Major League Baseball season
1901 Pittsburgh Pirates
National League (since 1887 )
Owner(s) Barney Dreyfuss Manager(s) Fred Clarke < Previous season Next season >
The 1901 Pittsburgh[a] Pirates finished in first place in the National League , 7½ games ahead of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies . It was the first year that the American League operated as a major league, but there would be no World Series between the leagues until 1903.
The team was managed by Fred Clarke , who was also their starting left fielder . Clarke, in his fifth year as a manager at age 28, won his first pennant. The Pirates won the National League championship in the next two years as well.
Regular season [ ]
The Pirates were led offensively by Honus Wagner , who led the league in RBI and stolen bases . Although the "Flying Dutchman" had never played shortstop in the majors until 1901, he appeared 61 times at shortstop that year in addition to spending time at third base and the outfield.
In a league that batted .267 as a whole, the Pirates outfield was notable for its hitting. Ginger Beaumont hit .332, player-manager Fred Clarke hit .324, and Lefty Davis hit .313.
The pitching staff of the Pirates allowed the fewest runs in the league and was among the greatest ever. The four top starting pitchers – Deacon Phillippe , Jack Chesbro , Jesse Tannehill , and Sam Leever – were the four top pitchers in the National League in terms of winning percentage. All of them were in the top ten in the league in ERA . Future Hall of Famer Rube Waddell had pitched well in 1900 for the Pirates, but was sold in May 1901 to the Chicago Orphans . With a record of 90-49, the Pirates had the best record in the league.
Season standings [ ]
Record vs. opponents [ ]
Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Team
BOS
BR
CHI
CIN
NYG
PHI
PIT
STL
Boston
—
10–10
13–6
11–8–1
14–6–1
7–13
5–15
9–11
Brooklyn
10–10
—
13–7
14–6–1
11–6
11–9
11–8
9–11
Chicago
6–13
7–13
—
10–10
11–9–1
3–17
6–14
10–10
Cincinnati
8–11–1
6–14–1
10–10
—
8–12
4–16
7–13
9–11–1
New York
6–14–1
6–11
9–11–1
12–8
—
8–12
4–16–1
7–13–1
Philadelphia
13–7
9–11
17–3
16–4
12–8
—
7–13
9–11
Pittsburgh
15–5
8–11
14–6
13–7
16–4–1
13–7
—
11–9
St. Louis
11–9
11–9
10–10
11–9–1
13–7–1
11–9
9–11
—
Game log [ ]
1901 Game Log: 90–49 (Home: 45–24; Away: 45–25)
April: 3–3 (Home: 1–2; Away: 2–1)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
1
April 20
@ Reds
4–2
—
—
1–0
2
April 23
@ Cardinals
4–10
—
—
1–1
3
April 24
@ Cardinals
5–4
—
—
2–1
4
April 27
Cardinals
2–7
—
—
2–2
5
April 29
Cardinals
14–12
—
—
3–2
6
April 30
Cardinals
2–4
—
—
3–3
May: 13–11 (Home: 3–3; Away: 10–8)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
7
May 1
Orphans
3–8
—
—
3–4
8
May 2
Orphans
3–2
—
—
4–4
9
May 3
Orphans
10–6
—
—
5–4
10
May 4
Orphans
2–4
—
—
5–5
11
May 5
@ Orphans
4–2
—
—
6–5
12
May 7
@ Orphans
8–0
—
—
7–5
13
May 8
@ Orphans
8–7
—
—
8–5
14
May 9
@ Orphans
8–1
—
—
9–5
15
May 10
Reds
3–0
—
—
10–5
16
May 12
@ Reds
1–6
—
—
10–6
17
May 13
Reds
2–3
—
—
10–7
18
May 14
@ Phillies
3–2
—
—
11–7
19
May 15
@ Phillies
5–6
—
—
11–8
20
May 16
@ Phillies
2–12
—
—
11–9
21
May 17
@ Phillies
6–4
—
—
12–9
22
May 21
@ Giants
1–2
—
—
12–10
23
May 22
@ Giants
1–2
—
—
12–11
24
May 23
@ Beaneaters
3–7
—
—
12–12
25
May 24
@ Beaneaters
6–4
—
—
13–12
26
May 25
@ Beaneaters
11–1
—
—
14–12
27
May 28
@ Superbas
7–8
—
—
14–13
28
May 30
@ Superbas
4–3
—
2,300
15–13
29
May 30
@ Superbas
2–8
—
11,000
15–14
30
May 31
@ Superbas
5–2
—
—
16–14
June: 17–9 (Home: 10–4; Away: 7–5)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
31
June 1
Reds
3–4
—
—
16–15
32
June 2
@ Orphans
6–1
—
—
17–15
33
June 3
Phillies
11–1
—
—
18–15
34
June 4
Phillies
4–3
—
—
19–15
35
June 5
Phillies
5–2
—
—
20–15
36
June 6
Superbas
1–4
—
—
20–16
37
June 7
Superbas
5–4
—
—
21–16
38
June 8
Superbas
3–7
—
—
21–17
39
June 10
Giants
3–1
—
—
22–17
40
June 11
Giants
4–0
—
—
23–17
41
June 12
Giants
5–2
—
—
24–17
42
June 13
Beaneaters
6–2
—
—
25–17
43
June 14
Beaneaters
1–7
—
—
25–18
44
June 15
Beaneaters
1–0
—
—
26–18
45
June 16
@ Reds
2–0
—
—
27–18
46
June 18
Cardinals
9–2
—
—
28–18
47
June 19
@ Giants
5–5
—
—
28–18
48
June 20
@ Giants
7–0
—
—
29–18
49
June 21
@ Giants
2–3
—
—
29–19
50
June 22
@ Beaneaters
2–4
—
—
29–20
51
June 22
@ Beaneaters
6–2
—
—
30–20
52
June 24
@ Beaneaters
8–2
—
—
31–20
53
June 25
@ Beaneaters
4–9
—
—
31–21
54
June 26
@ Superbas
3–16
—
—
31–22
55
June 27
@ Superbas
7–8
—
—
31–23
56
June 28
@ Superbas
5–3
—
—
32–23
57
June 29
@ Phillies
5–4
—
—
33–23
July: 16–9 (Home: 12–6; Away: 4–3)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
58
July 1
@ Phillies
0–1
—
—
33–24
59
July 2
@ Phillies
5–3
—
—
34–24
60
July 4
Giants
3–5
—
—
34–25
61
July 4
Giants
12–0
—
—
35–25
62
July 5
Giants
7–2
—
—
36–25
63
July 6
Giants
6–2
—
—
37–25
64
July 8
Beaneaters
5–0
—
—
38–25
65
July 9
Beaneaters
9–4
—
—
39–25
66
July 10
Beaneaters
1–0
—
—
40–25
67
July 11
Beaneaters
5–0
—
—
41–25
68
July 12
Phillies
2–4
—
—
41–26
69
July 13
Phillies
5–3
—
—
42–26
70
July 14
@ Orphans
3–1
—
—
43–26
71
July 16
Phillies
3–6
—
—
43–27
72
July 17
Superbas
3–7
—
—
43–28
73
July 18
Superbas
3–4
—
—
43–29
74
July 19
Superbas
4–5
—
—
43–30
75
July 20
Superbas
15–2
—
—
44–30
76
July 23
Reds
9–2
—
—
45–30
77
July 24
Reds
11–2
—
—
46–30
78
July 25
Reds
9–5
—
—
47–30
79
July 26
@ Cardinals
7–12
—
—
47–31
80
July 27
@ Cardinals
7–4
—
—
48–31
81
July 28
@ Cardinals
3–5
—
—
48–32
82
July 29
@ Cardinals
8–0
—
—
49–32
August: 13–9 (Home: 7–7; Away: 6–2)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
83
August 3
Reds
4–7
—
—
49–33
84
August 4
@ Reds
6–3
—
—
50–33
85
August 5
Cardinals
6–20
—
—
50–34
86
August 6
Cardinals
8–1
—
—
51–34
87
August 7
Cardinals
9–3
—
—
52–34
88
August 8
Orphans
7–6
—
—
53–34
89
August 9
Orphans
1–4
—
—
53–35
90
August 11
@ Orphans
5–1
—
—
54–35
91
August 17
Reds
5–0
—
—
55–35
92
August 18
@ Reds
4–5
—
—
55–36
93
August 19
@ Cardinals
9–5
—
—
56–36
94
August 20
@ Cardinals
14–2
—
—
57–36
95
August 21
@ Cardinals
3–4
—
—
57–37
96
August 22
@ Cardinals
4–3
—
—
58–37
97
August 25
@ Reds
6–3
—
—
59–37
98
August 26
Cardinals
2–5
—
—
59–38
99
August 27
Cardinals
7–1
—
—
60–38
100
August 28
Cardinals
7–9
—
—
60–39
101
August 29
Orphans
1–4
—
—
60–40
102
August 29
Orphans
2–1
—
—
61–40
103
August 31
Orphans
1–5
—
—
61–41
104
August 31
Orphans
5–2
—
—
62–41
September: 25–7 (Home: 10–2; Away: 15–5)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
105
September 2
@ Beaneaters
5–3
—
—
63–41
106
September 2
@ Beaneaters
3–0
—
—
64–41
107
September 3
@ Beaneaters
5–2
—
—
65–41
108
September 4
@ Giants
12–6
—
—
66–41
109
September 4
@ Giants
10–3
—
—
67–41
110
September 5
@ Giants
15–1
—
—
68–41
111
September 5
@ Giants
15–7
—
—
69–41
112
September 6
@ Giants
15–2
—
—
70–41
113
September 6
@ Giants
13–4
—
—
71–41
114
September 7
@ Phillies
1–4
—
—
71–42
115
September 9
@ Phillies
11–5
—
—
72–42
116
September 10
@ Phillies
8–5
—
—
73–42
117
September 11
@ Superbas
5–4
—
—
74–42
118
September 13
@ Superbas
3–5
—
—
74–43
119
September 13
@ Superbas
2–4
—
—
74–44
120
September 14
Reds
5–3
—
—
75–44
121
September 14
Reds
8–4
—
—
76–44
122
September 15
@ Reds
3–0
—
—
77–44
123
September 17
@ Reds
7–2
—
—
78–44
124
September 18
Phillies
5–1
—
—
79–44
125
September 20
Phillies
10–1
—
—
80–44
126
September 20
Phillies
7–2
—
—
81–44
127
September 21
Phillies
2–4
—
—
81–45
128
September 22
@ Orphans
15–9
—
—
82–45
129
September 23
Giants
5–4
—
—
83–45
130
September 24
Giants
14–9
—
—
84–45
131
September 25
Giants
10–5
—
—
85–45
132
September 26
Superbas
4–3
—
—
86–45
133
September 27
Superbas
5–4
—
—
87–45
134
September 29
@ Reds
1–2
—
—
87–46
135
September 29
@ Reds
1–2
—
—
87–47
136
September 30
Beaneaters
1–5
—
—
87–48
October: 3–1 (Home: 2–0; Away: 1–1)
#
Date
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Attendance
Record
137
October 1
Beaneaters
9–0
—
—
88–48
138
October 2
Beaneaters
8–4
—
—
89–48
139
October 5
@ Orphans
1–2
—
—
89–49
140
October 6
@ Orphans
9–5
—
—
90–49
Legend: = Win = Loss = Tie Bold = Pittsburgh Pirates team member
Detailed records [ ]
Month
Games
Won
Lost
Win %
RS
RA
April
6
3
3
0.500
31
39
May
24
13
11
0.542
108
100
June
26
17
9
0.654
123
96
July
25
16
9
0.640
145
79
August
22
13
9
0.591
116
94
September
32
25
7
0.781
226
115
October
4
3
1
0.750
27
11
Total
139
90
49
0.647
776
534
Games
Won
Lost
Win %
RS
RA
Home
69
45
24
0.652
372
255
Away
70
45
25
0.643
399
274
Total
139
90
49
0.647
776
534
Opening Day lineup [ ]
Roster [ ]
1901 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Manager
Awards and honors [ ]
Ginger Beaumont
#3 in NL in runs scored (120)
Deacon Phillippe
#2 in NL in ERA (2.22)
#3 in NL in wins (22)
Jesse Tannehill
Honus Wagner
NL leader in RBI (126)
NL leader in stolen bases (49)
#4 in NL in batting average (.353)
#4 in NL in on-base percentage (.417)
Statistics [ ]
Batting [ ]
Starters by position [ ]
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Other batters [ ]
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pitching [ ]
Starting pitchers [ ]
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player
G
IP
W
L
ERA
SO
Deacon Phillippe
37
296
22
12
2.22
103
Jack Chesbro
36
287.2
21
10
2.38
129
Jesse Tannehill
35
252.1
18
10
2.18
118
Sam Leever
21
176
14
5
2.86
82
Ed Poole
12
80
5
4
3.60
26
Ed Doheny
11
76.2
6
2
2.00
28
George Merritt
3
24
3
0
4.88
5
Rube Waddell
2
7.2
0
2
9.39
4
Other pitchers [ ]
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Transactions [ ]
Notes [ ]
^ In the early 20th century and earlier, the name of Pittsburgh was spelled both with and without the 'h'.
References [ ]
External links [ ]
American League National League
Pittsburgh Pirates
Franchise Ballparks Culture Lore Rivalries Minors World Series Championships (5) League pennants (9) Division titles (9)
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Pittsburgh Pirates 1901 National League champions
National League champions
1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s
1970: Cincinnati Reds
1971: Pittsburgh Pirates
1972: Cincinnati Reds
1973: New York Mets
1974: Los Angeles Dodgers
1975: Cincinnati Reds
1976: Cincinnati Reds
1977: Los Angeles Dodgers
1978: Los Angeles Dodgers
1979: Pittsburgh Pirates
1980s
1980: Philadelphia Phillies
1981: Los Angeles Dodgers
1982: St. Louis Cardinals
1983: Philadelphia Phillies
1984: San Diego Padres
1985: St. Louis Cardinals
1986: New York Mets
1987: St. Louis Cardinals
1988: Los Angeles Dodgers
1989: San Francisco Giants
1990s
1990: Cincinnati Reds
1991: Atlanta Braves
1992: Atlanta Braves
1993: Philadelphia Phillies
1994: No champion
1995: Atlanta Braves
1996: Atlanta Braves
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1999: Atlanta Braves
2000s
2000: New York Mets
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2002: San Francisco Giants
2003: Florida Marlins
2004: St. Louis Cardinals
2005: Houston Astros
2006: St. Louis Cardinals
2007: Colorado Rockies
2008: Philadelphia Phillies
2009: Philadelphia Phillies
2010s
2010: San Francisco Giants
2011: St. Louis Cardinals
2012: San Francisco Giants
2013: St. Louis Cardinals
2014: San Francisco Giants
2015: New York Mets
2016: Chicago Cubs
2017: Los Angeles Dodgers
2018: Los Angeles Dodgers
2019: Washington Nationals
2020s
2020: Los Angeles Dodgers
2021: Atlanta Braves