1901 Major League Baseball season

Last updated

1901 MLB season
League American League (AL)
National League (NL)
Sport Baseball
DurationApril 24 – September 28, 1901 (AL)
April 18 – October 6, 1901 (NL)
Number of games140
Number of teams16 (8 per league)
Pennant winners
AL champions Chicago White Stockings
  AL runners-up Boston Americans
NL champions Pittsburgh Pirates
  NL runners-up Philadelphia Phillies
MLB seasons
Locations of teams for the 1901 American League season
ButtonRed.svg American League
Locations of teams for the 1900–1901 National League seasons
ButtonBlue.svg National League

The 1901 major league baseball season was contested from April 18 through October 6, 1901. It was the inaugural major league season for the American League (AL) (having previously been the minor league Western League), with the Chicago White Stockings winning the AL pennant. In the National League (NL), in operation since 1876, the Pittsburgh Pirates won the NL pennant. There was no postseason.

Contents

Schedule

The 1901 schedule consisted of 140 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 20 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This format had previously been used by the National League during their 1888–1891 seasons. This format would last until 1904, which saw an increase of games played.

National League Opening Day took place on April 18 with a game between the Brooklyn Superbas and the Philadelphia Phillies, while American League Opening Day did not take place until April 24, with a game between the Chicago White Stockings and the Cleveland Bluebirds. The American League would see its final day of the season on September 28, while the National League would see its final day of the season on October 6.

Rule changes

On February 27, 1901, the National League Rules Committee announced several rule changes, effective immediately. [1] [2]

Further changes were made in April:

Teams

LeagueTeamCityStadiumCapacityManager
American League Baltimore Orioles Baltimore, Maryland Oriole Park Unknown John McGraw
Boston Americans Boston, Massachusetts Huntington Avenue Grounds 11,500 Jimmy Collins
Chicago White Stockings Chicago, Illinois South Side Park 12,500 Clark Griffith
Cleveland Blues Cleveland, Ohio League Park (Cleveland) 9,000 Jimmy McAleer
Detroit Tigers Detroit, Michigan Bennett Park 8,500 George Stallings
Milwaukee Brewers Milwaukee, Wisconsin Lloyd Street Grounds 10,000 Hugh Duffy
Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Columbia Park 9,500 Connie Mack
Washington Senators Washington, D.C. American League Park 7,000 Jim Manning
National League Boston Beaneaters Boston, Massachusetts South End Grounds 6,600 Frank Selee
Brooklyn Superbas New York, New York Washington Park 12,000 Ned Hanlon
Chicago Orphans Chicago, Illinois West Side Park 13,000 Tom Loftus
Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati, Ohio League Park (Cincinnati) 9,000 Bid McPhee
New York Giants New York, New York Polo Grounds 16,000 George Davis
Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania National League Park 18,000 Bill Shettsline
Pittsburgh Pirates Allegheny, Pennsylvania Exposition Park 16,000 Fred Clarke
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis, Missouri League Park (St. Louis) 15,200 Patsy Donovan

Standings

American League

American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Chicago White Stockings 8353.610—49‍–‍2134‍–‍32
Boston Americans 7957.581449‍–‍2030‍–‍37
Detroit Tigers 7461.5488½42‍–‍2732‍–‍34
Philadelphia Athletics 7462.544942‍–‍2432‍–‍38
Baltimore Orioles 6865.51113½40‍–‍2528‍–‍40
Washington Senators 6172.45920½31‍–‍3530‍–‍37
Cleveland Blues 5482.3972928‍–‍3926‍–‍43
Milwaukee Brewers 4889.35035½32‍–‍3716‍–‍52

National League

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Pittsburgh Pirates 9049.647—45‍–‍2445‍–‍25
Philadelphia Phillies 8357.5937½46‍–‍2337‍–‍34
Brooklyn Superbas 7957.5819½43‍–‍2536‍–‍32
St. Louis Cardinals 7664.54314½40‍–‍3136‍–‍33
Boston Beaneaters 6969.50020½41‍–‍2928‍–‍40
Chicago Orphans 5386.3813730‍–‍3923‍–‍47
New York Giants 5285.3803730‍–‍3822‍–‍47
Cincinnati Reds 5287.3743827‍–‍4325‍–‍44

Managerial changes

Off-season

TeamFormer ManagerNew Manager
Cincinnati Reds Bob Allen Bid McPhee
St. Louis Cardinals Louie Heilbroner Patsy Donovan

League leaders

American League

Hitting leaders
StatPlayerTotal
AVG Nap Lajoie 1 (PHA).426
OPS Nap Lajoie (PHA)1.106
HR Nap Lajoie 1 (PHA)14
RBI Nap Lajoie 1 (PHA)125
R Nap Lajoie (PHA)145
H Nap Lajoie (PHA)232
SB Frank Isbell (CWS)46

1 American League Triple Crown batting winner

Pitching leaders
StatPlayerTotal
W Cy Young 2 (BSA)33
L Pete Dowling (CLE/ MIL )25
ERA Cy Young 2 (BSA)1.62
K Cy Young 2 (BSA)158
IP Joe McGinnity (BAL)382.0
SV Bill Hoffer (CLE)3
WHIP Cy Young (BSA)0.972

2 American League Triple Crown pitching winner

National League

Hitting leaders
StatPlayerTotal
AVG Jesse Burkett (STL).376
OPS Ed Delahanty (PHP).955
HR Sam Crawford (CIN)16
RBI Honus Wagner (PIT)126
R Jesse Burkett (STL)142
H Jesse Burkett (STL)142
SB Honus Wagner (PIT)49
Pitching leaders
StatPlayerTotal
W Bill Donovan (BKN)25
L Luther Taylor (NY)27
ERA Jesse Tannehill (PIT)2.18
K Noodles Hahn (CIN)239
IP Noodles Hahn (CIN)375.1
SV Bill Donovan (BKN)
Jack Powell (STL)		3
WHIP Al Orth (PHP)1.001

Milestones

Batters

Pitchers

Home field attendance

Team nameWins%±Home attendance%±Per game
St. Louis Cardinals [4] 7616.9%379,98840.7%5,278
Chicago White Stockings [5] 83354,3504,991
New York Giants [6] 52−13.3%297,65056.7%4,192
Boston Americans [7] 79289,4484,195
Detroit Tigers [8] 74259,4303,706
Pittsburgh Pirates [9] 9013.9%251,955−4.6%3,652
Philadelphia Phillies [10] 8310.7%234,937−22.2%3,405
Philadelphia Athletics [11] 74206,3293,126
Cincinnati Reds [12] 52−16.1%205,72821.0%2,857
Chicago Orphans [13] 53−18.5%205,071−17.5%2,930
Brooklyn Superbas [14] 79−3.7%198,2008.3%2,915
Washington Senators [15] 61161,6612,377
Boston Beaneaters [16] 694.5%146,502−27.5%2,093
Baltimore Orioles [17] 68141,9522,151
Milwaukee Brewers [18] 48139,0341,986
Cleveland Blues [19] 54131,3801,904

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead-ball era</span> Era in the history of baseball

In major league baseball, the dead-ball era refers to a period from about 1900 to 1920 in which run scoring was low and home runs were rare in comparison to the years that followed. In 1908, the major league batting average dropped to .239, and teams averaged just 3.4 runs per game, the lowest ever. Spacious ballparks limited hitting for power, and the ball itself was "dead" both by design and from overuse. Ball scuffing and adulteration by pitchers, particularly the spitball, were allowed, putting hitters at a disadvantage.

The 1903 major league baseball season began on April 16, 1903. The regular season ended September 29, with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Americans as regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the first modern World Series on October 1 and ended with Game 8 on October 13. The Americans defeated the Pirates, five games to three, capturing their first championship in franchise history.

The 1997 Major League Baseball season was the inaugural season for Interleague play, as well as the final season in the American League for the Milwaukee Brewers before moving to the NL the following season. The California Angels changed their name to the Anaheim Angels. The Florida Marlins ended the season as the World Champions defeating the Cleveland Indians in a seven-game World Series, four games to three.

The 1996 Major League Baseball season was the final season of league-only play before the beginning of interleague play the following season. The season ended with the New York Yankees defeating the defending champion Atlanta Braves in six games for the World Series title, the Yankees' first championship since 1978. The record for most home runs hit in an MLB regular season, set at 4,458 in 1987, was broken, as the AL and NL combined to hit 4,962 home runs. Only 196 shutouts were recorded in the 2,266 MLB regular-season games. This was the first season in the Divisional Series era to be played to the full 162 games, as the 1994–95 player's strike caused the first two seasons of the era to be abbreviated.

The 1904 major league baseball season was contested from April 14 to October 10, 1904. The Boston Americans and New York Giants finished atop the standings for the American League and National League, respectively. There was no postseason, as the Giants declined to meet the Americans in a World Series.

The 1908 major league baseball season began on April 14, 1908. The regular season ended on October 8, with the Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers as regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. In a rematch of the prior year's postseason, the postseason began with Game 1 of the fifth modern World Series on October 10 and ended with Game 5 on October 14. In the second iteration of this World Series matchup, The Cubs defeated the Tigers, four games to one, capturing their second championship in franchise history, and the first team to win back-to-back World Series.

The 1909 major league baseball season began on April 12, 1909. The regular season ended on October 7, with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers as regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the sixth modern World Series on October 8 and ended with Game 7 on October 16. The Pirates defeated the Tigers, four games to three, capturing their first championship in franchise history.

The 1987 Major League Baseball season ended with the American League Champion Minnesota Twins winning the World Series over the National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three, as all seven games were won by the home team.

The 1968 Major League Baseball season was contested from April 10 to October 10, 1968. It was the final year of baseball's pre-expansion era, in which the teams that finished in first place in each league went directly to the World Series to face each other for the "World Championship."

The 1929 major league baseball season began on April 16, 1929. The regular season ended on October 6, with the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Athletics as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 26th World Series on October 8 and ended with Game 5 on October 14. In the second iteration of this World Series matchup, the Athletics defeated the Cubs, four games to one, capturing their fourth championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1913.

The 1963 major league baseball season began on April 8, 1963. The regular season ended on September 29, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 60th World Series on October 2 and ended with Game 4 on October 6. In the eighth iteration of this World Series matchup, and their first since the Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles from Brooklyn, New York, the Dodgers swept the Yankees in four games, capturing their third championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1959, and second in Los Angeles. The Dodgers' stellar pitching staff, anchored by left-hander Sandy Koufax and right-hander Don Drysdale, was so dominant that the vaunted Yankees, despite the presence of sluggers such as Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in their lineup, never took a lead against Los Angeles the entire Series. This was the eighth World Series between the two teams.

The 1965 Major League Baseball season was contested from April 12 to October 14, 1965. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins were the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The Dodgers then defeated the Twins in the World Series, four games to three.

The 1950 major league baseball season began on April 18, 1950. The regular season ended on October 1, with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 47th World Series on October 4 and ended with Game 4 on October 7. The Yankees swept the Phillies in four games, capturing their 13th championship in franchise history, and their second in a five-run World Series.

The 1956 major league baseball season began on April 17, 1956. The regular season ended on September 30, with the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. In a rematch of the previous season, the postseason began with Game 1 of the 53rd World Series on October 3 and ended with Game 7 on October 10. The series is notable for Yankees pitcher Don Larsen's perfect game in Game 5. In the seventh iteration of this Subway Series World Series matchup, the Yankees defeated the Dodgers, four games to three, capturing their 17th championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1953. This would be the final Subway Series matchup between the two teams, as the next World Series between the two in 1963 would see a relocated Dodgers franchise in Los Angeles, California.

The 1972 Major League Baseball season was the first to have games cancelled by a player strike. It was also the last season in which American League pitchers would hit for themselves on a regular basis; the designated hitter rule would go into effect the following season.

The 1894 major league baseball season began on April 19, 1894. The regular season ended on September 30, with the Baltimore Orioles as the pennant winner of the National League and the New York Giants as runner-up. The postseason began with Game 1 of the first Temple Cup on October 4 and ended with Game 4 on October 8. The Giants swept the Orioles, capturing their first Temple Cup.

The 1902 major league baseball season was contested from April 17 through October 5, 1902. It was the second season for the American League (AL), with the Philadelphia Athletics winning the AL pennant. In the National League (NL), in operation since 1876, the Pittsburgh Pirates won the NL pennant for the second consecutive season. There was no postseason.

The 1920 major league baseball season began on April 14, 1920. The regular season ended on October 3, with the Brooklyn Robins and Cleveland Indians as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 17th World Series on October 5 and ended with Game 7 on October 12. The Indians defeated the Robins, five games to two, capturing their first championship in franchise history.

The 1931 major league baseball season began on April 14, 1931. The regular season ended on September 27, with the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Athletics as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 28th World Series on October 1 and ended with Game 7 on October 10. In the second iteration of this World Series matchup, the Cardinals defeated the Athletics, four games to three, capturing their second championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1926.

References

  1. ↑ "The National League Rules Committee decrees that all foul balls are to count as strikes, except after two strikes. - This Day In Baseball". February 27, 1901. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  2. ↑ "This Day in Sports: The National League Makes it Way Harder for Fans to Catch a Foul Ball". ESPN.com. February 27, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  3. ↑ "1901 American League Batting Leaders".
  4. ↑ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  6. ↑ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Cleveland Guardians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved March 28, 2024.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.