Included in this Web Page:


19th Century Baseball History

 

National Association of Baseball Players Champions

Year NABBP Champions Best Record
1857 N/A Brooklyn Atlantics (7-1-1)
1858 N/A New York Mutuals (11-1)
Brooklyn Atlantics (7-0)
1859 Brooklyn Atlantics (11-1) Brooklyn Atlantics (11-1)
1860 Brooklyn Atlantics (12-2-2)  # Brooklyn Excellsiors (18-2-1)
1861 Brooklyn Atlantics (5-2) New York Mutuals (8-2)
1862 Brooklyn Eckfords (14-2) Brooklyn Eckfords (14-2)
1863 Brooklyn Eckfords (10-0) Brooklyn Eckfords (10-0)
1864 Brooklyn Atlantics (20-0-1) Brooklyn Atlantics (20-0-1)
1865 Brooklyn Atlantics (18-0) Brooklyn Atlantics (18-0)
1866 Brooklyn Atlantics (17-3) Unions of Morrisania (25-3)
Philadelphia Athletics  (23-2)
1867 Unions of Morrisania (21-8) Philadelphia Athletics (44-3)
1868 New York Mutuals (31-10) Philadelphia Athletics (47-3)
1869 Brooklyn Atlantics (40-6-2/15-6-1) Cincinnati Red Stockings (57-0/19-0)
1870 Chicago White Stockings (65-8/22-7)  @ Cincinnati Red Stockings (67-6-1/27-6-1)

Note: The championship of the National Association of Base Ball Players was determined in a manner not dissimilar from boxing or wresting champions today, where a new team could only win the championship by defeating the reigning champion in a two out of three game series.  Since scheduling was frequently uneven, achieving the most wins or even the highest winning percentage was not necessarily an accurate gauge of the best team. However, this system occasionally led to results where the strongest team in a given year did not have an opportunity to play for the championship. This occurred in both 1868 and 1869. For instance, the undefeated 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings swept their series with the 1868 champion Mutuals, but only after the Atlantics had done the same. Won-Loss Records for 1869 and 1870 are shown separately for all games and for professional games only.

  The 1860 championship was officially retained by the Atlantics. The Atlantics and Excellsiors split their first two games.  In the deciding game, the Excellsiors were leading and had men on base, but were forced to withdraw by a rowdy crowd. The game was declared a draw, and the championship thus retained by the Atlantics.

@   The 1870 championship was disputed by New York Mutuals. New York was leading 13-12 in the deciding game of their series when they left the field in protest. Officials decided to revert the score to the end of last completed inning and awarded the game, and thus the championship, to Chicago.  The Mutuals (68-17-3/29-15-3), however, declared themselves champions for the year.  

Thanks to Andrew Landry for this information

 

National Association Record Pct. GA
1871 - Philadelphia Athletics  (21-  7) 0.750 2
1872 - Boston Red Stockings  (39-  8) 0.830 7.5
1873 - Boston Red Stockings  (43-16) 0.729 4
1874 - Boston Red Stockings  (52-18) 0.743 7.5
1875 - Boston Red Stockings  (71-  8) 0.899 15
1876 -  LEAGUE DISBANDS

 

American Association Record Pct. GA
1882 - Cincinnati Red Stockings (55-25) 0.688 11.5
1883 - Philadelphia Athletics (66-32) 0.673 1
1884 - New York Metropolitans (75-32) 0.701 6.5
1885 - St. Louis Browns (79-33) 0.705 16
1886 - St. Louis Browns (93-46) 0.665 12
1887 - St. Louis Browns (95-40) 0.704 14
1888 - St. Louis Browns (92-43) 0.681 6.5
1889 - Brooklyn  Bridegrooms (93-44) 0.679 2
1890 - Louisville Colonels (88-44) 0.667 10
1891 - Boston Reds (93-42) 0.689 8.5
1891 -  LEAGUE DISBANDS

 

             

Union Association Record Pct. GA
1884 - St. Louis Maroons (94-19) 0.832 21
1885 -  LEAGUE DISBANDS
Players Brotherhood League Record Pct. GA
1890 - Boston Reds (81-48) 0.628 6.5
1881 -  LEAGUE DISBANDS
Federal League Record Pct. GA
1913 - Indianapolis Hoosiers (75-45) 0.625 10.5
1914 - Indianapolis Hoosiers (88-65) 0.575 1.5
1915 - Chicago Whales (86-66) 0.566 0.0
1916 -  LEAGUE DISBANDS

 

(Pre-World Series, before 1903)
American League  Record Pct. GA
1900 - Chicago White Stockings ? ? ?
1901 - Chicago White Stockings (83-53) 0.61 4
1902 - Philadelphia Athletics (83-53) 0.61 5
(Pre-World Series, before 1903)
National League Record Pct. GA
1876 - Chicago White Stockings (52-14) 0.788 6
1877 - Boston Red Caps (42-18) 0.700 7
1878 - Boston Red Caps (41-19) 0.683 4
1879 - Providence Grays (59-25) 0.702 5
1880 - Chicago White Stockings (67-17) 0.798 15
1881 - Chicago White Stockings (56-28) 0.667 9
1882 - Chicago White Stockings (55-29) 0.655 3
1883 - Boston Beaneaters (63-35) 0.643 4
1884 - Providence Grays (84-28) 0.750 10.5
1885 - Chicago White Stockings (87-25) 0.777 2
1886 - Chicago White Stockings (90-34) 0.726 2.5
1887 - Detroit Wolverines (79-45) 0.637 3.5
1888 - New York Giants (84-47) 0.641 9
1889 - New York Giants (83-43) 0.659 1
1890 - Brooklyn Bridegrooms (86-43) 0.667 6
1891 - Boston Beaneaters (87-51) 0.630 3.5
1892 - Boston Beaneaters (102-48) 0.680 8.5
1893 - Boston Beaneaters (86-43) 0.667 5
1894 - Baltimore Orioles (89-39) 0.695 3
1895 - Baltimore Orioles (87-43) 0.669 3
1896 - Baltimore Orioles (90-39) 0.698 9.5
1897 - Boston Pilgrims (93-39) 0.705 2
1898 - Boston Pilgrims (102-47) 0.685 6
1899 - Brooklyn Superbas (101-47) 0.682 8
1900 - Brooklyn Superbas (82-54) 0.603 4.5
1901 - Pittsburgh Pirates (90-49) 0.647 7.5
1902 - Pittsburgh Pirates (103-36) 0.741 27.5

 


Playoffs and World Series

When professional baseball began in 1871 with the National Association, there was only one professional league. Therefore, the winner of the regular season was the undisputed champion of the baseball world. Then, in 1876 when the National League made its debut, it was still the only professional league in the country. The next year, other leagues began to spring up. The first was the International Association. Like the National Association, it was a player-controlled league and just the thing that William Hulbert and other National League owners had so disliked when they replace the NA with the NL in 1876. They did not recognize the IA or other leagues as "major leagues" and so no post-season championship series was considered, though the NL frequently played exhibition games against other leagues before, during and after the season.

It was not until the American Association laid claim to major league status in 1882 that a post-season series was played between champion clubs of rival leagues. The 1882 affair was just a two-game exhibition that was never intended to decide league superiority but it would become the first of several World Series contested between the National League and the American Association. After the AA folded in 1891, the National League experimented with post-season play as the Temple Cup between the two best teams in the league, but it never really caught on. What follows is a description of each of the post-season championship series played during the 19th century:

National League vs American Association World Series
1882 - Chicago White Stockings(NL) and Cincinnati Red Stockings(AA) tied in series 1-1, no tie-breaker
1883 - NO SERIES (Philadelphia Athletics canceled series with Boston Beaneaters)
1884 - Providence Grays (NL) defeated New York Metropolitans (AA) in series 3-0
1885 - Chicago White Stockings (NL) and St. Louis Browns (AA) tied in series 3-3-1, no tie breaker
1886 - St. Louis Browns (AA) defeated Chicago White Stockings (NL) in series 4-2
1887 - Detroit Wolverines (NL) defeated St. Louis Browns (AA) in series 10-5
1888 - New York Giants (NL) defeated St. Louis Browns (AA) in series 6-4
1889 - New York Giants (NL) defeated Brooklyn Bridegrooms (AA) in series 6-3
1890 - Brooklyn Bridegrooms (NL) and Louisville Colonels (AA) tied 3-3-1, no tie breaker
1891 - SERIES DISBANDS

National League Pennant Title (1st Half vs 2nd Half)
1892 - Boston Beaneaters (1st Half, 52-22) defeated Cleveland Spiders (2nd Half, 53-23) in series 5-0-1
1893 - SERIES DISBANDS

National League Temple Cup Series (1st Place vs 2nd Place)
1894 - New York Giants (2nd Place, 88-44) defeated Baltimore Orioles (1st Place, 89-39) in series 4-0
1895 - Cleveland Spiders (2nd Place, 84-46) defeated Baltimore Orioles (1st Place, 87-43) in series 4-0
1896 - Baltimore Orioles (1st Place, 90-39) defeated Cleveland Spiders (2nd Place, 80-48) in series 4-0
1897 - Baltimore Orioles (2nd Place, 90-40) defeated Boston Pilgrims (1st Place, 93-39) in series 4-1
1898 - SERIES DISBANDS

National League Chronicle-Telegraph Cup Series (1st Place vs 2nd Place)
1900 - Brooklyn Superbas (1st Place, 82-54) defeated Pittsburgh Pirates (2nd Place, 79-60) in series 3-1


Individual Season Statistical Leaders

Home Runs
RBIs
National Association Batting Avg.
Year Player Team Pitching
1871 Lip Pike Troy Unions 4
Fred Treacey Chicago White Stockings 4
Levi Meyerle Philadelphia Athletics 4
Rynie Wolters New York Mutuals 44
Levi Meyerle Philadelphia Athletics 0.492
Al Spalding Boston Red Stockings 19-10
1872 Lip Pike Baltimore Canaries 6
Lip Pike Baltimore Canaries 60
Ross Barnes Boston Red Stockings 0.432
Al Spalding Boston Red Stockings 38-8
1873 Lip Pike Baltimore Canaries 4
Deacon White Boston Red Stockings 66
Ross Barnes Boston Red Stockings 0.425
Al Spalding Boston Red Stockings 41-14
1874 Jim O'Rourke Boston Red Stockings 5
Cal McVey Boston Red Stockings 71
Levi Meyerle Chicago White Stockings 0.394
Al Spalding Boston Red Stockings 52-16
1875 Jim O'Rourke Boston Red Stockings 6
Cal McVey Boston Red Stockings 87
Deacon White Boston Red Stockings 0.367
Al Spalding Boston Red Stockings 55-5

 

Home Runs
RBIs
American Association Batting Avg.
Year Player Team Pitching
1882 Oscar Walker St. Louis Browns 7
Hick Carpenter Cincinnati Red Stockings 67
Pete Browning Louisville Colonels 0.378
Will White Cincinnati Red Stockings 40-12
1883 Harry Stovey Philadelphia Athletics 14
Charley Jones Cincinnati Red Stockings 80
Ed Swartwood Pittsburgh Alleghenys 0.357
Will White Cincinnati Red Stockings 43-22
1884 John Reilly Cincinnati Reds 11
Dave Orr New York Metropolitans 112
Dave Orr New York Metropolitans 0.354
Guy Hecker Louisville Eclipse 52-20
1885 Harry Stovey Philadelphia Athletics 13
Frank Fennelly Cincinnati Red Stockings 89
Pete Browning Louisville Colonels 0.362
Bob Caruthers St. Louis Browns 40-13
1886 Bid McPhee Cincinnat Reds 8
Tip O'Neill St. Louis Browns 107
Guy Hecker Louisville Colonels 0.341
Dave Foutz St. Louis Browns 41-16
Ed Morris Pittsburgh Alleghenys 41-20
1887 Tip O'Neill St. Louis Browns 14
Tip O'Neill St. Louis Browns 123
Tip O�Neill, St. Louis Browns 0.435
Matt Kilroy Baltimore Orioles 46-19
1888 John Reilly Cincinnati Reds 13
John Reilly Cincinnati Reds 103
Tip O�Neill St. Louis Browns 0.335
Silver King St. Louis Browns 45-21
1889 Harry Stovey Philadelphia Athletics 19
Bug Holliday Cincinnati Reds 19
Harry Stovey Philadelphia Athletics 119
Tommy Tucker Baltimore Orioles 0.372
Bob Caruthers Brooklyn Bridegrooms 40-11
1890 Count Campeau St. Louis Browns 9
Spud Johnson Columbus Solons 113
Jimmy Wolf Louisville Colonels 0.363
Sadie McMahon Baltimore/Philadelphia 36-21
1891 Duke Farrell Boston Reds 12
Duke Farrell Boston Reds 110
Hugh Duffy Boston Reds 110
Dan Brouthers Boston Reds 0.350
Sadie McMahon Baltimore Orioles 35-24

 

Home Runs
RBIs
Union Association Batting Avg.
Year Player Team Pitching
1884 Fred Dunlap St. Louis Maroons 13
N/A N/A -
Fred Dunlap St. Louis Maroons 0.412
Bill Sweeney Baltimore Monumentals 40-21
Home Runs
RBIs
Player�s League Batting Avg.
Year Player Team Pitching
1890 Roger Connor New York Giants 14
Hardy Richardson Boston Reds 146
Pete Browning Cleveland Infants 0.373
Mark Baldwin Chicago Pirates 34-24
Home Runs
RBIs
Federal League Batting Avg.
Year Player Team Pitching
1913 - No Information Available -
1914 Dutch Zwilling Chicago Wales 15
Frank LaPorte Indianapolis Hoosiers 107
Benny Kauff Indianapolis Hoosiers 0.370
Claude Hendrix Chicago Wales 29-10
1915 Hal Chase Buffalo Blues 17
Dutch Zwilling Chicago Wales 94
Benny Kauff Brooklyn Tip Tops 0.342
George McConnell Chicago Wales 25-10

 

Home Runs
RBIs
American League (Pre-1903) Batting Avg.
Year Player Team Pitching
1900 - No Information Available -
1901 Nap Lajoie Philadelphia Athletics 14
Nap Lajoie Philadelphia Athletics 125
Nap Lajoie Philadelphia Athletics 0.422
Cy Young Boston Americans 33-10
1902 Socks Seybold Philadelphia Athletics 16
Buck Freeman Boston Somersets 121
Nap Lajoie Cleveland/Philadelphia 0.378
Cy Young Boston Somersets 32-11

 

Home Runs
RBIs
National League  (Pre-1903) Batting Avg.
Year Player Team Pitching
1876 George Hall Philadelphia Athletics 5
Deacon White Chicago White Stockings 60
Ross Barnes Chicago White Stockings 0.429
Al Spalding Chicago White Stockings 47-12
1877 Lip Pike Cincinnati Reds 4
Deacon White Boston Red Caps 49
Deacon White Boston Red Caps 0.387
Tommy Bond Boston Red Caps 40-17
1878 Paul Hines Providence Grays 4
Paul Hines Providence Grays 50
Paul Hines Providence Grays 0.358
Tommy Bond Boston Red Caps 40-19
1879 Charley Jones Boston Red Stockings 9
Charley Jones Boston Red Stockings 62
John O'Rourke Boston Red Stockings 62
Paul Hines Providence Grays 0.357
John Ward Providence Grays 47-19
1880 Harry Stovey Worcester Brown Stockings 6
Jim O'Rourke Boston Red Stockings 6
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 74
George Gore Chicago White Stockings 0.360
Jim McCormick Cleveland Blues 45-28
1881 Dan Brouthers Buffalo Bisons 8
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 82
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 0.399
Larry Corcoran Chicago White Stockings 31-14
Jim Whitney Boston Red Caps 31-33
1882 George Wood Detroit Wolverines 7
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 83
Dan Brouthers Buffalo Blues 0.368
Jim McCormick Cleveland Blues 36-30
1883 Buck Ewing New York Gothams 10
Dan Brouthers Buffalo Bisons 97
Dan Brouthers Buffalo Bisons 0.374
Charley Radbourn Providence Grays 48-25
1884 Ned Williamson Chicago White Stockings 27
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 102
King Kelly Chicago White Stockings 0.354
Charley Radbourn Providence Grays 59-12
1885 Abner Dalrymple Chicago White Stockings 11
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 108
Roger Conner New York Giants 0.371
John Clarkson Chicago White Stockings 53-16
1886 Hardy Richardson Detroit Wolverines 11
Dan Brouthers Detroit Wolverines 11
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 147
King Kelly Chicago White Stockings 0.388
Lady Baldwin Detroit Wolverines 42-13
Tim Keefe New York Giants 42-20
1887 Billy O'Brien Washington Nationals 19
Sam Thompson Detroit Wolverines 166
Sam Thompson Detroit Wolverines 0.372
John Clarkson Chicago White Stockings 38-21
1888 Jimmy Ryan Chicago White Stockings 16
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 84
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 0.344
Tim Keefe New York Giants 35-12
1889 Sam Thompson Philadelphia Phillies 20
Roger Connor New York Giants 130
Dan Brouthers Boston Beaneaters 0.373
John Clarkson Boston Beaneaters 49-19
1890 Walt Wilmot Chicago White Stockings 13
Mike Tiernan New York Giants 13
Oyster Burns Brooklyn Bridegrooms 13
Oyster Burns Brooklyn Bridegrooms 128
Jack Glasscock New York Giants 0.336
Bill Hutchison Chicago Colts 42-25
1891 Mike Tiernan New York Giants 16
Harry Stovey Boston Beaneaters 16
Cap Anson Chicago White Stockings 120
Billy Hamilton Philadelphia Phillies 0.340
Bill Hutchison Chicago Colts 44-19
1892 Bug Holliday Cincinnati Reds 13
Dan Brouthers Brooklyn Bridegrooms 124
Dan Brouthers Brooklyn Bridegrooms 0.335
Cy Young Cleveland Spiders 36-12
Bill Hutchison Chicago Colts 36-36
1893 Ed Delahanty Philadelphia Phillies 19
Ed Delahanty Philadelphia Phillies 146
Billy Hamilton Philadelphia Phillies 0.370
Frank Killen Pittsburgh Pirates 36-14
1894 Hugh Duffy Boston Beaneaters 18
Hugh Duffy Boston Beaneaters 145
Hugh Duffy Boston Beaneaters 0.440
Amos Rusie New York Giants 36-13
1895 Sam Thompson Philadelphia Philles 18
Sam Thompson Philadelphia Philles 165
Jesse Burkett Cleveland Spiders 0.409
Cy Young Cleveland Spiders 35-10
1896 Ed Delahanty Philadelphia Phillies 13
Bill Joyce Washington Nationals 13
Ed Delahanty Philadelphia Phillies 126
Jesse Burkett Cleveland Spiders 0.410
Kid Nichols Boston Beaneaters 30-14
Frank Killen Pittsburgh Pirates 30-18
1897 Hugh Duffy Boston Beaneaters 11
George Davis New York Giants 136
Willie Keeler Baltimore Orioles 0.424
Kid Nichols Boston Beaneaters 31-11
1898 Jimmy Collins Boston Beaneaters 15
Nap Lajoie Philadelphia Phillies 127
Willie Keeler Baltimore Orioles 0.385
Kid Nichols Boston Beaneaters 31-12
1899 Buck Freeman Washington Nationals 25
Ed Delahanty Philadelphia Phillies 137
Ed Delahanty Philadelphia Phillies 0.410
Jay Hughes Brooklyn Superbas 28-6
Joe McGinnity Baltimore Orioles 28-16
1900 Herman Long Boston Beaneaters 12
Elmer Flick Philadelphia Phillies 110
Honus Wagner Pittsburgh Pirates 0.381
Joe McGinnity Brooklyn Superbas 28-8
1901 Sam Crawford Cincinnati Reds 16
Honus Wagner Pittsburgh Pirates 126
Jesse Burkett St. Louis Cardinals 0.376
Bill Donovan Brooklyn Superbas 25-15
1902 Tommy Leach Pittsburgh Pirates 6
Honus Wagner Pittsburgh Pirates 91
Ginger Beaumont Pittsburgh Pirates 0.357
Jack Chesbro Pittsburgh Pirates 28-6

 


Evolution of the Home Run Record

Year Gms Player Team League HR�s
1871 29 Lip Pike Troy Unions National Assoc. 4
1871 28 Fred Treacey Chicago White Stockings National Assoc. 4
1871 28 Levi Meyerle Philadelphia Athletics National Assoc. 4
1872 58 Lip Pike Baltimore Canaries National Assoc. 6
1875 82 Jim O'Rourke Boston Red Stockings National Assoc. 6
1879 84 Charley Jones Boston Red Stockings National League 9
1883 98 Harry Stovey Philadelphia Athletics American Assoc. 14
1884 112 Ned Williamson Chicago White Stockings National League 27*
1884 112 Dan Brouthers Buffalo Blues National League 14
1887 132 Billy O'Brien Washington Nationals National League 19
1889 132 Sam Thompson Philadelphia Phillies National League 20
1899 154 Buck Freeman Washington Nationals National League 25

NOTE: * Ned Williamson's 1884 total of 27 home runs is suspect because the left and right field fences in his home park were less than 250 feet from home plate and in previous and subsequent seasons, balls hit over these fences were ruled ground rule doubles. The record remained at 25 until 1919 when Babe Ruth hit 29 home runs with the Boston Red Sox.


19th Century Home Run Leaders

Player Years Active Home Runs
Roger Connor 1880-1897 138
Sam Thompson 1885-1898 127
Harry Stovey 1880-1893 122
Dan Brouthers 1879-1896 106
Mike Tiernan 1887-1899 106
Jimmy Ryan 1885-1900* 105
Hugh Duffy 1888-1900* 104
Cap Anson 1871-1897*@ 98
Fred Pfeffer 1882-1897 94
Herman Long 1889-1900* 86
Ed Delahanty 1888-1900* 82
Jack Clements 1884-1900* 77
Jake Beckley 1888-1900 74
Jerry Denny 1881-1894 74

NOTE: *  Also played in the 20th century; total includes only home runs hit during the 19th century.
@ The only player on the list who played in the National Association, Anson had an extraordinarily long 27-year career.


Other Old Time Baseball Links:

19th Century Baseball History Web Site

Federal League Web Site(1914-1915)

Official Baseball History Archive Web Site

Baseball Reference.Com


Extinct Sports Leagues Home Page

�1998 Steve Dimitry, all rights reserved.

Email: [email protected]

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