Wearin’ of the “Grin”
Wearin’ of the “Grin”
- Base Ball’s First No-Hitter: July 15, 1876 -
1876 could be considered a watershed year in American History. The policy of military occupation of The South known as Reconstruction was coming to an end. Ulysses S. Grant, the general who defeated The South in the Civil War eleven years earlier, was in the final year of a Presidency that was marred by scandal and corruption. George Armstrong Custer, another hero of that war, who was convinced of his own invincibility, would be proven wrong by the Sioux and the Cheyenne at Little Bighorn. On July 4, the celebration of the 100th anniversary of American independence would be marked by the first great World’s Fair – the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, PA. In St. Louis, Messers Anheuser and Busch began producing what has since become the world’s best selling beer – Budweiser. In New York in February, William A. Hulbert gathered together a group of businessmen and formed what would become the founding organization of Major League Baseball – the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs.
In St. Louis on July 15, eleven days after our great country would turn 100; another significant event would take place – one that has since become the dream of pretty much every pitcher who has ever picked up a baseball. A large crowd gathered to see the St. Louis Brown Stockings take on the Hartford Dark Blues at Grand Avenue Park. In two previous meetings, the St. Louises would shut out the Hartfords. On the mound that day for Hartford was their brilliant Irish-born right-hander, Tommy Bond. Pitching that day for St. Louis was Pennsylvania native, George Washington Bradley, a perpetually happy fellow who went by the nickname, “Grin”. “Grin” was in the midst of an amazing streak that would result in his throwing 37 consecutive shutout innings.
The game began with Left fielder, Ned Cuthbert striking out. Catcher, John Clapp drove a clean single to center and then reached third on a wild throw by Tommy Bond. Mike McGeary flew out to Right fielder, Dick Higham, driving in Clapp for the first run of the game. Center fielder, Lip Pike flew out to Center fielder, Jack Remsen to end the St. Louis half of the First Inning. The Brown Stockings now led 1-0 on an unearned run. Jack Remsen started off the action for Hartford in their half of the First by striking out. Second Baseman, Jack Burdock reached first on a throwing error by Shortstop, Dickey Pearce and then went to second on a passed ball. Pearce’s error was one of eight on the day for the Brown Stockings. Dick Higham grounded out second to first, moving Burdock to third. Burdock would die at third when Dark Blues’ Third Baseman, Bob Ferguson flew out to Ned Cuthbert in Left. No runs for the Hartfords in the First.
The Second Inning started off with Dark Blues’ First Baseman, Everett Mills catching a fly ball hit by Brown Stocking Third Sacker, Joe Battin in foul territory for the first out. St. Louis Right fielder, Joe Blong drove a clean single to left and then took second as Left fielder Tom Yorke tried to catch the ball. Pitcher, George Washington “Grin” Bradley was the next man up for the St. Louises. He hit a grounder that skipped through the legs of Everett Mills at First. This allowed Blong to trot home with the second St. Louis run of the afternoon. “Grin” would then be erased trying to steal second for the second out of the inning. First Baseman, Herman “Dutch” Dehlman singled to left and then stole second. He would end up dying at second as Dickey Pearce skied to Mills at First to end the St. Louis half of the Second Inning. The Brown Stockings now led 2-0 on two unearned runs. Shortstop, Tom Carey was the first man up for the Hartfords in their half of the Second and he was thrown out easily at first by “Grin” Bradley. Bradley’s opponent, Tommy Bond was up next and he flew out easily to McGeary at second. Two men were now out. The Hartford half of the second would end with Tom Yorke hitting a high fly ball to Joe Battin at third. It was goose eggs again for the Hartfords in the Second as the score remained 2-0 in favor of the Brown Stockings.
The way things turned out that day, those two runs would be the only scores that the St. Louises would need. Over the next seven innings, “Grin” Bradley and his opposite number, Tommy Bond would match each other goose egg for goose egg despite the fact that “Grin” had some sloppy defense behind him.
The next five innings passed by pretty much uneventfully. Although, two Brown Stocking runners managed to make it to Second Base. In the Third, John Clapp doubled to left of the head of Left Fielder, Tom Yorke with one down. He would die at Second as Mike McGeary popped up to Jack Burdock at Second and Lip Pike sent a liner to Yorke in Left for the third out. In the Sixth, Pike reached First when he beat out a grounder to Burdock at Second. He then stole Second, but would die there as Joe Battin went down on strikes for out number three.
Going into the eighth inning, “Grin” Bradley’s consecutive scoreless innings streak had now reached twenty five. The no-hitter was still intact, but Hartford was actually presented with a golden opportunity to score in their half of the eighth. The frame started out with Bradley’s opponent, Tommy Bond grounding out to Second sacker, Mike McGeary. Tom Yorke then reached First on a Base on Balls. He would then be sacrificed to Second on a grounder by Everett Mills to McGeary at Short. Yorke then made it to Third on a Wild Pitch. There, he would remain as Catcher, Bill Harbidge grounded to Pearce at Short who threw it to “Dutch” Dehlman at First for the final out of the inning. Inning over. Threat over. Golden opportunity wasted for the Hartfords.
Joe Battin started things off in the all-important ninth inning by flying to Yorke in Left. Joe Blong was then thrown out at first on a grounder hit to Tom Carey at Short. The final came when Mills caught a fly ball by Dehlman. The St. Louises went quietly in their half of the ninth. Now, it would be the Hartfords’ turn. Jack Remsen started off the Dark Blue ninth by grounding to Dickey Pearce at Short who threw him out at First for out number one. Jack Burdock was up next and he reached First on an error by Joe Battin at Third. This was the last of the Brown Stockings’ eight errors on the day. The Dark Blues had four themselves. Dick Higham was the next man up for the Hartfords and he hit a shot to Battin at Third who made up for his miscue by doubling up Higham and Burdock off First to end the game on a splendid double play. As sloppy as the defense had been for the St. Louises all day, the game ended on a play that would, today, be worthy of an ESPN Web Gem. “Grin” Bradley now had his no-hitter and his place in baseball history.
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