The story of the 51–3 baseball game in 1902

51–3

That’s not a football score.

That’s not a basketball score.

That’s from a baseball game.

It happened on this day 115 years ago, as the Corsicana Indians plated a Texas League record 51 runs in a 48-run victory over the Texarkana Casket Makers.

Corsicana was paced by Jay Clarke, who went 8–8 with EIGHT HOME RUNS, a Minor League single-game record. Of course, Clarke didn’t have to crush the baseball to hit it out. The right field fence was reportedly only 210 feet from home plate. Still though, that’s an impressive feat. Clarke’s eight homers were part of a 21-homer barrage overall from the Indians.

The Indians finished the day establishing six new Texas League records:

• Most team at-bats (87)
• Runs (51)
• Hits (53)
• Players with five or more hits in a game (7)
• Extra-base hits (27) — four doubles, two triples, 21 home runs
• Home runs(21)

Meanwhile, Texarkana pitcher CB Dewitt was fed to the wolves, allowing all 51 runs, according to Texas League historian Kris Rutherford. His ERA probably wasn’t pretty the next day.

That game 115 years ago fit perfectly in line with the storylines of both team’s seasons. Corsicana went 87–23 that year and finished 28.5 games ahead of second-place Dallas. The Indians’ .791 winning percentage still stands as the best in Texas League history. No other team has come closer than .730 (1920 Fort Worth Panthers).

For Texarkana, it marked just the latest chapter in an extremely turbulent 1902 season. The franchise began the year as the Sherman/Denison Blues but played just 11 games before moving to Texarkana. Combined, the club went 21–46. When the first half ended on July 8, the Casket Makers folded.

You never know what you’re going to see when you go to the ballpark. That said, don’t expect Frisco or San Antonio to score 51 runs tonight.

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TONIGHT’S GAME: Riders vs. San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
PROBABLES: LHP Yohander Mendez (4–3, 3.36 ERA) vs. RHP Brett Kennedy (5–3, 3.79 ERA)
TICKETS: Click here
WEBCAST: MiLB.TV
AUDIO: RidersBaseball.com, TuneIn Radio and the MiLB First Pitch App

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- Ryan

Baseball term of the day: Pasteboard — An admission ticket to a baseball game.

(term from The Dickson Baseball Dictionary)