The Chicago White Stockings arrived in Detroit on the evening of June 18, 1886 with a mission. The Detroit Wolverines had won their first 18 home games, and threatened the record of 21 set by Chicago eight seasons earlier.
The Chicago Tribune said on the morning of the game a delegation of nearly 200 Chicago fans, led by team President Albert Spalding, arrived by train. The Chicago Tribune said:
“Out of the car doors piled the delegation from the windy city, each man bearing a new broom with a placard strapped across the straw end announcing the arrival of the ‘Record Breakers.’”
The Chicago players, along with team mascot Willie Hahn, met the group at the train:
“(T)he Chicago players and their mascot marched down the platform and placed themselves at the head of the double column of visiting Chicagoans that had formed at the depot, and then with their brooms elevated, the delegation marched out of the depot…The odd looking procession, extending nearly two squares, attracted a vast amount of attention.”
The delegation marched to the team’s hotel, the Russell House, until it was time to leave for Detroit’s Recreation Park at 3 PM.
With Hahn, and the players again in the lead, the delegation marched to the ballpark.
The Chicago Inter Ocean described the team’s arrival:
“The Chicagos were escorted to the ground by a band, and entered the field behind little Willie Hahn, who carried an immense broom on which were the words ‘Our Mascot.’”
Willie Hahn
Not to be outdone, the Wolverines had quickly recruited their own mascot for the game. The Inter Ocean said:
“The Detroits entered the grounds behind a little fellow almost the same size of Willie Hahn, and were received with cheer after cheer.”
The Wolverines mascot was “young Charlie Gallagher,” a local boy “said to have been born with teeth, and is guaranteed to posses all the magic charms of a genuine mascot.”
Charles “Lady” Baldwin pitched for Detroit, and Jim McCormick for Chicago. Both pitchers gave up four runs through five innings. Then, said The Tribune:
“Not a run to either side did the sixth, seventh, or eighth innings yield. The Whites did not once get further than second in these three innings. (Sam) Crane and (Charlie) Bennett for the home team alone reached third.
“Now (in the eighth inning) came the misfortune to which many a Detroiter attributes the defeat of their team. Bennett had caught his usually brilliant game without an error…(Fred) Pfeffer was at bat and struck one of those wicked fouls that have so often proved terrors to catchers. The ball caught the crack catcher upon the tip of the middle finger of his right hand, and almost tore it from the joint. Bennett bore the pain like a man, tried to brace up and go on, but he soon saw the folly of such an undertaking and withdrew.”
Shortstop Jack Rowe moved behind the plate to replace Bennett, and the following inning, with a runner on second and no out, a foul off the bat of George Gore struck Rowe’s finger ”jerking the member out of joint, besides splitting it badly.”
Detroit then tried to stall in order to have the game called on account of darkness
“(Charlie) Ganzel, the Detroits’ remaining catcher, was then sent for. A long delay followed. The delay was so long that the Chicago players began to kick vigorously. ‘The man will not put on his uniform,’ said (Cap) Anson to (Umpire John) Gaffney.”
Ganzel finally took the field “after twenty-five minutes’ delay.” Gore singled, moving McCormick to third, then Ganzel allowed a passed ball, and Chicago won 5 to 4.
“The scene that followed can scarcely be described, and the delight of the Chicago delegation bordered upon wildness, and was in strong contrast to the blue faces of the great crowd of Detroiters that filed out of the grounds. Brooms were waved with increased enthusiasm by the Chicago contingent on the road back to the hotel.”
Detroit won the two remaining games in the series and increased their lead over the second place White Stockings to three and a half games. They stayed in first place until August 26—Chicago took over the league lead and never relinquished it, winning the National League pennant by two and half games.
Hahn remained the White Stockings mascot until 1888. Charlie Gallagher was never heard from again.
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