The 1896 major league baseball season began on April 16, 1896. The regular season ended on September 26, with the Baltimore Orioles as the pennant winner of the National League and the Cleveland Spiders as runner-up. In a rematch of the previous season, the postseason began with Game 1 of the third Temple Cup on October 2 and ended with Game 4 on October 8. The Orioles swept the Spiders, capturing their first Temple Cup.
The 1896 Temple Cup was the only one of four Temple Cups which saw the NL pennant winner win the championship series.
Schedule
The 1896 schedule consisted of 132 games for the twelve teams of the National League. Each team was scheduled to play 12 games against the other eleven teams in the league. This continued the format put in place since and would be used until .
Opening Day took place on April 16 featuring all twelve teams. The final day of the season was on September 26, featuring ten teams. The Temple Cup took place between October 2 and October 8.
Tripleheader The 1896 season featured an extremely rare tripleheader—the second of three in National League and major-league history, having previously occurred only in 1890—when the Baltimore Orioles hosted the Louisville Colonels on September 7 for three games. The Orioles swept the Colonels.
Rule changes The 1896 season saw the following rule changes: A player ejection was mandatory after the third violation of minor in-game discretions. Umpires must "give corners of the plate" to the pitcher, meaning that if a ball passed over any part of the plate while in the zone between shoulders and knees, the pitch must be called a strike.
Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBaltimore OriolesBaltimore, MarylandUnion Park6,500Boston BeaneatersBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds6,600Brooklyn BridegroomsBrooklyn, New YorkEastern Park12,000Chicago ColtsChicago, IllinoisWest Side Park13,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioLeague Park (Cincinnati)9,000Cleveland SpidersCleveland, OhioLeague Park (Cleveland)9,000Louisville ColonelsLouisville, KentuckyEclipse Park6,400New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds16,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaNational League Park18,000Pittsburgh PiratesAllegheny, PennsylvaniaExposition Park6,500St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriNew Sportsman's Park14,500Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Boundary Field6,500
Standings National League
Tie games 14 tie games, which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again), occurred throughout the season. Baltimore Orioles, 3 Boston Beaneaters, 1 Brooklyn Bridegrooms, 2 Chicago Colts, 4 Cincinnati Reds, 1 Cleveland Spiders, 7 Louisville Colonels, 3 New York Giants, 2 Pittsburgh Pirates, 2 St. Louis Browns, 1 Washington Senators, 2
Postseason Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerNew York GiantsHarvey WatkinsArthur IrwinPhiladelphia PhilliesArthur IrwinBilly NashSt. Louis BrownsLou PhelanHarry Diddlebock
In-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerLouisville ColonelsJohn McCloskeyBill McGunnigleNew York GiantsArthur IrwinBill JoyceSt. Louis BrownsHarry DiddlebockArlie LathamArlie LathamChris von der AheChris von der AheRoger ConnorRoger ConnorTommy Dowd
League leaders Any team shown in indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
National League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Jesse Burkett (CLE) .410 OPS Ed Delahanty (PHI) 1.103 HR Ed Delahanty (PHI)Bill Joyce (NYG/) 11 RBI Ed Delahanty (PHI) 126 R Jesse Burkett (CLE) 160 H Jesse Burkett (CLE) 240 SB Joe Kelley (BAL) 87
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Frank Killen (PIT)Kid Nichols (BSN) 30 L Bill Hart (STL) 29 ERA Billy Rhines (CIN) 2.45 K Cy Young (CLE) 140 IP Frank Killen (PIT) 432.1 SV Cy Young (CLE) 3 WHIP Billy Rhines (CIN) 1.231
Milestones Batters Four home runs in one game
Ed Delahanty (PHI): Became the second player to hit four home runs in one game in a 9–8 loss against the Chicago Colts on July 13. He remains the only player to achieve this feat by having an inside-the-park home run (of which two were).
Other batting accomplishments Bid McPhee (CIN): Recorded his 500th career stolen base, becoming the sixth player to reach this mark. It is unknown what day this stolen base occurred. Billy Hamilton (BSN): Recorded his 700th career stolen base, becoming the second player to reach this mark. It is unknown what day this stolen base occurred. Arlie Latham (STL): Set the major league record for most career stolen bases when he stole his 741st base. It is unknown what day this stolen base occurred.
Cycles
Herman Long (BSN): Long hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history, on May 9 against the Louisville Colonels. Bill Joyce (NYG/): Joyce hit for his first cycle and third in franchise history as a part of the Washington Senators, in game one of a doubleheader on May 30 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Miscellaneous Baltimore Orioles / Louisville Colonels: Play in the second of three Major League tripleheader in history on September 7. Baltimore sweeps Louisville.
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceCincinnati Reds77 16.7%373,000 32.7%5,652Philadelphia Phillies62 −20.5%357,025 −24.8%5,174Chicago Colts71 −1.4%317,500 −17.0%4,669New York Giants64 −3.0%274,00014.2%4,152Baltimore Orioles903.4%249,448−14.9%3,723Boston Beaneaters744.2%240,000 −0.8%3,582Washington Senators5834.9%223,00045.8%3,279Brooklyn Bridegrooms58 −18.3%201,000 −12.6%3,092Pittsburgh Pirates66−7.0%197,000 4.8%2,985St. Louis Browns40 2.6%184,000 8.2%2,968Cleveland Spiders80−4.8%152,0006.3%2,375Louisville Colonels388.6%133,00044.6%2,078
See also 1896 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1896 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference