Phillippe and Marshall Reunite - Picture Series Part I

Over the next few weeks, I will periodically post pictures of interest relating to the 1897 Red River Valley League. These are pictures that did not fit into the context of my upcoming book: Divorcees, Barmaids, and Cranks: The 1897 Red River Valley Baseball League.

Fargo's Deacon Phillippe and Grand Forks' Joe Marshall, rivals in the 1897 Red River Valley League, became teammates just six years later in the major leagues. This photo was taken during Marshall's only year with the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League, in 1903. Marshall was a reserve utility player who appeared in only ten games for the Pirates. Phillippe won a career high 25 games in his fourth year with the club, and he would play the rest of his career in Pittsburgh before retiring from baseball in 1911. The 1903 Pirates fell to the Boston Americans, five games to three, in the inaugural World Series. Deacon Phillippe won all three games for the Pirates, while Marshall did not appear in the series. 

As noted in the caption below the photo, Phillippe is standing in the back row, third from the left. Marshall is seated on the floor, furthest to the left.

The Pittsburgh Dispatch, September 20, 1903

Team information from http://www.baseball-reference.com/.

Rookie Pitcher Deacon Phillippe Tosses No-Hitter

Less than two years after appearing with Fargo in the Red River Valley League, Charles "Deacon" Phillippe found himself in the major leagues pitching for the Louisville Colonels of the National League. On May 25, 1899, Phillippe shut down the New York Giants, surrendering no hits and issuing three walks in a 7-0 Colonel victory. It would be the only no-hitter of his career. Below, Phillippe received accolades from The Sporting Life, appearing on the front page of the June 10 edition of the sporting weekly. The paper spelled his last name as Phillippi, a customary error made for several years by most newspapers. 

The Sporting Life, June 10, 1899.

An Exciting Game in a Different Era

After another exhibition win on July 5 and a rainout of a league game on the 6^th, Fargo returned to regular action against Grand Forks, visiting the Senators’ park for a four game series. Playing some of their best ball of the season, hopes were high for the Divorcees. A fine matchup was in store for the cranks that day, as Deacon Phillippe faced Senator ace Charlie Hutton. A collision in the previous series with Wahpeton gave Hutton a stiff arm, but it did not seem to bother Grand Forks’ young talent. The crafty lefty struck out the side in the third inning on his way to seven punch outs against just one walk. Each team scored once in the fifth inning, but in the sixth Grand Forks scored twice and the Divorcees just once to claim a 3-2 lead. Neither team put a run across the plate in the seventh or eighth inning. Entering the ninth, Fargo needed one run to tie and two runs to win. Unlike modern day games, the home team did not always bat last in the Red River Valley League of 1897. On that day, the Divorcees came to bat last with a chance for a walk-off win. Two men were out when Josh Reilly strode confidently to the plate and knocked a single into center field.* Following the Fargo second sacker was the pitcher Phillippe, who came to the plate batting 0 for 9 for the season. The Deacon picked a fine time for his first hit. Hutton put one over the center of the plate, and Phillippe clobbered it over the right field fence for a game-ending two-run homerun. The Grand Forks fans were stunned. Phillippe’s clutch hit, his quality pitching, and a fine defensive performance led the Fargo club to a win in the opener. (Forum July 8).  

*(Reilly, before his at bat, rubbed the head of Fargo’s mascot Oscey Gordon for good luck. To understand Reilly’s action, it is first helpful to be aware that the conception of a mascot in that era was far different from what it is today. Frank Fitzpatrick explains it this way: “The (mascot) custom grew out of a patronizing society's ignorant belief that the more socially outcast one was, the greater his worth as a good-luck charm. Humpbacks; dwarfs; those with crossed eyes; the mentally ill; and, of course, blacks and Indians were widely seen as talismans. It wasn't long until superstitious sports teams were cruelly using them for that purpose.” This description surely fit Fargo’s mascot Oscey Gordon, who was black, probably a child, with a full head of hair. Reilly’s action of rubbing the black boy’s head was commonly believed to bring good luck and was a tactic even employed by the great hitter and notorious racist Ty Cobb.)

“The disturbing history of baseball's mascots” Philadelphia Enquirer online – June 22, 2014 http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20140622_Giving__Em_Fitz__The_disturbing_history_of_baseball_s_mascots.html

Metaphorically Speaking

The baseball accounts from the dead-ball era were often unusually and excessively descriptive. The writing certainly played an important role regarding perceptions of baseball in an era before radio and television. The newspaper descriptions about the games of the Red River Valley League are a key piece in understanding the flavor of the league. Here are some of the more entertaining gems:

During the summer of 1897, several pitchers who struggled to control their pitches were deemed to be "as wild as a March hare" by the Sunday Argus. Among the out of control rabbits were Wahpeton-Breckenridge's Ollie Berg, Grand Forks pitcher Charlie Hutton, and Fargo's Gus Munch. On a separate occasion, during a particularly poor weather day in which Ollie Berg surrendered 15 runs, the weather was described as "being as wild and wooly as Berg's delivery."*

Solid pitching performances elicited even richer descriptions. Deacon Phillippe was credited for being "as steady as a clock" in a game in late June. Wahpeton-Breckenridge pitcher O'Donnell's alertness in a game in late May caused The Moorhead Independent to credit him for watching base runners "like a hungry hyena".** Moorhead's Pike Mullaney was complimented for a start in which he "shot the ball over the plate with Denzer-like steam," a reference pitcher Roger Denzer, who threw for the St. Paul Saints and Chicago Colts in 1897.*** Moorhead's other ace, Bob Brush, pitched an impressive game allowing hits and runs "as scarce as mosquitoes in January."**** Perhaps the most creative embellishment of a pitcher's dominance came courtesy of the Sunday Argus. The paper remarked that Pike Mullaney's pitching against the Wahpeton-Breckenridge club "had the Methodists feeling around as aimlessly as pedestrians trying to escape the Fargo street sweeper, or huge cats from whose muzzles the whiskers had been cleanly shaven."*****

*The Moorhead Independent June 11, 1897
**Independent May 28, 1897
***Independent June 25, 1897
****Independent June 11, 1897
*****Sunday Argus May 30, 1897

Top 5 "Good Guys" from the 1897 RRVL

In a season filled with plenty of bad behavior, here are five of the most gentlemanly personalities from the Red River Valley League of 1897:

1) George Challis - umpire; Fargo manager
It is nearly impossible to find a single bad word written about George Challis. His umpiring work was unanimously considered to be the best in the region. Challis was so respected that after he became Fargo's manager during the 1897 season, he was called upon to finish umpiring one of Fargo's own games after umpire O'Donnell quit the game. A benefit game was played after the season to raise money and show appreciation for Challis.

2) Deacon Phillippe - Fargo's promising young pitcher
Phillippe, on his way to stardom, was by all accounts a humble player during his time in Fargo. His disposition made him instantly popular among local fans, and his work ethic eventually made him a star pitcher in the majors. 

3) Umpire O'Donnell - umpire in 1897
O'Donnell regularly had to deal with nonsense while umpiring league games, particularly from Moorhead catcher Tim Keefe. Early in the season, O'Donnell fined but did not eject Keefe in back-to-back games for arguing and foul language. Later in the season, Keefe's antics caused O'Donnell to leave the field rather than finish umpiring a game between Moorhead and Fargo. Earlier in that game, O'Donnell had ejected Fargo catcher Hartman and had a cop escort him from the field. Impressively, O'Donnell didn't respond in anger at any point despite dealing with plenty of reckless behavior.

4) Peaceful Valley Brown - popular Fargo player
Despite an incident in which he vociferously argued with umpire Tige Lyons and was ejected, Charles "Peaceful Valley" Brown generally lived up to his nickname. He was a consistent player, generally considered to be a gentleman, and became a fan favorite after first playing for Fargo in 1896.

5) Sheriff Bodkin - Moorhead manager
The local sheriff and Moorhead team manager was well-respected in the community. A Civil War veteran who fought for the 104th Illinois infantry, Bodkin achieved the rank of sergeant, spent over three months as a prisoner of war, and was wounded on two separate occasions. In 1876, he began the first of two stints as Clay county sheriff. In 1897, Bodkin took on additional responsibility as manager of the Barmaids. In this role, Bodkin was a strong advocate for the RRVL and his team, the pennant winners for the season. (The Record Vol 3 Issue 8 p. 152 Feb. 1898).

On This Date: Lucky 13 for Munch; Phillippe Hit Hard in Loss

Sept. 6, 1897 - Gus Munch took the mound for the Brainerd, MN team as they hosted Staples, MN. In a 9-5 Brainerd win, the crafty young lefty allowed just three hits and struck out an impressive 13.

In Indianapolis, the Minneapolis Millers faced a tough test in a doubleheader against the first place Indians. After being blown out in the first game 14-1, the Millers hoped their luck would turn with Deacon Phillippe on the mound in game two. It was not to be, as Phillippe surrendered 16 hits, and the defense behind him committed eight errors. The Indianapolis club scored just six earned runs, but Phillippe put an additional five men on base with walks. Being swept in the doubleheader by a combined score of 30-6, Minneapolis fell to a record of 40-84.

St. Paul Globe Sept. 7, 1897 p.5 "Munch's Good Record"; "Millers Drop Two"

On This Date: Phillippi Plays Right Field in a Pinch

Sept. 2, 1897 - Minneapolis traveled to Columbus to face the second place Senators, putting Bill Hutchison on the mound. Hutchison didn't last long, giving up five runs in the first inning, and adding insult to injury, "Wild Bill" was ejected for talking back to the umpire. Since the Millers planned to start Deacon Phillippe in the next game, pitcher Art Herman was brought in to replace Hutchison. However, when right fielder Art Ball couldn't continue playing due to a previous injury, Phillippe was called upon. He played right field from the third inning on, going 1 for 3 at the plate with two strikeouts. Amazingly, the Deacon went the remainder of the game without a single ball being hit his way. The Millers lost the game 14-9, falling to a record of 39-80.

St. Paul Globe September 3, 1897 p.5 "Willie Bill Fired"

On This Date: Phillippe Helps His Own Cause in Win

August 15, 1897 - Deacon Phillippe went the distance for the Minneapolis Millers, scattering ten hits and allowing just three runs to the Columbus Senators in a 9-3 win. The Senators, from Columbus, OH, featured a club filled with former and future major leaguers, and stood in second place in the Western League standings coming into the game. The Millers, conversely, were sitting in sixth place out of eight teams, nearing the end of a disappointing season in which their manager was fired. But Minneapolis was the superior team in this Sunday afternoon match up, giving the home fans at Nicolett Park plenty to cheer. Phillippe helped his own cause by garnering three hits in four at bats, including a double for the Millers, who jumped out to a 7-0 lead after four innings and never looked back.

Things wouldn't get better for the Millers and the Nicolett faithful, however. Hosting first place Indianapolis August 16-18, the Minneapolis nine quickly found themselves on the losing end of a three game sweep. Phillippe pitched the August 18 contest for the Millers, and allowed only three earned runs, but the Miller defense made six errors and Indianapolis prevailed 12-8 to complete the series sweep.

The Sporting Life August 28, 1897 p.12 "Western League"

On This Date: Steele Loses, Wahpeton Saga Continues, Wilmot Fired

July 22, 1897 - Fred Steele fared better in his second start for the Divorcees, but still ended up on the losing end of a 8-3 game against Wahpeton-Breckenridge. Steele, the 21-year-old pitcher from Neola, IA, had a terrible debut for Fargo against Moorhead on June 12th, giving up six runs and lasting just two innings. On this day, Steele was a bit erratic, throwing a wild pitch, walking six, and hitting a batter, but he and the Fargo club entered the ninth inning tied 3-3. The final inning was disastrous,though,  as Steele gave up four hits and the team committed four errors.

Though Wahpeton-Breckenridge certainly enjoyed their come from behind win on the Fargo grounds, it still appeared that all was not well for the Methodist franchise. The uncertainty surrounding the future of the W-B team was addressed publicly by Manager Ed Corbett. In the Forum, (July 23) Corbett denied rumors that the Methodists were to be transferred to Crookston to finish out the season, and reasserted clearly that his team was perfectly stable. The coming days would prove otherwise.

Also on this date, Walter Wilmot, player/manager of the Minneapolis Millers of the Western League, was relieved of his duties. The Forum cited the Minneapolis Journal, who accused Wilmot of "poor fielding, poor batting, and worse management in releasing good players." A rumored theory was that Wilmot was trying to devalue the franchise to allow his old friend and Chicago Colt manager Cap Anson to take ownership of the team at a discount rate. Throughout 1897, Anson had worked with Wilmot in the development of a quasi-farm system between Chicago of the National League, Minneapolis of the Western League, and the teams of Red River Valley League. This working relationship is what led Deacon Phillippe and other Western League players to the valley in 1897. With Minneapolis struggling in the standings after some questionable personnel decisions, Wilmot quickly fell out of favor with the Miller magnates. Though Wilmot would return to the Minneapolis franchise the following season, Anson moved on to manage the National League's New York Giants, ruining any future hope of a farm system involving teams in the Red River Valley.* Without big-league backing, the RRVL never got off the ground for the summer of 1898.

*Wilmot, who played six years for Anson in Chicago, spent 35 games as a player for Cap's Giants team in 1898.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 23, 1897 p.4
"Lost in the Ninth" and "After Wilmot" 

On This Date: Western League Notes (Post #50!)

Thank you all for reading! This is post #50!

July 18, 1897 - Though the Fargo team began a stretch of three scheduled days off, there was still baseball news of interest to the local fans. The Forum reported on Deacon Phillippe's first start on his return to Minneapolis, giving his Red River Valley fans a glimpse of his work in the Western League. The paper's account said Phillippe pitched well, giving up only eight hits, and went on to blame Minneapolis second baseman Fred Roat's two errors for the loss. Not entirely surprisingly, the Forum account was a bit biased, omitting the fact that Phillippe gave up five runs. However, according to the game box score, none of the runs allowed were earned. The Miller fans were likely pleased with the Deacon's performance.

On the same day, player/manager Connie Mack's Milwaukee Brewers, also of the Western League, won a 15 inning marathon against the Indianapolis Indians by a score of 4-3. Born Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy, Mack is best known for his incredible longevity as a major league manager. He went on to win 3728 games in the major leagues, managing the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-1950. The "Tall Tactician" was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937, while still a manager, and would not retire from his post with the A's until age 87. Remarkably, Mack began his playing career during Chester A. Arthur's presidency and retired during Harry S. Truman's presidency. Truman was born in 1884, the year Mack began his professional baseball career as a player.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 20, 1897 p.4 "Doing Good Work"
Box score information from The Sporting Life July 24, 1897 p.15
Connie Mack's statistics found at http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=mack--001con

On This Date: Fargo Pounded, Protested Game Settled

July 17, 1897 - Fargo failed to capture a series win against Grand Forks, surrendering 14 runs to the Senators in the finale of a four game home stand. Oscar Peterson was on the mound for Fargo, and struggled mightily, allowing eleven to score while recording only nine outs. The knockout punch for Peterson was a mammoth three-run home run smashed by Sid Adams to begin the fourth inning. The young southpaw Gus Munch came in to relieve Peterson and pitched well, striking out seven in six innings of work. Fargo had to settle for a 2-2 series split with the Senators.

Some bad blood between first baseman Peaceful Valley Brown and Umpire Arthur Lyons came to the surface in the eighth inning. Presumably a rift had developed between the two while Lyons was playing for Fargo early in the season. With Brown at-bat, Lyons made a strike call that Brown clearly disagreed with. Later in the at-bat, Brown slashed a ball down the third-base line that got by Grand Forks third baseman Joe Marshall. The problem for Brown was that the ball had failed to stay fair, and the general consensus was that Lyons had made the correct call in ruling the hit foul. Nonetheless, Brown was angered by the call and barked at Lyons for some time before being ejected. Some fans who had a bad angle on the play also gave ol' "Tige" an earful, and one crank was rowdy enough for a policeman to be summoned. The Divorcees could not afford to lose Brown, since Deacon Phillippe had just returned to Minneapolis, Fred Steele was playing in Sheldon, and Catcher Hayes hadn't yet arrived from Omaha. Luckily for Fargo, team captain George Keas was able to convince Lyons to let Brown remain in the game. It wasn't much help for Fargo, though, who already trailed by double digits at the time of the ejection, and they lost 14-3.

The game wasn't a total loss for the Divorcees. Fargo's nomad second baseman, Josh Reilly, apparently had made quite an impression on the local fans by mid-July. Before one of Reilly's at-bats, a female admirer gave him a bouquet of flowers as a sign of appreciation. Reilly doubled in the at-bat.

Also on July 17, RRVL officials and managers met to discuss the matter of several protested games. While two decisions regarding protests were referred to National League President Nick Young for further review, the league board did rule on one game. The result of the June 26 Fargo vs. Moorhead match up featuring Umpire Tupper's egregious missed call was thrown out by the board, and the game was set to be replayed at a later date (see "It Was Larceny" for more details on the June 26 contest). 

Sunday Argus July 18, 1897 p. 8 "It Was Awful" 

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 19, 1897 p.4 "We Were Easy"

On This Date: Phillippe Pitches Final Game for Fargo

July 16, 1897 - Charles "Deacon" Phillippe played his final game with Fargo, as the Minneapolis Millers of the Western League had called the right-hander back to their club. Phillippe said his farewell to Fargo by giving the home fans a victory over Grand Forks. He went nine innings for the Divorcees, surrendering seven hits and five runs. In the ninth inning, Fargo was down 5-3 and had two men on base, but were down to their final out. Josh Reilly stepped to the plate and blasted a triple against the left field fence, scoring two men to tie the game. Bill Zink followed with the game-winning single that sent the Fargo fans into a frenzy. Though the Deacon hadn't pitched great, his teammates helped give him a great sendoff with the walk-off win.


The Forum lamented Phillippe's departure and correctly predicted he "...will be a world beater someday." The pitcher took the No. 4 rail the next night to Minneapolis and rejoined the Millers. Despite not making his major league debut until age 26 (with Louisville in 1899) Phillippe would go on to win 189 big league games.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 17, 1897 p.25 "A Garrison Finish"

On This Date: Fargo Rebounds, Defeats Senators

Fargo enjoyed redemption in game two of their four game series with Grand Forks, winning 6-3 to even the series at a game a piece. Shortstop Bill Zink was the star for the Fargo nine, pounding out a home run and a double, while pitcher Oscar Peterson surrendered just three hits in nine innings of work. Peterson struck out the side in the fifth inning and added three hits of his own batting ninth in the lineup for the Divorcees. Deacon Phillippe showed his versatility and athleticism by manning right field for Fargo, helping in the absence of the team's outfielder Hopkins, who continued to recover from an injury sustained three days earlier against Moorhead. The umpire for the contest was Arthur "Tige" Lyons, who would officiate all four games of the series.

Standings published by the Forum

Team                      W-L          PCT
1. Moorhead          18-8           .692
2. Grand Forks      16-13         .552
3. Wahp-Breck      12-16         .429
4. Fargo                 10-19         .345

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 16, 1897 p.4 "Easy For Us"

On This Date: Aces Duel in Fargo

The RRVL game in Fargo on July 14th featured two great pitching performances, as Fargo put Deacon Phillippe on the mound, while Grand Forks countered with Charlie Hutton. Phillippe pitched very well, allowing just ten hits and two runs and going the distance for the Divorcees. But Hutton was better, and Fargo suffered its sixth shutout of the season, despite two hits each from Peaceful Valley Brown and Reilly Green. A run in the first and a run in the eighth were all the Senators needed to take down the rival Divorcees in the opener of a four game series.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican - July 15, 1897 p.4 "Shut Out Again"

On This Date: Munch Mows Down Moorhead

July 11, 1897 - Gus Munch held the Barmaids to just four hits and Peaceful Valley Brown stole two bases and scored twice as the Divorcees took a 6-1 exhibition win. Moorhead had Charles Lamont on the mound, and he struggled, walking five and uncorking three wild pitches before he was removed in favor of Andy Anderson after just two innings of work. Surprisingly, despite Lamont's wildness, Fargo managed just two runs in the first two innings. The Barmaids, who started former Divorcee Charles Jahnke in center field, were also sloppy in the field. The team had seven defensive miscues, led by Bob Brush's three errors at second base.

Interestingly, Bob Brush would be the only Moorhead player from the 1897 team to ever play in the major leagues. He appeared in two games for the Boston Doves of the National League in 1907, going hit-less in two at bats. The Doves finished 47 games behind the Chicago Cubs, who won 107 games and swept the Detroit Tigers four games to none in the World Series. That same year, thirty-five year old Charles Deacon Phillippe won 14 games for the second place Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League, who finished 17 games behind the Cubs.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 12, 1897 p.4

On This Date: A One-Hop Home Run

In a July 10th game between Fargo and Grand Forks at the Senators' YMCA field, Sid Adams of the home team accomplished an interesting feat. In the first inning, he sent a sky-high drive into right field off of Deacon Phillippe. Fargo's right fielder Green didn't get to it in time, and the ball bounced off the bicycle track inconveniently located within the ball field. The baseball found its way over the right field fence and Adams was awarded a home run! Three runs scored on the unfortunate bounce, and would be the only runs earned off of Phillippe all day. Disappointingly for Fargo, they could not figure out Grand Forks pitcher Charlie Hutton, managing just three hits in nine innings and the Divorcees fell 3-0. In his dominant complete game shutout, Hutton struck out eight and walked none.

"BASE BALL: Fargo and Moorhead Are Both Defeated Yesterday."
Sunday Argus, July 11, 1897, p.8 

Where Did Everyone Go?

Minor league baseball players in the late 19th Century often led a nomadic life. Minor leagues and teams were independent, not having the direct support of a Major League club as they do today. A league or a team that failed to draw enough fans and remain financially solvent couldn't hang on for very long without folding. As a result of this constant state of flux, players could not always count on staying in the same city throughout the summer. Even if their team and league were stable, it was still common for players to play a few games with other local teams when their league team was idle. For the Fargo Divorcees in 1897, these factors, along with a late start to the season (late May), the July 31st folding of the Red River Valley League, and the craving of baseball fans in the valley produced a perfect storm in which Fargo's players appeared in many different uniforms throughout the summer.

A working list of teams that featured Fargo players sometime during the summer of 1897:

Jimmy Banning - Umpired in the RRVL
Bergstrom - Minnehahas (MN)
Flannery - Perham, MN
Jimmie French - Hope, ND (2 games)
Reilly Green - Kenyon, MN
Haverty - Detroit Lakes, MN
Hayes - Omaha, NE (Western Association)
A. J. Hessler - Foster County, ND
C. R. Hickey - Wadena, MN (1 game)
Henry "Harry" Howe - Moorhead Barmaids and Denison-Sherman/Waco, TX (Texas League)
Charles Jahnke - Moorhead Barmaids
George Keas - a team in Southern Minnesota (after the league folded)
Arthur "Tige" Lyons - Sheldon, ND, Perham, MN, and served as umpire for RRVL games
Gus Munch - St. Paul Saints (Western League), Staples, MN (1 game)
Oscar Peterson - Minneapolis Millers (Western League), Wadena, MN (1 game), Wheatland, ND (1 game)
Charles "Deacon" Phillippe - Minneapolis Millers (Western League)
Josh Reilly - Kansas City Blues, Indianapolis Indians (both Western League), Springfield, IL Governors (Interstate League), Kenyon, MN
Lee Roberts - Mandan, ND (several games), Sheldon, ND, Detroit Lakes, MN
Fred Steele - Milnor, ND (1 game), a team in Western Iowa possibly
Bill Zink - a team in Western Iowa possibly

"It Was Larceny"

The game between Fargo and Moorhead on the afternoon of June 26, 1897 featured a great pitching match up and promised to be a compelling game. Indeed, the game was compelling, but for unusual reasons.

Deacon Phillippe (spelled Phillippi by the papers) and Pike Mullaney squared off in a contest between first place Moorhead and last place Fargo. In the first inning, Phillippe gave up four runs, but settled down and shut out the "Barmaids" for the remainder of the game. The first inning featured a controversial call by the umpire Tupper. The Forum said Page from Moorhead was out by at least five feet on a play at home, but was called safe. Fargo's Sunday Argus claimed the runner was ten feet short of home when tagged out. Whether Tupper just had a bad view of the play or was grossly incompetent or unethical is unclear. He may have been obscured, but even though he was the only umpire for the game (as was customary at the time), he should have been near home plate. The Forum claimed that Tupper made several other bad calls throughout the game, "two against Fargo, and two against Moorhead", but these missteps paled in comparison to the events of the ninth inning.

For Moorhead, Mullaney was solid as usual, but got into some trouble in the ninth inning with the game 4-2 in favor of Moorhead. Mullaney walked the first two batters, Phillippe and Hopkins. One of Fargo's fan favorites, the utility man Hartman, followed with a fly ball out to right field. Phillippe tagged up on the play and advanced to third. Moorhead appealed the play, however, and Phillippe was called out by Tupper for leaving second too early. The Fargo team and their fans were incensed by this call. Tupper had his back turned to second - he never saw the play. Fargo failed to score in the ninth, and lost 4-2. The Moorhead team, along with Fargo's manager, local travel agent George Challis, ushered Tupper to safety after the game, protecting him from the rage of some of the Fargo fans. Fargo launched a formal protest of the contest. The story of the awful umpiring in the Red River Valley League even made the pages of the Sporting News on July 10th. The Sunday Argus proclaimed, "It Was Larceny."

The protest was eventually addressed by National League President Nick Young. The National League was the only "major league" at the time, and wielded much power over the baseball establishment. In the meantime, Tupper had admitted that he did not see the Phillippe leave second base in the decisive ninth inning blown call. Young ruled that the game should be replayed. However, the Red River Valley League folded for 1897 in early August, so Moorhead declined to replay the game. (More on the league's collapse later.)

Player Profile: Charles "Deacon" Phillippe

The most well-known player of the 1897 Fargo team was future major leaguer Charles "Deacon" Phillippe. In 13 major league seasons, Phillippe went 189-109 with a 2.59 ERA. He pitched a record five complete games in the 1903 World Series (a best of 9 series), winning 3 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the series. The Pirates lost to the Boston Americans in this inaugural World Series, five games to three.

In the summer of 1897, while on loan from the Minneapolis Millers baseball team, the 25 year old posted a 3-4 record for Fargo before finishing the season with the Millers. The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican regularly praised his level of play and his promise as a young talent. During his time in Fargo, Phillippe pitching style was "of the 84 vintage, when the under-handed ball was in its prime."* He would later switch to a more conventional overhand delivery, which he used while pitching in the major leagues.

Interestingly, a teammate of Phillippe's on the 1903 Pirates team was Joe Marshall, who played for Grand Forks in 1897.

*The Moorhead Independent June 25, 1897 "First Game at Fargo" Front Page