[thehef]

1901 EASTERN LEAGUE

Teams:
Buffalo Bisons
Hartford Wooden Nutmegs
Montreal Royals
Providence Clamdiggers/Grays
Rochester Bronchos
Syracuse Stars/Brockton B's
Toronto Maple Leafs
Worcester Quakers

Schedule Characteristics:
<SCHEDULE type="ILN_BGY_G126_T8_C_" inter_league="0" balanced_games="1" games_per_team="126" start_month="4" start_day="25" start_on_weekday="5">

This schedule is primarily based upon the schedule printed in the 4/6/1901 edition of The Sporting Life, and also based upon research in a few newspapers.

Each team plays 126 games; 9 home games and 9 road games against each team.

Season starts on April 25th and ends on Sept 21st. Series' are typically three games, with exceptions. The original schedule - and as reflected here - does not include any Sunday games (however, teams were likely free to move or add games on Sundays, and some - specifically Montreal - appeared to do so at times).

No regular off days (other than Sundays). However, a few Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays did not have scheduled games (although as the season evolved, these dates ended up having games). IOW, most weeks saw teams playing two three-games series Monday thru Saturday.

Doubleheaders on 5/24 in Montreal & Toronto for Victoria Day, 5/30 for Decoration Day (for all teams; both Montreal & Toronto played road games in the USA), 7/1 in Montreal & Toronto for Dominion Day, 7/4 for Independence Day (for all teams; both Montreal & Toronto played road games in the USA), 8/31 (a Saturday) for reasons that are not clear, and 9/2 for Labor Day (for all teams; both Montreal & Toronto played road games in the USA).

Note that for Independence Day doubleheaders, Buffalo vs. Rochester and Providence vs. Worcester were played as home & home sets, with the morning games in Buffalo & Worcester and afternoon games in Rochester and Providence. On Labor Day, Providence & Worcester played a home & home, with morning game in Providence & the afternoon game in Worcester.

START TIMES
Actual start times not known, although a few start times for games in Montreal were found. Based upon that, joefromchicago's general guidelines, and my own desire to mix it up a little, the following start times apply:

Eastern (@ Hartford, Worcester, Providence) weekday games start at 3 pm
Western (@ Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse/Brockton, Toronto) weekday games start at 3 pm thru 6/15 and then at 4 pm after 6/15
Montreal weekday games in April and thru May 14th, and in Sept start at 3:30 pm. From May 15th thru end of August, games start start at 4 pm.
All Saturday single games start at 2 pm.
Doubleheaders on 5/24, 5/30, 8/31 and the non-home-&-home DH's on 7/4 & 9/2 start at noon and 3 pm.
Doubleheaders on 7/1 start at 1 pm and 4 pm.
7/4 Buff & Roch home-&-home DH's start at 11 am & 4 pm.
7/4 & 9/2 Prov & Wor home-&-home DH's start at 11 am & 3 pm.

The attached schedule is - as noted above - primarly based upon the original schedule. It does not factor in many games that were moved around due to rainouts & makeups, Sunday additions, etc. In addition, it does not account for the Hartford franchise disbanding on 9/10/01, or the Brockton franchise calling it quits after a doubleheader on 9/15. What actually happened after Hartford folded up shop: Providence was scheduled to host a three-games series against Hartford. Instead, Providence held a practice day followed by exhibitions against Woonsocket and the JF Russells. Providence was then scheduled to play a series at Brockton, while Worcester was supposed to host Hartford. Instead, Providence & Worcester finished out the season with an exhibition series, plus some days off & rainouts. No other Eastern League teams' schedule appeared to be affected by the two franchises folding... Providence then closed its season on Sunday 9/22 with an exhibition against the Boston Americans (who had closed thier AL season on 9/28).

No postseason games were played.