1887 Major League Baseball season

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This article is about the 1887 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1887 in baseball.
1887 MLB season
LeagueMajor League Baseball
SportBaseball
DurationApril 16 – October 10 (regular)
October 10–26 (postseason)
Pennant Winners
AA championsSt. Louis Browns
  AA runners-upCincinnati Red
NL championsDetroit Wolverines
  NL runners-upPhiladelphia Quakers
MLB seasons
← 1886
1888 →

The 1887 MLB Season was the National League's twelfth season and American Association's sixth season. The Detroit Wolverines defeated the St. Louis Browns in a 15-game World Series match played in ten cities.[1] The Louisville Colonels set a Major League record which still stands for the most base on balls for a team in a game, with 19 against the Cleveland Blues on 21 September.[2]

Final standings[]

American Association
Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
1st St. Louis Browns 95 40 .704     –
2nd Cincinnati Red Stockings 81 54 .600 14.0
3rd Baltimore Orioles 77 58 .570 18.0
4th Louisville Colonels 76 60 .559 19.5
5th Philadelphia Athletics 64 69 .481 30.0
6th Brooklyn Grays 60 74 .448 34.5
7th New York Metropolitans 44 89 .331 50.0
8th Cleveland Blues 39 92 .298 54.0
National League
Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
1st Detroit Wolverines 79 45 .637     –
2nd Philadelphia Quakers 75 48 .610  3.5
3rd Chicago White Stockings 71 50 .587  6.5
4th New York Giants 68 55 .553 10.5
5th Boston Beaneaters 61 60 .504 16.5
6th Pittsburgh Alleghenys 55 69 .444 24.0
7th Washington Nationals 46 76 .377 32.0
8th Indianapolis Hoosiers 37 89 .294 43.0

League leaders[]

In 1887, bases on balls (walks) were counted as hits by the major leagues in existence at the time. This inflated batting averages, with 11 players batting .400 or better, and the experiment was abandoned the following season. Historical statistics for the season were later revised, such that "Bases on balls shall always be treated as neither a time at bat nor a hit for the batter."[3] This results in ambiguity for some players' season and career hits totals, notably with Cap Anson.[4] Anson was credited with a .421 average and the National League batting title in 1887; however, the recalculation of averages with walks excluded lowered his average to .347 and retroactively gave the batting title to Sam Thompson.[4]

American Association National League
AVG Tip O'Neill STL .435 Sam Thompson DET .372
HR Tip O'Neill STL 14 Billy O'Brien WAS 19
RBI Tip O'Neill STL 123 Sam Thompson DET 166
Wins Matt Kilroy BAL 46 John Clarkson CHI 38
ERA Elmer Smith CIN 2.94   Dan Casey PHI 2.86  
Ks Toad Ramsey LOU 355 John Clarkson CHI 237

Postseason[]

World Series:

The Detroit Wolverines (79–45, NL) defeated the St. Louis Browns (95–40, AA) ten games to five.

References[]

  1. ^ Suehsdorf, A. D. (1978). The Great American Baseball Scrapbook, p. 24. Random House. ISBN 0-394-50253-1.
  2. ^ "Games Based Bases on Balls Records". Baseball-Almanac.com. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  3. ^ Thorn, John (May 4, 2015). "Why Is the National Association Not a Major League … and Other Records Issues". ourgame.mlblogs.com. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Fleitz, David L. "Cap Anson". Society for American Baseball Research Baseball Biography Project. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
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