July Pickups

[Joe_G.]

I’ve accumulated a number of 19th century Detroit scorecards and enjoy studying the game write-ups and boxscores. They are usually uneventful but occasionally you find something of interest. My most recent scorecard, from Detroit’s 1887 Championship season, is one such example but this time of more significance to the opposing Pittsburgh Pirates (Alleghenys). The program dates to May, 2nd, 1887 which would be the second game in the history of the NL Pittsburgh franchise, perhaps the earliest known NL program. Pud Galvin would beat Lady Baldwin 8-3 but the interesting feat that day came from Pittsburgh’s catcher Fred Carroll who would collect a single, double, triple, and homerun in his first four at bats. Another Pittsburgh cycle wouldn’t be recorded until 1901 (Fred Clarke). Rather primitive scoring, but you can see 1, 2, 3 and a blank entry for the 4th at bat (but the word “home” near the runs column).

A neat piece that I've already shared with John Drecker

(Carroll - Burdick Collection)