Baseball in the District "Scrappy Bill" 1896

We document the 1896 season from start to finish. With the manager off managing a stage production, we kid you not; "Scrappy Bill" Joyce is made player/manager. Can Joyce turn a tail-ender into a contender? We document an intensely interesting base ball season with more twists and turns than any sane person could ever predict.

Attention to given to several off field issues which play out during the season. New York magnate, Andrew Freedman, takes center stage in several. While most are familiar with the Amos Rusie holdout over a $200 fine, the handing of veteran Fred Pfeffer only adds to the bitterness between the player and the owners. More interesting for us is the case involving the player/manager of the Cleveland Spiders, Oliver "Patsy" Tebeau. A brutal on field assault on an umpire turns into a bizarre legal battle between Tebeau and Frank Robison, owner of the Spiders and the National League. It is a story that HBO could easily turn into a mini-series.

Every game is covered as well as historical events to give you a perspective on the era. And unique for the period, you the reader get to listen to the voices of fans from the period. Of particular interest is the 15 August doubleheader at the Polo Grounds, a truly bizarre exhibition of base ball.
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