Yes the write-ups for these woodcuts make them come to life! It is one of the reasons that I'm a proponent of keeping old newspapers in their original form. Below are 3 woodcuts each in their full publication.
The first one shows the match between the Excelsior and Atlantic Clubs and thanks to the exceptional work by John Thorn we know that the pitcher is James Creighton!
Image 1
Prior to a discussion on the match, the article states:
Once make Cricket and Base Ball and Quoits and Foot Ball and the rest of them national pasttimes, and there will be little room left for big crimes to grow among us. It is bad diseased people who commit murders, and arson...-rarely or never, your robust fellow who has a sound stomach, and well developed muscles.
The second woodcut is a tribute to that same Excelsior Club of 1860.
Image 2
In this game, after five innings had been completed, with a score of eight to six in favor of the Excelsiors-and they had begun to score runs in the sixth innings through errors by the Atlantics-the crowd of betting roughs, located among the spectators, began to "bulldoze" the Excelsiors by blackguarding them when they were in the field, and to such an extent was this carried on, that Captain Leggett very properly refused to have his men insulted, and took them off the field. There is but little doubt that had the game continued with the crowd present, who had bet largely on the game, would not have allowed their favorites to be defeated.
The third woodcut depicts the 1885 Championship Chicago White Stockings. The baseball articles associated with the publication are absolutely hysterical!
Image 3