National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs in 1891

Introduction

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (NL) was established in 1876 (149 years ago) when a number of its teams broke away from the NA. The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (NL) was formed in Chicago, Illinois, by businessman and owner of the Chicago Base Ball Club (now known as the Chicago Cubs), William Hulbert, for the purpose of replacing the NA, which he believed to have been corrupt, mismanaged, full of rowdy, drunken ballplayers, and under the influence of the gambling community. One of the new rules put into place by the new league was that all teams had to be located in cities that had a population of 75,000 or more.

1891 was Season 16 of play for the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (NL) and took place 134 years ago.

Classification

Major League

Season Length

April 22, 1891 to October 3, 1891

Season Champion

Boston Beaneaters

# of Teams

Season Standings

Season Playoffs

There were no championship playoffs as the top team with the most wins at end of season was declared league champion for the season.

World Series

Events in Baseball (Thanks to Wikipedia)

Notable Seasons

Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Billy Hamilton leads the NL with 179 hits, 111 stolen bases, 141 runs scored, and a .340 batting average. His .874 OPS and 155 OPS+ both rank second in the league.
Chicago Colts pitcher Bill Hutchinson has a record of 44-19 and leads the NL with 561 innings pitched and 44 wins. His 261 strikeouts rank second in the league. He has a 2.81 earned run average and a 123 ERA+.

January–March

January 16 – An agreement is signed between the National League, American Association, and Western Association which creates a three man panel to settle any and all disputes between the three leagues. The agreement occurs two days after the National League allowed the American Association to place a team in Boston, a move the NL’s Boston Beaneaters opposed.
January 30 – The Boston Reds purchase the contract of second baseman Cupid Childs from the Syracuse Stars for $2,000.
February 1 – The New York Giants sell the contract of Jesse Burkett to the Cleveland Spiders
February 6 – The New York Giants‘ salary list is leaked to the press. It shows a total player payroll of $54,600 with Buck Ewing‘s $5,500 salary topping the scale.

April–June

April 11 – Clark Griffith‚ 21 years old‚ makes his Major League debut‚ pitching for the St. Louis Browns to a 13–5 victory over the Cincinnati Kelly’s Killers. After spending much of 1892 and 1893 in the minor leagues‚ Griffith will return to remain active in the majors as a pitcher‚ manager‚ and club owner until his death in 1955.
April 22 – In the first game at the third Polo Grounds, Boston beats the New York Giants, 4-3.
May 1 – Cleveland‘s League Park opens with 10,000 fans on hand to see pitcher Cy Young beat Cincinnati, 12-3.
May 14 – Charles Radbourn of the Cincinnati Reds records his 300th career win.
May 17 – Hughie Jennings is signed by Louisville Colonels
May 22 – At Cincinnati’s League Park, Mickey Welch of the New York Giants hits into a game-ending triple play. Batting with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, Welch lines one to shortstop Germany Smith, who catches the ball and tosses it to second baseman, Bid McPhee, who tags the runner caught off second, Charley Bassett. McPhee then relay the ball to first baseman, John Reilly, who toes the sack to retire the runner, Artie Clarke, who was running between bases. The Reds won 8–3.
June 1 – Fred Dunlap is released by the Washington Statesmen.
June 22 – Tom Lovett throws a no-hitter as the Brooklyn Grooms defeat the New York Giants, 4-0.
June 30 – The Cincinnati Reds sign former batting champion Pete Browning.

July–September

July 1 – Chicago Colts outfielder Jimmy Ryan hits for the cycle in a 9–3 win over the Cleveland Spiders. It’s the second time in Ryan’s career that he has hit for the cycle.
July 31 – New York Giants pitcher Amos Rusie no-hits the Brooklyn Bridegrooms 6-0, on 8 walks and 4 K’s. At 20 years and 2 months he is the youngest pitcher to toss a no-hitter.
August 26 – John McGraw debuts with the Baltimore Orioles in the AA. He plays shortstop, makes an error, and he has a hit as the Orioles defeat the Columbus Buckeyes, 6-5.
September 4 – Responding to writers who claim it’s time for him to quit, Chicago‘s 39-year-old player-manager Cap Anson wears a false white beard against Boston. It doesn’t help him at the plate – he is hitless in 3 at-bats. The White Stockings beat Boston, 5-3.
September 12 – Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Abner Dalrymple hits for the cycle in a 10–4 win over the Washington Statesmen.

October–December

October 4 – On the final day of the American Association season, Ted Breitenstein of the St. Louis Browns throws a no-hitter against the Louisville Colonels, in an 8–0 Browns win. It is Breitenstein’s first major league start. He faced the minimum number of batters, 27, allowing just one base on balls. It was also the last no-hitter thrown in the American Association, as the league folded following the season.
November 26 – A series for the championship of the Pacific Coast begins between the champions of the California League (the San Jose Dukes) and the Pacific Northwest League pennant winners (the Portland Webfeet). San Jose wins the opener, 8–6. The series will last until January 10 with San Jose winning 10 games to 9. All the games are played in San Jose, California.