Now for the National League from 1887-1891:
1887: Detroit claims its first-ever pennant, as the Wolverines' real-life mark of 79-45 stands up. So does the Athletics' second-place mark of 75-48. In fact, there's no movement in the standings for the second year in a row. The only race even tightened is the one for third, where the defending champion White Stockings drop three games (71-50 to 68-53) but hold on to third place by a game over the Giants (68-55, no change).
The biggest positive change is two games, by the Beaneaters (61-60 to 63-58) and the Indianapolis Hoosiers (37-89 to 39-87). The Eaters stay fifth and the Hoosiers still finish last. Biggest drop? My hometown Als, who celebrate their NL debut by falling four games, from 55-69 to 51-73. They remain in sixth place, twenty-eight games behind Detroit.
The Wolverines defeat the Browns ten games to five in the 1887 "Fall Classic".
FINAL STANDINGS: (Expansion teams in bold italics)
1. Wolverines: 79-45 (0)
2. Quakers: 75-48- 3.5 GB (0)
3. White Stockings: 68-53- 9.5 GB (-3)
4. Giants: 68-55- 10.5 GB (0)
5. Beaneaters: 63-58- 14.5 GB (+2)
6. Pittsburgh Alleghenies: 51-73- 28 GB (-4)
7. Nationals: 44-78- 34 GB (-2)
8. Indianapolis Hoosiers: 39-87- 41 GB (+2)
1888: The Giants take their second pennant and first in three years, as their 84-47 real-life record holds up. There's a shakeup for second, though, as the defending champion Wolverines improve by a league-high six games (68-63 to 74-57) to overtake the White Stockings, who drop from 77-58 to 74-61 and third place. The Quakers take the Wolverines' place in fifth despite dropping just one game, from 69-61 to 68-62. The Hoosiers also improve by six games (50-85 to 56-79) but remain seventh. The biggest drop of the year goes to the cellar-dwelling Washington Nationals, who fall five games (48-86 to 43-91) and end up forty-two and a half games behind the G-Men. They also become the first team in National League history to lose ninety or more games in a season.
The Giants would defeat the Browns six games to four in the 1888 "World Series". As for the Als, they drop four games (66-68 to 62-72) but stay in sixth place, eighteen and a half games out of first.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Giants: 84-47 (0)
2. Wolverines: 74-57- 10 GB (+6)
3. White Stockings: 74-61- 12 GB (-3)
4. Beaneaters: 72-62- 13.5 GB (+2)
5. Quakers: 68-62- 15.5 GB (-1)
6. Alleghenies: 62-72- 23.5 GB (-4)
7. Hoosiers: 56-79- 30 GB (+6)
8. Nationals: 43-91- 42.5 GB (-5)
Out: Cowboys, Maroons
1889: We have a virtual tie for the pennant: the Giants drop four games (83-43 to 79-47) while the Beaneaters drop three (83-45 to 80-48). This marks a successful title defense for the Giants and their third crown overall, while the Eaters win their second flag. Would there have been an unprecedented playoff to determine an outright winner? If the price was right, anything was possible!
The Giants and Eaters experience the biggest drops; the sharpest rises are three games apiece by the White Stockings and Hoosiers. The Stockings go from 67-65 to 70-62 but still finish third, while the Hoosiers' spike from 59-75 to 62-72 promotes them from seventh to fifth. This affects the Als, who drop just one game (61-71 to 60-72), but fall from fifth past the Spiders to seventh, twenty-two games out of first. Just one game separates fifth from seventh.
We have our first "Subway Series" this year, as the Giants defeat the AA's Brooklyn Bridegrooms six games to three to take the 1889 "World Series".
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. (tie) Giants: 79-47 (-4)
(tie) Beaneaters: 80-48 (-3)
3. White Stockings: 70-62- 12 GB (+3)
4. Quakers: 63-64- 16.5 GB (0)
5. Hoosiers: 62-72- 21 GB (+3)
6. Spiders: 61-72- 21.5 GB (0)
7. Alleghenies: 60-72- 22 GB (-1)
8. Nationals: 43-81- 35 GB (+2)
Name Change: Cleveland (Blues to Spiders)
1890: The Brooklyn Bridegrooms make the move over from the AA and continue their winning ways, taking the pennant by five games despite dropping a game (86-43 to 85-44). There's a huge change in second place, as the Eaters move up from fifth with a league-high six-game improvement (76-57 to 82-51). The newly renamed Chicago franchise, now known as the Colts, drops three games (83-53 to 80-56) and ends up third, while the newly renamed franchise in Philadelphia (now the Phillies) equals that drop (78-56 to 75-53) and falls from third to fifth. The Spiders equal the Eaters' six-game improvement (44-88 to 50-82), but still finish seventh behind the defending champion Giants, who remain sixth despite a four-game improvement (63-68 to 67-64).
The good news for the Als is that they improve by five games; the bad news is that they still finish an execrable 28-108, sixty-five and a half games behind the Bridegrooms, who play the AA's Louisville Colonels to a 3-3-1 draw in the 1890 "World Series". Fifty-five and a half games out is a new National League record, breaking the previous mark set by the Nationals four years before. The Als also become the first NL club to lose a hundred games in a season.
FINAL STANDINGS: (Expansion teams in bold italics):
1. Bridegrooms: 85-44 (-1)
2. Beaneaters: 82-51- 5 GB (+6)
3. Colts: 80-56- 8.5 GB (-3)
4. Cincinnati Reds: 76-56- 10.5 GB (-1)
5. Phillies: 75-56- 11 GB (-3)
6. Giants: 67-64- 19.5 GB (+4)
7. Spiders: 50-82- 36.5 GB (+6)
8. Alleghenies: 28-108- 55.5 GB (+5)
Out: Nationals
Name Changes: Philadelphia (Quakers to Phillies), Chicago (White Stockings to Colts)
Note 1: The Reds aren't technically an expansion team; they left for the American Association following the 1881 season and have now returned. Yes, these are the same Reds we know today.
Note 2: Baseball Reference spells the name of the Pittsburgh team "Alleghenys", but I've always seen it spelled "Alleghenies" around here, so that's what I went with.
1891: The Eaters take their third overall flag (second undisputed) and their first undisputed crown since 1883, dropping two games (87-51 to 85-53), but still claiming the pennant by seven and a half over the Colts, who stumble six games (82-53 to 76-59), most in the league. The defending champions from Brooklyn (now known simply as the Grooms), finish sixth as in real life, but improve three games from 61-76 to 64-73, a game behind the fifth-place Spiders, who pick up a game (65-74 to 66-73).
The largest improvement goes to my renamed hometown team, now known always and forever as the Pirates. They jump from 55-80 to 62-73 and from eighth to seventh, passing the Reds (who stand pat at 56-81) in the process.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Beaneaters: 85-53 (-2)
2. Colts: 76-59- 7.5 GB (-6)
3. Giants: 70-62- 12 GB (-1)
4. Phillies: 67-70- 18 GB (-1)
5. Spiders: 66-73- 19.5 GB (+1)
6. Grooms: 64-73- 20.5 GB (+3)
7. Pirates: 62-73- 21.5 GB (+7)
8. Reds: 56-81- 28.5 GB (0)
Name Changes: Brooklyn (Bridegrooms to Grooms), Pittsburgh (Alleghenies to Pirates)
Next: We try to determine a champion in the unfinished NL pennant race of 1889.
Thoughts?
1887: Detroit claims its first-ever pennant, as the Wolverines' real-life mark of 79-45 stands up. So does the Athletics' second-place mark of 75-48. In fact, there's no movement in the standings for the second year in a row. The only race even tightened is the one for third, where the defending champion White Stockings drop three games (71-50 to 68-53) but hold on to third place by a game over the Giants (68-55, no change).
The biggest positive change is two games, by the Beaneaters (61-60 to 63-58) and the Indianapolis Hoosiers (37-89 to 39-87). The Eaters stay fifth and the Hoosiers still finish last. Biggest drop? My hometown Als, who celebrate their NL debut by falling four games, from 55-69 to 51-73. They remain in sixth place, twenty-eight games behind Detroit.
The Wolverines defeat the Browns ten games to five in the 1887 "Fall Classic".
FINAL STANDINGS: (Expansion teams in bold italics)
1. Wolverines: 79-45 (0)
2. Quakers: 75-48- 3.5 GB (0)
3. White Stockings: 68-53- 9.5 GB (-3)
4. Giants: 68-55- 10.5 GB (0)
5. Beaneaters: 63-58- 14.5 GB (+2)
6. Pittsburgh Alleghenies: 51-73- 28 GB (-4)
7. Nationals: 44-78- 34 GB (-2)
8. Indianapolis Hoosiers: 39-87- 41 GB (+2)
1888: The Giants take their second pennant and first in three years, as their 84-47 real-life record holds up. There's a shakeup for second, though, as the defending champion Wolverines improve by a league-high six games (68-63 to 74-57) to overtake the White Stockings, who drop from 77-58 to 74-61 and third place. The Quakers take the Wolverines' place in fifth despite dropping just one game, from 69-61 to 68-62. The Hoosiers also improve by six games (50-85 to 56-79) but remain seventh. The biggest drop of the year goes to the cellar-dwelling Washington Nationals, who fall five games (48-86 to 43-91) and end up forty-two and a half games behind the G-Men. They also become the first team in National League history to lose ninety or more games in a season.
The Giants would defeat the Browns six games to four in the 1888 "World Series". As for the Als, they drop four games (66-68 to 62-72) but stay in sixth place, eighteen and a half games out of first.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Giants: 84-47 (0)
2. Wolverines: 74-57- 10 GB (+6)
3. White Stockings: 74-61- 12 GB (-3)
4. Beaneaters: 72-62- 13.5 GB (+2)
5. Quakers: 68-62- 15.5 GB (-1)
6. Alleghenies: 62-72- 23.5 GB (-4)
7. Hoosiers: 56-79- 30 GB (+6)
8. Nationals: 43-91- 42.5 GB (-5)
Out: Cowboys, Maroons
1889: We have a virtual tie for the pennant: the Giants drop four games (83-43 to 79-47) while the Beaneaters drop three (83-45 to 80-48). This marks a successful title defense for the Giants and their third crown overall, while the Eaters win their second flag. Would there have been an unprecedented playoff to determine an outright winner? If the price was right, anything was possible!
The Giants and Eaters experience the biggest drops; the sharpest rises are three games apiece by the White Stockings and Hoosiers. The Stockings go from 67-65 to 70-62 but still finish third, while the Hoosiers' spike from 59-75 to 62-72 promotes them from seventh to fifth. This affects the Als, who drop just one game (61-71 to 60-72), but fall from fifth past the Spiders to seventh, twenty-two games out of first. Just one game separates fifth from seventh.
We have our first "Subway Series" this year, as the Giants defeat the AA's Brooklyn Bridegrooms six games to three to take the 1889 "World Series".
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. (tie) Giants: 79-47 (-4)
(tie) Beaneaters: 80-48 (-3)
3. White Stockings: 70-62- 12 GB (+3)
4. Quakers: 63-64- 16.5 GB (0)
5. Hoosiers: 62-72- 21 GB (+3)
6. Spiders: 61-72- 21.5 GB (0)
7. Alleghenies: 60-72- 22 GB (-1)
8. Nationals: 43-81- 35 GB (+2)
Name Change: Cleveland (Blues to Spiders)
1890: The Brooklyn Bridegrooms make the move over from the AA and continue their winning ways, taking the pennant by five games despite dropping a game (86-43 to 85-44). There's a huge change in second place, as the Eaters move up from fifth with a league-high six-game improvement (76-57 to 82-51). The newly renamed Chicago franchise, now known as the Colts, drops three games (83-53 to 80-56) and ends up third, while the newly renamed franchise in Philadelphia (now the Phillies) equals that drop (78-56 to 75-53) and falls from third to fifth. The Spiders equal the Eaters' six-game improvement (44-88 to 50-82), but still finish seventh behind the defending champion Giants, who remain sixth despite a four-game improvement (63-68 to 67-64).
The good news for the Als is that they improve by five games; the bad news is that they still finish an execrable 28-108, sixty-five and a half games behind the Bridegrooms, who play the AA's Louisville Colonels to a 3-3-1 draw in the 1890 "World Series". Fifty-five and a half games out is a new National League record, breaking the previous mark set by the Nationals four years before. The Als also become the first NL club to lose a hundred games in a season.
FINAL STANDINGS: (Expansion teams in bold italics):
1. Bridegrooms: 85-44 (-1)
2. Beaneaters: 82-51- 5 GB (+6)
3. Colts: 80-56- 8.5 GB (-3)
4. Cincinnati Reds: 76-56- 10.5 GB (-1)
5. Phillies: 75-56- 11 GB (-3)
6. Giants: 67-64- 19.5 GB (+4)
7. Spiders: 50-82- 36.5 GB (+6)
8. Alleghenies: 28-108- 55.5 GB (+5)
Out: Nationals
Name Changes: Philadelphia (Quakers to Phillies), Chicago (White Stockings to Colts)
Note 1: The Reds aren't technically an expansion team; they left for the American Association following the 1881 season and have now returned. Yes, these are the same Reds we know today.
Note 2: Baseball Reference spells the name of the Pittsburgh team "Alleghenys", but I've always seen it spelled "Alleghenies" around here, so that's what I went with.
1891: The Eaters take their third overall flag (second undisputed) and their first undisputed crown since 1883, dropping two games (87-51 to 85-53), but still claiming the pennant by seven and a half over the Colts, who stumble six games (82-53 to 76-59), most in the league. The defending champions from Brooklyn (now known simply as the Grooms), finish sixth as in real life, but improve three games from 61-76 to 64-73, a game behind the fifth-place Spiders, who pick up a game (65-74 to 66-73).
The largest improvement goes to my renamed hometown team, now known always and forever as the Pirates. They jump from 55-80 to 62-73 and from eighth to seventh, passing the Reds (who stand pat at 56-81) in the process.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Beaneaters: 85-53 (-2)
2. Colts: 76-59- 7.5 GB (-6)
3. Giants: 70-62- 12 GB (-1)
4. Phillies: 67-70- 18 GB (-1)
5. Spiders: 66-73- 19.5 GB (+1)
6. Grooms: 64-73- 20.5 GB (+3)
7. Pirates: 62-73- 21.5 GB (+7)
8. Reds: 56-81- 28.5 GB (0)
Name Changes: Brooklyn (Bridegrooms to Grooms), Pittsburgh (Alleghenies to Pirates)
Next: We try to determine a champion in the unfinished NL pennant race of 1889.
Thoughts?