1886 – The Sporting News, the weekly that will become “The Baseball Paper of the World,” publishes its first issue.
1886 – The Sporting News, the weekly that will become “The Baseball Paper of the World,” publishes its first issue.
A business wrangle in the National League ends in a weakening of the league’s famous 50 cents admission standard.
1886 – A business wrangle in the National League ends in a weakening of the league’s famous 50 cents admission standard. The St. Louis Maroons and Philadelphia Phillies, the two clubs facing rival American Association teams with an admission of 25 cents, are allowed to charge a minimum of a quarter. Newcomers Washington Nationals and Kansas City Cowboys are stuck with the 50 cents minimum, but are given the option of selling three tickets for a dollar.
1886 – The National League meets and adopts the stolen base and the four foot by seven foot pitcher’s box. But the NL retains seven balls for a walk and rejects the American Association’s rule giving a batter first base on a hit by pitch.
1886 – The National League meets and adopts the stolen base and the four foot by seven foot pitcher’s box. But the NL retains seven balls for a walk and rejects the American Association’s rule giving a batter first base on a hit by pitch.
1886 – The American Association meets and overrules president Denny McKnight (also owner of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys club) and suspends second baseman Sam Barkley for signing with Pittsburgh before the dispute over his sale is settled. The AA adopts new rules. The number of balls needed for a walk is reduced from seven to six; the pitcher’s box is one foot deeper, giving the pitcher seven feet behind the 50-foot front line in which to execute his delivery; stolen bases are adopted as an official statistic, although the definition is rather vague initially.
1886 – The American Association meets and overrules president Denny McKnight (also owner of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys club) and suspends second baseman Sam Barkley for signing with Pittsburgh before the dispute over his sale is settled. The AA adopts new rules. The number of balls needed for a walk is reduced from seven to six; the pitcher’s box is one foot deeper, giving the pitcher seven feet behind the 50-foot front line in which to execute his delivery; stolen bases are adopted as an official statistic, although the definition is rather vague initially.
1886 – The Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association are sold by Aaron Stern to Louis Huack, a wealthy brewer and banker.
1886 – The Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association are sold by Aaron Stern to Louis Huack, a wealthy brewer and banker.
Kansas City hires 30-year-old Dave Rowe to manage the Cowboys.
1886 – Kansas City hires 30-year-old Dave Rowe to manage the Cowboys.
Kansas City Cowboys are admitted to the National League
1886 – The Kansas City Cowboys are admitted to the National League on a one-year trial basis.
Albert Spalding begins a sporting goods company with $800
1886 – Albert Spalding begins a sporting goods company with $800. He will become the manufacturer of the first official baseball as well as tennis balls, and equipment for basketball, golf and football.
The Washington Nationals are admitted to the National League
The Washington Nationals, also to be known as the Statesmen, are admitted to the National League. The new franchise, which will play its home games at the Swampoodle Grounds, will win only 28 games of the 120 games played, finishing 60 games behind the first-place Chicago White Stockings in their first season of the team’s four-year existence in the nation’s capital.
St. Louis Browns owner Chris Von der Ahe takes $1,000 from the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for the rights to Sam Barkley
1886 – Having waited in vain for the $1,000 check from the Baltimore Orioles club, St. Louis Browns owner Chris Von der Ahe takes $1,000 from the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for the rights to Sam Barkley, ignoring the fact that the infielder has already signed with the Orioles.
