FINAL STANDINGS:
Code:
National League
Name W L PCT GB AVG ERA
Detroit 66 32 .673 -- .286 2.64
Cleveland 61 37 .622 5 .255 2.71
Providence 55 43 .561 11 .282 3.08
Buffalo 51 46 .526 14.5 .263 3.18
Chicago 51 47 .520 15 .254 2.73
Boston 42 56 .429 24 .258 3.47
Philadelphia (N) 41 57 .418 25 .233 3.18
New York (N) 39 57 .406 26 .262 3.61
American Association
Name W L PCT GB AVG ERA
New York (A) 60 36 .625 -- .287 2.98
Philadelphia (A) 57 41 .582 4 .256 2.68
Baltimore 51 45 .531 9 .275 3.03
Cincinnati 45 52 .464 15.5 .267 3.87
Pittsburgh 43 55 .439 18 .240 3.40
Louisville 41 56 .423 19.5 .255 3.11
Columbus 39 58 .402 21.5 .240 3.31
St. Louis (A) 37 61 .378 24 .265 3.70
RECAP:
The 1883 season shaped up as a battle between the National League and American Association. Changes were made by both loops before the season got underway, with both leagues adding clubs in New York and the National also adding Philadelphia, setting up head-to-head battles in the nation's two largest cities.
Unfortunately for the National League, it's two teams (which replaced Troy and Worcester) in the big cities were outplayed - and outdrawn - by their Association counterparts. The AA enticed the highly successful New York Metropolitan club to leave its independent status behind, bringing a mature and talented club into the Association, where it promptly won the pennant, four games ahead of the Philadelphia Athletics.
The Gothams and Quakers, the NL's version, finished in the last two spots in the League's race, with Rich Deem's Detroit Wolverines winning the pennant by a five game margin over the Cleveland Blues. Most surprisingly was the Blues' performance in an increasingly unfavorable financial position.
The on-field heroes for 1883 were Detroit's Willis Gaylord, a former Boston Red Stocking who had followed his friend Deem to Detroit and matured into the game's most efficiently consistent hitter, leading the league with a .362 average and capturing the Batter of the Year Award. Gaylord's team mate Paul "Dusty" Trail followed his Rookie of the Year performance in 1881 with the Pitcher of the Year award for 1883, winning 44 of 61 games with a 2.62 earned run average.
In the Association, Jasper Kent of Louisville hit .352 to take Batter of the Year honors while Joe Philpott of the Athletics took home a second straight Pitcher of the Year award. Philpott was 39-24 with a 2.38 earned run average.
LEADERS:
TOP 5 in BATTING AVG :
.362 Willis Gaylord(DTN)
.356 Charlie Keffer(PRO)
.352 Jasper Kent(LS2)
.351 Karl Quinlan( NY4)
.350 Charlie Shanafelt( NY4)
TOP 5 in HOMERUNS :
6 Cap White(BFN)
5 Lonny Fell(PH4)
5 Gary Watkins( PHI)
4 Willis Gaylord(DTN)
4 Roman Washington(CHN)
TOP 5 in RBI :
71 Victor Anderson(DTN)
71 Sam Palmore(DTN)
69 Dave Morrison( NY4)
65 Jackrabbit Hoppe(CL2)
64 Charlie Sumner( NY4)
TOP 5 in ERA :
2.38 Joe Philpott(PH4)
2.43 Bobby Utley(CL2)
2.54 Dan Buckner( NY4)
2.62 Paul Trail(DTN)
2.64 Bill Silvers(CHN)
TOP 5 in WINS :
44 Paul Trail(DTN)
39 Joe Philpott(PH4)
39 Dan Buckner( NY4)
34 Jim Durr(PRO)
32 Bill Silvers(CHN)
CREATED PLAYER NOTES:
John "The Mighty" Casey hit .256 with 33 doubles and 4 triples for the Boston Red Caps.
Tommy Bernard nearly repeated his performance of 1882, hitting .271 with 14 doubles and 8 triples for Providence.
Black Jack McKinley dropped off from his 1882 performance, hitting .282 with 17 doubles and 2 triples while maintaining his reputation as the National League's top right fielder.
Shane Day stayed put in 1883 so he must have found St. Louis to his liking. His play continued to improve as well, as his average rose to .296 and he showed good speed with 18 doubles, 10 triples and 1 home run.
William Williamson became the Orioles' top pitcher in 1883, but did not manage to put together a great year. He went 29-31 with a 3.23 ERA.
Virgil Pendergrass joined his hometown Philadelphia Quakers, and like his club itself, he did not have much of a debut. His average was .199, but he did hit 9 doubles and 9 triples, and at 19, there is plenty of time for him to grow into his prodigious talents.
Ajax McFadden, the Irish-born outfielder, joined the Association's Columbus club and had himself a dandy season with a .315 average, 19 doubles, 7 triples and a homer.
The diminutive
Otto Bentz burst onto the season in Cincinnati as an 18-year-old shortstop on a mission. Showing tenacity and skill, Bentz recorded a .281 average and posted 11 doubles and 11 triples. But what impressed most was Bentz's play afield, where he was awarded the Gold Glove for his performance at shortstop.