finals, and over 20,000 fans packed Westminster's Parliament Grounds to witness the opening contest. Westminster led 1-0 behind "Dummy" Kirbishly's pitching when the Ironsides came to bat in the top of the eighth. The visitors proceeded to send eleven men to the plate, scoring eight runs on only three hits. Light-hitting first baseman Kevin Alward (.209, 0 HR, 12 RBI) knocked Kirbishly out of the box with a three-run homer that finished the scoring, and "Snuffy" Gamble went the distance for an 8-1 victory. In game two, the Peers led 4-2 in the seventh when Leeds scored a single run, and then took the lead in the eighth on RBI-hits by Henry Baul and Eddie Taylor (.251, 7 HR, 62 RBI). In the bottom of the ninth, however, Westminster tied the score on Finlay McDade's (.305, 0 HR, 22 RBI) sacrifice fly, and the game went into extra frames. In the top of the twelfth, facing relief ace Murrough Ariss (9-4, 18 SV, 2.21 ERA), the Ironsides had another big inning, scoring five times on five hits, two walks, and an error. A Peer rally in the bottom of the inning fell short, and Leeds walked away with a 10-6 triumph. Peer shortstop Boland MacHutcheon (.284, 0 HR, 33 RBI) had four hits in a losing effort. Southpaw Dennis "Gimpy" Drakes (14-7, 2.40 ERA) got the call for the Peers in game three against wily veteran Jake Bain (11-10, 3.05 ERA), and it was Drakes who prevailed, pitching a five-hitter while his teammates roughed up Bain for thirteen safeties in a 9-1 thrashing. Shay Scruby had four hits for the Peers, and Jack Hackforth (.294, 0 HR, 33 RBI) tallied four RBI. It was a pitchers' duel in game four. An RBI-triple by Cosmo Debenham (.304, 3 HR, 80 RBI) in the eighth put the Peers ahead, but Leeds tied it in the bottom of the stanza with a solo homer by Taylor. In the eleventh, John Goudie (.307, 1 HR, 61 RBI) came to the plate with a runner on first and two outs and hit a liner that went all the way to the wall in right-center for a triple, driving in the winning run and giving the win to Gamble, who pitched a complete game. Pitchforth started game five for the Peers, but he left in the second inning with a sore shoulder and was replaced by Ariss. Together with Jon Johnson (8-0, 2.26 ERA), the Peer pitchers held the home team to four hits and combined for a 5-0 shutout. Scruby had three of Westminster's ten hits. The action returned to Westminster, and the Peers came out swinging against Bain, scoring seven runs in the first three innings and sending the Leeds hurler to the showers. Drakes, for his part, pitched masterfully, holding Leeds to four hits en route to a 8-2 victory. Hackforth was the hitting star, collecting four hits and three RBI for the victors. It all came down to game seven, and Westminster got on the board first with three runs in the fifth inning off Gamble. The Ironsides came back, rallying for three runs against Kirbishly in the seventh to tie the score. In the top of the eighth, Henry Baul led off with a single and went to third on an error by first baseman Charlie Gare (.295, 0 HR, 72 RBI). Taylor then drove a liner into left center that was just deep enough to score Baul from third to put Leeds on top 4-3. Westminster put the tying run on third with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Gamble induced Hackforth to ground out and got Chris Thomas (.275, 2 HR, 40 RBI) to strike out to end the game, giving Leeds the rubber game and the Cup. Gamble's three wins and 1.55 ERA earned him the MVP accolades.

THE MINORS

It had been thirteen years since the Dundee Claymores and the Norwich Terriers had won their respective conferences, and so it was a rematch of the 1899 Second Tier Championship when the Claymores, Glasgow's affiliate, bested the Bristol organization's Terriers in a five-game series.

Portsmouth's third-stringers, the Exeter Excelsiors, captured second Britannia Conference title and went on to defeat the Derby Lancers of the Manchester minor-league system in four games to take home the Third Tier Championship trophy.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .333 Eddie Yates, Dublin
HR: 8 Clancy Raffles, Dublin
RBI: 85 Oliver MacGibbon, Liverpool
R: 102 Doran Peterson, London
SB: 79 Cameron Tripp, Dublin
Pitching
W: 27 Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly, Westminster
L: 26 William Duggleby, Salford
K: 186 Ciaran Galloway, Portsmouth
ERA: 1.96 Arthur Nancekevell, London
SV: 18 Murrough Ariss, Westminster

Raffles, traded to Dublin from Belfast in mid-May, finished the season with ten homers. Nancekevell won the ERA title for the third time.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .415 Patrick Stay, Leicester
HR: 17 Matthew Dover, Glasgow
RBI: 119 Stephen "Jerky" Benstead, Leicester
R: 106 William "Gaffer" Love, Leeds
SB: 76 Ed Leahy, Manchester/Belfast; Patrick Stay, Leicester
Pitching
W: Ron "Snuffy" Gamble, Leeds
L: 21 John D'Aeth, Kensington; Ronald Johnson, Bristol
K: 173 Chris "Dutchman" Coe, Stoke; Ron "Snuffy" Gamble, Leeds
ERA: 2.09 Ron "Snuffy" Gamble, Leeds
SV: 13 Murrough McNidder, Sheffield

Stay set the record for highest batting average in a 154-game season. Gamble won the pitching triple crown. Dover's seventeen return-trippers were the highest season total since 1894. Love led the DA in walks (118) for the seventh time in his lengthy career.

[joefromchicago]

1912-13 OFF-SEASON

AWARDS

Empire League
Hitter: Kevin Metcalfe, Nottingham (.293, 6 HR, 56 RBI, 96 R, 132 BB, 36 SB, .436 OBP, .412 SLG)
Pitcher: Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly, Westminster (27-13, 2.08 ERA, 359.1 IP, 183 K, 1.12 WHIP, .242 OAVG, 6 SHO)
Manager: Eric Bellairs, Westminster (104-50, 1st place)
Rookie: John Knock, Portsmouth (21-15, 2.53 ERA, 338.1 IP, 144 K, 29 CG)

Dominion Association
Hitter: Patrick Stay, Leicester (.415, 4 HR, 77 RBI, 104 R, 28 3B, 109 BB, 13 K, 76 SB, .520 OBP, .602 SLG)
Pitcher: Ron "Snuffy" Gamble, Leeds (29-10, 2.09 ERA, 349 IP, 173 K, 1.15 WHIP, .250 OAVG)
Manager: Ben Scheephorst, Leeds (90-64, 1st place)
Rookie: Henry Baul, Leeds (.292, 6 HR, 84 RBI, 70 R, 24 SB, .344 OBP, .404 SLG)

The only surprise at the awards ceremony was the choice of Metcalfe as EL outstanding hitter. The Nottingham center fielder led in only one offensive category -- walks -- but he put up solid numbers and didn't miss almost two months of action with injuries, unlike Liverpool's Jacob Smith (.311, 1 HR, 42 RBI).

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

A special veterans' committee chose two new inductees to the Hall of Fame. Ryan Baikie started in the BA's inaugural year as a fresh-faced seventeen-year old for Sheffield and proceeded to play in 912 consecutive games until he broke a rib on opening day in 1881. He collected 1,507 hits over the course of seventeen seasons and retired with a .290 batting average. He was named to six all-star squads and won six gold gloves in the outfield. The indefatigable Conor Walden spent his entire twenty-two-year career pitching for Belfast, where he accumulated a 344-436 record. A somewhat controversial choice, Walden is sixth on the all-time wins list but ranks first for career losses. A five-time all-star, Walden led the DA in ERA in 1886 and 1887. He holds the BA records for most games pitched, most games started, most complete games, and most innings pitched.



At the end of the 1911 season, Birmingham's Bryan Conway needed just four hits to reach the 3,000 plateau. At the end of the 1912 season, he was stuck at 2,999 after hitting just .094 in limited duty. Glasgow slugger Matthew Dover became the first player to be paid over $20,000 a year.

ALLIANCE NEWS

It was an active off-season for trades in the BA. In a blockbuster deal that surprised everyone, the Leopards traded Jean-Jacques Clement (.319, 3 HR, 65 RBI) to Stoke for minor league relief pitcher Michael "Sawbones" McMay. The Leopards' bullpen was seventh in the DA with a 2.63 ERA. Shoring up their rotation, Leicester followed by trading catcher Steve Fellers for right-handed starter Theron Joyce, who went 24-12 for Hull. And Dylan Durden, the batting champ in the EL for 1911, was dealt by London to Belfast for lefty reliever Pete Durgin.

Leeds, coming off their Cup-winning season, and Newcastle announced the construction of new ballparks for the 1913 season.

WESTMINSTER NEWS

After their heart-breaking defeat at the hands of the Ironsides, the Peers achieved the dubious distinction of being the first team to lose four consecutive Cup Finals Series. New owner Jamie Redlaw vowed that there would be drastic changes in store for the 1913 season. So out went veteran Cameron MacGeechan, a fan favorite and six-time gold glover who had been pushed aside as the regular third baseman by rookie Mike Tarrant. MacGeechan went to Belfast for highly touted minor league outfielder Greg Schmidt and Canadian lefty Wilford Larocque. Charlie Gare, the beloved first baseman who hit .295 and stole forty bases for the Peers in 1911, went to Sheffield for minor league infield prospects Arthur Threlfall and Keller McKeon.

[joefromchicago]

1913 MID-SEASON

Leicester, runners-up in 1912, made plain that they would be a force to be reckoned with in 1913. Team leader Patrick Stay, a three-time outstanding hitter, started slowly and was batting only .259 when he went down with a hip injury at the end of April. When he came back to the lineup three weeks later, however, he caught fire, and finished the first half batting .324. Stephen "Jerky" Benstead ably seconded Stay in the lineup, and the rotation was led by a pair of thirteen-game winners, Matthew Montgomerie and Michael Kennedy. Despite their best efforts, the Leopards could not shake Glasgow. The Gaelics parlayed an 18-10 May into a second-place berth and spent the rest of the first half dogging the Leopards' steps. Left fielder Andrew Revell led the attack in the place of a slumping Matthew Dover, but it was the mound corps that proved to be Glasgow's biggest asset, as starters Ethan Broun and Charlie Gough headed a staff that ranked first in the DA with a 2.45 team ERA. On the eve of the all-star break, Leicester dropped four straight at Hull, while Glasgow won four against Leeds and Lambeth, which allowed the Gaelics to leapfrog the Leopards into first place. Hull maintained a grip on third place behind rejuvenated veteran Malone Ardrossan, having his best season since 1904, and the pitching of rookie right hander Brian "Gravedigger" Lumsden and sophomore hurler Nathan MacClelland. Sheffield started by dropping thirteen of their first twenty-one games, but regrouped in May to post a 17-11 mark. Charlie Gare led the offense, which ranked third in the DA with a .263 team batting average, while John Findlay, coming off an injury-shortened 1912 season, helmed the Steelers' starting rotation. Reigning Cup champs Leeds went 9-15 in their first twenty-four games and hard a difficult time getting untracked after that. Veteran outfielder Jack Johnstone was lost for the season when he tore his shoulder muscle in spring training, and Ron "Snuffy" Gamble, with a mediocre 10-9 record in the first half, was unable to regain the form that won him last year's outstanding pitcher award. Kensington's Hartigan Fahey led the loop with a .333 batting mark, but the Knights' lacked the pitching to back up their formidable .276 team average.

Liverpool looked like they might topple Westminster from their first-place perch that they have occupied for the past five seasons. Kirby Edmands, with his .327 average, spearheaded an offense that paced the EL at a .273 tempo. On the hill, Declan "Poet" MacHutchin won his 300th career game while leading the team with a 15-4 record, and Wilford Johnstone topped the ERA category with a 1.53 mark. Staking out an early lead in April, the Argonauts exploded in May, going 23-5 and threatening to run away from the competition. But the Liverpool machine stalled in June after veteran infielder Maddox Minty fractured his ankle, which allowed Westminster an opening to retake the League lead. The Peers got off to a sluggish start, going 6-9 before reeling off a thirteen-game winning streak that put them back into the pennant hunt. They couldn't gain any ground on the red-hot Argos until June, when Westminster climbed into first by virtue of a 19-6 record in the month. The starting rotation was topped by Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly and "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth, who teamed up for thirty-two wins, and the team received a boost when lefty Ian Harker returned to the mound after spending eleven months on the DL with a shoulder injury. Camberwell's fearsome offense featured the League's co-leaders in RBI, Eric Gammon, and runs scored, Padraig Byette, while Albert Wrottesley put up an imposing 11-3 mark on the mound. The Whitecaps, however, had trouble gaining traction on the leaders, dropping six of eight against the Peers in the early going. Portsmouth made an early bid for the League leadership and maintained a solid pace throughout the first half behind the hitting of Leegan Baguley and the pitching of "Cheerful" Micah Greening, but an injury on the eve of the midsummer break to Justin Dowsett, acquired over the off-season from Nottingham to shore up the infield, threatened to derail the Neptunes in the second half. Nottingham, third-place finishers in1912, received stellar performances from right-handed starter Adam Perkins and outfielder Kevin Metcalfe, but nagging injuries to veteran slugger Roger Britten and a year-long slump to Freddie Beecroft hampered the Foresters in their attempts to climb back into contention. Third-year Newcastle outfielder Jordan Cattermole, a .290 hitter last year in his first full season in the majors, blossomed into the League's best hitter with a .343 average, which helped the Greys rise from an eleventh-place finish in 1912 to seventh at the 1913 all-star break.



Manchester played host to the All-Star Game for the second time in six years, and the 14,850 assembled saw an exciting back-and-forth contest. The home team Dominions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Empire starter Wilford Johnstone, but the visitors came back with three runs in the top of the fifth, keyed by Bradford outfielder George Wardle's two-run triple, to take the lead. The Dominions tied it up in the bottom of the seventh, but the Empires again took the lead with a tally in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the frame, Islington pitcher Naoise Ambross showed off his hitting skills by driving in the tying run from third with a two-out single, sending the game into extra innings. In the tenth, Westminster's Mike Tarrant put his team on top with a solo homer, but the Dominions again knotted the score in their half of the stanza, aided by two Empire errors. In the eleventh, the Empires fought back, taking the lead on an RBI-single by Portsmouth's Tom Pelton. The scrappy Dominions, however, would not be denied. A leadoff home run by Stoke third baseman Jack MacNab off Whitecap hurler Albert Wrottesley was followed later in the frame by Belfast rookie Mick Puddifoot, who stroked a two-out single that scored "Gaffer" Love from third with the winning run, capping a two-run rally to win the game 7-6. Wardle, who went two-for-three with two RBI and a stolen base, received the MVP trophy for his efforts.

[joefromchicago]

1913 FINAL

Both sides of the Alliance featured exciting pennant chases that came down to the final days. In the Dominion Association, Hull, Glasgow, and Leicester waged a trilateral contest within margins often no larger than a half game. Glasgow, in the lead at the all-star break, relied on the slugging of Andrew Revell (.326, 5 HR, 71 RBI) and Matthew Dover (.289, 7 HR, 65 RBI), who recovered from a first-half slump by batting .308 after the midsummer hiatus. On the mound, Ethan Broun (22-15, 2.82 ERA) and Ambrose Haworth (17-11, 3.24 ERA) anchored the rotation, while Kyle "Sunshine" Eden (4-4, 15 SV, 1.54 ERA) provided late-inning relief. Leicester took back the lead in August, going 18-8 behind Patrick Stay (.344, 1 HR, 70 RBI) and Stephen "Jerky" Benstead (.324, 3 HR, 91 RBI), who contributed to a DA-leading .275 team batting average. The pitching staff featured two twenty-game winners in Matthew Montgomerie (21-7, 2.53 ERA) and Michael Kennedy (22-15, 2.57 ERA), while Ivor "Cotton Top" Seales (7-15, 17 SV, 2.92 ERA) led the bullpen corps. The two-way fight between Glasgow and Leicester was joined by Hull, who were paced at the plate by thirty-eight-year old first baseman Malone Ardrossan (.300, 2 HR, 54 RBI) and outfielder Conor Crarer (.281, 2 HR, 70 RBI). The light-hitting lineup was offset by a strong rotation centered around George Wordsworth (22-15, 2.75 ERA), who went 11-6 in the second half, and Brian "Gravedigger" Lumsden (21-10, 3.00 ERA), with William Higson (4-3, 17 SV, 1.64 ERA) supplying the ninth-inning heroics. As the three teams battled for the Association flag, they all slumped in September. On 22 September, with two weeks remaining in the schedule, Glasgow held a half-game edge over Leicester and a one-game lead over Hull. Leicester was the first to fall out of contention, losing six straight to Leeds and Stoke. Glasgow and Hull faced each other in a three-game set at Hull, and the home team took two of three to go into first place. The rivals went into the final day of the season with Hull in the lead by a single game over Glasgow, and rookie Isaac "Cotton" Munn's (.259, 3 HR, 37 RBI) game-winning single in the bottom of the twelfth inning against Sheffield clinched Hull's third DA pennant. Leeds rose from eighth place at the break to finish in fourth behind the hitting of forty-year-old William "Gaffer" Love (.301, 10 HR, 71 RBI) and the pitching of Jake Bain (20-14, 2.97 ERA) and Ron "Snuffy" Gamble (19-15, 2.15 ERA). Stoke climbed to fifth by virtue of the best Association's post-break record and a pitching staff, helmed by Murray Abernethy (21-13, 1.98 ERA), that boasted a DA-best 2.78 team ERA.

It was a two-team duel in the Empire League, where Westminster and Liverpool contended for the crown. The Peers, who hit a League-leading .270 as a team, featured infielders Mike Tarrant (.302, 3 HR, 91 RBI), who stood atop the EL's RBI category, and Boland MacHutcheon (.273, 2 HR, 64 RBI), who led the team with fifty-five stolen bases. The pitching rotation contained three twenty-game winners -- "Gorgeous" Henry Pitchforth (24-10, 2.33 ERA), Andrew "Dummy" Kirbishly (21-17, 2.41 ERA), and Ewan Eaves (21-11, 2.45 ERA) -- while Ian Harker (17-6, 1.86 ERA) led the staff after his return from the DL in June. Liverpool's mound corps, however, bettered Westminster's by combining for a team ERA of 2.12. Declan "Poet" MacHutchin (20-11, 2.29 ERA) topped the rotation, while Paul "Nightwalker" Potticary (11-3, 2.10 ERA), who was shuttled between double-A, triple-A, and the majors, performed well in limited service. At the plate, cleanup hitter Kirby Edmands (.306, 1 HR, 66 RBI) and Jacob Smith (.288, 2 HR, 69 RBI) powered the offense, while outfielder Allen O'Sullivan (.266, 12 HR, 70 RBI) won the EL home run derby in his maiden season. An 18-10 record in August put the Argonauts in a tie for first-place, but the Peers battled back, and when the two teams faced each other in Liverpool for a crucial four-game set it was Westminster who held a one-game lead. Liverpool took the first game, but the visiting Westminsters swept the next three, holding the Argos to two runs, and left town with a three-game advantage. Eight days later the Peers wrapped up their sixth-straight pennant with a 14-3 victory over Camberwell. The Whitecaps acquitted themselves well, powered by a young lineup featuring Leo Vellenoweth (.325, 6 HR, 69 RBI), who won the EL batting title in only his second year, and Henry Stockill (.299, 6 HR, 66 RBI), in addition to a pitching staff headed by Albert Wrottesley (19-8, 2.85 ERA). Nottingham regrouped after the all-star break and marched into fourth place behind their two twenty-game winners, Adam "Twilight" Perkins (21-14, 1.97 ERA) and second-year right hander Billy Dutton (20-11, 2.96 ERA). Bradford climbed into a tie with Nottingham by virtue of the League's best post-break record. Infielders Michael Fowles (.316, 4 HR, 68 RBI) and Liam Craig (.313, 1 HR, 35 RBI) keyed an offense that ranked fourth in the EL with a .263 team batting average. Newcastle's Jordan Cattermole (.308, 7 HR, 79 RBI) fell off his League-leading batting pace in the second half, but he still topped the EL in slugging percentage with his fifty-one extra-base hits.



1913 CUP FINALS SERIES: WESTMINSTER v. HULL

The Cup Finals Series opened in Westminster for the fifth year in a row, and the home team started the scoring with a run in the third, followed by a four-run fourth that saw the first six batters hit safely against Hull starter George Wordsworth. The Kings made it close in the next inning when George Pimlott (.277, 3 HR, 32 RBI) hit a two-run triple and then scored on a Lou Dodd (.266, 2 HR, 57 RBI) sacrifice fly, but Peer right hander Henry Pitchforth shut down Hull the rest of the way and prevailed by a final score of 7-3. First baseman Brodie Tichborne (.302, 1 HR, 58 RBI) and catcher Fraser MacAra (.267, 4 HR, 33 RBI) had three hits apiece for the winners. Ian Harker pitched a masterpiece in the second contest, scattering four base hits in a complete-game 10-1 triumph. Hull starter Nathan MacLelland (19-16, 2.86 ERA) gave up eleven hits and seven runs before being lifted after five innings of work. Jack Hackforth (.301, 3 HR, 57 RBI) had three hits for the home squad, and rookie outfielder Greg Schmidt (.279, 8 HR, 28 RBI) contributed with a solo home run in the fifth. The Kings staked out a 1-0 lead in game three at Hull when Conor Crarer scored on a dropped pop-up by shortstop Boland MacHutcheon. The visitors bided their time until the seventh, when Tichborne pushed two runs across with a double. The Peers followed in the ninth with a two-run homer by Brogan Arkell (.334, 2 HR, 43 RBI), and starter Ewan Eaves limited the Kings to four hits in a complete-game 4-1 victory. Hull's woes were not confined to the final score, as star hurler Wordsworth left the game in the second with a sore elbow. Westminster looked like it was ready to sweep when they scored three runs in the first two frames of game four against "Gravedigger" Lumsden, with Schmidt hitting his second home run of the series in the first inning, but the Kings fought back, scoring aces in the third and fifth and then exploding for five runs in the sixth behind Pimlott's two-out grand slam off Pitchforth. That was enough for Lumsden, who blanked the Peers the rest of the way for a 7-3 win. Hull jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game five on Connor Duncan's (.240, 3 HR, 30 RBI) two-run double, and carried a 3-0 lead into the sixth. In the top of the frame, however, the Peers sent thirteen men to the plate and scored eight runs on eight hits, including a two-run single by starting pitcher Harker. That chased Hull starter MacLelland, but the damage had been done, and Westminster collected eighteen hits en route to a 9-4 triumph and their seventh BA Cup. Brodie Tichborne, with a .526 batting average, seven RBI, and an .895 slugging percentage for the Series, led a Peer offense that batted .339 against Hull pitching and was tabbed as the MVP.

THE MINORS

The Greenwich Admirals won the Southern Conference title for the fourth time in five years, and the Bradford farmhands went on to defeat Glasgow's triple-A club, the Dundee Claymores, in a four-game series to capture the Second Tier Championship.

The Third Tier title series saw the Albion Conference champion Ipswich Unicorns of the Sheffield minor-league system triumph over the Bournmouth Travelers, Edinburgh's youngsters, in a three-game sweep.

ALLIANCE LEADERS

Empire League
Hitting
BA: .325 Leo Vellenoweth, Camberwell
HR: 12 Allen O'Sullivan, Liverpool
RBI: 91 Mike Tarrant, Westminster
R: 91 Henry Stockill, Camberwell
SB: 77 Jacob Smith, Liverpool
Pitching
W: 26 Wilford Johnstone, Liverpool
L: 25 Clyde Dumbrell, Dublin
K: 170 Leo Hollingsworth, Dublin
ERA: 1.74 Wilford Johnstone, Liverpool
SV: 16 "Savage" Richard Foster, Camberwell

In a career stretching back to 1901, the thirty-four-year old Johnstone has never before led in either wins or ERA. Smith has stolen 213 bases over the last three seasons.

Dominion Association
Hitting
BA: .346 Mick Puddifoot, Belfast
HR: 10 William "Gaffer" Love, Leeds
RBI: 91 Stephen "Jerky" Benstead, Leicester
R: 100 William "Gaffer" Love, Leeds
SB: 57 Donagh Hankinson, Sheffield
Pitching
W: 23 Gerald "Monk" Longworth, Belfast
L: 22 Ronald Johnson, Bristol
K: 165 Jake Bain, Leeds
ERA: 1.91 Chris Thompson, Lambeth
SV: 17 William Higson, Hull; Ivor "Cotton Top" Seales, Leicester

Rookie Puddifoot supplanted Patrick Stay as the DA batting champ, ending the Leicester star's three-year run at the top. The thirty-four-year old Thompson went 24-12 with a 1.53 ERA for Dublin in 1906, but has been up and down between the big leagues and the minors ever since. He finished the 1913 campaign with Lambeth's triple-A affiliate, Sunderland, after going 10-10 for the Lambs.