The Brooklyn Trolley Blogger: Vintage Shades of Sprague: Eckford Base Ball Club Ride Express to Independence Day Victory Over Atlantics

From the desk of: THE NEW YORK GAME

********* INDEPENDENCE DAY *********

VINTAGE BASE BALL MATCH

Eckford of Brooklyn BBC

vs.

Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn

FROM

Old Bethpage Village Restoration

LONG ISLAND

BACKGROUND HISTORY: Founding and Evolution of a Rivalry

The Eckford of Brooklyn Base Ball Club was organized on June 27, 1855, and shortly thereafter on Aug. 14, follows the establishment of the Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn.

Two summers later on Sept. 15, 1857, they play their first head-to-head match very likely at the Manor House grounds in Greenpoint. A more polished Atlantic club emerges victoriously by a compelling 26-17 margin. The clubs meet again on Oct. 22 at the Bedford, Long Island grounds (vicinity of Bedford Avenue at Lenox Road, Brooklyn), with the Atlantic authoring a more convincing 29-11 outcome.

They meet just once during the 1858 season with the Atlantic achieving yet another 30-21 victory, and their third straight decision over gamely Eckford.

The 1859 season starts no less differently. On July 8, Eckford are again outdone on their home grounds by the Atlantic. But on Sept. 8, the Eckford Base Ball Club finally enjoy their day under the Brooklyn sun. In their fifth ever match, Eckford wins 22-16 at Bedford grounds, thus marking their first ever victory over Atlantic. But the celebration is short lived as their rival issues a season ending correction on Oct. 12, defeating Eckford in a 22-12 claw back.

They next meet in the final days of the 1860 season, staging three straight head-to-head matches in mid October. Game One is a tightly contested albeit modest 17-15 affair won by the Atlantic on Eckford grounds. A week later, Eckford seize Game Two at Bedford. Game Three is played at Putnam Grounds (vicinity of Broadway, Greene, Lafayette), where the Atlantic clinch the series with a decisive 22-11 effort.

The Atlantic/Eckford rivalry is somewhat one-sided, to date, with the former posting seven victories against just two losses through their first four years of interplay. Since their founding, the Atlantic Base Ball Club is known for consistently featuring adroit skill on the field of play. By 1858 and 1859, along with a hotly disputed title run in 1860, the Atlantic are popularly considered champions of the New York City area, and thus in the midst of becoming base ball's first dynasty.

With the onset of Civil War in 1861, several base ball clubs are rendered inactive due to respective members serving in the Union Army. The Atlantic/Eckford rivalry is likewise put on hold, however, both clubs press on with dissimilar success. Eckford posts a club record seven losses in sixteen scheduled matches. Atlantic, meanwhile, play just nine scheduled matches. As summer transitions to autumn the Atlantic and Mutual Base Ball Club of New York play a two game set. The underdog Atlantic are defeated 23-18 in Game One played at Manhattan. Back at friendly Bedford grounds for Game Two, a resounding 52-27 triumph over favored New York arguably justifies Brooklyn's claim to yet another championship.

Back in April, the Continental Club (Brooklyn) had proposed an alternative method for determining a champion. In lieu of the older and increasingly flawed Knickerbocker challenge system, it calls for teams to be paired by lot in a series of games leading to a home-and-home, best-of-three final, according to Craig Waff of SABR. As part of the Continental effort towards promoting a change in format they also offer to reward the winning club and resultant champion with a Silver Ball trophy.

THE SILVER BALL GAME

The Continental suggestion finally grabs hold in 1862 when the Atlantic and Eckford agree to play a best-of-three championship series. Game One takes place on July 11, at Williamsburg's new Union Grounds where Eckford gains an improbable 20-14 victory over the defending champions. One week later on Friday, July 18, the Atlantic counter with their own conquest of sorts, expertly routing Eckford to an unapologetic 39-5 conclusion.

In facing Eckford pitcher Andy Mills through the first two games, the Atlantic more than double their opponent's tally by a 53-25 spread. With the need for a third and decisive match, Eckford insist the series finale be delayed until September so as to coincide with the return of their usual starting pitcher and key player, Joseph Sprague, whom was serving a three month obligation in the Union Army. The Atlantic apparently acquiesce, as the teams seem to play a non-binding match on Aug. 14 - listed on Protoball - which not coincidentally the Atlantic win 29-25 at Westchester County.

As such, the clubs finally convene again on Sept. 18, for the decisive third match. Atlantic jump out to an early lead, scoring an ace in each of the first and second innings. But an undeterred Eckford club strikes back with fury, plating five aces in the bottom half of the second, one in the third, and two more in the fourth. As anticipated, their expert pitcher takes care of the rest. The Atlantic are clearly stymied by the return of Joe Sprague, who limits the now former champions to just three aces all game. With an astonishing 8-3 victory, Eckford becomes the first ever change-over champion, and the Continental club present them with a well earned Silver Ball as promised. Despite repeating as champions in 1863, this little known victory with major historical impact stands all-time as the Eckford Base Ball Club's finest day.

VINTAGE BASE BALL: Eckfords vs. Atlantics, The Rivalry Take Two

As it were 156 years ago, the modern day Atlantic and Eckford are urgently skilled, and easily the finest Vintage Base Ball clubs toiling Long Island's fields of green - if not the entire Mid-Atlantic Vintage Base Ball footprint. Through their respective efforts, spirit, and gamesmanship, the aforementioned pioneer-era rivalry remains very much alive and well.

It was my great fortune one decade ago to witness the vintage Atlantic Base Ball Club play at Brooklyn's present day Washington Park. I've been an ardent ABBC bug ever since. While many vintage clubs adeptly reveal the old pastoral and more kindly recreational aspects of this game, the intensely competitive nature of the urban game of base ball becomes most real to me when witnessing the Atlantic and Eckford clubs compete.

October 2016 - the vintage Gentlemen of Summer convene at Old Bethpage Village Restoration, Long Island, to decide its champion at the Mid-Atlantic Vintage Base Ball Festival. As regular season top seeds Eckford and Elkton Eclipse earn spectator rights during the first round which features matches between the ABBC versus the New York Mutuals, and Diamond State versus the Providence Grays. An Atlantic victory earns them a second round match against Elkton, while Diamond State moves on to challenge top seeded Eckford. But the Atlantic would advance no further. Holding true to their respective standings both Elkton and Eckford advance, thus creating an ideal match between the circuit's top clubs. Eckford in turn defeat the Eclipse by a 13-3 final tally.

2016

ECKFORD BASE BALL CLUB of BROOKLYN

VINTAGE CHAMPIONS

On the Vintage ECKFORD

Eckford catcher, Sammy, is a game changer, a veritable weapon behind the plate. His proficiency as a receiver frees Express from fear of passed balls. Together, they personify the circuit's top battery, imposing a faster, harder, more varied pitching repertoire upon opposing strikers. I spoke with both gentlemen during the 2016 MAVBBL Festival. They strive to create anywhere from 12 to 15 outs per game on foul tips alone. Per 1864 rules, a pitched ball struck or tipped, if secured within one bound by an opposing fielder, the striker is ruled out. I watched them employ this strategy with great success. But in speaking with a few of their MAVBBL competitors I became aware of an underlying dissatisfaction with Express' delivery. In question, an illegal pitch. If Express indeed snaps his wrist, he disguises it well for it remains imperceptible to me.

On The Vintage ATLANTIC

I broach this very matter in 2017 with ABBC captain, Shakespeare, who also prefers pitching with speed when his turn comes around. He and I almost did not speak at all, as the season nearly passes me by. But I was finally able to catch up with the ABBC during their penultimate match against the Elizabeth Resolutes at Rahway River Park, New Jersey. The topic draws a smile, and he admits to being aware of the rumors, but otherwise laughs the whole thing off.

I waste no time asking the Atlantic club captain, "Who is this year's champion of base ball?"

With obvious delight Shakespeare instantly replies, "We are!"

But he also laments the Maryland circuit's unwillingness to travel north for the sake of determining a unified vintage base ball champion. I followed up asking who, then, wound up being their toughest competition?

Wide-eyed, the Atlantic third baseman declares with haste, "Eckford!"

For various reasons, the 2016 season proves problematic for the Atlantic who go on to post a 26-16 (.619) record. Other clubs wish of struggling so well. That's because for seven straight seasons spanning 2009 through 2015, the Atlantic club averaged a 46-9 (.839) record. When I reminded
Shakespeare prior to the start of play how 2016 marked the first time in the previous eight years the Atlantic failed to win 40 games in a season, he gleams back, "We'll have 40 victories by the time this day is through!" Needing two victories, the Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn achieve just that, taking both games against the Elizabeth Resolutes and improving their 2017 record to a more familiar 40-8 (.833) mark.

Back in 2016, the Atlantic lose three games against Eckford by a 37-7 aggregate tally. It is no wonder, then, why Shakespeare so relished their 2017 series against Eckford in which he recalls playing six very spirited games, with each club claiming three victories apiece.

The Atlantic's last stop of the 2017 season was Salem, Massachusetts - a mere formality I wrote back then, as the Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn had already regained the vintage base ball high ground.

SHADES of JOE SPRAGUE: Eckford vs. Atlantic, July 4, 2018

This past Wednesday, Independence Day, the Atlantic and Eckford played their lone scheduled head-to-head match of the regular season. A mid-morning affair eerily reminiscent of the famous Silver Ball match of a century and a half ago. The clubs trade aces in the first inning. But with an ace in the second, another in the fourth, and yet two more in the top half of the fifth, Eckford builds a 5-1 lead. Atlantic answers with a lone ace in the bottom of the first, and another in the fifth, but would plate no more. Eckford, though, is not yet done. They add single aces in the seventh and eighth innings en route to a 7-2 victory.

Eckford pitcher Express faces just 35 batsmen while limiting the mighty Atlantic to a pair of aces on nine scattered hits. He retires the Atlantic in order three times, surrenders just two fair strikes for extra bases, and only twice does the Atlantic club position two men on base.

Eckford fielders commit nary a miss, muff, or mishandle. Express lauds his club for fielding all their chances surely and cleanly. With Sammy behind the plate, Express is charged with just one wild pitch. Express even snatches a hot corker out of the thick humid air in the eighth, then initiates a match ending 1-4-3 double-play in the ninth.

After the Eckford Base Ball Club's Silver Ball series opening victory on July 11, 1862, a Brooklyn Eagle reporter characterizes the Atlantic manner of play as, "only tolerable and hardly excusable from such players."

This past Independence Day, the defending vintage champions fared no better.

Oh, how Eckford revels in defeating the Atlantic.