OTD 9/30/1915: Federal League Brooklyn Tip Tops Play Last Ever Game at Washington Park

From the desk: THE BROOKLYN BAKER'S NINE

FEDERAL LEAGUE

BUFFALO BLUES vs. BROOKLYN TIP TOPS

On Thursday, September 30, 1915, the Brooklyn Tip Tops play their last ever game and the last "major league" baseball game at Washington Park. 

  

Chicago Tribune, Friday, October 1, 1915

Brooklyn Tip Tops Sing The Blues

Right-hander Gene Krapp starts for the visiting Buffalo Blues and is opposed by Dan Marion for Brooklyn.  The Tip Tops open the scoring in the second.  With the bases loaded, Marion helps his cause with a single to center field scoring Benny Kauff, but Brooklyn leaves all other base runners stranded.  

Afterwhich, Gene Krapp and Dan Marion engage in a scoreless duel through the sixth.

Buffalo ties the score in the seventh on second baseman Baldy Louden's base hit.

Brooklyn retakes the lead in the eighth on second baseman Lee Magee's run-scoring triple, but they cannot hold.  The Blues scored two runs in the top of the ninth.  First baseman Hal Chase singles and scores, and catcher Nick Allen drives in the go-ahead run.

Gene Krapp retires the Tip Tops in the home ninth to close out Buffalo's 3-2 victory.  He allows two runs on six hits and four walks with eight strikeouts for the win.

Hard-luck loser Dan Marion yielded just four hits through the first eight innings.  All told, Marion allows three runs on seven total hits and three walks with one strikeout.  Marion finishes the season with an 11-9 record and 3.20 ERA.

The Brooklyn Tip Tops end the 1915 season with a 70-82-1 record, seventh in the Federal League.  They remained in the circuit's top three through June 12 but then lost eight in a row.  Despite a ten-game consecutive win streak earlier in September, the Tip Tops could not climb the standings.  Their two-year existence culminates with a 147-159-4 overall record.

BOXSCORE

WASHINGTON PARK IV

1st Street at 3rd Avenue

OTD Federal League 9/23/1915: Brooklyn Tip Tops Earn Last Ever Victory With Win Over Kansas City Packers

From the desk: THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

Thursday, September 23, 1915

BROOKLYN TIP-TOPS     3

KANSAS CITY PACKERS  0

Gordon & Koppel Field

Dan Marion Hurls Seven-Hit Shutout; Brooklyn Salvages Series Finale

With a 3-0 blanking of the Kansas City Packers, the Brooklyn Tip Tops gain their last ever victory during their two-year membership in the rival Federal League.

Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY), 

Friday, September 24, 1915

Brooklyn opens the scoring against Kansas City starter Dan Adams with a run in the second and two more in the third for a 3-0 lead.  

Making his 24th start, Tip Top right-hander Dan Marion makes it stand, holding the Packers to seven hits (one for extra bases) and one walk over nine scoreless innings for the complete-game shutout victory.  Only two Packer's baserunners reached third and were left stranded.  The Tip Tops turn three double plays supporting Marion, who improved to 11-8 with a 3.21 ERA.

Shortstop Fred Smith connected on a two-run home run for Brooklyn.  Leadoff batter and right fielder George Anderson goes 2 for 4 with a double and scored on Smith's circuit.  Dan Marion helps himself with a single, a run batted in, and a run scored.

Leadoff batter and right fielder George Anderson goes 2 for 4 with a double and scored on Smith's circuit.  Dan Marion helps himself with a single, a run batted in, and a run scored.

Lee Magee, relieved as manager after posting a 53-64-1 record through 118 games, was ejected in the sixth after persistently arguing over a foul ball.

Brooklyn salvages the finale at Kansas City but loses the series three games against two.

New-York Tribune, 

Friday, September 24, 1915

OTD 9/15/1914: Indianapolis Hoosiers Again Turn Back Brooklyn Tip Tops

From the desk of: THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

Hoosiers lead Tip Tops; 2-0

I - IND 10; BTT 0

II - IND 9; BTT 2

Indianapolis Hoosiers

vs.

Brooklyn Tip Tops

FROM 

WASHINGTON PARK

To the great dismay of manager Bradley, and fans, Brooklyn loses their second straight to the Hoosiers causing them to fall five games out of first place.

Cycle back to late August: the Hoosiers complete a six game sweep of the Tip Tops at Indianapolis from which many here back home believe there is no recovery.  Brooklyn leaves town tattered and torn upon conclusion of a ruinous 19-game road trip that sees them fall under .500 and 8.5 games out of first place.  But once home they appear reinvigorated and with great resilience post a 13-5 record since the last Indianapolis series to close within three games of first entering this week's rematch against the Hoosiers at Washington Park.  But it turns out yesterday's series opening loss is indeed the omen they initially feared it to be.  If nothing else Tuesday serves as confirmation.  Despite a commendable climb back into legitimate contention for the Federal League pennant, the underlying reality of the situation is that Brooklyn has now lost 16 of their last 19 meetings against Indianapolis.  And no one recognizes this better than manager Bradley.

• BOXSCORE: Tuesday, September 15, 1914 - BR

The Hoosiers score early and often en route to a second straight commanding victory at Washington Park.  They jump out to a 3-0 lead in the first, and go ahead 7-1 by the fifth.  Brooklyn scrapes together a second run in the sixth, which the Hoosiers negate with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings.  Four Tip Tops batters register multiple hits including a double by Charlie Cooper and Steve Evans' 12th home run of the season.  Brooklyn totals eleven hits in all but leave ten runners on base.  Hoosiers starter George Kaiserling limits Brooklyn to two earned runs and three walks with three strikeouts in a complete game performance for his 15th victory of the season.  Happy Finneran takes the loss after yielding six earned runs on seven hits in only 3.1 innings pitched.  Dan Marion and Rudy Sommers allow three unearned runs on four hits in 5.2 innings in relief of Finneran.

OTD 8/24/1914: Brooklyn Tip Tops Head Home After Ruinous Road Trip

From the desk of:  THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

THE ROAD TO RUIN

Midwest Trip: 4-14-1

Losing Streak Hits Nine

The Dog Days of Summer Continue Chewing Away Hungrily at the Brooklyn Tip Tops Season.

Back on Thursday, Aug. 6, manager Bill Bradley is feeling mighty fine.  The Tip Tops close out a 9-6 home stand with a sweep of the Packers.  They rise a season high nine games above .500 and a mere 1.5 games out of first place.

Then it's time to hit the road.  On Saturday, Aug. 8, the confident Tip Tops open a four city swing with a closely contested 2-1 loss against the first place Chi-Feds at Chicago.  In this greatly anticipated showdown Brooklyn loses four of five and leave town 3.5 games out of first.  Then it's off to St. Louis where they split four games with the Terriers.  After which the Tip Tops drop three of four (one tie) to the Packers at Kansas City.  Manager Bradley's road to ruin ends mercilessly at Indianapolis where the Hoosiers win both games of Monday's twin bill, thus completing a five game sweep of the Tip Tops.  Brooklyn conjures just four wins the entire trip.  Their season altering losing streak now stands at nine.  Worse, the Tip Tops fall a game below .500, and 8.5 games out of first.

Sitting beside himself left to ponder a potential pennant now seemingly out of reach, manager Bradley and his beaten and battered Tip Tops embark on the long quiet ride home.  Through the remaining weeks of the season, Sunday's (game one) loss is perhaps the one Brooklyn players and fans alike will most dwell over.  It's the game that drops the Tip Tops to .500 for the first time since establishing themselves as legitimate contenders with a July 11 double-header victory over the Pittsburgh Rebels.

• BOXSCORE: Monday, August 24, 1914 - BR

The Hoosiers open the scoring with a run in the first and a pair in the second.  Brooklyn rallies back with three runs in the fourth.  After trading runs in the sixth, the teams remain deadlocked through the ninth and into extra innings they go.  The Tip Tops finally breakthrough with two runs in the top of the 13th inning.  However Indianapolis answers right back in the bottom half of the frame with three runs for the victory.  Brooklyn starter Dan Marion yields seven runs on eleven hits through twelve innings, but only three Indianapolis runs are earned as the Tip Tops commit five errors.  Hoosiers starter George Kaiserling goes the distance, allowing six runs, four earned, on 13 hits and three walks with four strikeouts.  He improves to 13-4 with a  3.26 ERA.  Brooklyn third baseman Tex Wisterzil is 2 for 6 with three runs batted in.  Right fielder Claude Cooper is 2 for 6 with a triple and run scored.  Second baseman Solly Hofman goes 2 for 6 with a double and two runs scored.

Brooklyn's game two loss is the game that actually sinks the Tip Tops below .500, but unofficially goes down as a mere afterthought.

OTD 8/20/1914: Brooklyn Tip Tops Tripped Up at Kansas City

From the desk of:  THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

Packed Up And Shipped Out of Kansas City

Packers defeat Tip Tops 3-1-1

I - BTT 4; KCP 1

II - KCP 4; BTT 1

III - KCP 5; BTT 0

IV - KCP 8; BTT 4

V - KCP 1; BTT 1

The Tip Tops and Packers were forced into playing their second double-header in three days at Kansas City's Koppel Field due to Wednesday's postponement.

• GAME ONE; Thursday, August 20, 1914 - BR

Following Monday's series opening victory the Tip Tops lose their third straight to the Packers.  Brooklyn takes an early 2-0 lead in the first but gives it right back in the bottom of the frame, then fall behind 5-2 after two.  Kansas City adds a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth for an 8-4 final margin of victory.  Brooklyn center fielder Al Shaw is 2 for 5 with a double, triple, and two RBI.  Left fielder George Anderson and replacement shortstop Al Halt each drive in a run.  Starter Jim Bluejacket does not make it out of the second.  He yields four earned runs on five hits in just 1.1 innings for his second loss of the season.  Byron Houck in relief of Bluejacket allows another four runs, two earned, on nine hits and one walk through 6.2 innings pitched.  Kansas City's Chief Johnson goes the distance yielding four runs, three earned, on twelve hits, with three strikeouts en route to his third victory.  Packers third baseman George Perring goes 3 for 4 with three runs batted in.

• GAME TWO; Thursday, August 20, 1914 - BR

Brooklyn and Kansas City duel to a one all tie through eight innings when the game is called on account of darkness.  The Packers open the scoring on second baseman Duke Kenworthy's RBI in the third.  Brooklyn ties in the sixth when George Anderson triples then scores (unearned) in the sixth.  Tip Top starter Dan Marion allows the one run on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts.  Kansas City's Dwight Stone surrenders one run on four hits and no walks with five strikeouts.  The game officially goes down as a tie.  But the damage is done.  Brooklyn falls to 4-8-1 on this trip, and slips another 1.5 games in the standings.  They were within two games of first as recently as Monday but have since fallen four full games back of circuit leading Chicago.  The final leg of their odyssey next takes them through Indianapolis where they take on the second place Hoosiers in a crucial five game set.

Commemorative Plaque Now!