The 1882 major league baseball season was contested from May 1 through October 2, 1882. It was the inaugural season for the American Association (AA) and seventh season for the National League (NL). The Cincinnati Red Stockings won the AA pennant, while the Chicago White Stockings won the NL pennant. There was no postseason.
The American Association was established as a six-team league in cities not represented by the National League. The AA was established with the expectation that it would have more of a "liberal policy" and better labor relations, threatening the puritanical NL, which itself had formal behavior codes with associated policies and procedures and a blacklist for players who did not comply to said rules. The AA also refused to recognize the NL's reserve lists.
Three of the six teams of the American Association survive to this day as National League teams; the Cincinnati Red Stockings, Pittsburgh Alleghenys, and St. Louis Brown Stockings are today's Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals.
The 1882 season was the last for the Troy Trojans and Worcester Worcesters.
Schedule
The 1882 schedule consisted of 80 games for all teams in the six-team American Association, and 84 games for all teams in the eight-team National League. Each American Association team was scheduled to play 16 games against the other five teams, while each National League was scheduled to play 12 games against the other seven teams. The 80-game format was unique to the American Association's 1882 season. Meanwhile, the National League had been playing their 84-game schedule, since , though 1882 would be their last. The following season would see both leagues take on a 98-game format, playing 14 games each against their seven opponents.
National League Opening Day took place on May 1 featuring all eight teams, while American Association Opening Day took place on May 2, featuring all six teams. The National League would see its final day of the regular season on October 2 featuring a game between the Boston Red Caps and Providence Grays, while the American Association would see its final day of the regular season on October 1, featuring a game between the Louisville Eclipse and St. Louis Brown Stockings.
Rule changes The 1882 season saw the following rule changes: While the National League determined its championship by number of wins, the American Association would determine its championship by winning percentage. Pitchers were now allowed to throw sidearm. Seven balls is now considered a base on balls (BB); previously, eight balls were considered base on balls.
Teams An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBaltimore OriolesBaltimore, MarylandNewington ParkUnknownCincinnati Red StockingsCincinnati, OhioBank Street Grounds3,000Louisville EclipseLouisville, KentuckyEclipse Park1,200Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaOakdale Park1,500Pittsburgh AlleghenysAllegheny, PennsylvaniaExposition ParkUnknownSt. Louis Brown StockingsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park6,000Boston Red CapsBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds3,000Buffalo BisonsBuffalo, New YorkRiverside Park (Buffalo)UnknownChicago White StockingsChicago, IllinoisLakefront Park5,000Cleveland BluesCleveland, OhioNational League ParkUnknownDetroit WolverinesDetroit, MichiganRecreation ParkUnknownProvidence GraysProvidence, Rhode IslandMesser Street Grounds6,000Troy TrojansGreenbush, New YorkRiverside Park (Greenbush)*Unknown*Watervliet, New YorkTroy Ball Clubs GroundsUnknownWorcester WorcestersWorcester, MassachusettsAgricultural County Fair GroundsUnknown
Standings
American Association
National League
Tie games 5 tie games (1 in AA, 4 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season (though in the National League, standings were determined by total wins, not winning percentage).
American Association The Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Alleghenys had one tie game each. September 9, Pittsburgh Alleghenys vs. Baltimore Orioles, tied at 7.
National League The Detroit Wolverines had three tie games. The Cleveland Blues and Troy Trojans had two tie games each. The Boston Red Caps had one tie game. June 3, Detroit Wolverines vs. Boston Red Caps, tied at 4. August 31, Troy Trojans vs. Detroit Wolverines, tied at 9. September 19, Troy Trojans vs. Cleveland Blues, tied at 5. September 30, Detroit Wolverines vs. Cleveland Blues, tied at 7.
Managerial changes
Off-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerBoston Red CapsHarry WrightJohn MorrillCleveland BluesJohn ClappJim McCormickProvidence GraysTom YorkHarry WrightWorcester WorcestersHarry StoveyFreeman Brown
In-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerCleveland BluesJim McCormickFred DunlapWorcester WorcestersFreeman BrownTommy BondTommy BondJack Chapman
League leaders Any team shown in indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
American Association
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Pete Browning (LOU) .378 OPS Pete Browning (LOU) .940 HR Oscar Walker (STL) 7 RBI Hick Carpenter (CIN) 67 R Ed Smartwood (PIT) 87 H Hick Carpenter (CIN) 120
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Will White (CIN) 40 L Doc Landis (BAL/) 29 ERA Denny Driscoll (PIT) 1.21 K Tony Mullane (LOU) 170 IP Will White (CIN) 480.0 SV Eddie Fusselback (STL) 1 WHIP Guy Hecker (LOU) 0.769
National League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Dan Brouthers (BUF) .368 OPS Dan Brouthers (BUF) .950 HR George Wood (DET) 7 RBI Cap Anson (CHI) 83 R George Gore (CHI) 99 H Dan Brouthers (BUF) 129
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Jim McCormick (CLE) 36 L Lee Richmond (WOR) 33 ERA Larry Corcoran (CHI) 1.95 K Charles Radbourn (PRO) 201 IP Jim McCormick (CLE) 595.2 SV John Ward (PRO) 1 WHIP Larry Corcoran (CHI) 0.967
Milestones Batters Cycles
Curry Foley (BUF): Foley hit for his first cycle, first in franchise history, and first in major league history, on May 25 against the Cleveland Blues.
Pitchers No-hitters
Tony Mullane (LOU): Mullane threw his first career no-hitter, first no-hitter in franchise history, and the first no-hitter in American Association history, by defeating the Cincinnati Red Stockings 2–0 on September 11. Guy Hecker (LOU): Hecker threw his first career no-hitter and the second no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Pittsburgh Alleghenys 3–1 on September 19. Larry Corcoran (CHI): Corcoran threw his second career no-hitter and the second no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Worcester Worcesters 5–0 on September 20.
Venues The 1882 season saw the formation of the American Association, and with it, saw six new major league teams in six ballparks: The Baltimore Orioles played at Newington Park. The Cincinnati Red Stockings played at the Bank Street Grounds, at the home of the former Cincinnati Stars. The Louisville Eclipse played on Eclipse Park. The Philadelphia Athletics played on Oakdale Park. The Pittsburgh Alleghenys played on Exposition Park. The St. Louis Brown Stockings played on Sportsman's Park.
The Troy Trojans leave Haymakers' Grounds (where they played for two seasons) and move to the Troy Ball Clubs Grounds, where they would play until they folded at the end of the season.
The Troy Trojans continue to host a few games at Riverside Park in nearby Greenbush, New York, playing their first three home games of the season, May 16–18, as well as a fourth game on game 1 of a doubleheader May 30 at the park.
The 1882 season saw three teams play their final games at respective ballparks, before moving to new ballparks for the season. The Baltimore Orioles would play their final game at Newington Park on September 30 against the Philadelphia Athletics, moving to Oriole Park. The Cincinnati Red Stockings would play their final game at the Bank Street Grounds on September 28 against the Louisville Eclipse, moving to American Park. The Pittsburgh Alleghenys would inadvertently play their final home game at the first Exposition Park in a doubleheader on September 23 against the Louisville Eclipse, as the venue caught fire and was flooded over the offseason. They would temporarily move to the second iteration of Exposition Park for the start of the next season, though would return to the original park shortly.
See also 1882 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1882 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference