1897 Temple Cup

1897 Temple Cup
1897 Temple Cup
Dates	October 4–11
Venue(s)	South End Grounds (Boston); Union Park (Baltimore)
Umpires	Bob Emslie, Tim Hurst
Hall of Famers	Orioles:; Ned Hanlon (manager); Hughie Jennings; Willie Keeler; Joe Kelley; John McGraw†; Beaneaters:; Frank Selee (manager); Jimmy Collins; Hugh Duffy; Billy Hamilton; Kid Nichols; † elected as a manager.

The 1897 Temple Cup was an end-of-the-year best-of-seven playoff between the National League champion Baltimore Orioles and runner-up Boston Beaneaters. The series began on October 4 and ended on October 11 with the Orioles winning in five games.

Due to lack of enthusiasm from both players and fans, and the perception that the Temple Cup was more of an exhibition contest than a true championship contest, the 1897 Temple Cup would be the final version of the championship series.^[1] Aside from the 1900 Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, this would be the last championship series until the birth of the modern World Series in 1903.

Summary

Baltimore won the series, 4–1.

Game	Date	Score	Location
1	October 4	Baltimore Orioles – 12, Boston Beaneaters – 13	South End Grounds^[2]
2	October 5	Baltimore Orioles – 13, Boston Beaneaters – 11	South End Grounds^[3]
3	October 6	Baltimore Orioles – 8, Boston Beaneaters – 3 (7)	South End Grounds^[4]
4	October 10	Boston Beaneaters – 11, Baltimore Orioles – 12	Union Park^[5]
5	October 11	Boston Beaneaters – 3, Baltimore Orioles – 9	Union Park^[6]

Game summaries

Game 1

Monday, October 4, 1897 at South End Grounds in Boston, Massachusetts^[2]
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Baltimore	4	0	1	0	2	3	2	0	0	12	20	4
Boston	3	0	0	1	2	5	0	2	X	13	12	4
Starting pitchers: BAL: Jerry Nops BOS: Ted Lewis WP: Ted Lewis (1–0) LP: Jerry Nops (0–1) Attendance: 10,000

Game 2

Tuesday, October 5, 1897 at South End Grounds in Boston, Massachusetts^[3]
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Baltimore	1	3	0	1	6	0	1	1	0	13	17	2
Boston	0	0	2	6	2	0	1	0	0	11	16	3
Starting pitchers: BAL: Joe Corbett BOS: Fred Klobedanz WP: Joe Corbett (1–0) LP: Fred Klobedanz (0–1) Home runs: BAL: Henry Reitz (1), William Clarke (1), Joe Corbett (1) BOS: Herman Long (1) Attendance: 6,000

Game 3

Wednesday, October 6, 1897 at South End Grounds in Boston, Massachusetts^[4]
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Baltimore	0	4	4	0	0	0	0	X	X	8	9	2
Boston	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	X	X	3	10	2
Starting pitchers: BAL: Bill Hoffer BOS: Ted Lewis WP: Bill Hoffer (1–0) LP: Ted Lewis (0–1) Attendance: 2,000 Notes: Game called due to rain. Four runs scored by Baltimore in the top of the 8th not counted.

Game 4

Sunday, October 10, 1897 at Union Park in Baltimore, Maryland^[5]
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston	0	0	0	0	2	4	3	2	0	11	16	3
Baltimore	6	5	0	0	0	1	0	0	X	12	14	2
Starting pitchers: BOS: Jack Stivetts BAL: Jerry Nops WP: Jerry Nops (1–1) LP: Jack Stivetts (0–1) Attendance: 2,000 Notes: Game duration 2:50

Game 5

Monday, October 11, 1897 at Union Park in Baltimore, Maryland^[6]
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	15	3
Baltimore	0	2	3	0	0	0	2	2	X	9	13	2
Starting pitchers: BOS: Charlie Hickman BAL: Bill Hoffer WP: Bill Hoffer (2–0) LP: Charlie Hickman (0–1) Attendance: 700^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Best, Jason. "1897: Last Gasp of the Temple Cup – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved January 23, 2025.
^ ^a ^b "ON THE BASEBALL FIELD; Boston Wins the First Game of the Temple Cup Series from Baltimore. HAMILTON SAVED THE GAME He Made Two Phenomenal Catches in the Eighth Inning Which Stopped Runs — Game Noted for Heavy Batting — Nops's Wildness Proves Fatal". The New York Times. October 5, 1897. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/05/102543813.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
^ ^a ^b "A VICTORY FOR BALTIMORE; Timely Batting Enables Them to Win the Second Temple Cup Game from Boston. LONG'S PLAYING A FEATURE Boston's Crack Short Stop Cut Off Several Base Hits — Corbett, the Baltimores' Pitcher, Did Well at Critical Stages of the Game". The New York Times. October 6, 1897. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/06/105954623.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
^ ^a ^b "ON THE BASEBALL FIELD; Third Game of the Temple Cup Series Resulted Favorably for the Baltimores. BOSTONS WERE OUTPLAYED The Former Champions Took a Comfortable Lead in the Second Inning and Were Never Headed — Hoffer Pitched a Fine Game, While Lewis Was Unsteady". The New York Times. October 7, 1897. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/07/102097775.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
^ ^a ^b "BALTIMORE'S GAME; Defeated Boston Before a Small Crowd. Only Need One More". Lockport Daily Journal. October 11, 1897. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
^ ^a ^b "ON THE BASEBALL FIELD.; Baltimore Wins Its Fourth Successive Game from Boston, and Takes the Temple Cup". The New York Times. October 12, 1897. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/12/105955319.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2025.

[SABR-1] Best, Jason. "1897: Last Gasp of the Temple Cup – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved January 23, 2025.

[Game_1-2] "ON THE BASEBALL FIELD; Boston Wins the First Game of the Temple Cup Series from Baltimore. HAMILTON SAVED THE GAME He Made Two Phenomenal Catches in the Eighth Inning Which Stopped Runs — Game Noted for Heavy Batting — Nops's Wildness Proves Fatal". The New York Times. October 5, 1897. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/05/102543813.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2025.

[Game_2-3] "A VICTORY FOR BALTIMORE; Timely Batting Enables Them to Win the Second Temple Cup Game from Boston. LONG'S PLAYING A FEATURE Boston's Crack Short Stop Cut Off Several Base Hits — Corbett, the Baltimores' Pitcher, Did Well at Critical Stages of the Game". The New York Times. October 6, 1897. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/06/105954623.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2025.

[Game_3-4] "ON THE BASEBALL FIELD; Third Game of the Temple Cup Series Resulted Favorably for the Baltimores. BOSTONS WERE OUTPLAYED The Former Champions Took a Comfortable Lead in the Second Inning and Were Never Headed — Hoffer Pitched a Fine Game, While Lewis Was Unsteady". The New York Times. October 7, 1897. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/07/102097775.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2025.

[Game_4-5] "BALTIMORE'S GAME; Defeated Boston Before a Small Crowd. Only Need One More". Lockport Daily Journal. October 11, 1897. Retrieved January 23, 2025.

[Game_5-6] "ON THE BASEBALL FIELD.; Baltimore Wins Its Fourth Successive Game from Boston, and Takes the Temple Cup". The New York Times. October 12, 1897. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/12/105955319.pdf. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2025.

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