July 22, 1907 – by Ronald Schmidt 1906 gave Philadelphia a taste of what was coming. An aging team that spectacularly won two championships suddenly struggled to the postseason. The disadvantage was too significant without Leo McKenzie and Alfred Gilling, and the Brewers finally lost to the Empire. In a recent meeting with the club…
Author: Martin Pitsch
1907 Philadelphia Brewers Season Preview
Troy Bujak and Martin Pitsch reviewed their opening day options in the manager’s office. Unfortunately, the offseason wasn’t as pleasant as the Brewers’ leadership hoped, but the roster would still be strong enough to compete for the division title. A knock on the door interrupted the deep conversation. Pitsch and Bujak looked up, and the…
The Handicapped Season: 1906 Philadelphia Brewers Season Review
It was the late afternoon of September 8, 1906. The Philadelphia Brewers lost the eighth game of the Legacy Cup to the Twin City Empire, who finally won it all in their fifth attempt within six years. Although the game was long over and the stands were empty, some players sat down near the first…
Robbing the courier
On August 24, 1906, after the fourth inning in game three of the League Cup series against the Brooklyn Whales, Alfred Gilling complained about back problems and didn’t return to the field. Gilling missed the remaining games, and the medical staff worked hard to cure him so he could step on the field again. Four…
A chat between veterans
August 23, 1906. It was noon when McKenzie woke up. He wasn’t in his bed, and his body ached from sleeping in a sitting position. The 35-year-old tried to get up but only managed to grunt. After his injury early in the season, he couldn’t do much and was in bad shape. Last night didn’t…
Marty Harris becomes Brewers’ First-Round Pick
June 25, 1906 – by Ronald Schmidt Since this season, Philadelphia Brewers General Manager Martin Pitsch has faced more challenges by fielding a complete team of prospects rather than having a bunch of worn-out reservists. Philadelphia could sign three players for this draft in the first two rounds. In late November 1905, Philadelphia sent Junius…
A Championship to Remember
After the 1904 Legacy Cup was placed in the trophy room at Boeselager Stadium, many fans wondered if the four trophies would need rearrangement. Philadelphia’s front office failed to sign significant improvements. Bradley Miller was the only free agent joining their ranks. The biggest Eastern League rivals stepped up. Many saw Brooklyn’s signing of Jackie…
Holmes – From almost gone to number one
July 17, 1905 – by Ronald Schmidt It is challenging to stand out in a team with stars like Leo McKenzie, Moriarty Stapleton, Stephen Millington, or Enrique Johnson. It’s easy for bystanders not to notice players at all. One severely underrated player is Lambert Holmes. When Holmes joined the Brewers for the 1900 season, he…
Batting practice
The Philadelphia Brewers leadership, Karl and Walter Boeselager, and Martin Pitsch, sat in the German Corner Pub and read the telegram sent by the league’s front office. Senator Samuel Watson put the Inter-Racial Championship Game between the Philadelphia Brewers and the Chattanooga Nickajacks on ice. The delegation from Chattanooga was about to arrive in Philadelphia…
Brewers are back on the throne
When Brewers centerfielder Enrique Johnson caught Richard Pinchbeck’s flyball at 4:47 pm on August 3, 1904, Philadelphia became the city with the most titles. Boeselager Stadium became the city center for celebrations, and when the beer ran out, the team went on to the German Corner Pub, which ran dry shortly after. Garrett Dutler introduced…