Seasons MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON RECAP 1889 December 24, 1889January 28, 2020 Seasons Season Recap: 1889 League Champion: New York Giants Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest) January 4, 1889 1889 – The Spalding Baseball Tourists play their final game in Australia, with the Chicagos winning, 5 – 0. January 12, 1889 1889 Milwaukee Brewers baseball team of the Western Association January 22, 1889 1889 – Facing over $30,000 in debts, the Indianapolis Hoosiers go bankrupt and surrender their franchise to the National League. January 29, 1889 Joe Hornung is released because of unruly tongue February 8, 1889 In New York City, workers are dismantling fences at the Polo Grounds to cut a street through the property February 9, 1889 All-America beats Chicago 10 – 6 in the shadow of the Pyramids outside Cairo February 15, 1889 The Indianapolis Hoosiers, who have been without a manager since October, finally come to terms with veteran Frank Bancroft to manage them this season. February 16, 1889 Warrants are issued in Sacramento, CA for the arrests of Joe Quest, Billy Alvord and Harry Dooms for allegedly jumping their California League contracts February 19, 1889 1889 – A tour of baseball players led by John Ward stages its first game in Europe, playing in Naples, Italy. February 22, 1889 Italy’s King Humbert is among the fans who witness the Chicagos beat the All-Americans, 3-2, outside of Rome at the Villa Borghese February 25, 1889 The Tourists play their final game in Italy, with the All Americas winning, 7 – 4 in Florence. February 25, 1889 The National League Committee on Rules recommends that umpires be given authority to fine unruly players $10 for a first offense. March 1, 1889 The Philadelphia Quakers head for Jacksonville, Florida, for spring training. No other major league clubs will train in the Deep South this season. March 3, 1889 Pitcher Bobby Mathews goes to court to try and collect $600 that he claims is owed to him by the Philadelphia Athletics (American Association) for his services as a coach in 1888 March 5, 1889 Both the National League and American Association hold their spring meetings to adopt their schedules. The NL also hires a fifth umpire at a salary of $200 per month. The AA, to the surprise of many, does not adopt the NL’s salary classification system. March 7, 1889 Pittsburgh Alleghenys third baseman Billy Kuehne is arrested at his billiards parlour in Allegheny City and is charged, along with his partner pitcher Ed Morris, with running a gambling house March 19, 1889 1889 – In the American Association, the Columbus Solons finally resolve their long-disputed attempt to sign third baseman Spud Johnson by paying the Kansas City Cowboys $500. March 20, 1889 A New York sporting goods house receives an order for bats, balls, and other baseball equipment from Mr. Hiroka of Tokyo, Japan March 22, 1889 The All America team beats Chicago, 7 – 6, in England’s Old Trafford Cricket Stadium. The Manchester Guardian says: the “general verdict of the more than 1,000 spectators was that the American game was ‘slow’ and ‘wanting in variety.'” March 23, 1889 John Ward leaves world tour early, and states that he might consent to play with the Washington Nationals March 24, 1889 1889 – The minor league season opens with the California League in San Francisco and Stockton. This year’s new rules include the first legal substitution rule and the reduction of balls for a walk from 5 to 4. The substitution rule, which allows a team to designate one man to be put into the game at the captain’s discretion at the end of any inning, will soon be modified. March 27, 1889 1889 – The final game of the All-American All-Stars tour is played in Dublin, Ireland. The group sails for America the next day after playing 28 games overseas. March 28, 1889 1889 – In a trade of pitchers, the Indianapolis Hoosiers send John Healy to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Jim Whitney. April 6, 1889 1889 – The Tourists arrive back in New York City having staged 28 games overseas since leaving the United States on November 18th. May 16, 1889 It adds up. Called in from the outfield to face Phillie slugger Sam Thompson with the bases loaded in the 2nd inning‚ Ad Gumbert serves up a home run on the first pitch. Will Hutchison then returns to the box for Chicago and finishes the game‚ losing 16-12. May 23, 1889 Lou Bierbauer carries the Athletics to a 9 – 8 win with a 2-run homer‚ a grand slam‚ and scores the winning run after a 9th-inning single. May 24, 1889 Willie Kuehne sets a new record by accepting 13 chances at 3B. Kuehne makes 3 putouts and 10 assists without an error. His brilliant work enables Pittsburgh to best Washington‚ 9 – 7. June 4, 1889 The first known immaculate inning pitched by JOHN CLARKSON June 11, 1889 New York’s Mickey Welch is the first pitcher to strike out Boston’s Dan Brouthers this season June 15, 1889 6/15/1889: Al Maul of the Alleghenys (Pirates) hit a ball over the LF fence for a home run in Indianapolis. Maul stopped at 3B and did not score because he wanted there to be a base runner. This would make the catcher play closer up to the plate. At the time, catchers would stand farther back behind the batter to make it easier to catch pitches. June 22, 1889 Bid McPhee hits a grand slam‚ off Paul Swartzel‚ and a 2-run homer to pace the Reds to an 11-3 win over visiting Kansas City. Bid will total 5 homers this year. July 10, 1889 Hall of Famer Roger Connor became the first man to hit a ball over the fence at the new Polo Grounds July 18, 1889 7/18/1889 – The Philadelphia Phillies were hosting the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. The home team elected to bat first and scored three runs in the top of the first. In the bottom of the first, Pittsburgh had a man on first and two outs with the number four hitter, Al Maul, due to bat. However, James “Deacon” White, the number five batter in the lineup hit a double that scored the runner. The Phillies appealed, and Tom Lynch, the umpire, correctly called Maul out to end the inning without the run counting. July 20, 1889 The Alleghenies run their losing streak to 12 games by dropping a pair to the Phillies July 29, 1889 Boston wins a ten-inning‚ 7-6 decision over Philadelphia (NL)‚ but the Phils claim they are robbed by Mike Kelly. When Phillie slugger Sam Thompson hits a ball apparently over the fence in right field‚ Kelly runs back and then fires a ball to the infield‚ depriving Thompson of his homer. The Phils claim Kelly used a hidden ball trick‚ but the umpire rules it is the game ball. Thompson does not score. August 8, 1889 1889 – Jack Glasscock is 5 for 6 and hits for the cycle against Mickey Welch as Indianapolis drubs New York‚ 14 – 1. August 10, 1889 At the Seventh Street Park in Indianapolis, future 300 game winner Mickey Welch becomes the first pinch hitter in major league history. Although the Giants right-handed pitcher strikes out in his historic plate appearance, New York prevails, beating the Hoosiers, 9-6. August 11, 1889 Eighteen St. Louis hits and 10 Brooklyn errors add up to a 14 – 4 victory for the Browns (American Association)‚ to the delight of 14‚000 St. Louis fans. August 12, 1889 1889 – An 11 – 0 two-hitter by Elton Chamberlain completes a 3-game sweep for St. Louis (AA)‚ boosting the Browns’ lead over the Bridegrooms to 3 1/2 games. Total paid attendance is 32‚911. August 15, 1889 The Cleveland Spiders defeat the Boston Beaneaters, 19 – 8, behind a great hitting performance by Larry Twitchell, who goes 6-for-6 with a walk. He hits for the cycle and accumulates a then-record 16 total bases, thanks to a single, a double, three triples and a homer and scores 5 runs. Kid Madden pitches the whole game for Boston, surrendering 27 hits, but Twitchell also takes the mound, relieving Jersey Bakely in the 2nd inning after he has started the frame with four walks and a hit batsman. He then goes back to playing left field in the 3rd and Henry Gruber finishes the game on the mound. September 1, 1889 1889 – After having led the American Association race all season except for three days in April‚ St. Louis falls to second place behind Brooklyn after losing to Columbus, 6 – 5, on a 10th-inning homer by Dave Orr. September 2, 1889 1889 – In the afternoon game of a Labor Day doubleheader in Boston, Hardy Richardson hits a leadoff homer and P John Clarkson (36-13) makes it stand up for a 1 – 0 win. September 7, 1889 In the most controversial game in American Association history, the Browns walk off the field in Brooklyn while leading, 4 – 2, in the 9th inning. September 8, 1889 1889 – Claiming they cannot count on their personal safety, the Browns fail to show up for the scheduled Sunday game with the Bridegrooms at Ridgewood, NY. The forfeit pushes the Browns 4 1/2 games behind. September 10, 1889 1889 – New York Giants pitcher Mickey Welch strikes out as the first pinch hitter in major league history. September 11, 1889 1889 – Rain prevents every scheduled game in both major leagues. For the season the National League will have 62 rainouts and the American Association 73. September 12, 1889 1889 – John Clarkson pitches and wins both games of a doubleheader for Boston over Cleveland, allowing just 10 hits total in the 3 – 2 and 5 – 0 victories, which put Boston two games ahead of New York in the race. September 13, 1889 Old Hoss Radbourn pitches a complete doubleheader for Boston but fails to win either game September 15, 1889 Brooklyn increases its lead over St. Louis to seven games as the Browns lose in Philadelphia while Brooklyn takes a pair from Louisville. September 15, 1889 Sioux City (Western Association) sweeps a quadruple-header from visiting St. Joseph winning 6 – 1, 12 – 7, 12 – 5, and 5 – 4. The first three games are five innings apiece and the fourth game is seven innings. September 18, 1889 1889 – The Browns’ Tommy McCarthy steals second base, third, and home in the 7th inning of a 3 – 2 St. Louis victory in Kansas City. September 21, 1889 1889 – Four St. Louis errors in the 9th inning give the Red Stockings four runs, enabling Cincinnati to win, 5 – 4. September 23, 1889 1889 – An emergency meeting of the American Association Board of Directors reverses the St. Louis forfeit of September 7th, the game being ruled as a 4 – 2 Browns victory, although the forfeit of September 8th still stands. September 25, 1889 1889 – The Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players’ organizational plan for a new Players League is leaked to the press. It calls for clubs to be owned jointly by players and capitalists. September 26, 1889 1889 – After Buck Ewing hurts his thumb, Giants substitute catcher Willard Brown makes a critical throwing error as New York loses to Chicago, 4 – 3. New York is now tied with Boston for the National League lead. September 27, 1889 1889 – The Philadelphia National League club releases union activists George Wood and Dan Casey. Meanwhile, the Boston club announces the purchase of the entire Western Association champion Omaha team for 1890. This latter deal will not actually take place. September 30, 1889 1889 – Boston (National League) beats Cleveland 6 – 3 in seven innings, while New York ties Pittsburgh 3 – 3 in six innings. This leaves Boston trailing by .002 with a record of 80-43 compared to New York’s 79-42. Each club has five games left. October 1, 1889 local retailers distributed discount coupons that blended the design of paper money with images of popular baseball teams to help advertise their establishments. October 2, 1889 King Kelly shows up drunk and is taken by the police when he threatens umpire McQuade. Without him‚ Boston loses 7-1 and falls behind New York‚ which wins 6-3. Sam Thompson of the Phillies hits his 20th HR of the season. The AA HR leader‚ Harry Stovey‚ hits 19 this season‚ considered a greater achievement because of the bigger parks in the AA. October 9, 1889 Charlie Reilly hits a record 2 HRs in his ML debut with Columbus to lead the Babies to a 10-6 victory over the Athletics November 4, 1889 After a formal meeting of representatives from all National League chapters, the Brotherhood issues a “Manifesto” in which it claims that “players have been bought, sold and exchanged as though they were sheep instead of American citizens. November 7, 1889 1889 – The Brotherhood and its backers meet to begin preliminary work on the organization of a Players League. The players believe “that the game can be played more fairly and its business conducted more intelligently under a plan which excludes everything arbitrary and un-American.” November 11, 1889 The Joint Rules Committee of the National League and the American Association makes only minor changes in the playing rules, the most important of which is to allow two substitutes per team, up from one last season. November 15, 1889 The Kansas City Cowboys drop out of the American Association November 21, 1889 1889 – The National League issues its reply to the Players League manifesto. Claiming that the League saved baseball in 1876 and that under the reserve rules players’ salaries have “more than trebled,” the NL denounces the Brotherhood movement as “the efforts of certain overpaid players to again control [baseball] for their own aggrandizement… to its ultimate dishonor and disintegration.” November 25, 1889 Jack Glasscock, claiming that his pledge to the Brotherhood does not constitute a binding contract, signs with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the National League, thus becoming the first “double jumper.” November 25, 1889 Sporting Life reports that New York Giants owner Andrew Freedman wants to reduce the National League to eight clubs and purify the game by eliminating “certain parties who have been unduly prominent in the sport for cheap notoriety and the money there is in it.” November 28, 1889 1889 – On Thanksgiving Day, Boston (National League) opens a California tour with an 8 – 3 win over San Francisco before a crowd of 7,000. November 30, 1889 1889 – Baltimore drops out of the American Association and joins the Atlantic Association. December 1, 1889 1889 – The California League meets and officially awards the pennant to Oakland on the basis of their final day 5 – 4 win over San Francisco. The forfeit is thrown out. December 16, 1889 John Montgomery Ward organizes the Players’ League December 17, 1889 1889 – The Players League adopts some new rules, including the two-umpire system and an increase in pitching distance from 55 1/2 feet to 57 feet. A lively ball is chosen, assuring high scores in the upcoming season. December 18, 1889 The Brotherhood meets and expels members who have signed National League contracts December 20, 1889 Toledo is admitted to the American Association. December 20, 1889 Papers are served on Charles Buffinton and Bill Hallman for allegedly breaking their contracts with Philadelphia (National League). This will be the first of many battles between the Players League and NL.
