Josh Snyder in the outfield.

The championship reverted back to the Atlantics in 1864, and they held
the nominal title until near the close of 1867, their chief competitors
being the Athletics of Philadelphia and the Mutuals of New York City.

The Athletics held the nominal championship longer than any other club,
and also claims the credit of not being defeated in any game played
during 1864 and 1865, the feat of going through two successive seasons
without a defeat being unprecedented at that time in base-ball history.
The Eckfords of Brooklyn, however, went through the season of 1863
without losing a game, and the Cincinnati Reds, under the management of
the late Harry Wright, accomplished a similar feat in 1869, the latter
at the time meeting all of the best teams in the country, both East and
West.

The Atlantic's champion nine in 1864 and 1865 were Pratt, pitcher;
Pearce, catcher; Stark, Crane and C. Smith, on the bases; Galvin,
shortstop; and Chapman, P. O'Brien and S. Smith in the outfield. Frank
Norton caught during the latter part of the season and Pearce played
shortstop.

The Athletics in 1866 played all of the strongest clubs in the country
and were only twice defeated, once by the Atlantics of Brooklyn, and
once by the Unions of Morrisania. The first game between the Atlantics
and Athletics for the championship took place October 1st, 1866, in
Philadelphia, the number of people present inside and outside the
inclosed grounds being estimated as high as 30,000, it being the largest
attendance known at the baseball game up to that time. Inside the
inclosure the crowd was immense, and packed so close there was no room
for the players to field. An attempt was made, however, to play the
game, but one inning was sufficient to show that it was impossible, and
after a vain attempt to clear the field both parties reluctantly
consented to a postponement.

The postponed game was played October 22d, in Philadelphia.

The price of tickets was placed at one dollar and upwards, and two
thousand people paid the "steep" price of admission, the highest ever
charged for mere admission to the grounds, while five or six thousand
more witnessed the game from the surrounding embankment. Rain and
darkness obliged the umpire to call the game at the end of the second
inning, the victory remaining with the Athletics, by the decisive totals
of 31 to 12. A dispute about the gate money prevented the playing of the
decisive game o