On September 10, 1881, two National League baseball teams, the Troy Trojans and the Worcester Worcesters, played against each other on Broadway in the city of Rensselaer, NY.
In the ninth inning bases were loaded. Troy Trojan Roger Connor stepped up to the plate and hit the first grand slam. An article from the September 12, 1881 Albany Morning Express described the game and Connor’s historic hit:
“The few persons who crossed the river Saturday to the Troys and Worchesters play saw an astonishing game of base ball. To the surprise of all, the Troys won the game by a long and lucky hit in the last inning…”
“Worchester scored one in the ninth inning, and the game was a forlorn hope for Troy. Welsh made a hit, Ewing a hit safe and Evans went out, Hankinson hit safe, filling the bases. To the surprise of all Keefe was given his base on balls, giving welsh a run.
“Cassidy went out and when Connor went to the bat is required three runs to tie and four to win. After waiting a minute he sent a long one over the centre fielders’ head and down to the south fence, clearing the bases and reaching home plate himself before the ball, amid the cheers of the few who were present.”
It would not be until after 1903, when the National and American Baseball Leagues merged to create Major League Baseball, that the grand slam became an official play of the game.
The latest episode of A New York Minute in History dives into this first grand slam home run. Where exactly it was hit had remained a mystery for over a century.
Interviewees featured in this podcast include John Thorn, official historian of Major League Baseball; Matt Malette, Albany historian and president of the Historic Albany Foundation; and Kathy T. Sheehan, Rensselaer County and Troy City Historian and Executive Director of the Hart Cluett Museum.
To listen to the full episode visit the WAMC Podcasts website. You can listen to more history podcasts here.
Read more about New York State baseball history.
Illustration: A Roger Connor baseball card.
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