Once Upon A Summer 7/27/1918: Brooklyn Royal Giants Defeat Camp Dix Soldiers

From the desk: DEM BARNSTORMERS & THE DONALDSON NETWORK

Dix Nine Gives 

Poor Exhibition

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Royal Giants Hand Soldiers

Drubbing - Losers Play 

With New Lineup

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"The Dix baseball team was handed a drubbing this afternoon on the local diamond by the Brooklyn Royal Giants.  The final score does not show how badly the soldiers were trimmed." - The Trenton Times Advisor (Trenton, N.J.), Sunday, July 28, 1918 / THE DONALDSON NETWORK

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"Camp Dix, N.J., Aug. 2 - The Brooklyn Royal Giants easily trimmed the Camp Dix team here last Saturday afternoon by a score of 8-2.  Transfers had weakened the soldier boys' nine and a makeshift team had to be put in the field.  The batting of Joe Hewitt, Johnny Pugh, and Thompson and fielding of Hewitt featured." - The Donaldson Network

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On Saturday, July 27, 1918, the Brooklyn Royal Giants returned to New Jersey where they defeated the Camp Dix Soldiers by the score, 8 to 2.  They open with a four-run first, featuring two triples, and essentially never look back.  Not until the fourth inning did Camp Dix hit safely against Irvin Brooks.  All told, Irving yields two runs on nine hits for the win.

This is one of the more obscure games on the Royal Giants' schedule which takes place where we today call Fort Dix, New Jersey.  Brooklyn is slated to play in Clifton, New Jersey, the next day. 

The Courier News (Bridgewater, New Jersey),

Tuesday, July 30, 1918

*discrepancies noted

BROOKLYN ROYAL GIANTS

ONCE UPON A SUMMER, 1918: JOHN DONALDSON'S LONE SEASON WITH THE BROOKLYN ROYAL GIANTS

• 6/28 - Brooklyn Royal Giants Acquire Midwest Pitching Great, John Donaldson
• 6/30 - John Donaldson Loses Brooklyn Royal Giants Debut To New York Lincoln Giants
• 7/3 - John Donaldson Poised To Make Brooklyn/Queens Debut At Dexter Park
• 7/4 - John Donaldson Twirls Shutout Over Cuban Stars In Dexter Park Debut
• 7/7 - Joe Williams Wins Second Straight Decision Over John Donaldson; Lincoln Giants and Royal Giants Split Twin Bill
• 7/13 - Brooklyn Royal Giants Defeat Glendale at Farmer's Oval, Queens
• 7/14 - John Donaldson Defeats Bushwick; Royal Giants Split Twin Bill At Dexter Park
• 7/15 - Brooklyn Royal Giants Take Series Opener From Atlantic City Bacharach Giants
• 7/16 - Brooklyn Royal Giants Take Game Two from Bacharach Giants; John Donaldson Earns The Victory
• 7/17 - Brooklyn Royal Giants Wrap Up Series With Bacharach Giants at Atlantic City
• 7/18 - N.Y. Ship League Team Defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants at Camden, New Jersey
• 7/21 - Cuban Stars Double-Up Brooklyn Royal Giants; John Donaldson Takes Loss at Dexter Park
• 7/24 - Brooklyn Royal Giants Bow To Stan Baumgartner and Bethlehem Steel at Allentown, PA

LHP - JOHN DONALDSON'S STARTS w/ BROOKLYN:

1. 6/30/1918 - (L) 9 innings, 2 runs, 7 hits, 2 W, 2K (Lincoln Giants; Olympic Field)
2. 7/4/1918 - (W) 9 innings, 0 RUNS, 5 hits, 1 W, 6K (Cuban Stars; Dexter Park)
3. 7/7/1918 - (L) 9 innings, 3 runs, 9 hits, 2 W, 2K (Lincoln Giants; Olympic Field)
4. 7/14/1918 - (W) 9 innings, 1 run, 7 hits, 1 W, 5K (Bushwick; Dexter Park)
5. 7/16/1918 - (W) 9 innings, 4 runs, 14 hits, (?)W, 6K* (Atlantic City; Bacharach Park)
6. 7/21/1918 - (L) 9 innings, 6 runs, 10 hits, 4 W, 1 K (Cuban Stars; Dexter Park)

• LINE: 54 innings, 16 runs, 52 hits, 10 walks, 22 strikeouts, 2.66 ERA

BEDFORD & SULLIVAN PODCAST:

Restoring Baseball Great John Donaldson's Lost Legacy With Negro Leagues Historian and Founder of The Donaldson Network, Peter Gorton.

Minnesota native Peter Gorton leads a group of historians dedicated to discovering the lost legacy of John Wesley Donaldson.  In this episode, we discuss the man, baseball career, and life of one of the more incredible and inspiring athletes to ever play the game, and how his amazing legacy became lost to a nation, most particularly Baseball's Hall of Fame.  

Original airdate: March 13, 2021