The Brooklyn Bridegrooms are staking a claim to the title of the greatest team in League history as they won yet another pennant and then backed that up with a four-games-to-three victory over the Baltimore nine in the Temple Cup series.
Since jumping from the American Association to the National League after the 1889 season, the Brooklynites have won five of the seven pennants contested with the Baltimore Orioles winning the other two. After winning three straight in 1890, 91 and 92, the Bridegrooms have now also repeated in 1895 and 96. Can they again win three in a row with a pennant in 1897?
This year's champions won despite losing team leader Charlie Shanafelt in late August, importing a 18-year-old hayseed off the sandlots to play in right field. And though said hayseed (Mitchell White) hit a mere .071, the Brooklyn nine still won the pennant and the Temple Cup. Four players scored 100 or more runs with Harvey Cart touching the home base 132 times (the others were OF Bradford Brooks - 110; C George Christian - 100; OF Clement Sant - 100).
The pitching was outstanding as well with George Tharp amassing a 28-12 record with a 2.11 earned run average, while Arthur Nowlin won 30 games with a 2.88 mark and Gary Stevens won 22 with a 3.14 ERA.
Ed Burrell of Philadelphia was the league's best batter in 1896. Burrell led the circuit in hitting with a .378 average finishing slightly ahead of Louisville's Bruno Barbella who finished at .375 for the season. Barbella did lead the loop in runners driven home, however, as his mark of 117 was eight better than Burrell's Philadelphia team mate Nick Eanes' mark of 109.
Randy Lumley emerged from the long shadow of Rick Kushner to lead the league in victories with 31, barely edging out the 30 of Nowlin. Pittsburgh's Owen Upjohn has begun to make a case for himself as the top pitcher in base ball - his 1.97 earned run mark was easily the loop's best and he won 29 contests for the Pirates. Even more scary for National League batsmen is that Upjohn has an able-bodied second in Pittsburgh: Hans Tenbuckel also won 29 games and his 2.22 ERA was third-best in the League.
The Eastern League managed a full season again in 1896 after struggling financially in 1895 and being re-born under new leadership. The EL didn't feature much of a pennant race in '96 as Scranton won 88 games and finished 17 games ahead of 1895 champion (and heated rival) Wilkes-Barre. Buffalo's Peter Gates was named the loop's batter of the year while pitching honors went to Chris Olsen. It would surprise no one if both Olsen and Gates were toiling on a National League club next spring.
Out west, the Western League continues to thrive and rumors are beginning to circulate that the League's owners are considering declaring themselves "major" and competing directly with the National League. These are just rumors however, officially the Western loop's stance is that history has shown the National League is a monopoly not easy to break and they're fine and dandy with their Midwestern operation. Indianapolis was the champion of the loop this year, edging out St. Paul by three games. St. Paul's boosters can take heart in that the Apostles are well represented by being the club of both the league's top hitter (Trey Duren) and pitcher (Bill Moore).
RANDY LUMLEY, BALTIMORE PITCHER