1871 - Major League Baseball Begins

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October 1st, 1875 - The Athletics have a bit of breathing room as they have drawn 2 1/2 games ahead of Boston. The teams played each other in back to back games, and Philadelphia won both matches. Advantage Philly.

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October 14th, 1875 - In decisive fashion, the Philadelphia Athletics have won the 1875 National Association pennant by winning 8 games in a row, and defeating Boston twice during that stretch. "It's been an incredible run," said Dick McBride, "I gotta give credit to my teammates, everyone stepped up this season. Kudos to Boston as well, they are a great team and an excellent rival."

Here are your 1875 Philadelphia Athletics:

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November 1st, 1875 - The 1875 season is in the books, and here are the final standings.



And here's a look at the stats for the champion 1875 Philadelphia Athletics:



Wow! What a lineup!

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February 2nd, 1876 - In an owner's meeting led by White Stockings owner William Hulbert in Chicago, the National Association was eliminated after 5 years and replaced with the National League. The new National League hopes to crack down on games being fixed and will not allow alcohol at their games, among other changes.

William Hulbert

It was also announced that in addition to the teams that have already folded, these teams will not be returning next season:
Brooklyn Atlantics
New Haven Elm Citys
Philadelphia White Stockings

Also, the Boston team has changed its name and is now the Boston Red Caps.

Two new teams will be joining the new league for a total of 8 teams, as listed below:

Boston Red Caps
Chicago White Stockings
Hartford Dark Blues
Louisville Grays (new)
New York Mutuals
Philadelphia Athletics
St. Louis Brown Stockings
Cincinnati Reds (new)

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February 3rd, 1876 - Two dramatic moves have completely changed the face of the upcoming inaugural season of the National League. The Chicago White Stockings announced today that they have signed legendary pitcher Al Spalding, who will not be returning to Boston next season. Spalding won 2 pennants in Boston before being outwitted 3 seasons in a row by Athletics pitcher Dick McBride.

Al Spalding, Chicago White Stockings

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, the Athletics have released Dick McBride. It is a sad day in Philly, where McBride has become a legend. "Very disappointed that I won't be returning," said McBride, "but hey, who knows where I'll end up. I'm not ready to quit yet."

Dick McBride, Free Agent

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February 4th, 1876 - Planning on attending a base ball game this season in the new National League? This stadium guide may help. Remember, there's no alcohol allowed in any National League stadiums, so you'll have to plan around that for your cold beverage needs.

South End Grounds I (Boston Red Caps)


South End Grounds has been the home of the Red Caps (formerly Red Stockings) since the National Association was formed in 1871. It is located on Walpole Street in Boston.


23rd Street Grounds (Chicago White Stockings)


23rd Street Grounds has been the home of the Chicago White Stockings since their return in 1874 from the Great Chicago Fire. The grounds are bounded by 23rd Street, State Street and 22nd street. Home plate is located on the north end of the park, and fair territory is shaped like a five-sided home plate.

Avenue Grounds (Cincinnati Reds)

Home of the newly formed Cincinnati Reds, Avenue Grounds has a seating capacity of 7,000, and offers some of the best food in baseball. A ticket will cost you 50 cents, although after the fifth inning you can get in for 10 cents. Ham sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs are available for purchase. Mineral water and lemon peel drinks are 10 cents a glass.

Hartfort Ball Club Grounds (Hartford Dark Blues)


Renovated last season, Hartford boasts one of the finest ballparks in baseball. Across Hendrixon Avenue in left field is a wonderful view of the lovely Church of the Good Shephard. The pavilion behind home plate has seating for 800 spectators. The seats are tiered and can be reached from Wyllys Avenue. Overall, crowds here can be as large as 10,000 strong.

Louisville Base Ball Park (Louisville Grays)

Louisville was inspired by the Harford Ball Club Grounds, and so they modeled their park after it. The grandstand holds about 1,000 spectators, while the bleachers have a capacity around 3,500.

Union Grounds (New York Mutuals)


Pictured here in 1865, Union Grounds is essentially standing room only, although benches are provided for the fairer sex.

Jefferson Street Grounds (Philadelphia Athletics)

Jefferson Street Grounds are bounded by Jefferson Street (north); 25th Street (east); Master Street (south), and has a seating capacity of 5,000 patrons. The Park has been home to the Athletics since 1871, and was shared with the White Stockings from 1873 to 1875. The center field wall stands 500 feet from home plate.

Grand Avenue Ballgrounds (St. Louis Brown Stockings)

Opened in 1875, Grand Avenue Ballgrounds has a fan capacity of 9,000.

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March 15th, 1876 - Season Predictions

Boston Red Caps
With the loss of ace Al Spalding, the Red Caps will go with Tricky Nichols at pitcher. Nichols pitched for New Haven last season and had a 2.72 ERA. Possibly worse than that is the loss of Ross Barnes, their .363 hitting second baseman who is replaced by outfielder Jack Manning. Boston picked up Tim Murnane (.298) at first base from Philadelphia. While Boston isn't nearly as strong this season as they have been, they still have a good starting pitcher and a decent lineup. They do have a few players starting in different positions, so it may be that their defense will be the key to their success or failure.

Chicago White Stockings
The White Stockings really raided Philly and Boston this off season, and they look like the next pennant winner because of it. Not only did they get Al Spalding from Boston, but they also got Ross Barnes (.363) and Deacon White (.350). Still not convinced? Let's not forget about Cap Anson (.371/64 RBI's) coming over from the Athletics. Bob Addy (.268) also comes from Philly. The weak spot for Chicago is their outfield...nonetheless...they will make an impressive run this season and may bring some relief to the troubled city of Chicago.


Cincinnati Reds
The new team in Cincinnati features Charley Jones, Cherokee Fisher, several rookies and a bunch of .200 hitters. Looking for the first team to fold in 1876? This could be that team.

Hartford Dark Blues
Dick Higham (.382) joins Hartford this year and will be their catcher. He will bat 4th and Tom York (.410), and this will be one of the most exciting duos to watch in base ball this year. Add another duo, Candy Cummings (2.00 ERA) and Tommy Bond (1.95 ERA) splitting the duties of starting pitcher, and Hartford could challenge Chicago for the pennant.


Louisville Grays
Louisville features a group of veteran average to below average hitters and pitcher Jim Devlin (6.83 ERA). Devlin was 3-21 for Chicago last season. These numbers do not add up to a winning season.

New York Mutuals
The Mutuals had a dismal first half last year, but then recovered and finished with a winning record. Several returning players had career years to contribute to their second half comeback, and these players are joined by left fielder Fred Treacey (.333) and second baseman Bill Craver (.381) from Philadelphia. Bobby Mathews ERA (1.83) has dropped 2 seasons in a row now, and if he can maintain that trend, the Mutuals have an outside shot of winning it all.

Philadelphia Athletics
Surprisingly, despite losing Dick McBride, this is still a very solid looking team. There are .300 hitters up and down the lineup, and Lon Knight pitched 42 innings last season with a 1.32 ERA. He'll be splitting the pitching duties with George Zettlein who had a 1.98 ERA with Chicago last year. This feisty group from Philadelphia is not going to give up their crown without a fight...it's going to be a grind to the end for hopefuls Chicago,New York and Hartford.

St. Louis Brown Stockings
St. Louis has very sold 2, 3, and 4 hitters in their rotation, but not much after that. Mike McGeary, John Clapp, and Lip Pike all hit well above .300 last season, and they should be fun to watch this year. George Bradley had 3.55 ERA, and while that isn't bad, Bradley is really going to have to step up his game in order for St. Louis to compete with some of the other talented teams this year. It's looking like a solid 4th place finish for the Brown Stockings.

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June 1st, 1876 Standings
Here's a look at the relatively early standings and, so far, several teams are competing as suspected. However, it is Chicago that has led the pack from day 1 with a 15-2 record. Bobby Mathews leads the pitchers with a 1.43 ERA, and has given the Mutuals a 10-6 record, good enough for third place. Boston's 3 man pitching rotation of Foghorn Bradley (1.76 ERA), Joe Borden (3.38 ERA), and Jack Manning (3.54 ERA), along with a solid lineup led by Jim O'Rourke batting an amazing .487, has given them an 11-6 record at second place.
The inaugural National League season looks to be a good one...stay tuned!

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June 2nd, 1875 - The Boston Red Caps have acquired long time rival pitcher Dick McBride. McBride has surprisingly been a free agent since the beginning of the season. McBride will be replacing Foghorn Bradley in the Red Caps 3 man rotation.

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June 10th, 1876 - Louisville Grays Right Fielder George Bechtel has been suspected in the past of throwing games, but today he appears to have been caught, and the Louisville Grays have immediately removed him from the club roster. It was teammate Jim Devlin (Pitcher) who turned Bechtel in, when he received this telegraph: "We can make $500 if you lose the game today. Tell John (manager Jack Chapman) and let me know at once. BECHTEL."
Devlin refused, and turned in the telegraph to team management. Bechtel was presented with the evidence and immediately discharged from the team. Bechtel was hitting .233 this year for the Grays, and has 23 errors. He is known as a good fielder, who has a tendency to occasionally get sloppy. Some of these sloppy plays are what have put him under the microscope in the past. But today, the evidence seems irrefutable. It is unclear whether Bechtel will be allowed to play for another team...but for now the second baseman is unemployed.

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July 1st, 1876 - Though a few teams have been streaky and are playing well, no one has been able to slow down Chicago. The White Stockings are 26-4 and have won 9 games in a row. Still, Boston lingers only 4 games back...and lately they have played almost as well as Chicago. The Athletics have faltered and lost 3 in a row, now at 7 games back. Each loss is difficult to make up when the team in first has an .867 winning percentage.

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July 13th, 1876 - After pitching 6 games for the Boston Red Caps and posting a 4-2 record with a 3.00 ERA, Dick McBride has decided it is time to hang up the cleats.
"I'd like to thank Boston for giving me the opportunity," said McBride, "But I'm just not feeling the magic anymore."
6 Seasons, 3 consecutive championships with the Philadelphia Athletics, and just like that Dick McBride's career is over. Boston had lost 2 games in a row and was 7 games back from Chicago, who is currently on a 14 game winning streak.

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August 1st, 1876 - Nobody can slow down the Chicago White Stockings. The Red Caps have cooled off, and now the Athletics have gotten hot, but even the Athletics find themselves 8 games back. Another team picking up steam is the New York Mutuals who have won 8 of their last 10 games and are 10 1/2 games back.

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September 1st, 1876
Chicago continues to roll like a runaway train. They hold an 8 game lead over the Athletics, and their magic number is 10. The Red Caps are in an all out collapse, going 2-8 their last 10 games. The Mutuals remain red hot behind Bobby Mathews 1.53 ERA.

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September 16th, 1876 - Citing financial difficulties, both the Philadelphia Athletics and the New York Mutuals stated they would be unable to make their final road trip of the season, mathematically guaranteeing the pennant to the Chicago White Stockings. The Mutuals will play one more home game in October vs. Hartford, but the Athletics will play no more games. The agreement made at the beginning of the season was that each team needed to play 70 games. Philadelphia has played 60 games and New York has played 57 games. Besides not winning the pennant, it is uncertain what this will mean for the two teams. The Athletics had won 8 games in a row and were 5 games back.
The Mutuals had won 5 games in a row and were 9 games back. All other teams have been eliminated. Just when it seemed like we were going to make it through a season, the worst has happened. It is a disappointing start for the new National League.

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November 1st, 1876 - Final Standings/Statistics

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December 10th, 1876 - The winter meeting was held in Cleveland today, and it was announced afterwards that the 3 time champion Philadelphia Athletics and the New York Mutuals have been expelled from the league due to failing to complete their schedule last season. The announcement sent shock waves throughout the league, and fans in Philly and New York, as you would imagine, were less than thrilled with the news.
"This sends a strong message," said newly elected league president William Hulbert, "You've gotta play the games if you want to be in the National League. We are a professional league, not an amateur league. This should never happen again."
It was also announced that the Hartford Dark Blues will be moving from Hartford to Brooklyn next year, and they will be called the Brooklyn Hartfords.

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March 15th, 1877 - With only 6 teams competing this year, the National League/Association is the smallest it has been since it was founded in 1871. Fans are still mourning the loss of the Athletics and the Mutuals, but Spring is in the air, and the new season is about to begin.

Boston Red Caps Boston has assembled a fearsome lineup this season, acquiring catcher Deacon White (.329) from Chicago, and shortstop Ezra Sutton (.379) from the defunct Philadelphia team. Their lineup consists of .300+ hitters with the exception of third baseman John Morrill (.248) and left fielder Andy Leonard (.293). Even starting pitcher Tommy Bond batted a respectable .264 last season for Hartford. Last year Tommy Bond has 19-16 with a 2.75 ERA, and in 1875 his ERA was 1.93. Bond is a real workhorse who has completed 95% of his games in his career. Expect Boston to finally win their third pennant this year.

Brooklyn Hartfords A move to Brooklyn can't hide the fact that besides Tom York, Brooklyn has no decent hitting outfielders. First baseman Joe Start (.286) is an upgrade, but John Maloney (.149) in center field is not. John Bass joins the team in right field, but he hasn't played a game since 1872 when he batted .270. Tom Carey returns at shortstop after batting .200 last year. Starting Pitcher Terry Larkin arrives from New York with a 4.66 ERA. Despite several New York Mutual players joining the ranks, Brooklyn will struggle this season.

Chicago White Stockings In a surprise move, the White Stockings announced that Al Spalding will be playing first base and the younger George Bradley will carry the load as starting pitcher. Bradley had a 3.09 ERA for the Brown Stockings last season. Spalding is no slouch at the plate, as he batted .332 last season. The entire lineup of the White Stockings is stacked, with last year's champs joined by left fielder Dave Eggler (.314) from Philadelphia. Expect Chicago to battle with Boston the entire season for the pennant.

Cincinnati Reds After a dismal 14 and 51 campaign last season, the Reds have benefitted dramatically from the shrinking of the league. Significant newcomers this season are left fielder Lip Pike (.364), catcher Nat Hicks (.280), second baseman Jimmy Hallinan (.261), shortstop Levi Meyerle (.348), and pitcher Bobby Mathews (1.48 ERA). Don't expect the Reds to overpower Chicago or Boston, but they will take a game or two from them here and there, and they a team strong enough to finish over .500 for a solid third place finish.

Louisville Grays Like other teams, Louisville has gained a few solid players from Philadelphia and New York, and they have a decent lineup. The problem is starting pitcher Jim Devlin and his 5.20 ERA. Though improved from his 6.83 ERA in the previous year, it simply doesn't seem likely that he will be able to carry this team to a winning record. The Grays are anticipated to finish near the bottom this season.

St. Louis Brown Stockings The Brown Stockings are going with a two man rotation of Tricky Nichols (3.72 ERA) and Joe Blong (3.18 ERA). SS Mike McGeary (.348) and and catcher John Clapp (.341) were sensational last year. Dave Force (.285) arrives from Philly to play third base. Rookie outfielders Mike Dorgan and Jack Gleason show potential, and they are joined by outfielder Art Croft who didn't play last season. St. Louis has a decent team, but given the powerhouse lineups of Chicago, Boston, and also Cincinnati, they don't quite have the build to compete this year. They're expected to be in the bottom half of the league.

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June 1st, 1877 - Chicago leads the way early in the season once again, but they are followed closely by several teams. Cincinnati's 3 man rotation of Bobby Mitchell (0.50 ERA), Candy Cummings (1.00 ERA) and Bobby Mathews (1.04 ERA) leads the league with an amazing combined 0.89 ERA. Al Spalding, no longer pitching, leads the league with a .447 batting average.

[BaseballMan]

I'm waiting to see if the Baltimore Orioles dominates in the 1890's like they did in my current league. Champs 5 straight years from 1894-1898.
It will also be interesting to see if Old Hoss Radbourn can match his real life wins of 59 or
My Radbourn's mark of 57.