FINAL STANDINGS
Code:
Team W L WPct GB
Brooklyn 29 8 .784 --
Middletown 17 7 .708 12.5
Washington 6 3 .667 26
Brooklyn 18 11 .621 9.5
Boston 26 22 .542 4
Baltimore 28 30 .483 10
Cleveland 10 12 .455 17
Troy 10 15 .400 15.5
New York 21 35 .375 5.5
Philadelphia 16 31 .340 1.5
Washington 2 9 .182 27
*NOTE: All seasons will play using the real-life as-played schedule of that season.
RECAP:
The membership of the National Association was shuffled as some clubs found that they could not compete with the big-city clubs such as Boston, New York and Philadelphia, while Chicago was forced to cede its membership due to the massive fire which raged in the city in October 1871. Gone were Rockford, Ft. Wayne and Chicago while five new members signed on, including the 1872 champions-to-be: the Brooklyn Atlantics.
The Atlantics raced away with the pennant, winning 29 ballgames against just 8 defeats. Naysayers would point out that the Atlantics took an "easy" schedule, playing just 37 Association contests against the nearly 60 played by several other clubs. Atlantic supporters would counter that their club would simply have run up a more impressive victory total had they played more contests. Brooklyn featured several star players such as catcher Steve Columbus (.400 batting average) and first-sacker Tom Fowler (.398). The pitching was ably handled by Ray Hayden, with Jerry Wilson pitching occasionally.
LEADERS:
Batting Average:
Stephen Ogden, Baltimore Canaries, .419
Runs Scored:
Jim Gordon, Baltimore Canaries, 38
Hits:
Jim Gordon, Baltimore Canaries, 86
Wins:
Tim Urban, Baltimore Canaries, 28
Innings:
Tim Urban, Baltimore Canaries, 518.3
AWARDS:
Batter of the Year:
Tim Fowler, Brooklyn Atlantics, .398 average, 28 runs, 19 RBI
Pitcher of the Year:
Tim Urban, Baltimore Canaries, 28-30 record, 518.3 innings, 200 earned runs allowed