Year In Review : 1886 American Association

Off the Field…

A bombing at Haymarket Square in Chicago killed seven policemen and injured many others. The attack occurred during a demonstration for an eight-hour workday that was organized by eight alleged anarchists who were later arrested and accused of the crime. Following a speedy trial, three were imprisoned; one committed suicide and four others were hanged. In 1893, Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld pardoned the three survivors after accusations of an unfair trial surfaced.

In the National League…

Pitcher Jim McCormick of the Chicago White Stockings topped the New York Giants 7-3 on July 1st for his sixteenth consecutive win.

"The Bible of Baseball" aka The Sporting News was established in St. Louis Missouri.

In the American Association…

The American Association Champion St. Louis Browns took on the National League Champion Chicago White Stockings and beat them in six games for the Championship title.

Tip O’Neil of the Browns became the first player ever to hit two round-trippers in championship play after knocking two inside-the-park homers en route to a 12-0 massacre over Chicago.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Matt Kilroy posted five-hundred thirteen strikeouts in sixty-eight games, but still finished the season with a 29-34 record and a last-place team.

"Although Mr. Larkin played baseball when the rules of the game were vastly different from those of today, he professed recently not to see much difference." - New York Times Obituary (February 2, 1942)
1886 American Association Player Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls

George Pinkney

Brooklyn

70

Top 25

Ed Swartwood

Brooklyn

Batting Average

Guy Hecker

Louisville

.341

Top 25

Doubles

Henry Larkin

Philadelphia

36

Top 25

Hits

Dave Orr

New York

193

Top 25

Home Runs

Bid McPhee

Cincinnati

8

Top 25

On Base Percentage

Henry Larkin

Philadelphia

.390

Top 25

RBI

Tip O'Neill

St. Louis

107

Top 25

Runs

Arlie Latham

St. Louis

152

Top 25

Slugging Average

Dave Orr

New York

.527

Top 25

Total Bases

Dave Orr

New York

301

Top 25

Triples

Dave Orr

New York

31

Top 25

 

1886 American Association Pitcher Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games

Matt Kilroy

Baltimore

66

Top 25

Toad Ramsey

Louisville

ERA

Dave Foutz

St. Louis

2.11

Top 25

Games

Matt Kilroy

Baltimore

68

Top 25

Saves

Bones Ely

Louisville

1

n/a

Dave Foutz

St. Louis

Nat Hudson

St. Louis

Ed Morris

Pittsburgh

Shutouts

Ed Morris

Pittsburgh

12

Top 25

Strikeouts

Matt Kilroy

Baltimore

513

Top 25

Winning Percentage

Dave Foutz

St. Louis

.719

Top 25

Wins

Dave Foutz

St. Louis

41

Top 25

Ed Morris

Pittsburgh

 

1886 American Association

Team Standings

St. Louis Browns

93 46 .669 0

Pittsburgh Alleghenys

80 57 .584 12

Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers

76 61 .555 16

Louisville Colonels

66 70 .485 25˝

Cincinnati Red Stockings

65 73 .471 27˝

Philadelphia Athletics

63 72 .467 28

New York Metropolitans

53 82 .393 38

Baltimore Orioles

48 83 .366 41

 

1886 American Association Team Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls

Pittsburgh

478

Batting Average

St. Louis

.273

Doubles

St. Louis

206

Hits

St. Louis

1,365

Home Runs

Cincinnati

45

On Base Percentage

St. Louis

.333

Runs

St. Louis

944

Slugging Average

St. Louis

.360

Triples

Pittsburgh

96

 

1886 American Association Team Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games

Brooklyn

138

ERA

St. Louis

2.49

Fewest Hits Allowed

St. Louis

1,087

Fewest Home Runs Allowed

Pittsburgh

10

Fewest Walks Allowed

Pittsburgh

299

Saves

Louisville

2

St. Louis

Shutouts

Pittsburgh

15

Strikeouts

Baltimore

805



On August 24, 1886, Matt Kilroy of the Baltimore Orioles struck out sixteen Philadelphia Athletics batters - a single game high for the season where he set the all-time record for strikeouts with five-hundred thirteen.

Did you know that fans who attended games in the New York Metropolitans park on Staten Island were able to watch the Statue of Liberty being built while they enjoyed a game of baseball?

The 1886 American Association batting champion was Guy Hecker (.341) who narrowly defeated Pete Browning (.340). However, Hecker was a pitcher and became the first and only hurler to ever win a batting title from any league in any season in Major League history.

     

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