Baseball history — 1895 Glens Falls Athletics season cut short

Another Glens Falls Athletics semi-professional baseball season was about to get under way — the team’s third and final season which was cut short when a new home field could not be found.

“The opening game of the season will be played on the Warren Street grounds, tomorrow afternoon between the Glens Falls team and the Fort Edward Stars,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on May 24, 1895.

Glens Falls had added four out-of-town players from disbanded minor league and semi-professional teams in Virginia, Johnstown and Amsterdam.

The excitement continued the morning of the game.

“A good game of ball is expected at the Warren Street grounds this afternoon at three o’clock between the Glens Falls team and the Stars, of Fort Edward. The latter team is said to have a number of strong players,” The Morning Star reported on May 25.

For Edward won the game 18–17 in extra innings.

“Saturday’s game between the Glens Falls team and the Fort Edward Stars was a comedy of errors. First one team and then the other got rattled, allowing the opposite side to pile up errors,” The Morning Star reported on May 27. “O’Brien, the Fort Edward pitcher, is a mere lad, but he showed wonderful endurance in pitching the entire 11 innings.

In other 1895 Glens Falls Athletics news collected from The Morning Star:

Not going pro

A rumor that the Athletics were joining a professional league was discounted.

“A few days ago, the Albany News said that Glens Falls was looking for the franchise of the defunct Troy team of the New York State League,” The Morning Star reported on May 25. “The rumor probably had its origin in the fact that Manager Robertson, the other day, offered to purchase the Troy uniforms, but the owners declined to sell them. Professional teams, thus far, have not proved a success in the smaller cities and towns, and the Glens Falls management has no money to squander on experiments.”

Howlands get late start

The Athletics were to play the Sanday Hill Howlands at home on May 30, but the opponent was changed at the last minute because the Sandy Hill team was not yet ready to begin its season.

“The Howlands will play their first game next week some time,” The Morning Star reported on May 30.

The Athletics played Fort Edward instead, and won13–7.

“The Athletics took satisfaction out of the Fort Edward team yesterday for their defeat of last Saturday. The game was close up to the seventh inning, although the home team were always in the lead,” The Morning Star reported on June 1. “Hannah pitched a good game, striking out eight men and being hard hit only by Mason, who hit a home run once over the fence and once for a two-baser into right field.”

First road game

The Athletics were set to play their first road game of the season June 1 at Palmer Falls.

“The Palmer Falls Club has reorganized and will play a strong team in the field this year,” The Morning Star reported on May 30. “Baseball prospects are very bright this season owning to the number of strong clubs which have been organized in this vicinity.”

Palmer Falls won the game 6–5.

“There was one thing hotter than the weather in Palmer Falls last Saturday, and that was the ballgame between Palmer Falls and the Athletics. It was nip and tuck from the start and was anybody’s game until the ninth inning.” The Morning Star reported on June 3.

Palmer Falls fans were not as harsh as usual.

“The treatment of the people was the best ever experienced by the Athletics in Plamer Falls, and all that could be asked.”

Howlands still not ready

The status of the Sandy Hill team was still in limbo.

“The Port Henry team has written the Athletics for a date. It is hoped that Sandy Hill will get a team in the field this week, and a game will be arranged with them,” The Morning Star reported on June 13.

The Athletics, playing had home, defeated Palmer Falls 7–4.

Howlands finally take the field

The Sandy Hill team was finally ready to play, and defeated Glens Falls 12–9 in a thrilling game at Glens Falls on June 19.

“In the ball game yesterday, the lead swerved from one side to another in a way to cause the spectators to forget the fact that the temperature was on the 100-degree mark,” The Morning Star reported on June 20.

Tempers flared after a while.

“The teams were remarkably polite to each other — and to the umpire at the start — but when in the sixth inning he decided a ball hit on the line by one of the Athletics as a fair ball the battery of the (Sandy Hill) Howlands had a fainting fit and nearly fell out of the game.”

There was another temper tantrum in the ninth inning.

“One thing the players should remember, and that is that when an umpire is kind enough to offer to judge a game and gets nothing for it, he deserved to be treated in a gentlemanly way, even if his decisions are against one side or the other,” The Morning Star chided. “The only way to have a decent ball game is for a side, when a decision is made against it, to be manly and take it — not play baby and make believe they won’t play.”

New uniforms

“The Howlands, in their new uniforms, will endeavor to do themselves proud and do the Athletics up at the same time this afternoon on the Warren Street grounds. The batteries will be Cussin and Murray for the Howlands and Manning and Ahern for the Athletics. Game called at 3:00. … The Athletics rather expect that the Howlands will adopt the name of their pitcher as the emblem of their feeling after the game.”

As it turned out, neither team had reason to be cussing after the game, even though The Athletics defeated The Howlands 8–1.

“The ball game between the Athletics and Howlands yesterday was one of the best exhibitions of first-class ball ever seen in this vicinity in a long time. The Howlands, though defeated, played a plucking, up-hill, never-a-die kind of game, but the pitching of Ahern was too much for them,” The Morning Star reported on July 4. “Ahern pitched a very strong game, and Manning caught, as usual, very finely. Once or twice, for a short man, he grew up two or three feet in the air to stop some stray pitches.”

The teams were set to play again on July 4, the final game at the Warren Street grounds where the landowner had not renewed the lease.

Attempt to share a home field

A new ballfield was opened at Sandy Hill, which, potentially could be home field to both the Howlands and Athletics.

“The new ball grounds of the Howlands, just north of the canal bridge at Sandy Hill, will be opened this afternoon with a game between the Howlands and Athletics at 3:30,” The Morning Star reported on July 9. “If this game shows that a sufficient crowd can be drawn to make it play, the clubs will play through the season. If not, the attempt to maintain the teams will be given up.”

“A good-sized crowd” turned out at the new Main Street field to watch the Howlands defeat the Athletics 14–8.

“It is probable that the teams will be continued throughout the season,” The Morning Star reported on July 10.

But it was not to be.

“Manager Robinson says that owing to the lack of interest in baseball, the Athletics will be disbanded,” The Morning Star reported on July 11. “It is probable, however, that the Howlands of Sandy Hill will maintain their organization.”

Click here to read about the 1894 Athletics season.