MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON RECAP 1899

Season Recap: 1899

League Champion: Brooklyn Superbas

Hughie Jennings will not go south with the Brooklyn team but will get in shape as baseball coach for Cornell University.

Hughie Jennings will not go south with the Brooklyn team but will get in shape as baseball coach for Cornell University.

several Baltimore Orioles players are shifted to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms

several Baltimore Orioles players are shifted to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms

1899 – At the National League meeting in New York, an attempt to expel the St. Louis Browns, who had a 39-111 record in 1898, fails by a 7-4 margin. It is also decided that no club may hold more than 18 players on its reserve list. St. Louis will play as the “Perfectos” in the upcoming season.

John McGraw

McGraw makes managerial debut

Jack McCarthy of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a game-winning three-run home run in the bottom of the 9th inning when his drive into the corner goes through a door that a fan then shuts before the fielder can reach it. The National League will eventually order this game to be replayed.

Tom O’Brien of the New York Giants receives perhaps the first intentional walk in major league history. In the 8th inning, with runners on second and third bases with one out, Ed Delahanty of the Philadelphia Phillies tells teammate pitcher Jack Fifield to walk O’Brien, who has hit well all day. Then next batter, Fred Hartman, hits into a double play.

Harry Wolverton’s bases-loaded home run in the bottom of the 9th gives the Chicago Orphans an 8 – 7 victory over Cleveland.

Willie Keeler, one of the smallest players and best bunters, drives the ball past startled LF Ed Delahanty of the Phillies for an inside-the-park grand slam and an 8 – 5 victory for Brooklyn.

In Cincinnati‚ Giants pitcher Cy Seymour hits two doubles and two singles‚ but his wildness costs him a win against the Reds. With the bases loaded in the 10th and score tied 6 – 6‚ Seymour hands out his 13th walk of the game to force in the winning run. Cy strikes out none.

Deacon Phillippe of the Louisville Colonels throws a no-hitter against the New York Giants, walking 2 and striking out 1 in a 7 – 0 win over Ed Doheny.

5/25/1899 – St. Louis hosted Brooklyn with a batting order that was different than the usual one employed by the team. Cupid Childs hit fourth, making an out to end the first inning. It was Lou Criger’s spot, but nothing was said about the mistake. Bobby Wallace, the proper next batter, started the second with a hit and then it should have been Patsy Tebeau’s turn at the plate. However, Criger hit and singled. Criger was called out for hitting out of turn and Tebeau sent to the plate. Brooklyn beat St. Louis, 8-1, as the home team made five errors.

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie 3B Jimmy Williams’s batting streak stops at 26 games as Louisville’s Deacon Phillippe holds him in check. But the Pirates win‚ 6 – 1‚ in the opener‚ and then are victorious‚ 5 – 4, in game 2.

1899 – Chicago 3B Harry Wolverton is badly injured in a collision with catcher Art Nichols in the 6th inning of a 2 – 1 win over St. Louis. He is expected to miss several weeks of play.

John McGraw becomes the first major leaguer to achieve a stolen base cycle when he swipes second base, third base, then home plate all during the same inning of the same game. The 26 year-old Orioles (NL) third baseman accomplishes the feat in the fourth frame of the team’s 5-4 victory over the Boston Beaneaters at Baltimore’s Union Park.

Louisville infielder Honus Wagner steals second, third, and home plate during the fourth inning of the Colonels' 7-1 victory over the Giants at Eclipse Park

Louisville infielder Honus Wagner steals second, third, and home plate during the fourth inning of the Colonels’ 7-1 victory over the Giants at Eclipse Park

8/7/1899 – The New York Giants were playing at the Brooklyn Superbas, and in the top of the second Pop Foster singled in a run. Brooklyn captain Joe Kelley protested to the umpire, John Gaffney, that Foster had batted out of order. In fact, Foster was not on the lineup card the umpires had because the Giants had mistakenly given him one from a previous game. That meant other Giants had also batted out of turn. After a considerable discussion about who was at fault and what should be done, Gaffney decided to call Foster out. At that point, the Giants captain, Kid Gleason, said he would pull his team off the field if that happened. Gafner relented, possibly due to unrest by the fans who wanted to see a game, and let the Giants bat in the order they wanted. Brooklyn protested the game, a 9-3 New York win. It likely would have been upheld, but Kelley withdrew it the following day feeling that enough bad will had been created and he did not want to increase it.

Brickyard Kennedy triumphs over Bert Cunningham and Brooklyn beats Louisville, 1 – 0, on a hit batsman and a steal of home by Bill Dahlen in the 2nd inning.

The grandstand at Louisville’s Eclipse Park burns down. The Colonels will try and make do with a temporary stand.

The Giants sell pitcher Jouett Meekin to Boston for $3‚500. Meekin averaged 25 wins a year from 1894-1898‚ but has slipped to 5-11 this season.

The Reds sweep a twinbill from Boston by 7 – 2 scores‚ and set a Cincinnati club record by winning 12 in a row.

Brooklyn was playing host to the Chicago Orphans. In the bottom of the first, John Anderson, who was in the five spot in the order came up batting fourth ahead of Fielder Jones, the proper hitter, and singled in a run. Chicago did not realize it, so the run which could have been canceled stood. In the rest of the game Brooklyn batted in the proper order.

Cincinnati closes out the season with 16-1 and 19-3 home victories over the hapless Cleveland Spiders. Sam Crawford has 5 hits for the day for the Reds. The Spider starter for game 2‚ Jack Harper‚ is understandably ill and Cleveland starts 19-year-old Eddie Kolb in his place. He gives up all the runs. Kolb runs the cigar stand at the Gibson House‚ and he became acquainted with manager Quinn during the team’s visits to the hotel. When he heard last night of Harper’s illness he volunteered. This will be his only appearance in the majors‚ but he will play and manage in the minors after this. Bid McPhee‚ considered the best 2B of the 19th century‚ plays in both games‚ which ends his long career. Cleveland ?nishes deep in the cellar with 20 wins and 134 losses‚ 84 games out. They also conclude a 36 game road trip (1-35) after setting a mark earlier this year with a 50-game road trip.

1899 – Henry Chadwick, called the “Father of Baseball”, visits US President William McKinley in Washington, DC, to propose that Army regiments be provided with baseball equipment. This is Chadwick’s first presidential interview since his visit with President Abraham Lincoln in 1861.

1899 – Representatives of seven cities meet in New York regarding the proposed new American Association. Attention focuses on what other city might become the eighth franchise. The plans to revive the circuit will come to naught.

Chicago Orphans star outfielder Bill Lange  vows he will never appear on the diamond again

The National League announces starting next season there will be two umpires working each game. A crew of four umps employed for all regular season games will not begin until 1952.

Ban Johnson contemplates exchanging players of equal ability with the National League

Ban Johnson contemplates exchanging players of equal ability with the National League

1899 – Buck Ewing, Cincinnati manager for five years, is released.

1899 – Louisville president Barney Dreyfuss transfers to the Pittsburgh club (of which he is part owner) most of his top stars, including player-manager Fred Clarke, Hans Wagner, Claude Ritchey, Tommy Leach, Rube Waddell, and Deacon Phillippe. Louisville is a likely candidate in the reduction of National League franchises from 12 to 8.

1899 – The National League rules Brooklyn’s purchase of Zeke Wrigley in September is illegal and nullifies the 16 games he played for Brooklyn. But Brooklyn still wins the pennant.

The fledging American League owners meet to map a strategy against the established National League. They agree to place a team in Chicago with Charles Comiskey as the owner-manager of the franchise.

The fledging American League owners meet to map a strategy against the established National League. They agree to place a team in Chicago with Charles Comiskey as the owner-manager of the franchise.

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