1896 Major League Baseball season

January 2025 1896 1896 MLB season National League (NL) Baseball Regular season: April 16 – September 26, 1896Temple Cup: October 2–8, 1896 132 12 Pennant winner NL Baltimore Orioles Cleveland Spiders Temple Cup 1896 Temple Cup League Park, Cleveland, Ohio Union Park, Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore Orioles Cleveland Spiders List of Major League Baseball seasons MLB 1895 Major League Baseball season 1895 1897 Major League Baseball season 1897 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 Major League Baseball 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 1893 and would be used until 1898. Opening Day took place on April 16 featuring all twelve teams. The final day of the season was on September 26, featuring ten teams.1896 Major Leagues Schedule https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1896-schedule.shtml 2025-01-23 Baseball Reference en 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.Triple Headers in Major League Baseball https://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/MLB-Tripleheaders.shtml 2024-04-19 Baseball Almanac Rule changes The 1896 season saw the following rule changes: A player ejection was mandatory after the third violation of minor in-game discretions.Johnson Bill 1895 Winter Meetings: The Magnates Expand Their Control Society for American Baseball Research https://sabr.org/journal/article/1895-winter-meetings-the-magnates-expand-their-control/ 2025-03-26 en-US 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 LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManager1896 Major League Managers https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1896-managers.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enNational League National League (baseball) National LeagueBaltimore OriolesBaltimore, MarylandUnion Park6,500Ned Hanlon baseballBoston BeaneatersBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds6,600Frank SeleeBrooklyn BridegroomsBrooklyn, New YorkA 1 1Eastern Park12,000Dave FoutzChicago ColtsChicago, IllinoisWest Side Park13,000Cap AnsonCincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioLeague Park (Cincinnati)9,000Buck EwingCleveland SpidersCleveland, OhioLeague Park (Cleveland)9,000Patsy TebeauLouisville ColonelsLouisville, KentuckyEclipse Park6,400John McCloskey baseball managerBill McGunnigleNew York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds16,000Arthur IrwinBill Joyce baseballPhiladelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaNational League Park18,000Billy NashPittsburgh PiratesAllegheny, PennsylvaniaB 1 1Exposition Park6,500Connie MackSt. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriNew Sportsman's Park14,500Harry DiddlebockArlie LathamChris von der AheRoger ConnorTommy Dowd baseballWashington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Boundary Field6,500Gus Schmelz A 1 In today's New York, New York. B 1 In today's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Standings National League Baltimore Orioles 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 Temple Cup 4 NL1 Baltimore Orioles 7 7 6 5 NL2 Cleveland Spiders 1 2 2 0 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 small text indicates a previous team a player was on during the season. National League start + Hitting leaders1896 National League Batting Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1896-batting-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total AVG Jesse Burkett (CLE) .410 OPS Ed Delahanty (PHI) 1.103 HR Ed Delahanty (PHI)Bill Joyce (NYG/WAS) 11 RBI Ed Delahanty (PHI) 126 R Jesse Burkett (CLE) 160 H Jesse Burkett (CLE) 240 SB Joe Kelley (BAL) 87 break + Pitching leaders1896 National League Pitching Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1896-pitching-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en 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 end Milestones Batters Four home runs in one game List of Major League Baseball single-game home run leaders 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).https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/delahed01.shtml Ed Delahanty Statistics and History 2010-09-04 Baseball Reference https://web.archive.org/web/20100821021501/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/delahed01.shtml 2010-08-21 livehttps://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.fcgi?id=delahed01&t=b Ed Delahanty Career Home Runs Baseball Reference 2020-04-16 2020-06-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20200608111526/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.fcgi?id=delahed01&t=b live 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.Bid McPhee Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More — Bid McPhee: Standard Batting (1882-1896) https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcphebi01.shtml#1882-1896-sum:players_standard_batting 2026-06-09 Baseball Reference en 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.Billy Hamilton Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More — Billy Hamilton: Standard Batting (1888-1896) https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hamilbi01.shtml#1888-1896-sum:players_standard_batting 2026-06-09 Baseball Reference en 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.Progressive Leaders & Records for Stolen Bases https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SB_progress.shtml 2026-06-09 Baseball Reference en Cycles List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle Herman Long (BSN): Long hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history, on May 9 against the Louisville Colonels.http://www.retrosheet.org/cycles.htm Cycles Retrosheet 2011-09-10 2018-06-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20180629045321/http://www.retrosheet.org/cycles.htm live Bill Joyce (NYG/WAS): 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 nameWins%± Percent changeHome attendance%± Percent changePer game Average home attendance per gameCincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference77 16.7%373,000 32.7%5,652Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference62 −20.5%357,025 −24.8%5,174Chicago ColtsChicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference71 −1.4%317,500 −17.0%4,669New York GiantsSan Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference64 −3.0%274,00014.2%4,152Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BLO/attend.shtml 2025-01-22 Baseball Reference903.4%249,448−14.9%3,723Boston BeaneatersAtlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference744.2%240,000 −0.8%3,582Washington SenatorsWashington Senators Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WAS/attend.shtml 2025-01-22 Baseball Reference5834.9%223,00045.8%3,279Brooklyn BridegroomsLos Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference58 −18.3%201,000 −12.6%3,092Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference66−7.0%197,000 4.8%2,985St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference40 2.6%184,000 8.2%2,968Cleveland SpidersCleveland Spiders Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLV/attend.shtml 2025-01-22 Baseball Reference80−4.8%152,0006.3%2,375Louisville ColonelsLouisville Colonels Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LOU/attend.shtml 2025-01-22 Baseball Reference388.6%133,00044.6%2,078 See also 1896 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths) References External links 1896 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference Category:Major League Baseball seasons Category:1896 in baseball