1879 Major League Baseball season

February 2025 1879 1879 MLB season National League (NL) Baseball May 1 – September 30, 1879 84 8 Pennant winner NL Providence Grays Boston Red Caps List of Major League Baseball seasons MLB 1878 Major League Baseball season 1878 1880 Major League Baseball season 1880 The 1879 major league baseball season was contested from May 1 through September 30, 1879, and saw the Providence Grays as the pennant winner of the fourth season of the National League. There was no postseason. Over the off-season, the National League was set on expanding from a six-team league to an eight-team league. The Indianapolis Blues and Milwaukee Grays folded, and in its place, the league admitted the Cleveland Blues, the International Association's Buffalo Bisons and Syracuse Stars, and finally (with confirmation Milwaukee was not returning) the Troy Trojans.Pajot Dennis 1878 Winter Meetings: The National League Is Back to Eight Clubs Society for American Baseball Research https://sabr.org/journal/article/1878-winter-meetings-the-national-league-is-back-to-eight-clubs/ 2025-02-13 en-US It is suggested by Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) that this season featured the first African-American to play major league baseball, William Edward White, who played one game with the Providence Grays on June 21. He predates brothers Moses Fleetwood Walker and Weldy Walker by five years, and Jackie Robinson by 68 years.June 21, 1879: The cameo of William Edward White John Husman http://www.sabr.org/gamesproj/game/june-21-1879-cameo-william-edward-white Society for American Baseball ResearchBaseball's Secret Pioneer: William Edward White, the first black player in major-league history Peter Morris http://sabr.org/latest/baseballs-secret-pioneer-william-edward-white Society for American Baseball Research/Slate 2015-02-05Who was the first black man to play in the major leagues? Zachary Malinowski http://www.projo.com The Providence Journal 2004-02-15Black Baseball Pioneer William White's 1879 Game Robert Siegel https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1626450 NPR 2004-01-30Mystery of Baseball: Was William White Game's First Black? Stefan Fatsis https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB107541676333815810 The Wall Street Journal 2004-01-30 Schedule Major League Baseball schedule The 1879 schedule consisted of 84 games for all eight teams of the National League. Each team was scheduled to play 12 games against the other seven teams in the league. This format was an adjustment to the 12-games-each format that had been in place since 1877, as the National League expanded from six to eight teams, adding 24 games to each team's schedule. Opening Day took place on May 1 featuring all eight teams. The final day of the season was on September 30, featuring six teams.1879 Major Leagues Schedule https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1879-schedule.shtml 2025-02-13 Baseball Reference en Rule changes The 1879 season saw the following rule changes: The number of balls called that would award a base on balls remained nine, but the rule was reworded, so that there simply needed to be nine balls to walk a batter. Previously, three balls were required, but one ball was the same as three "unfair pitches". Any pitcher who hit a batter, "unless it was clearly an accident", would be fined between $10 and $50 (between $US 10 1879 and $US 50 1879 in US), in an effort to reduce intentional hit by pitches. The first batter of any inning of a game will be the batter who followed the last batter of the previous inning. Previously, if a runner was putout on a base, the batter after the runner called out would lead off the next inning. The pitcher's box was changed from a six feet square to an area four feet wide and six feet long, by moving the back line forwards two feetBaseball History: 19th Century Baseball: The Field: The Pitcher's Area https://www.19cbaseball.com/field-8.html 2025-02-14 www.19cbaseball.com The Player reserve clause was for the first time put into a contract.MLB Rule Changes https://www.baseball-almanac.com/rulechng.shtml 2025-01-28 Baseball Almanac en-us The pitcher had to face a batsman before pitching to him. Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManager1879 Major League Managers https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1879-managers.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enNational League National League (baseball) National LeagueBoston Red CapsBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds3,000Harry WrightBuffalo BisonsBuffalo, New YorkRiverside ParkUnknownJohn Clapp baseballChicago White StockingsChicago, IllinoisLakefront Park5,000Cap AnsonSilver FlintCincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioAvenue GroundsUnknownDeacon WhiteCal McVeyCleveland BluesCleveland, OhioNational League ParkUnknownJim McCormick pitcherProvidence GraysProvidence, Rhode IslandMesser Street Grounds6,000George Wright sportsmanSyracuse StarsSyracuse, New YorkNewell ParkUnknownMike DorganBill HolbertJimmy MacullarTroy TrojansTroy, New YorkPutnam GroundsUnknownHorace Phillips baseballBob Ferguson infielder Standings National League Providence Grays Tie games Five tie games, which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind occurred throughout the season (though standings were determined by total wins, not winning percentage).The 1879 Season https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1879/Y_1879.htm 2026-03-12 Retrosheet The Chicago White Stockings had four tie games. The Troy Trojans had two tie games. The Buffalo Bisons, Cincinnati Reds, Providence Grays, and Syracuse Stars had one tie game each. June 10, Chicago White Stockings vs. Troy Trojans, tied at 1.1879 Troy Trojans Schedule https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TRO/1879-schedule-scores.shtml 2026-03-11 Baseball Reference en July 21, Providence Grays vs. Chicago White Stockings, scoreless.1879 Chicago White Stockings Schedule https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/1879-schedule-scores.shtml 2026-03-11 Baseball Reference en August 30, Chicago White Stockings vs. Buffalo Bisons, tied at 5.1879 Buffalo Bisons Schedule https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BUF/1879-schedule-scores.shtml 2026-03-11 Baseball Reference en September 3, Cincinnati Reds vs. Syracuse Stars, tied at 2.1879 Syracuse Stars Schedule https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SYR/1879-schedule-scores.shtml 2026-03-11 Baseball Reference en September 19, Chicago White Stockings vs. Troy Trojans, tied at 6. Managerial changes Off-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerChicago White StockingsBob FergusonCap AnsonCincinnati RedsCal McVeyDeacon WhiteIndianapolis BluesJohn ClappTeam foldedMilwaukee GraysJack ChapmanTeam foldedProvidence GraysTom YorkGeorge Wright In-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerChicago White StockingsCap AnsonSilver FlintCincinnati RedsDeacon WhiteCal McVeySyracuse StarsMike DorganBill HolbertBill HolbertJimmy MacullarTroy TrojansHorace PhillipsBob Ferguson League leaders National League start + Hitting leaders1879 National League Batting Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1879-batting-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total AVG Paul Hines (PRO) .357 OPS Jim O'Rourke (BSN) .877 HR Charley Jones (BSN) 9 RBI Charley Jones (BSN)Jim O'Rourke (BSN) 62 R Charley Jones (BSN) 85 H Paul Hines (PRO) 146 break + Pitching leaders1879 National League Pitching Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1879-pitching-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total W John Ward (PRO) 47 L George Bradley (TRO)Jim McCormick (CLE) 40 ERA Tommy Bond (BSN) 1.96 K John Ward (PRO) 239 IP Will White1 (CIN) 680.0 SV Bobby Mathews (PRO)John Ward (PRO) 1 WHIP Tommy Bond (BSN) 1.021 1 All-time single-season innings pitched record end Venues Four teams joined the National League, playing at four venues: The Buffalo Bisons played at Riverside Park. The Cleveland Blues played at National League Park. The Syracuse Stars played at Newell Park. The Troy Trojans played at the Putnam Grounds. The Troy Trojans would play their final game at the Putnam Grounds on September 20 against the Chicago White Stockings, moving to Haymakers' Grounds for the start of the 1880 season. See also 1879 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths) References External links 1879 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference Category:Major League Baseball seasons Category:1879 in baseball