JAYSON
RETIRES
AS A
MANAGER
Stephen Pollard
September 26, 1914
Washington D.C.
It was an early fall Saturday in late September and the skies were clear and it was beautiful fall weather. Jayson Gannon was standing at home plate being honored for his 15 years as the Washington Eagles manager as he was retiring and this was going to be the 9th time in the last 13 years that he and the Eagles would be going to the Championship Series, winning 6 of those series and the 16th time in the last 25 years, including his 10 year stint as the Cincinnati Knights manager that included 7 pennants and 6 championships and a 45 year career in baseball that started back in 1870 at the age of 16 years old.
Standing with Jayson Gannon to honor him for his 45 years of baseball excellence was major league commissioner and former teammate Rance Hermann, National Conference League President Phillip Dergen, Ameri- can Conference League President Cyrus Dawson, Philadelphia Diamonds owner Randall Metscher, Pittsburgh Gold Sox’s owner Fred Charles, Cinci-
Natti Knights owner Alexander Hampton and Gerald Statler the Washington Eagles owner, all 4 owners representing the teams that Jayson Gannon had either played for or had been manager of.
His team having already clinched the pennant a week earlier, so there was no pressure hanging over Jayson and he was really enjoying this tribute to him. His wife, son and daughter were standing nearby, happily beaming with joy. Jayson’s relatives were also in attendance in the stands, including his cousin Franklin Forsythe and his wife, son and 2 daughters.
Not many players can be considered a living legend as Jayson was the main reason that the American Conference Baseball League was able to survive and be successful in the early years of the 1870’s and become a premier sports league. How many could say that the team that they played for would be considered a dynasty, let alone being a part of each one for a decade and being the most dominant.
As the ceremony came to an end and the last game of the season got underway, the Eagles proceeded to roll to an easy win, coming out victorious 8 - 0 and for the 9th time in 10 years winning 90 or more games and in 25 years as a manager either finishing in 1st of 2nd place, an achievement that may never be equaled or exceeded.
Jayson Gannon’s 25 year managerial career record, one that may go unmatched forever.
Team Years Won Lost Pct Pennants Championships
Cincinatti 1890 - 1899 764 436 .637 7 6
Washington 1900 - 1914 1351 859 .611 9 7
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Totals For 25 years 2115 1295 .620 16 13
The championship series with the National Conference League St. Louis River Captains got underway in Washington on Wednesday October 1st. Simon Glasgow was the starting pitcher in game 1 for Jayson Gannon’s Eagles. Being the ace of the pitching staff since the retirement of Franklin Forsythe, had been spot on the last 2 seasons, kept the St. Louis River Captains batters off of their timing and swings and pitched a classic pitch- ing performance, and with the usual timely hitting of the Eagles, they won on a 3 hit pitching performance 6 - 0. The Eagles were off to a great start.
The next day on Thursday,the second game of the Championship Series was much like the 1st game, another classic pitching performance, this time by Ted Ellis who also kept the St. Louis River Captains off their timing and swings like Simon Glasgow did the day before. As usually was the case with a Jayson Gannon managed team, the batters did not let a good
opposing pitching staff get the better of them. The River Captains were scattering hits but they really did no good for them because their runners were constantly getting tagged out from being overly aggressive on the base paths. The Eagles won 7 - 1 and the St. Louis River Captains were going back home for the Championship Series down 2 games to nothing and it was not looking good for them.
After 2 days of traveling on the train to St. Louis, the two teams opened up the 3rd game of the Championship Seriesin the Mississippi River city on Saturday October 4th. Jayson Gannon sent Raymond Stiles to the hill against the River Captains Mike Gaffney. Both Stiles and Gaffney pitched superbly through the 6th inning scattering hits and runs with the score tied up 2 to 2. Then the Eagles hitters broke through and scored 2 runs in the 7th inning and that’s all that they needed and Mike Gaffney won in a pitch- ers duel and the Eagles were up 3 games to nothing.
The next day on Sunday October 4th the game was rained out. The next day on Monday October 5th, Jayson Gannon sent Simon Glasgow back out to the hill to finish off the River Captains who sent out Donald McInnes to stall the sweep by the Eagles. The Eagles started off the game and they took the early lead spraying hits and scoring runs, leading 6 to 0 before the River Captains could even get started. The River Captains were trying to play aggressively once again and it backfired on them. Simon Glasgow was pitching very efficiently and it reminded Jayson Gannon of Snyder Mixson’s efficient pitching performances back in the 1870’s. Donald McInnes finally was able to quiet the Eagles bats, but the damage had already been done. The River Captains could not dent Simon Glasgow and he ended up with bookend 6 - 0 victories and the Eagles notched another championship.
The Eagles players in the dugout ran out to join the players on the field mobbing one another. Then Jayson Gannon came out to join the champ- ionship celebration and the Eagles players hoisted up Jayson and carried him victoriously back to the dugout. What a fitting way to close out a long successful career, the way that he began, up on the pinnacle.
(C) 2021
