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Haystacks · 10-18-2025, 09:06 AM

Season of 1899
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Clubs

Season Summary
As the Eastern League got underway, it was the four clubs still seeking their first pennant — Washington, Buffalo, Philadelphia Olympics, and Brooklyn — who came out the gates strongest.

The Senators surged ahead in June with a blistering 21–8 month, opening a comfortable lead they would hold for the rest of the campaign.

Baltimore dropped to 10th for the first time since 1892, while New York Empire endured a historically poor season — their lowest finish and worst winning percentage since 1877.

The Western League delivered one of the tightest pennant races in recent memory.
Cincinnati’s remarkable July (18–3) propelled them into first place, they appeared unstoppable, but a disastrous August slump blew the race for the Pennant wide open. As September began, Cincinnati led at 69–55, with Detroit half a game back and St. Louis one game behind.

The Originals collapsed down the stretch, losing 14 of their final 21 games. The Beavers capitalized, overtaking both rivals in the final week to clinch the pennant — their first since 1893.

At the bottom, the Millers posted their worst-ever record, while the Canaries and Packers again occupied the lower rungs of the table.

League Standings

Eastern League

Code:

W   L   PCT   GB   Team
86  58  .597   -    Washington Senators
77  67  .535   9.0  Buffalo Bisons
77  67  .535   9.0  Philadelphia Olympics
75  69  .521  11.0  Brooklyn Atlantics
72  72  .500  14.0  New York Union
70  74  .486  16.0  Philadelphia Quakers
68  76  .472  18.0  Boston Whalers
67  77  .465  19.0  Pittsburgh Alleghenys
65  79  .451  21.0  New York Empire
63  81  .438  23.0  Baltimore Blue Sox

Western League

Code:

W   L   PCT   GB   Team
82  62  .569   -    St. Louis Beavers
81  63  .563   1.0  Detroit Wolverines
76  68  .528   6.0  Cincinnati Originals
76  68  .528   6.0  Chicago Cardinals
75  69  .521   7.0  Milwaukee Creams
74  70  .514   8.0  Kansas City Cowboys
71  73  .493  11.0  Cleveland Colts
70  74  .486  12.0  Chicago Packers
64  80  .444  18.0  St. Louis Canaries
51  93  .354  31.0  Minneapolis Millers

National Championship Series
Eastern Pennant: Washington Senators
Western Pennant: St. Louis Beavers
Result: Beavers win series, 4–2
Series Silver Ball: John Barber, CF, St. Louis Beavers

The Beavers took Game 1 in a back and forth, offensive dual finishing 8–6, before the Senators struck back to win Games 2 and 3 by identical 3–1 margins.
But the experienced St. Louis side regrouped, taking the next three contests in succession to seal their third National Championship.

Batting Leaders (Combined)

Average (AVG)

Allan Forrest – BRK – .383
Isaiah Boyle – NYU – .373
Charles Greenwood – WAS – .369
Joseph Pound – PIT – .363
John Pyle – BAL – .360

Home Runs (HR)

Robert Chevalier – PHI – 25
Charles Garces – BRK – 19
George Peterson – PHO – 15
Joseph Jackson – NYE – 12
William Kuehne – SLB – 12

Runs Batted In (RBI)

Lars Baker – WAS – 128
Eugene Kline – KC – 118
Andrew Weyhing – BOS – 112
Edward Bauer – NYU – 110
Joseph Rowry – WAS – 106

[HR][/HR]
Pitching Leaders (Combined)

Wins (W)

Art Philpot – SLB – 30
Leonard Hale – BUF – 29
James Farris – PHO – 28
Caleb Mathews – WAS – 28
George Robinson – PHI – 28

Earned Run Average (ERA)

Shaw Johnson – DET – 2.34
Leonard Hale – BUF – 2.40
George Harris – SLB – 2.59
George Robinson – PHI – 2.69
Art Philpot – SLB – 2.92

Strikeouts (K)

Shaw Johnson – DET – 183
Robert Veach – CIN – 161
Art Philpot – SLB – 160
Julian Bradley – CIN – 137
George Harris – SLB – 133

Awards & Honors

Eastern League

Most Distinguished Player Medal: John Pyle (BAL) – .360/.464/.524, 3 HR, 38 SB, 120 R, 8.6 WAR
Most Distinguished Hurler Medal: George Robinson (PHI) – 28–20, 2.69 ERA, 418.2 IP, 8.5 WAR
Most Distinguished Freshman Medal: John Dealy (PIT) – .303/.364/.440, 131 R, 7.1 WAR

Western League

Most Distinguished Player Medal: William Kuehne (SLB) – .338/.417/.503, 12 HR, 53 SB, 116 R, 5.2 WAR
Most Distinguished Hurler Medal: Shaw Johnson (DET) – 27–16, 2.34 ERA, 403.1 IP, 12.1 WAR
Most Distinguished Freshman Medal: Edward Jackson (CLE) – .333/.377/.466, 21 SB, 5.4 WAR

Notable Events & Notes

St. Louis Beavers claim their third National Championship, overcoming an early series deficit.
Washington capture their first Eastern Pennant in franchise history.
Shaw Johnson cements his reputation as the Association’s most dominant pitcher with another ERA and strikeout crown.

6-Hit Games

08/14/1899 – William Martin – 6-for-8, 0 RBI vs St. Louis (Chicago)
09/07/1899 – Lewis McEwen – 6-for-6, HR, 3 RBI vs Minneapolis (St. Louis)

Hit for the Cycle

05/13/1899 – Charles Wright – 5-for-6, HR, 6 RBI vs Minneapolis (Cincinnati)
05/25/1899 – Isaiah Boyle – 4-for-5, HR, 3 RBI vs Boston (New York)

10-18-2025, 09:06 AM	#39
Haystacks Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 170	1899 Season Summary Season of 1899 The National Association of Professional Base Ball Clubs Season Summary As the Eastern League got underway, it was the four clubs still seeking their first pennant — Washington, Buffalo, Philadelphia Olympics, and Brooklyn — who came out the gates strongest. The Senators surged ahead in June with a blistering 21–8 month, opening a comfortable lead they would hold for the rest of the campaign. Baltimore dropped to 10th for the first time since 1892, while New York Empire endured a historically poor season — their lowest finish and worst winning percentage since 1877. The Western League delivered one of the tightest pennant races in recent memory. Cincinnati’s remarkable July (18–3) propelled them into first place, they appeared unstoppable, but a disastrous August slump blew the race for the Pennant wide open. As September began, Cincinnati led at 69–55, with Detroit half a game back and St. Louis one game behind. The Originals collapsed down the stretch, losing 14 of their final 21 games. The Beavers capitalized, overtaking both rivals in the final week to clinch the pennant — their first since 1893. At the bottom, the Millers posted their worst-ever record, while the Canaries and Packers again occupied the lower rungs of the table. League Standings Eastern League Code: W L PCT GB Team 86 58 .597 - Washington Senators 77 67 .535 9.0 Buffalo Bisons 77 67 .535 9.0 Philadelphia Olympics 75 69 .521 11.0 Brooklyn Atlantics 72 72 .500 14.0 New York Union 70 74 .486 16.0 Philadelphia Quakers 68 76 .472 18.0 Boston Whalers 67 77 .465 19.0 Pittsburgh Alleghenys 65 79 .451 21.0 New York Empire 63 81 .438 23.0 Baltimore Blue Sox Western League Code: W L PCT GB Team 82 62 .569 - St. Louis Beavers 81 63 .563 1.0 Detroit Wolverines 76 68 .528 6.0 Cincinnati Originals 76 68 .528 6.0 Chicago Cardinals 75 69 .521 7.0 Milwaukee Creams 74 70 .514 8.0 Kansas City Cowboys 71 73 .493 11.0 Cleveland Colts 70 74 .486 12.0 Chicago Packers 64 80 .444 18.0 St. Louis Canaries 51 93 .354 31.0 Minneapolis Millers National Championship Series Eastern Pennant: Washington Senators Western Pennant: St. Louis Beavers Result: Beavers win series, 4–2 Series Silver Ball: John Barber, CF, St. Louis Beavers The Beavers took Game 1 in a back and forth, offensive dual finishing 8–6, before the Senators struck back to win Games 2 and 3 by identical 3–1 margins. But the experienced St. Louis side regrouped, taking the next three contests in succession to seal their third National Championship. Batting Leaders (Combined) Average (AVG) Allan Forrest – BRK – .383 Isaiah Boyle – NYU – .373 Charles Greenwood – WAS – .369 Joseph Pound – PIT – .363 John Pyle – BAL – .360 Home Runs (HR) Robert Chevalier – PHI – 25 Charles Garces – BRK – 19 George Peterson – PHO – 15 Joseph Jackson – NYE – 12 William Kuehne – SLB – 12 Runs Batted In (RBI) Lars Baker – WAS – 128 Eugene Kline – KC – 118 Andrew Weyhing – BOS – 112 Edward Bauer – NYU – 110 Joseph Rowry – WAS – 106 [HR][/HR] Pitching Leaders (Combined) Wins (W) Art Philpot – SLB – 30 Leonard Hale – BUF – 29 James Farris – PHO – 28 Caleb Mathews – WAS – 28 George Robinson – PHI – 28 Earned Run Average (ERA) Shaw Johnson – DET – 2.34 Leonard Hale – BUF – 2.40 George Harris – SLB – 2.59 George Robinson – PHI – 2.69 Art Philpot – SLB – 2.92 Strikeouts (K) Shaw Johnson – DET – 183 Robert Veach – CIN – 161 Art Philpot – SLB – 160 Julian Bradley – CIN – 137 George Harris – SLB – 133 Awards & Honors Eastern League Most Distinguished Player Medal: John Pyle (BAL) – .360/.464/.524, 3 HR, 38 SB, 120 R, 8.6 WAR Most Distinguished Hurler Medal: George Robinson (PHI) – 28–20, 2.69 ERA, 418.2 IP, 8.5 WAR Most Distinguished Freshman Medal: John Dealy (PIT) – .303/.364/.440, 131 R, 7.1 WAR Western League Most Distinguished Player Medal: William Kuehne (SLB) – .338/.417/.503, 12 HR, 53 SB, 116 R, 5.2 WAR Most Distinguished Hurler Medal: Shaw Johnson (DET) – 27–16, 2.34 ERA, 403.1 IP, 12.1 WAR Most Distinguished Freshman Medal: Edward Jackson (CLE) – .333/.377/.466, 21 SB, 5.4 WAR Notable Events & Notes St. Louis Beavers claim their third National Championship, overcoming an early series deficit. Washington capture their first Eastern Pennant in franchise history. Shaw Johnson cements his reputation as the Association’s most dominant pitcher with another ERA and strikeout crown. 6-Hit Games 08/14/1899 – William Martin – 6-for-8, 0 RBI vs St. Louis (Chicago) 09/07/1899 – Lewis McEwen – 6-for-6, HR, 3 RBI vs Minneapolis (St. Louis) Hit for the Cycle 05/13/1899 – Charles Wright – 5-for-6, HR, 6 RBI vs Minneapolis (Cincinnati) 05/25/1899 – Isaiah Boyle – 4-for-5, HR, 3 RBI vs Boston (New York)