National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs in 1899

Introduction

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (NL) was established in 1876 (148 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.

1899 was Season 24 of play for the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (NL) and took place 125 years ago.

Classification

Major League

Season Length

April 14, 1899 to October 15, 1899

Season Champion

Brooklyn Superbas

# 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

There was no World Series Championship, with the last being played the 1891 Season, 133 years ago.

Events in Baseball (Thanks to Wikipedia)

May 15 – Willie Keeler, known as one of the smallest players and best bunters in baseball, drives the ball past startled left fielder Ed Delahanty of the Philadelphia Phillies for an inside-the-park grand slam and an 8–5 victory for the Brooklyn Superbas.
May 25 – Deacon Phillippe of the Louisville Colonels pitches a 7–0 no-hitter against the New York Giants.
June 2 – The Cleveland Spiders blow a 10–0 lead, eventually losing 11–10 to the Brooklyn Superbas.
July 1 – The Pittsburgh Pirates purchase the contract of pitcher Jack Chesbro from the Richmond Giants of the Atlantic League.
August 7 – Vic Willis leads the Boston Beaneaters to a 7–1 victory by pitching a no-hitter against the Washington Senators.
September 12 – The Cleveland Spiders lose both games of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies. At 19–114, they break the record for most losses by an MLB team in a single season, which had previously been 113.
October 11 – Magnates of the Western League agree to reorganize themselves into the American League.^[1]
October 15 – The Cleveland Spiders lose both games of their season-ending doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds by scores of 16-1 and 19–3. Having lost 40 of their last 41 games, they finish the season in last place with a record of 20–134.
Buck Freeman of the Washington Senators leads all batters with 25 home runs during the regular season, more than double hit by Bobby Wallace of the St. Louis Perfectos, who finished with 12 homers. Although Freeman failed to equal the record of 27 home runs set by Ned Williamson in the 1884 season, his total is generally regarded as the greater achievement owing to the dimensions of Williamson’s home ballpark of Lakeshore Park – Only two of the 27 homers batted by Williamson for the Chicago White Stockings were scored away from home. Freeman’s tally was not surpassed until 1919, when Babe Ruth belted 29 home runs for the Boston Red Sox.
Following the season, the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Spiders, Louisville Colonels and Washington Senators were all dropped by the National League, as a cost-cutting measure, reducing the number of teams to eight for the 1900 season; while Louisville would never sport another major-league level team, the other three cities received charter franchises in the rival American League in 1901 – after being abandoned by the AL in 1971, the National League would return to the nation’s capital 106 years later. The National League would remain at eight teams until 1962.