This is an appropriate time to post this letter from Michael Scanlon, made public on the 4 July 1886.
Baseball is a fickle sport, with many highs and lows. Although Washington baseball fans seem to have more of the latter than the former. With a season that many had hopes would mirror that of the great 24 club we wonder if it will instead mirror the 1926 version.
An interesting letter dealing with the frustrations he had been dealing with, along with an insight into “old time” baseball.
“Let some of the kickers undertake to manage a nine and they will see what I have to go through. Since our departure, including the last game with the Detroit’s, we have played fifteen games, of which we have won but two; but if those who know anything about baseball will take time to analyze these games they will have to acknowledge that with but two or three exceptions we have been playing great ball. Take our three Philadelphia games, which were 3 to 1, 3 to 4, and 2 to 3. These should have been victories instead of defeats, and all the papers of the city have so stated. It is an old chestnut to charge out defeats to bad or dishonest umpiring, but it is nevertheless the fact that these games were so lost. This had a very demoralizing effect on our men, and they said, “What is the use of playing god ball; we cannot win.” Out first game at Boston we won on its merits. The second we lost because Bob Barr was hit hard. The third game at the end of the seventh inning stood 2 to 2, Boston at the bat, two men out, with two men on bases, Ezra Sutton at the bat, with two strikes called; he hit at the next ball, but the umpire had his head turned away and did not see it. At this Dupee Shaw got mad and tossed the ball in, on which a three-base hit was made, costing us three runs and the game. Two of the game at New York should have been ours but for the bad playing of Paul Hines, Jimmy Knowles, and Ed Crane; but the least said about these games perhaps would be best. In our eleventh inning game at Chicago Barr was in fine form, but the umpire came in play once more and stole this game from us. The Chicago’s had a picnic in the first game, because both Shaw and Barr were under the weather. Our first game at Detroit was a great one, the score standing 2 to 0, but bad umpiring again defeated us. In Monday’s game we hit the ball from the start, and with nine out, out chances looked very bright, but the three men who next came to bat were given no show at all, as the umpire called a strike any ball pitched. With all the bad umpiring we closed out half of the ninth with one run in the lead. The Detroit’s weak batters now came to the bat. The two old balls we were playing with were soft, and it was hard to hit them safely. One of these old balls disappeared, and after the second one was knocked out of the field on a foul a new ball was brought out, and that was also fouled into the grandstand. In the mean time we discovered Pretzels Getzien had the missing ball concealed in his short. The second old ball was returned to the field, but the umpire would not let Shaw have it, and waited until the new ball was returned. I have protested this game. It will not benefit us any, but it will deprive the Detroit’s of a game they were not entitled to. Our last game at Detroit we won in fine style. I have left nothing undone to strengthen the club, as you will see in a short time. I have been censured for not engaging Charlie Ganzel. Al Reach and Harry Wright both told me he was no good, and I therefore let him slip. I have a catcher his equal in every respect. I may have some important news for you by Saturday, in which event I will telegraph you.”
Charlie Ganzel is 26 years old. In this case Scanlon got some bad advice. Ganzel will go on to play until 1897, primarily with the Boston League Club. In 14 years he will bat .259.
