Saturday, November 5, 2011

Something I Missed About Mullane

While we're talking about the Apollo of the Box.

On Sunday, May 4, 1884, Toledo came to St. Louis and played the Browns, in the first of a three game series:

There was an old-time crowd at Sportsmen's Park yesterday afternoon, fully 10,000 people assembling to witness the first game between the Toledo and St. Louis Clubs.  Notwithstanding the rainfall of Saturday and yesterday morning the diamond was perfectly dry and in superb condition.  The game was a rapid one, marked by weak batting and sharp fielding.  Only five hits were scored on both sides, the visitors making one and the home team four.  Mullane played left field for five innings and finished the game at third base.  When he went to the plate the first time he was greeted with light applause and a storm of hisses.  When he was retired on three strikes there was loud applause.
-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 5, 1884

Mullane got Toledo's only hit and the Browns won the game 4-0.

I was wondering why Lucas didn't get the injunction against Mullane prior to Toledo's first game in St. Louis and the probable answer is because it was a Sunday game and the courts weren't open.  Maybe, since he could have gotten the injunction on Friday, Lucas had decided to let the whole thing slide but the site of 10,000 people packing Sportsman's Park on a rainy Sunday changed his mind.  

No comments: