1887 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 1887 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1887 in baseball.

The 1887 Major League Baseball season was the National League's twelfth season and American Association's sixth season. The Detroit Wolverines defeated the St. Louis Browns in a 15-game World Series match played in ten cities.^[1] The Louisville Colonels set a Major League record which still stands for the most base on balls for a team in a game, with 19 against the Cleveland Blues on 21 September.^[2]

1887 MLB season
League	Major League Baseball
Sport	Baseball
Duration	April 16 – October 10 (regular) October 10–26 (postseason)
Pennant Winners
AA champions	St. Louis Browns
AA runners-up	Cincinnati Red
NL champions	Detroit Wolverines
NL runners-up	Philadelphia Quakers

Standings

American Association v t e American Association Team W L Pct. GB Home Road St. Louis Browns 95 40 .704 — 58‍–‍15 37‍–‍25 Cincinnati Red Stockings 81 54 .600 14 46‍–‍27 35‍–‍27 Baltimore Orioles 77 58 .570 18 42‍–‍21 35‍–‍37 Louisville Colonels 76 60 .559 19½ 45‍–‍23 31‍–‍37 Philadelphia Athletics 64 69 .481 30 41‍–‍28 23‍–‍41 Brooklyn Grays 60 74 .448 34½ 36‍–‍37 24‍–‍37 New York Metropolitans 44 89 .331 50 26‍–‍33 18‍–‍56 Cleveland Blues 39 92 .298 54 22‍–‍36 17‍–‍56

National League v t e National League Team W L Pct. GB Home Road Detroit Wolverines 79 45 .637 — 44‍–‍17 35‍–‍28 Philadelphia Quakers 75 48 .610 3½ 38‍–‍23 37‍–‍25 Chicago White Stockings 71 50 .587 6½ 44‍–‍18 27‍–‍32 New York Giants 68 55 .553 10½ 36‍–‍26 32‍–‍29 Boston Beaneaters 61 60 .504 16½ 38‍–‍22 23‍–‍38 Pittsburgh Alleghenys 55 69 .444 24 31‍–‍33 24‍–‍36 Washington Nationals 46 76 .377 32 26‍–‍33 20‍–‍43 Indianapolis Hoosiers 37 89 .294 43 24‍–‍39 13‍–‍50

League leaders

In 1887, bases on balls (walks) were counted as hits by the major leagues in existence at the time. This inflated batting averages, with 11 players batting .400 or better, and the experiment was abandoned the following season. Historical statistics for the season were later revised, such that "Bases on balls shall always be treated as neither a time at bat nor a hit for the batter."^[3] This results in ambiguity for some players' season and career hits totals, notably with Cap Anson.^[4] Anson was credited with a .421 average and the National League batting title in 1887; however, the recalculation of averages with walks excluded lowered his average to .347 and retroactively gave the batting title to Sam Thompson.^[4]

	American Association		National League
AVG	Tip O'Neill STL	.435	Sam Thompson DET	.372
HR	Tip O'Neill STL	14	Billy O'Brien WAS	19
RBI	Tip O'Neill STL	123	Sam Thompson DET	166
Wins	Matt Kilroy BAL	46	John Clarkson CHI	38
ERA	Elmer Smith CIN	2.94	Dan Casey PHI	2.86
Ks	Toad Ramsey LOU	355	John Clarkson CHI	237

Postseason

World Series:

The Detroit Wolverines (79–45, NL) defeated the St. Louis Browns (95–40, AA) ten games to five.

References

1. Suehsdorf, A. D. (1978). The Great American Baseball Scrapbook, p. 24. Random House. ISBN 0-394-50253-1.
2. "Games Based Bases on Balls Records". Baseball-Almanac.com. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
3. Thorn, John (May 4, 2015). "Why Is the National Association Not a Major League … and Other Records Issues". ourgame.mlblogs.com. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
4. Fleitz, David L. "Cap Anson". Society for American Baseball Research Baseball Biography Project. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2019.