d gotten together as strong a team as
was possible under the circumstances, the list including Harry Wright,
manager; J. E. Borden ("Josephs"), T. H. Murnane, F. L. Beals, H. C.
Schafer, A. J. Leonard, J. H. O'Rourke, J. F. Manning, F. T. Whitney,
George Wright, John F. Morrill, Lewis Brown, T. McGinley, and W. R.
Parks.

Our strongest opponents, however, proved to be the Hartford Club, of
which Robert Ferguson was captain and manager, and which numbered among
its players Allison, Cummings, Bond, Mills, Burdock, Cary, York, Remsen,
Cassidy, Higham, and Harbidge.

As I have said before, it was anything to beat Chicago, so far as the
Bostons were concerned, but this feat they were unable to accomplish
until the very tail end of the season, and after we had beaten them in
nine straight games.

The first game that we played on the Boston grounds that season I
remember well, because of the enormous crowd that turned out to witness
the contest. The advent of the "Big Four" in a new uniform was of course
the attraction, and long before the hour set for calling the game had
arrived the people were wending their way in steady streams toward the
scene of action. Every kind of a conveyance that could be used was
pressed into service, from the lumbering stage coach that had been
retired from active service, to the coach-and-four of the millionaire.
Street cars were jammed to suffocation, and even seats in an express
wagon were sold at a premium.

It was Decoration Day, and therefore a holiday, and it seemed to me as
if all Boston had determined to be present on that occasion. By hundreds
and thousands they kept coming, and finally it was found necessary to
close the gates in order to keep room enough in the grounds to play the
game on. With the gates closed the crowd began to swarm over the fences,
and the special policemen employed there had their hands more than full
of trouble.

The "Big Four" were given a great ovation when they put in an
appearance, and of course the whole team shared in the honors that were
showered upon them. The game that followed was, as might have been
expected, played under difficulties, but thanks to the excellent
pitching of Spalding and the fine support given him by the entire team
we won by a score of 5 to 1, and the Hubbites were sorer than ever over
the "Big Four's" defection.

Our other victories over the Boston aggregation that season were as
follows: June 1st, at Boston, Chicago 9, Bosto