[World Wide Webb]

1896 Overview

Independents Standings

Team W L WPct GB R RA Villanova Wildcats 8 0 1.000 - 60 18 Iowa Hawkeyes 8 1 .889 ½ 52 24 Lafayette Leopards 6 2 .750 2 39 18 Northern Iowa Panthers 6 2 .750 2 51 36 Clemson Tigers 6 3 .667 2½ 38 46 California Golden Bears 5 3 .625 3 43 22 Stanford Cardinal 5 3 .625 3 42 36 Alabama Crimson Tide 5 4 .556 3½ 61 42 Army Black Knights 5 4 .556 3½ 43 37 North Carolina Tar Heels 4 4 .500 4 47 36 Marshall Thundering Herd 4 5 .444 4½ 34 42 Michigan State Spartans 3 5 .375 5 26 24 Maryland Terrapins 2 7 .222 6½ 46 67 Kentucky Wildcats 2 7 .222 6½ 17 41 Washington State Cougars 1 7 .125 7 22 64 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 1 8 .111 7½ 33 68 Indiana Hoosiers 1 8 .111 7½ 24 71

Villanova played their first year of organized baseball defeating teams with powerful bats and steady pitching. Only 2 games were within 5 runs for the Wildcats (5-3 win over Northern Iowa, 7-6 win over Army, and 6-5 over Alabama). Finishing undefeated they take the crown as Independent champions.

Arlen Rogers (Sr, Clemson) led the league with 7 HR in his team’s 9 games. Roger’s teammate, John Rey (Sr) dominated batters with 36 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched.

Big 10 Standings

Team	W	L	WPct	GB	R	RA
Wisconsin Badgers	7	2	.778	-	70	43
Illinois Fighting Illini	5	4	.556	2	59	44
Michigan Wolverines	3	6	.333	4	48	66
Chicago Maroons	3	6	.333	4	44	68

Wisconsin Senior First Basemen Mark Miller dominated the nation with a .556 Avg, 4 HR, and 19 RBI leading the Big 10 in all three categories. Joined by teammate Millard James (Fr) who led the conference with a 5-1 record, 2.44 ERA and 14 strikeouts, Wisconsin won the first ever Big 10 conference title.