Before the Bums 4/21/1890: Uproarious Brooklyn Bridegrooms Win First-Ever National League Contest

From the desk: FINGERPRINTS OF DEM BUMS

In baseball's sixth ever World Series clash of 1889, the National League New York Giants defeated the American Association champion Brooklyn Bridegrooms six games to three, and an intra-city rivalry was born.  While this marked New York's second straight championship victory over the Association, it would be Brooklyn's last as an AA member club.  The following season, the Bridegrooms would make their National League debut.  Welcome to "BEFORE the BUMS" my game-by-game rewind of (the city) Brooklyn's historic 1890 season.

The Boston Globe, Tuesday, April 22, 1890

GAME #2

Monday, April 21, 1890

Brooklyn Bridegrooms vs. BOSTON BEANEATERS

South End Grounds

Unruly Bridegrooms Win First-Ever National League Contest; Four Brooklyn Players Fined

Perhaps still seething over their season-opening loss, an ill-tempered Bridegrooms team took exception to Umpire Weeden's strike zone in a rather vulgar and aggressive manner.  With team president Charles Byrne in attendance, an array of insults commenced shortly after the call to play ball, and by the third inning, it appeared as if half the Bridegroom team had Weeden surrounded in protest.

Go back to the American Association screamed the local crowd.

Brooklyn staked starter Mickey Hughes to a 6-1 lead through the fourth.  Hughes remained pinpoint through the seventh, walking just one batter.  However, he too grew incensed with Umpire Weeden's calls by the eighth and ninth innings and launched his own verbal assault.  In the ninth inning, left fielder and team captain Darby O'Brien elevated matters to another level by physically grabbing Umpire Weeden by the arm.  All of which would prove very costly to several Bridegrooms.  O'Brien would later be fined $25, Hughs and second baseman Hub Collins $10, and catcher Bob Clark $5 for his unyielding antagonism from behind the plate.

Although nursing a five-run lead, the Bridegrooms pushed across the game's decisive run in the visitor's ninth.  Darby O'Brien drew a base on balls and scored on right fielder Oyster Burns' double.  In the home ninth, the Beaneaters rallied for five runs against a frustrated Mickey Hughes but would score no more.  Thus the Brooklyn Bridegrooms win their first-ever National League contest in front of 1,442 disgruntled fans at South End Grounds.

• FINAL: BKN 7; BOS 6
• RECORD: 1-1 (.500); 1 GB of Pittsburgh