Edward Achorn

(A daily diary of the greatest season a major-league pitcher ever had.)

PORTLAND, Maine –– Old Hoss Radbourn and his teammates set off once more for another exhibition game in Portland — about 4½ hours away by train through Boston, then another 4½ hours back. That does not include waiting time, when the players grab some food on the run.

Manager Frank Bancroft is trying to maximize the Grays’ profits, and playing on off days puts money in the owners’ pockets. But it does the exhausted players little good.

The Providence Grays have already played once here this month, at Presumpscot Park, where they destroyed the local team, 20-1. This time they are taking on Boston’s Red Stockings, the team they are battling for the National League pennant.

Some 3,500 turn out, a huge crowd for such a small city, no doubt hoping to see a classic Providence-Boston struggle like the 16 official games played this year. What they get is a 9-0 shellacking of the uninspired Grays.

The tired Radbourn has to suit up and play, in center field – and, worse, later in the game, even has to waste his arm strength by pitching, taking over for the thoroughly whipped starter Eddie Conley, who is looking less and less like a top-notch professional pitcher.

“We do not like the idea of these exhibition games,” the Providence Telegram notes sympathetically. “Take the Portland trip, for instance. It is a long, hard journey, constituted to tire the players.”

No matter. Nineteenth century ballplayers are expected to take whatever punishment comes their way.

RADBOURN’S RECORD: 37-9.

To read the full exciting story, click here