Music boosts underdog baseball team in 1919

International Paper Co. of Fort Edward was supposed to be the stronger of the two baseball teams when the team visited Hudson Falls on Aug. 2, 1919 to play paper industry sports rival Union Bag and Paper Co.

But the underdog brought along the Union Bag and Paper Co. band to rev up the home-town cheering at League Park, a strategy that apparently worked.

“Leader Pond has promised a fine selection of pieces for this occasion and in all probabilities Mr. Pond will give a coronet solo for the fans, so a rare treat is in store for those who attend,” The Post-Star reported.

Union Bag won in 11 innings.

“Although there were numerous errors on either side, the game was interesting and enjoyed by an enthusiastic crowd of fans,” The Post-Star reported.

The next day the two teams faced off again, this time at Griffen Diamond in Fort Edward.

“The Fort Edward team was not in the best of mood when they took the field because of the defeat which they sustained Saturday when they lost to the Union Bag team at League Park when the game was easily theirs,” The Post-Star reported.

Union Bag won again, this time by an even more defining 5–2 score in front of an estimated 3,000 spectators.

“The largest crowd in the history of baseball in Fort Edward stayed through the nine innings,” The Post-Star reported.

IP had 12 errors and Union Bag just two.

Sources: The Post-Star Aug. 2,4, 1919.