OTD 9/12/1914: Tip Tops Set Stage For First Place Rematch Versus Indianapolis

From the desk of: THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

Tip Tops tie Terriers; 2-2

I - BTT 2; STL 1

II - STL 1; BTT 0

III - STL 6; BTT 5

IV - BTT 5; STL 3

FEDERAL LEAGUE 

SHOWDOWN

Indianapolis Hoosiers

vs.

Brooklyn Tip Tops

FROM

WASHINGTON PARK

Brooklyn's come from behind victory on Saturday salvages series split with St. Louis Terriers at Washington Park.

• BOXSCORE: Saturday, September 12, 1914 - BR

Making only his fourth start in 14 appearances for the Tip Tops, Bill Chappelle comes through with a needed clutch performance, allowing St. Louis just two earned runs on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts through nine innings complete.

However Chappelle's day starts ominously upon surrendering two runs in the first inning.  St. Louis then takes a 3-0 lead in the sixth.  Light hitting shortstop Al Bridwell is 1 for 2 against Cheppelle, connecting for his first home run of the season.  An error by Tip Tops left fielder George Anderson accounts for another St. Louis run.  Otherwise the Terriers muster little else.  Brooklyn bunches together four runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth en route to a 5-3 final score.  Catcher Grover Land is big man on campus going 3 for 3 with two runs batted in.  Steve Evans is 3 for 4 with a run batted in.  Getting the start at third base, Ed Gragnier, and shortstop Al Halt each drive in one run apiece.

Manager Bradley could not have asked for a better scenario considering a mere eight days ago his Tip Tops lay eight games out of first place.  They're now winners of eight of their last ten games, while improving to 9-4 in the month of September and 67-60 overall.  Brooklyn thus opens their upcoming five game series versus Indianapolis just three games out of first place.  The Hoosiers are 6-7 over the same 13 game stretch.  They're coming off a six game series loss against Baltimore and in the midst of a three game skid.  These teams last met during Brooklyn's final leg of a four city 19-game road trip.  Brooklyn similarly entered that series 4.5 games out of first place but proceed to lose six straight at Indianapolis.  They leave town 8.5 games back, but have since posted a 13-5 record in the games leading up to this week's rematch against the Hoosiers at Washington Park.

With just 27 games left in the regular season, perhaps the inaugural Federal League pennant lay in the balance.  Lest we forget that with Chicago's victory against the BufFeds, Joe Tinker's ChiFeds are now tied for first place with Indianapolis.

OTD 9/7/1914: Brooklyn Tip Tops Climb Back Into Federal League Pennant Race

From the desk of: THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

Brooklyn leads series 5-0

I - BTT 7; PIT 6

II - BTT 7; PIT 1

III - BTT 3; PIT 2*

IV - BTT 4; PIT 3

V - BTT 12; PIT 11

* 10 innings

GAME SIX

Pittsburgh Rebels

vs.

Brooklyn Tip Tips

FROM

WASHINGTON PARK

Don't look now but with 32 games left in the season the Brooklyn Tip Tops are right back in the Federal League pennant race and gaining steam.  Monday's double-header sweep of the Pittsburgh Rebels results in Brooklyn's fourth and fifth straight win.  Since slamming the breaks on their nine game losing streak they've gone 10-3 to bypass both Buffalo and Baltimore in the standings.  The Tip Tops close Monday's action 3.5 games back of Joe Tinker's ChiFeds, and 4.5 back of the first place Indianapolis Hoosiers.

• GAME ONE BOXSCORE: Monday, September 7, 1914 - BR

Pittsburgh opens the scoring in the first, but the Tip Tops promptly tie in the second and take a 2-1 lead in the fourth.  However the Rebels answer with a run in the sixth, then pull ahead 3-2 in the top of the seventh.  The Washington Park crowd is delighted when their Tip Tops score twice in the bottom half of the frame for a 4-3 lead and game one victory.  Steve Evans is 2 for 4 with a double and connects off Rebels starter Cy Barger on his 11th home run of the season.  Solly Hofman is 2 for 2 and connects on his fourth home run of the season.  Al Shaw and Grover Land each drive in a run apiece.  Making his 13th appearance but only his third start, Bill Chappelle limits the Rebels to three runs on seven hits and four walks with two strikeouts through nine innings pitched for first victory of the season.

• GAME TWO BOXSCORE: Monday, September 7, 1914 - BR

Mordecai Brown's first start as a member of the Tip Tips goes terribly.  He allows five runs, four earned, on five hits and a walk in just 1.1 innings pitched.  Rudy Sommers goes on to yield another six runs, four earned, on nine hits and three walks with three strikeouts over the next six-plus innings in relief of Brown.  Brooklyn treats Pittsburgh starter Mysterious Walker no differently, roughing him up for seven runs, six earned, on 13 hits and one walk through 6.2 innings pitched.  Pittsburgh knocks Sommers out of the box and takes an 11-7 lead with two more runs in the top of the eighth; Jim Bluejacket closes out the frame in relief of Sommers.  Brooklyn then mounts a five run assault against relievers George LeClair and Howie Camnitz, however, only two runs are earned.  Manager Bradley hands off to Happy Finneran who throws a scoreless ninth for the Tip Tops, as Brooklyn walks off with a 12-11 comeback victory and a sweep of Monday's double-header at Washington Park.  Bluejacket is credited with the win.  Tex Wisterzil leads the charge going 3 for 5 with a triple and four runs batted in.  Steve Evans lifts his season average to .361 after going 3 for 5 with a triple, three runs scored, and three runs batted in.  Solly Hofman is 3 for 5 with a double, three runs scored, and three runs batted in.  Claude Cooper is 2 for 4 with a triple and a run batted in.

Brooklyn improves to 64-58 for the season.  They'll attempt the series sweep Tuesday afternoon.

OTD 8/31/194: Brooklyn Tip Tops Open Road Series With Victory at Buffalo

From the desk of:  THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

Tip Tops lead Buf-Feds 1-0

I - BTT 4; BUF 1

II - TUESDAY

HOME/HOME SERIES

Brooklyn Tip Tops

vs.

Brooklyn Buf-Feds

FROM

International Fair Grounds

Brooklyn wins Monday's series opener in 4-1 final at Buffalo

After trading runs in the fourth, Brooklyn pulls away with three late inning runs to win their fourth game in their last five.  Lead-off batter and left fielder George Anderson goes 3 for 5 with a run scored.  Center fielder Al Shaw is 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored.  Second baseman Solly Hofman is 2 for 4 with a double and two runs batted in.  And Steve Evans and Grover Land also drive in a run each.  Buffalo second baseman Tex McDonald is 2 for 4 and drives in the Buf-Feds lone run of the day.  Tip Tops starter Happy Finneran yields the lone unearned run on seven hits and four walks with two strikeouts for his 11th win of the season against seven losses and a representative 2.23 ERA.  Buffalo's Fred Anderson earns his 13th loss upon yielding four runs on nine hits through nine full innings.

• BOXSCORE: Monday, August 31, 194 - BR

The Tip Tops were off on Sunday.  But when factored in with Indianapolis' three straight losses including Monday's double-header sweep by Kansas City, Brooklyn creeps back to within six games of first place with 41 regular season games left to play.  Meanwhile Buffalo's latest loss levels them at par with a 57-57 record.

After posting a stellar 21-8 record in July, the Top Tops close out the month of August with a 12-16 record which includes a debilitating nine game losing streak.  Playing just nine home games and 18 on the road could have partly been to blame .  The good news is all but four of their upcoming 27 September games are scheduled to be played at Brooklyn's Washington Park; advantage Tip Tops.

• Tip Tops Record: 58-56 (.509)
• Federal League: 4th; 6 GB

OTD 8/29/1914: Brooklyn Tip Tops Clinch Series Victory Over Buffalo

From the desk of: THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

Tip Tops defeat Buffalo 3-1

I - BTT 6; BUF 2

II - BTT; 7; BUF 5

III - BUF 3; BTT 2

IV - BTT 4; BUF 1

Home/Home Series

Brooklyn Tip Tops

vs.

Buffalo Buf-Feds

FROM

INTERNATIONAL FAIR GROUNDS

Buffalo, New York

Brooklyn clinches a much needed series victory versus Buffalo by a score of 4-1 in Saturday's finale at Washington Park.

• BOXSCORE: Saturday, August 29, 1914 - BR

Buffalo third baseman Fred Smith opens the scoring with an RBI double in the third.  But Tip Tops starter Ed Lafitte would allow no more.  Brooklyn ties the game in the sixth, then pulls away with three more runs in the seventh.  Catcher Grover Land is 2 for 2 with a double and a run scored.  Shortstop Al Halt goes 1 for 3 with a double and a run batted in.  Meanwhile Ed Lafitte helps his own cause with a 2 for 3 day at the plate and two runs batted in.  On the mound he allows just one unearned run on eight hits and three walks with two strikeouts through nine innings full.  Lafitte evens his season record at 12-12 with a representative 2.87 ERA.

The home and home series now shifts to Buffalo where Brooklyn and the Buf-Feds will play five.  Since their destabilizing nine game losing streak the Top Tops are now winners of three of their last four.  They're once again a game above .500, and with Indianapolis' loss against Kansas City the Tip Tops gain a full game on the first place Hoosiers whom now lead Brooklyn by 7.5 games in the Federal League standings.

Commemorative Plaque Now!

OTD 8/26/1914: Brooklyn Tip Tops Defeat Buffalo in Return to Washington Park

From the desk of: THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

HOME SWEET HOME

Buffalo Buf-Feds

vs.

Brooklyn Tip Tops

FROM

WASHINGTON PARK

BROOKLYN

Brooklyn has much work to do if they are to rectify the considerable damage they caused themselves during their recent and potentially ruinous 4-14-1 road swing through the Midwest.  Wednesday afternoon's series opening win over Buffalo is only one small step in the right direction, but a first step nonetheless.  Playing in front of their home crowd for the first time in twenty days the Tip Tops prevail by a 6-2 final score over the Buf-Feds at Washington Park.  The victory snaps their nine game skid and gets them back to .500 (55-55) with 45 games left in the regular season.

• BOXSCORE: Wednesday, August 26, 1914 - BR

After trading runs in the first, Brooklyn starter Happy Finneran limits Buffalo to just one more run (none earned) on six total hits and two walks with five strikeouts through nine full.  Meanwhile the Tip Tops generate five more runs against Buf-Fed starter Al Schultz and reliever Fred Anderson en route to a 6-2 triumph.  Right fielder Claude Cooper goes 1 for 4 with a home run.  Grover Land and George Anderson each drive in a run.  Third baseman Tex Wisterzil is 1 for 2 with a triple and two runs scored.  Finneran also helps his own cause going 1 for 3 with a run batted in.  Happy notches his tenth victory of the season against seven losses with a 2.38 ERA.

Despite the victory Brooklyn does not gain ground on either first place Indianapolis or second place Chicago and thus remain mired in fifth place, 8.5 games back of the league leading Hoosiers.  After posting a stellar 21-8 record in July, the Tip Tops have slumped to 8-15 to date through August.  However, if nothing else Bradley's Boys are resilient.  This is the same team that on June 27 were in sixth place, eight games below .500 and 9.5 games back of first place.  By August 6 they had climbed all the way to within 1.5 games of first place.

And then they headed west ...

Commemorative Plaque Now!

OTD 8/17/1914: Tip Tops Ed Lafitte Outlasts Kansas City Packers

From the desk of:  THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

GAME #100

GAME ONE

Brooklyn Tip Tops      3

Kansas City Packers  0

FINAL

TIP TOPS REACH 100 GAME MARK JUST TWO GAMES OUT OF FIRST PLACE.

Brooklyn rebounds from Saturday's loss at St. Louis with a much needed series opening victory over the Packers at Kansas City's Koppel Field on Monday.

• BOXSCORE; Monday, August 17, 1914 - BR

Tip Top starter Ed Lafitte and the Packers Dan Adams duel to a one all tie through the game's first seven innings.  Kansas City jumps out to a 1-0 lead in the first, and Brooklyn ties the game in their very next at-bat.  Brooklyn finally breaks the stalemate with three runs against Dan Adams in the eighth.  Ed Lafitte continues through for the complete game victory.  He yields a mere run on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts en route to his eleventh win of the season against ten losses with a 2.82 ERA.  Lafitte is also hit by a Dan Adams pitch for good luck.  Otherwise Adams likewise pitches nine innings, but suffers his sixth loss upon surrendering four runs, three earned, on ten hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Center fielder Al Shaw drives in a pair of runs for Brooklyn.  Left fielder George Anderson and third baseman Tex Wisterzil each drive in a run apiece.  Right fielder Steve Evans goes 2 for 3 with a walk, a run scored, and the Tip Tops only extra-base hit of the game.  Grover Land goes 2 for 2 after replacing Yip Owens behind the plate.

The Brooklyn Tip Tops improve to 54-46 (.540) at the 100-game mark of the season.  They are 29-14 since the start of July.  But dare I say they improve to 4-7 during this potentially season defining 19-game road trip.  The good news however is they again close to within two games of the first place Chicago Chi-Feds.

OTD 8/14/1914: Brooklyn Tip Tops Take Bite Out of St. Louis Terriers

From the desk of:  THE BROOKLYN BAKERS NINE

Bradley's Bread Men Close To Within Two Games of First Place

FRIDAY

Brooklyn Tip Tops   5

St. Louis Terriers     3

FINAL

Friday's victory over the Terriers give the Tip Tops a 2-1 series lead in their four game set at St. Louis.  It's their second straight defeat of the Terriers after losing Wednesday's opener at Handlan's Park.

• BOXSCORE; Friday, August 14, 1914 - BR

Making his third career start Brooklyn's Jim Bluejacket is opposed by former Cincinnati Red right-hander Dave Davenport.  The Tip Tops strike with haste in taking a 2-0 first inning lead.  But the Terriers quickly tie with two runs in the second.  They remain stalemated at two through the seventh.  St. Louis finally breaks through with a run off Bluejacket in the eighth.  Undeterred Brooklyn answers with three runs in the top of the ninth.  With one out in the bottom half of the frame Tip Tops manager Bill Bradley summons from the bullpen starting pitcher (20-game winner last year with the Phillies) Tom Seaton whom closes out the Terriers for only his second save of the season.  Jim Bluejacket limits St. Louis to three runs on seven hits and just one walk with two strikeouts through 8.1 innings for his second career victory.  Terriers starter Dave Davenport yields five runs on seven hits and eight walks with seven strikeouts through 8.2 innings en route to his seventh loss of the season.  St. Louis player/manager and National League great Mordecai Brown records one out in the ninth in relief of Davenport.  Tip Tops center fielder Al Shaw (.344) goes 1 for 3 with a double, two walks, a run scored, and two RBI.  Catcher Grover Land goes 2 for 4 with one RBI, and second baseman Solly Hofman drives in his 42nd run of the season.

With Friday afternoon's victory the Tip Tops improve to 53-45 (.541) and forge a third place tie with the Indianapolis Hoosiers, just two games back of Joe Tinker's first place Chicago Chi-Feds.  The Baltimore Terrapins are second 1.5 games back.

Commemorative Plaque Now!