1884 in baseball

The following are the baseball events of the year 1884 throughout the world.

Champions

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Major league baseball final standings

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National League final standings

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National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Providence Grays 84 28 .750 45‍–‍11 39‍–‍17
Boston Beaneaters 73 38 .658 10½ 40‍–‍16 33‍–‍22
Buffalo Bisons 64 47 .577 19½ 37‍–‍18 27‍–‍29
New York Gothams 62 50 .554 22 34‍–‍22 28‍–‍28
Chicago White Stockings 62 50 .554 22 39‍–‍17 23‍–‍33
Philadelphia Quakers 39 73 .348 45 19‍–‍37 20‍–‍36
Cleveland Blues 35 77 .312 49 22‍–‍34 13‍–‍43
Detroit Wolverines 28 84 .250 56 18‍–‍38 10‍–‍46

American Association final standings

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American Association
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Metropolitans 75 32 .701 42‍–‍9 33‍–‍23
Columbus Buckeyes 69 39 .639 38‍–‍16 31‍–‍23
Louisville Eclipse 68 40 .630 41‍–‍14 27‍–‍26
St. Louis Browns 67 40 .626 8 38‍–‍16 29‍–‍24
Cincinnati Red Stockings 68 41 .624 8 40‍–‍16 28‍–‍25
Baltimore Orioles 63 43 .594 11½ 42‍–‍13 21‍–‍30
Philadelphia Athletics 61 46 .570 14 38‍–‍16 23‍–‍30
Toledo Blue Stockings 46 58 .442 27½ 28‍–‍25 18‍–‍33
Brooklyn Atlantics 40 64 .385 33½ 23‍–‍26 17‍–‍38
Richmond Virginians 12 30 .286 30½ 5‍–‍15 7‍–‍15
Pittsburgh Alleghenys 30 78 .278 45½ 18‍–‍37 12‍–‍41
Indianapolis Hoosiers 29 78 .271 46 15‍–‍39 14‍–‍39
Washington Nationals 12 51 .190 41 10‍–‍20 2‍–‍31

Union Association final standings

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Union Association
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
St. Louis Maroons 94 19 .832 49‍–‍6 45‍–‍13
Cincinnati Outlaw Reds 69 36 .657 21 35‍–‍17 34‍–‍19
Baltimore Monumentals 58 47 .552 32 29‍–‍21 29‍–‍26
Boston Reds 58 51 .532 34 34‍–‍22 24‍–‍29
Milwaukee Brewers 8 4 .667 35½ 8‍–‍4 0‍–‍0
St. Paul Saints 2 6 .250 39½ 0‍–‍0 2‍–‍6
Chicago Browns/Pittsburgh Stogies 41 50 .451 42 21‍–‍19 20‍–‍31
Altoona Mountain Citys 6 19 .240 44 6‍–‍12 0‍–‍7
Wilmington Quicksteps 2 16 .111 44½ 1‍–‍6 1‍–‍10
Washington Nationals (UA) 47 65 .420 46½ 36‍–‍27 11‍–‍38
Philadelphia Keystones 21 46 .313 50 14‍–‍21 7‍–‍25
Kansas City Cowboys 16 63 .203 61 11‍–‍23 5‍–‍40

Statistical leaders

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National League statistical leaders

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National League
Type Name Stat
AVG Mike "King" Kelly CHW .354
HR Ned Williamson CHW 27
RBI Cap Anson CHW 102
Wins Charles Radbourn PRO 59
ERA Charles Radbourn PRO 1.38
Strikeouts Charles Radbourn PRO 441

American Association statistical leaders

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American Association
Type Name Stat
AVG Dave Orr NYM .354
HR John Reilly CIN 11
RBI Dave Orr NYM 112
Wins Guy Hecker LOU 52
ERA Guy Hecker LOU 1.80
Strikeouts Guy Hecker LOU 385

Union Association statistical leaders

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Union Association
Type Name Stat
AVG Fred Dunlap SLM .412
HR Fred Dunlap SLM 13
RBI Unavailable NA
Wins Bill Sweeney BLM 40
ERA Jim McCormick COR 1.54
Strikeouts Hugh Daily CHB/WHS 483

All-Time Statistical Leaders (Strikeouts)

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The 1884 season was memorable in that six of the top 10 all-time Major League Baseball single season strikeout totals were set that season:[1]

Pitcher Strikeouts Season Team League Overall Rank
Hugh Daily 483 1884 Chicago Browns/Pittsburgh Stogies/Washington Nationals UA 3
Dupee Shaw 451 1884 Detroit Wolverines/Boston Reds NL/UA 4
Old Hoss Radbourn 441 1884 Providence Grays NL 5
Charlie Buffington 417 1884 Boston Beaneaters NL 6
Guy Hecker 385 1884 Louisville Eclipse AA 7
Bill Sweeney 374 1884 Baltimore Monumentals UA 10

Notable seasons

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Old Hoss Radbourn won a record 59 or 60 games (depending on the sources), a record that will almost certainly never be broken. In addition to wins, Radbourn led the National League in games (75), games started (73), complete games (73), ERA (1.38), saves (2), strikeouts (441), and innings pitched (678.2).

The season record for pitching strikeouts (369, by Tim Keefe 1883) is broken by seven players, with Hugh Daily beating Keefe's record by 114. To this day (as of 2020), six of the top ten strikeout seasons were accomplished in 1884 (including five of the top seven).[2] 1884 was the first season in which pitchers were allowed to throw overhand.[improper synthesis?]

Events

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Key people in baseball 1884

January–March

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  • February 18 – Terry Larkin, recently released from prison after shooting his wife and a police officer in 1883, is arrested again for threatening to shoot his father. Larkin will be released and play this season for the Richmond Virginians. Larkin was later institutionalized after challenging his former employer to a duel, and committed suicide by slitting his throat with a razor in 1894.
  • February 20 – The Altoona Mountain City club is admitted to the new Union Association as its seventh club, leaving Lancaster as the only franchise in the Inter-State League.
  • March 4 – The National League reduces the number of balls needed for a walk to six. Team owners also agree to provide two separate benches for the teams in order to cut down on player fraternizing during games.
  • March 15 – Henry Chadwick writes in a newspaper column that a ground-keeper in St. Louis has started placing tarpaulins over the bases when it rains in order to keep them dry. Other clubs will follow suit and cover the pitching area and batter areas as well.
  • March 17 – The Union Association admits the Boston Reds, run by George Wright, as a new team to the league.
  • March 28 – Umpire William McLean throws a bat into the stands, striking a spectator, in reaction to taunts from the crowd. McLean is arrested but not charged as the fan is not injured.

April–June

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July–September

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October–December

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Births

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January–April

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May–August

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September–December

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 * Some sources show 1887

Deaths

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References

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  1. ^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Strikeouts".
  2. ^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Strikeouts". Baseball reference. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
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