FINAL STANDINGS:
Code:
National League
Name W L PCT GB AVG ERA
New York (N) 79 47 .627 -- .287 2.73
Philadelphia (N) 72 55 .567 7.5 .300 3.41
Chicago 72 60 .545 10 .278 3.68
Boston 68 60 .531 12 .276 3.73
Washington 59 65 .476 19 .250 3.51
Cleveland 62 71 .466 20.5 .261 4.36
Indianapolis 56 78 .418 27 .237 4.00
Pittsburgh 50 82 .379 32 .260 4.27
American Association
Name W L PCT GB AVG ERA
St. Louis (A) 90 44 .672 -- .277 2.81
Brooklyn (A) 81 54 .600 9.5 .284 3.44
Philadelphia (A) 77 56 .579 12.5 .270 3.22
Cincinnati 76 63 .547 16.5 .288 3.62
Louisville 72 66 .522 20 .272 3.94
Baltimore 56 79 .415 34.5 .277 4.37
Columbus 55 82 .401 36.5 .241 4.51
Kansas City (A) 37 100 .270 54.5 .216 4.43
RECAP:
The 1889 saw ominous signs begin developing. The players, tired of being treated as chattel of the owners had formed a "union" of sorts called the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players. The President of the Brotherhood was the star player/manager of the Brooklyn club, the aptly-named Bulldog Ayers.
Ayers, who had been a star pitcher before suffering a "dead-arm" and moving to first base (though he still pitched on occasion), while on a tour promoted by former player and owner Rich Deem (who now ran a successful sporting goods business) approached several club owners to state his case. The players wished for a relaxation of the reserve rule - not a complete abandonment, but rather a reduction in the numbers. They also wanted a "fair rate" for their services, rather than the scale that had been unilaterally imposed by the National League in 1887, and then copied by the Association in 1889. All of these were rejected out of hand.
Ayers reported this to the other members of the Brotherhood and it was decided that although it would be too late to take action in 1889, something drastic would be done for 1890. In the meantime, the Brotherhood's constituency went back to work for their clubs, and laid in wait for the end of the season.
On the field, the 1889 season saw the New York Giants pluck the plum of the disbanded Detroit Wolverine championship clubs, signing pitcher Paul "Dusty" Trail. The 32-year-old two-time Pitcher of the Year promptly gave the Giants the ace they needed, racking up a 35-12 record and 2.54 ERA to lead the New Yorkers to the first pennant in club history (and win his third POTY award). Another key addition to the Giants was former Metropolitan star Dasher Gilliam. The outfielder, who barnstormed during the 1888 season, drove in 94 runs for the Giants and played a solid right field.
Also making a strong showing in 1889 was the Philadelphia Quaker club. Once the doormats of the NL, and a club which finished 7th in 1888, Napoleon Crane's charges showed great improvement to finish second. Carpetbagger Jenkins was a big reason, as he led the league in hitting with a .407 mark, the only player to eclipse that magic barrier in 1889. The club as a whole hit .300 for the season, the best mark in either league and enough of a boost to offset somewhat pedestrian pitching and defense.
The Chicago White Stockings had tailored their West Side Park to favor men who could hit the ball a long way, and led by Alexander Faulk's record total of 29, clubbed 82 home runs, eclipsing the record of 72 they had set back in 1887. Faulk became the first player to amass 100 circuit clouts in his career, finishing the season with 102, making him both the single-season and career home run leader.
In the American Association, the St. Louis Browns returned to the top spot after a disappointing 6th-place finish in 1888. The Browns boasted a powerful lineup with a trio of 100-plus RBI men in the middle in Shane Day (111), Black Jack McKinley (110) and Matthew McManus (102), a strong-armed third baseman and sometimes pitcher. The Browns scored 867 runs, easily the best total in base ball.
Brooklyn finished second, with the brooding Bulldog Ayers making sixteen pitching appearances, but playing the majority of the time in the field at first base as his arm was simply no longer up to a regular turn in the pitcher's box. The Athletics finished third, with an anemic offense bolstered by the third best pitching in base ball. It was frequently said in the City of Brotherly Love that if one could combine the Athletics' pitching with the lineup of the Quakers' no one would beat that Philadelphia nine.
LEADERS:
TOP 5 in BATTING AVG :
.407 Carpetbagger Jenkins(PHI)
.366 Harry Ransom(BSN)
.358 Charlie Shanafelt(NY1)
.356 Peter Bruner( BR3)
.355 Jim Cahoon(PIT)
TOP 5 in HOMERUNS :
29 Alexander Faulk(CHN)
22 Lane Parker(WS8)
17 Tom Ewart(CHN)
11 Hugh Brigand(PIT)
11 Ted Hudson(NY1)
TOP 5 in RBI :
114 Alexander Faulk(CHN)
111 Shane Day(SL4)
110 Jack McKinley(SL4)
109 Brian Brownfield(CN2)
107 Jack Cogburn(PHI)
TOP 5 in ERA :
2.30 Ronald Mason(LS2)
2.47 Ryan Sebastian(SL4)
2.51 Piggy Irving(PH4)
2.54 Paul Trail(NY1)
2.68 George Tharp(BR3)
TOP 5 in WINS :
35 Paul Trail(NY1)
32 Fred Jones(CN2)
32 Bill Silvers(CHN)
31 Ryan Sebastian(SL4)
28 Ronald Mason(LS2)
CREATED PLAYERS:
John "The Mighty" Casey (Cleveland) - .309-6-100
Tommy Bernard (Boston) - .266-9-47
Black Jack McKinley (St. Louis) - .320-2-110
Shane Day (St. Louis) - .324-4-111
Wild Willy Williamson (Indianapolis) - 27-21, 3.22
Virgil Pendergrass (Phila. NL) - .277-3-71
Ajax McFadden (Chicago) - .290-4-56
Otto Bentz (Cincinnati) - .331-0-99
William "Meat" Poole (New York) - .336-6-74
Marty Flika (Pittsburgh) - .334-7-87
Bob Cranberry (Cleveland) - .284-2-59