10-11-2025, 10:53 AM
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#20
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Minors (Double A)
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 170
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1884 Season Summary
Season of 1884
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Clubs
Off-Season Summary
Much to the relief of the Association's Executive Committee, the 1883-84 off-season was uneventful – the most notable rule change was the lifting of restrictions on the delivery of a pitcher, allowing throws to be made from above the shoulder.
Roster limits were increased to 20 to help teams be better prepared for the longer schedule and road trips. Most organizations now move to using a pitching rotation of three rather than two — James Hall’s 503 innings pitched in 1883 may never be surpassed unless the schedule grows further.
The evolution of team nicknames continues, with the Chicago White Stockings being commonly referred to as the “Red Caps” as they don bright new headwear.
The Saint Louis Brown Stockings are now known widely as the “Browns”, a change primarily rooted in the shorthand of the printed press. In Baltimore Blue Stockings follow suit, now commonly known as the “Blue Sox.”
Season Summary
Both the Eastern and Western Leagues remained tightly contested right up until September.
By September 1, the New York Mutuals and Boston Whalers sat tied at 48–33, the Baltimore Blue Sox three games back, and the New York Union five. The Philadelphia clubs and Washington remained locked in a struggle to avoid the bottom of the standings.
At the same time, in the West, the Chicago Packers stood proud with a record of 50–33, half a game ahead of the Colonels. Close behind were the Originals and Red Caps.
Over September, the Packers would ultimately fall behind, losing all four of their meetings with Louisville. In the Eastern League, the Mutuals held firm, as the Whalers and Blue Sox dropped off in form in the final stretch.
League Standings
Code:
EASTERN LEAGUE
W L PCT GB
New York Mutuals 70 42 .625 -
Boston Whalers 65 47 .580 5.0
Baltimore Blue Sox 62 50 .554 8.0
New York Union 59 53 .527 11.0
Brooklyn Atlantics 56 56 .500 14.0
Philidelphia Olympics 51 61 .455 19.0
Washington Senators 47 65 .420 23.0
Philadelphia Quakers 38 74 .339 32.0
Code:
WESTERN LEAGUE
W L PCT GB
Louisville Colonels 69 43 .616 -
Chicago Packers 66 46 .589 3.0
Chicago Red Caps 62 50 .554 7.0
Cincinnati Originals 61 51 .545 8.0
Milwaukee Creams 51 61 .455 18.0
Detroit Wolverines 50 62 .446 19.0
St. Louis Browns 49 63 .438 20.0
Cleveland Lakeshores 40 72 .357 29.0
National Championship Series
Eastern Pennant: New York Mutuals
Western Pennant: Louisville Colonels
Result: Louisville win the series, 4–3
Series Silver Ball: Henry Green, 3B, Louisville
Batting Leaders – Combined
Code:
AVG
1. Peter Johnson (NYM) .337
2. Henry Green (LOU) .329
3. Edward King (LOU) .324
4. Johannes Beekhof (LOU).312
4. Robert Solis (PHO) .312
HR
1. Edward Moore (CHI) 28
2. Joseph Harris (BRK) 21
3. William Taylor (SLB) 20
4. Sincere McTizic (CIN) 19
5. Moses Fleetwood (WAS) 16
RBI
1. Sincere McTizic (CIN) 100
2. Edward Moore (CHI) 95
3. James Bauer (CIN) 80
3. Rudolph Drezner (DET) 80
5. Henry Green (LOU) 76
Pitching Leaders – Combined
Code:
W
1. George Hill (NYM) 26
1. Frank Johnson (LOU) 26
3. Henry Astor (BOS) 24
3. Caleb White (CHI) 24
ERA
1. Henry Bush (CHP) 2.04
2. Frank Johnson (LOU) 2.05
3. Henry Brown (NYU) 2.12
4. Robert Clayton (SLB) 2.13
5. Frank Wilson (BAL) 2.15
K
1. James Hall (NYM) 329
2. Robert Wilson (WAS) 258
3. Henry Hall (CHI) 249
4. John Hill (NYM) 230
5. James Wright (BOS) 211
Awards & Honors
Most Distinguished Player Medal, Eastern League: Henry Wharton, CF, New York Mutuals – AVG .305 | Hits 151 | RBIs 51 (2 in a row, 3 total).
Most Distinguished Player Medal, Western League: Johannes Beekhof, CF, Louisville – AVG .312 | Hits 151 | RBIs 60 (4 in a row).
Season Notes
An article in the New York Globe lamenting the Mutuals’ recent success – four pennants in six seasons – states:
“The New York Club are not just the dominant force in the metropolis, but the whole Eastern League.”
This is credited as the first instance of the organization being referred to as the Metropolitans.
October 14 – John Hill (Mutuals) records the first 15-strikeout game in Association history, pitching 11 innings against Baltimore.
Joseph Harris (Brooklyn), Edward Moore (Cincinnati), and William Taylor (Saint Louis) become the first three players to record 20 or more home runs in a season.
Sincere McTizic (Cincinnati) records 100 RBIs.
Milestones
Code:
05/03/1884 Joseph Wells 100 Wins (Louisville)
05/06/1884 James Hall 150 Wins (New York)
05/14/1884 Henry Wharton 400 SB (New York)
05/22/1884 Edward Schmidt 400 SB (Cincinnati)
06/06/1884 Sincere McTizic 500 RBI (Cincinnati)
06/07/1884 Henry Brown 1000 K (Baltimore)
06/07/1884 Wyatt Green 500 Runs (Boston)
06/10/1884 William Rossi 100 Wins (New York)
06/15/1884 Samuel Moore 100 Wins (Cincinnati)
06/24/1884 Lemuel Thompson 500 Runs (Baltimore)
06/25/1884 Henry Bush 100 Wins (Chicago)
07/16/1884 Johannes Beekhof 400 SB (Louisville)
07/16/1884 George Nelson 500 Runs (Cincinnati)
07/18/1884 Jack McCaffrey 500 Runs (Boston)
07/22/1884 James Hall 1500 K (New York)
07/26/1884 Samuel O'Brien 500 Runs (Baltimore)
07/30/1884 William Harris 500 RBI (Detroit)
08/01/1884 Vincent O'Toole 700 SB (Detroit)
08/05/1884 John Hill 1000 K (New York)
08/06/1884 Frank Brown 500 Runs (Chicago)
08/17/1884 Arturo Irias 500 Runs (Boston)
08/26/1884 Daniel Soden 300 SB (Cincinnati)
08/31/1884 Elijah Anderson 500 Runs (Brooklyn)
08/31/1884 Charles Cartwright 500 SB (Chicago)
09/09/1884 Robert Olson 200 SB (Cincinnati)
09/09/1884 William Wilson 200 SB (Milwaukee)
09/23/1884 Robert Wilson 1000 K (Washington)
09/26/1884 Edward Moore 100 Wins (Brooklyn)
10/03/1884 John Bullock 100 Wins (New York)
10/07/1884 Edward Schmidt 500 SB (Cincinnati)
10/08/1884 Henry Wharton 500 SB (New York)
10/11/1884 Robert Clayton 100 Wins (St. Louis)
10/17/1884 William Nelson 500 Runs (Milwaukee)
10/19/1884 Johannes Beekhof 500 Runs (Louisville)
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