Ottawa Baseball History: Ottawa Wanderers

In 1898, the Eastern League was in its sixth season and housed eight teams. One of those, the Rochester Patriots were having difficulties with attendance and money. On July 12th, with the season already underway, the Rochester Patriots ceased operations. They were reborn on the 13th as the Ottawa Wanderers.

The first game in Ottawa Wanderers history was a road game against the Syracuse Stars. Trailing 1-0 in the top of the 3rd inning, Shortstop Billy Clymer would hit a 3 run Home Run that would ultimately secure the victory. Ottawa would score two more runs in the 6th and win their first ever game 7-4.

They would arrive by train for the first time on July 15th, 1898. Hundreds of fans greeted them at the train station. That day’s Morning Edition of the Ottawa Citizen made reference to shares in the team being sold for 20$. The hope was that this would push the gate receipts from attendance over the top and allow the team to stay in Ottawa.

The team played their first game in Ottawa against Syracuse later that evening, in front of a crowd of 2,500 spectators. The first pitch would be thrown out by Mayor Samuel Bingham.

Ottawa would go down 1-0 in the top of the first and never recover, eventually losing 8-1 in a spirited game that saw Syracuse Stars Right Fielder Jack O’Brien thrown out of the game and immediately fined 25$ for using abusive language.

Despite the rambunctious nature of the game, the fans stayed the entire time, cheering and rooting loudly for what they called “Their boys.”

Their record upon arrival was 23-38 which was good for 5th in the league. The team would go 30-32 the rest of the way, finishing the season in last place.

When the 1898 Eastern League season ended, the Ottawa Wanderers folded. Baseball would not return to the city until 1912, when the Ottawa Senators joined the Canadian League.