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MAY
1897

Monday, May 3rd

IN THE NEWS: With the Giants leading 7–0 after two innings, Washington starts delaying the game in hopes that the imminent rainstorm will wash the game out. Umpire Tom Lynch forfeits the game to New York.

Tuesday, May 4th

IN THE NEWS: Cap Anson Day is celebrated in Chicago during the home opener with St. Louis. A near-capacity crowd of 14,968 is on hand, including comedian Eddie Foy, actress Maurice Barrymore, and his daughter Ethel, and Alderman John Maynard Harlan, whose son will become a Supreme Court Justice. Anson plays an errorless game behind the plate and adds a single in Chicago's 5–2 victory.

Friday, May 7th

IN THE NEWS: Baltimore survives Duff's two doubles and three singles to defeat the Athletics 13–11.

Monday, May 10th

IN THE NEWS: Jack Doyle hits an unusual home run for Baltimore, but Washington defeats the Orioles 13–5. The home run is noteworthy in that the ball rolls to the fence where a ladder had been placed. It rolls up the ladder and disappears over the fence.

Nap Lajoie slugs two home runs and a double to lead Philadelphia (National League) to a 13–1 rout of St. Louis. Lajoie continues the hit streak he started on May 8th and will not go hitless until May 31st, a string of twenty games.

Tuesday, May 11th

IN THE NEWS: Duke Farrell, Washington catcher, sets a major-league record by throwing out eight Orioles trying to steal 2B, but the Senators lose anyway 6–3.

Friday, May 14th

IN THE NEWS: The Orioles fatten their batting averages with 22 hits against the hapless Browns and romp 20–3.

Sunday, May 16th

IN THE NEWS: Fans assemble for Cleveland's first Sunday baseball game only to have the police arrest the players after the first inning. Players and umpire Tim Hurst are released on bail provided by Cleveland club owner Frank DeHaas Robison. A test case is made of rookie hurler John Powell. On June 10th he will be found guilty of playing ball on Sunday and fined $5.

Monday, May 17th

IN THE NEWS: Pirates lefty Frank Killen, a 30-game winner last year, allows two hits to defeat Amos Rusie and the Giants 3–2. Pittsburgh's Denny Lyons has two fingers broken after being hit by a Rusie pitch.

Tuesday, May 18th

IN THE NEWS: Bill "Scrappy" Joyce's four triples pace the New York Giants to an 11–5 win over the Pirates at Pittsburgh. This is the last time this feat is accomplished in ML history. Philadelphia's (AA) George Streif hit four on June 25, 1885.

Thursday, May 20th

IN THE NEWS: OF Kip Selbach steals five bases against the Chicago Colts to lead Washington to a 16–14 victory.

Fred Clarke gets five hits to help Louisville to a 13-inning 13–12 decision over Brooklyn.

Sunday, May 23rd

IN THE NEWS: A "shoot the chutes" waterslide opens at Sportsman's Park, St. Louis. With the Browns in last place, owner Von der Ahe is trying to draw customers with a variety of amusement park attractions.

Tuesday, May 25th

IN THE NEWS: Cleveland rallies for four runs in the bottom of the 9th to topple the Athletics 10–9.

Thursday, May 27th

IN THE NEWS: The Reds acquire Jake Beckley from the New York Giants.

Monday, May 31st

IN THE NEWS: At Boston, the home team scores 25 runs on 29 hits to wallop St. Louis 25–5. Fred Tenney goes 6-for-8.

Using mechanical dummies, "an electrical baseball machine" reproduces the Louisville doubleheader on stage at Philadelphia's McCauley Theater, which has been fitted out like a ballpark. Messages transmitted from the field are translated by "skillful manipulation" of the machine's keyboard into a reenactment.