- 1884 in baseball
Year in baseball
this year = 1884Champions
*First World's Championship Series:
Providence Grays overNew York Metropolitans (3-0)
*National League :Providence Grays
*American Association:New York Metropolitans
*Union Association :St. Louis Maroons Major League Baseball final standings
National League final standings
tatistical leaders
National League Statistical Leaders
Notable seasons
Events
January-March
*
February 18 -Terry Larkin , recently released from prison after shooting his wife and a police officer in 1883, is arrested again for threatening to shoot his father. Larkin will be released and play this season for the Richmond Virginians. Larkin will later be institutionalized after challenging his former employer to a duel and will commit suicide by slitting his throat with a razor in 1894.
*February 20 -Altoona Mountain City is admitted to theUnion Association . This gives the UA 7 teams in the newly-formed league.
*March 4 - TheNational League reduces the number of balls needed for a walk to 6. Team owners agree to provide 2 separate benches for the teams in order to cut down on player fraternizing during games.
*March 15 -Henry Chadwick writes in a newspaper column that a ground-keeper in St. Louis has started placing tarpaulins over the bases when it rains in order to keep them dry. Other clubs will follow suit and cover the pitching area and batter areas as well.
*March 17 - TheUnion Association admits the Boston Reds, run by George Wright, to the league.
*March 28 - Umpire William McLean throws a bat into the stands, striking a spectator, in reaction to taunts from the crowd. McLean is arrested but not charged as the fan is not injured.April-June
*
April 17 - TheUnion Association opens its innaugural season with 3 games.
*May 1 -Moses Fleetwood Walker becomes the first black to play in the major leagues. Walker will play in 42 games for theToledo Blue Stockings , have 152 at-bats and get 40 hits in his only season in major league baseball. Facing racism constantly, even his own teammates refuse to play with him. An injury in mid-July effectively ends Walker's season and he is later released. No other African-American will play in the major leagues untilJackie Robinson in 1947.
*May 1 - The Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association has a section of their stands collapse as fans are leaving the park following their opening day game. There are numerous injuries and one fatality in the collapse.
*May 5 - After pitching in St. Louis the previous day,Tony Mullane of theToledo Blue Stockings is barred by a court from pitching in the state ofMissouri until his case involving his contract jumping is settled.
*May 6 - Larry McKeon of theIndianapolis Hoosiers pitches a 6 inning no-hitter. The game is called due to rain with the score tied 0-0. McKeon will go on to lose 41 games in 1884.
*May 16 - A foul tip off the bat of aDetroit Wolverines player sticks in the face mask of Boston Beaneaters catcher Mike Hines. Umpire Van Court rules it a catch and calls the batter out.National League secretary Nicholas Young will instruct all NL umpires to not call an out in that scenario again.
*May 24 - Al Atkinson of the Philadelphia Athletics retires the final 27 batters in pitching a no-hitter over the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. Atkinson hit the lead off batter,Ed Swartwood , who stole second, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch, then did not allow another base runner in the 10-1 victory.
*May 24 - TheSt. Louis Maroons of theUnion Association , after starting the season with 20 consecutive wins, lose their first game of the year.
*May 29 -Ed Morris of the Columbus Buckeyes pitches a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Alleghenys in an American Association game.
*May 29 - The Chicago White Stockings hit 5 over-the-fence home runs in their home opener against theDetroit Wolverines . The White Stockings new ground rule allows a home run instead of a double for any ball hit in the air over the 180' left field fence or the 215' right field fence. After Chicago increases their home run output from 13 in 1883 to 142 this season, theNational League will mandate a minimum fence distance of 210 feet beginning in 1885.
*May 30 -Ned Williamson of the Chicago White Stockings becomes the first player to hit 3 home runs in one game in Chicago's 12-2 win over theDetroit Wolverines .
*May 31 -Altoona Mountain City disbands and drops out of theUnion Association and is replaced by theKansas City Unions . Teams leaving and entering will become a recurring theme during the UA's one and only season.
*June 5 -Frank Mountain of the Columbus Buckeyes pitches a no-hitter and hits a home run in a 12-0 victory.
*June 7 -Charlie Sweeney of theProvidence Grays strikes out 19 batters in a game to set a record that will last for over 100 years.
*June 10 -Larry Corcoran of the Chicago White Stockings switch-pitches in a 2-0 win over the Cleveland Blues.
*June 13 - The Baltimore Orioles place a barbed-wire fence around the field after the crowd had swarmed the field and threatened the umpire in the previous day's game.
*June 27 -Larry Corcoran of the Chicago White Stockings throws a no-hitter against theProvidence Grays . It is the 3rd no-hitter of Corcoran's career and the first in theNational League this season.
*June 28 - While playing a Sunday game in Toledo, the players are arrested in the 6th inning for violating the city ordinance banning Sunday baseball. Due to the unruly crowd, the police allow the players to complete the game. The Brooklyn Atlantics defeat Toledo 5-3 before players from both teams are taken into custody.July-September
*
July 5 - Al Atkinson jumps from the American Association Philadelphia Athletics to theUnion Association Chicago Browns, the first player to jump mid-season to the new league.
*July 7 -Hugh Daily strikes out 19, tying the record set a month earlier while throwing a 1-hitter in the process.
*July 10 -Hugh Daily of the Chicago Browns pitches his 2nd consecutive 1-hitter. Daily will pitch 4 1-hitters by season's end, setting a major league record.
*July 11 - "Bolliky" Bill Taylor, who had a 25-4 record for theSt. Louis Maroons in theUnion Association , jumps to the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association and wins the first of 17 games for Philadelphia.
*July 28 -Charles Radbourn gains a victory in relief for theProvidence Grays in the game that provides the point of contention as to whether Radbourn won 59 games or 60 in 1884. The Grays were trailing 4-3 when starting pitcherCyclone Miller finished pitching the bottom of the 5th inning. Providence scored 4 runs in the top of the 6th to take the lead, then Radbourn came in to pitch starting in the bottom of the 6th. Under the scoring rules of the day, Radbourn was credited with the win. Miller would have gotten the victory under today's scoring rules, hence the discrepancy in total wins for Radbourn.
*August 4 -Pud Galvin of the Buffalo Bisons pitches a no-hitter against theDetroit Wolverines .
*August 5 - Thomas Lynch, a deaf-mute, makes his major league debut for the Chicago White Stockings in the pitcher's box and is winning until he tires in the 8th.Cap Anson , who had hit 2 homers in the game, relieves him and promptly loses 8-5. Lynch will never appear in another major league game.
*August 6 -Cap Anson hits 3 home runs in a 13-4 win, giving him 5 in his last 2 games.
*August 21 - Charlie Gagus pitches a no-hitter for the Washington Nationals of theUnion Association . The game is halted after 8 innings as the Nationals defeat theWilmington Quicksteps 12-1.
*August 25 - The Chicago Browns of theUnion Association , after losing $15,000 inChicago , move to Pittsburgh and become the Pittsburgh Stogies. They defeat the first-placeSt. Louis Maroons today in their first official game in Pittsburgh.
*August 26 -Dick Burns of theCincinnati Outlaw Reds pitches a no-hitter against theKansas City Unions .
*August 28 -Mickey Welch strikes out the first 9 batters of the game to set a record that would not be broken until 1970 byTom Seaver .
*August 29 - TheSt. Louis Maroons win the onlyUnion Association pennant with a 7-2 win over the Pittsburgh Stogies.
*September 11 - When no umpire shows up for the American Association game between the Philadelphia Athletics and theToledo Blue Stockings , rookie pitcherHank O'Day of Toledo fills in as a substitute. After his playing career, O'Day would later be recognized as the best umpire of the first quarter of the 20th century and would be the umpire to make the famous call involvingFred Merkle in 1908.
*September 15 - ManagerJoe Simmons of theWilmington Quicksteps pulls his team off of the field before a home game against the Kansas City Cowboys when he realizes he will be unable to pay the required $60 gate fee to the visitors because of zero attendance. The visiting Unions are 7-55-2 while the Quicksteps are 2-16 and occupy the cellar in theUnion Association standings. The Quicksteps never play another game as the team is disbanded.
*September 15 - TheProvidence Grays win theNational League pennant with a 10-2 win over the Cleveland Blues.
*September 19 - TheUnion Association drops theWilmington Quicksteps and Pittsburgh Stogies and replaces them with the Milwaukee Brewers and a team from Omaha sponsored by theUnion Pacific Railroad .
*September 27 - Before playing a single game in theUnion Association , Omaha is replaced by theSt. Paul Whitecaps .
*September 28 -Ed Cushman of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches a no-hitter in the Brewer's 2nd game in theUnion Association .October-December
*
October 1 -Charlie Getzein of theDetroit Wolverines pitches a no-hitter in a game called after 6 innings as Detroit wins 1-0.
*October 1 - TheNew York Metropolitans clinch the American Association pennant with a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Buckeyes.
*October 3 - Henry Porter playing for the Milwaukee Brewers of the Union Association strikes out 18 batters in one game against the Boston Reds. A record that stood until broken bySteve Carlton in 1969.
*October 4 - In his first start since his no-hitter on September 28, Ed Cushman takes another no-hitter into the 9th inning only to give up a bloop single and finish with a 1-hitter.
*October 4 -Sam Kimber of the Brooklyn Atlantics pitches a 10 inning no-hitter that ends in a 0-0 tie after the game is called because of darkness.
*October 5 -Charlie Sweeney andHenry Boyle of theSt. Louis Maroons combine on a 5 inning no-hitter when the game is called on account of rain. Despite the no-hitter, the Maroons lose 1-0 when 2 errors allow the only run of the game.
*October 9 - Jack Manning only hits 14 career home runs in a career that spans 12 seasons and over 800 games, but he hits 3 out on this day at the Chicago White Stockings cozyLake Front Park .
*October 23 - TheProvidence Grays , champions of theNational League , behind the pitching ofCharley Radbourn , defeat the American Association championNew York Metropolitans 6-0 at thePolo Grounds inNew York City .
*October 24 - TheProvidence Grays take the 2nd game of the best of 3 series against theNew York Metropolitans by a score of 3-1. The game at thePolo Grounds is called after 7 innings because of darkness.
*October 25 - TheProvidence Grays complete the sweep of theNew York Metropolitans with a 12-2 win in a game called after 6 innings because of extreme cold and an attendance of only 300 at thePolo Grounds .Charley Radbourn , after winning 59 games during the regular season, wins all 3 games for Providence while allowing no earned runs.
*October 30 - The Columbus Buckeyes of the American Association sell their players to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for $6,000 and disband the team.
*November 4 -Tony Mullane signs a contract with the Cincinnati Red Stockings for the 1885 season, in direct conflict with his prior oral agreement to play for the St. Louis Browns. The American Association will suspend Mullane for the entire 1885 season because of this and previous contract troubles, but allow him to remain the property of Cincinnati.
*November 19 -National League president A.G. Mills resigns and league secretary Nick Young replaces him.
*November 20 - TheNational League votes to allow overhand pitching for the 1885 season, although there are restrictions placed on the delivery in order to keep velocity down.
*December 11 - The American Association votes to continue their ban on overhand pitching.
*December 18 - TheUnion Association has only 4 teams in attendance at their winter meetings. The UA will officially die early in 1885.Births
January-April
*
January 1 - Tom Downey
*January 4 -Al Bridwell
*January 26 -Tubby Spencer
*February 1 -Joe Connolly
*February 1 -Candy Jim Taylor
*February 10 -Billy Evans
*February 14 - Jack Lewis
*February 25 -Bob Bescher
*March 4 -Red Murray
*March 7 -Ed Willett
*March 19 -Clyde Engle
*March 21 -Mysterious Walker
*March 31 -Frank Truesdale
*April 7 -Jake Daubert
*April 20 -Mike Mowrey
*April 25 - John Henry "Pop" LloydMay-August
*
May 5 -Chief Bender
*May 20 - Paul Howard
*May 26 -Jimmy Lavender
*May 30 -Rube Oldring
*June 7 -George Moriarty
*June 12 -Otto Knabe
*June 16 - Bob Peterson
*June 19 -Eddie Cicotte
*June 23 - Dick Egan
*July 4 -Jack Warhop
*August 6 -Sherry Magee
*August 6 -Joe Birmingham eptember-December
*
September 7 -Earl Moseley *
*September 22 -Grover Land
*September 30 -Nap Rucker
*October 18 -Burt Shotton
*October 28 -Chet Chadbourne
*December 4 -Biff Schlitzer
*December 5 -Ed Summers
*December 10 -Art Griggs
*December 15 -Jim Nealon
*December 31 -Bobby Byrne
Some sources show 1887Deaths
*
March 16 -Art Croft , 29, first baseman and left fielder for 1877 St. Lous and 1878 Indianapolis teams.
*April 29 - John Morrissey, 27, played in 1881 for the Buffalo Bisons.
*July 11 - Bill Smiley, 28?, utility player who played mainly in 1882.
*September 26 - Jim Egan, 26?, pitcher for the 1882 Troy Trojans.
*November 13 - Bill Sullivan, 31, played in 2 games for the 1878 Chicago White Stockings.External links
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1884.shtml/ 1884 National League season at baseball-reference.com]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AA_1884.shtml/ 1884 American Association season at baseball-reference.com]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/UA_1884.shtml/ 1884 Union Association season at baseball-reference.com]
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/chronology/ Charlton's Baseball Chronology at BaseballLibrary.com]
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/yearmenu.shtml/ Year by Year History at Baseball-Almanac.com]
* [http://retrosheet.org/ Retrosheet.org]
* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/baseball.htm/ Delaware's Baseball History on Russ Pickett.com]
* [http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=7432&bid=873 SABR biography on Ted Kennedy]
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