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Lot # 162: 1887 Fan-Scored Scorecard Metropolitans vs. Baltimore

Category: Early Baseball

Starting Bid: $200.00

Bids: 3 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "2019 Spring Classic",
which ran from 5/7/2019 10:00 AM to
6/7/2019 10:00 PM



Great vintage fan-scored baseball scorecard (7x8.5"; folded it is 4.25x7") from the October 8, 1887, (Major League) American Association game between the New York Metropolitans and the Baltimore Orioles. The Metropolitans played most of their home games at the St. George Cricket Grounds on Staten Island, but this game was in Brooklyn, at Washington Park, the regular home of the Brooklyn Grays in this same Major League. At this time, the two Major Leagues were the National League and the American Association. The Baltimore Orioles won 10-0 in a game called because of darkness. The cover of the scorecard features a beautiful colored illustration called "Home Run Spoiled." It shows the illustrated player is from an even earlier baseball era as he is shown wearing no gloves and he catching the fly ball with his bare hand. Baltimore finished third in 1887, and the Metropolitans finished seventh, but the Metropolitan name eventually inspired the expansion New York National League team 85 years later to also officially call themselves the Metropolitans, but you know them now by their nickname - the Mets. The Baltimore pitcher that day in 1887 was Matt Kilroy, who started an amazing 69 games that year, and even more amazing, he completed 66 of them. By the way, Kilroy lost 19 games that season. But he also won 49! The scorecard is meticulously scored and the period advertisements, for example, for men's hats, shirts, and for a distilling company, are fun to peruse. There are several minor creases near the top middle, slight paper loss at the corners and very minor paper loss on the cover page, but overall the scorecard is in good condition. The scorecard provides a wonderful trip back to baseball's early days.

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