The 1888 Colonels-A Difficult May Begins

When we last left the Colonels, the Reds had just polished them off in Eclipse Park in Louisville. 

Life didn't get easier for the Colonels, as the three-time defending champion St. Louis Browns arrived at the Falls City.

The Colonels, behind the formerly recalcitrant "Ice Box" Chamberlain, surprised the Browns in the first game, winning 7-4. According to the Courier-Journal, they played almost perfect ball and Chamberlain would "win it or pitch his arm off."

The performance proved an anomaly, as the Louisvilles lost 7-5 in front of a small crowd as foul weather threatened throughout the day. However, those who did show up were "rewarded by witnessing a sharp and exciting game of base-ball."

Scott Stratton started for Louisville and pitched well, as the vaunted Browns lineup made "spasmodic but vain attempts to smash the ball." In the end, his efforts weren't enough, as St. Louis held the edge that afternoon after a four-run fifth inning. 

The next day could not be called a fine ballgame, as Louisville put on a "sorry exhibition of base-ball" according to the Courier-Journal, losing 18-1 to St. Louis.

"Toad" Ramsey took the box for the Colonels and didn't pitch badly, but the rest of the team fielded poorly. St. Louis took full advantage of every Louisville miscue and made no miscues in the field.

But facing the champs and poor fielding alone couldn't explain the shoddy play of the Louisville Club. The club had talent, but as The Courier-Journal stated "there is something radically wrong with the club," and dissention seemed to rack the team. The article pointed out that when Toad Ramsey and Scott Stratton pitched, the Louisville fielders performed poorly, but Ice Box Chamberlain benefitted from a seemingly competent Colonel defense. Things would not get better in the coming days.

On May 6, Louisville lost 4-2 to St. Louis as the Colonels ran themselves off of the bases. Ice Box Chamberlain again pitched well, but critically walked three and hit one batter. All of those contributed to the loss. Luckily for the Louisville fans, only 2,500 turned out on a perfectly fine Sunday to see the effort. The club's previous ineptitude kept many at home.

After an off day, the battered Colonels welcomed the Kansas City Cowboys to Eclipse Park. There were almost more participants than spectators present as only 500 bothered to show up. Those who did show saw Louisville win 6-3.

Guy Hecker pitched well and helped his own cause with a three-run single. Pete Browning, well-renowned for his hitting but not his fielding prowess, killed a Cowboy rally with a crucial assist from centerfield that put out Henry Porter at the plate.

The Colonels lassoed the Cowboys again the next day (May 9) as they won 18-6. Kansas City pitching walked eight Louisville batters and their "rotund catcher" Charles "Fatty" Briody (The 19th Century wasn't a period for those who were overly sensitive) allowed two passed balls.
 

Louisville hit, pitched, and fielded well. William "Chicken" Wolfe and George Mack both had three hits, and Pete Browning struck two doubles. 

Chamberlain started for Louisville and pitched well and "had the big Kansas City batters at his mercy." He pitched so well that he did so with both hands. He pitched right-handed the first five innings and with Louisville up by an almost insurmountable margin, pitched the sixth and seventh innings left-handed. Ambidexterity is a rare trait among pitchers, as it's difficult pitching well period, much less with both hands, but some players can do it. 

That was the good news, the bad news for the day featured Toad Ramsey. Manager John Kelly suspended him indefinitely and without pay. Ramsey quickly gave up the temperance pledge he'd made early in the season and routinely drank and showed up in no condition to pitch. 

The next day (May 10), Scott Stratton pitched well, but lost 2-1 to the Cowboys. Stratton pitched well, issuing no balls and giving up three hits. However, catcher John Kerins allowed three passed balls, which proved devastating to the Colonels. The Colonels hit well, but ran themselves off the bases. All-in-all, a frustrating day on the field.

The next day featured heavy hitting and four double plays between the two combatants and it looked like yet another defeat for Louisville, but a three run ninth tied the game and sent it to extra innings. Unfortunately, about half of the crowd left in frustration and didn't see the rally.

Pete Browning saved the game in the tenth, once again displaying his unheralded defensive prowess, making a circus catch for the third out, stranding two Kansas City players in scoring position.

"Chicken" Wolf drove in the winning runs in the eleventh, and Louisville eked out the win. 

After the game, the Colonels departed Louisville and went up the Ohio to the Queen City, to pay a visit to the Reds.

In the first game of the four game tilt, "The Louisville Club added another chapter to its spring serial of base-ball ill luck" as it lost 8-3 to the Reds.

The Colonels, in desperate need for help, met with Toad Ramsey and successfully came up with an agreement, lifting his suspension. Ramsey "looking fresh as a buttercup" pitched well, but not as well as Cincinnati's Lee Viau, who also had strong support from his Association-leading Reds. 

A steady rain fell the next day (May 15) as both teams hit well, but Cincinnati hit better, winning 8-4. Tony Mullane started for the Reds and the Colonels hit "The Apollo of the Box" hard (Browning going 4-4), but the Reds defense bailed him out throughout the contest.

The Cincinnati Enquirer stated the Colonels, "disgusted with Ramsey's conduct" were entertaining offers for Toad Ramsey. Louisville wanted $10,000.00 for their former ace, whom the Enquirer implied had seen better days. Even though the Colonels and Ramsey had came to an amicable agreement, Louisville felt they could lose as easily without their former star as with him. This was another indicator of the ill-mood of the club.

Louisville closed out the series on the business end of the broom as the Reds swept them with a 5-3 win. Despite Guy Hecker's pitching, "poor old Louisville (was) again the sufferer" according to the Enquirer. Hecker had good speed and Cincinnati had difficulty with his deliveries, but they managed to hit him nonetheless.

As May passed it's midpoint, the Colonels were in trouble, they stood seventh in the eight team American Association with an 8-16 record. Only the hapless Cowboys played worse ball at this point. As the Colonels chugged east to play Association stalwarts in Philadelphia and Brooklyn, things looked bleak indeed.

The Louisville Courier-Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, www.newspapers.com, and www.baseball-reference.com all contributed mightily to this article.