1886 Major League Baseball season

February 2025 1886 1886 MLB season American Association (AA)National League (NL) Baseball Regular season: April 17 – October 15, 1886 (AA) April 29 – October 11, 1886 (NL)World's Championship Series: October 18–23, 1886 140 (AA)126 (NL) 16 (8 per league) Pennant winner AA St. Louis Browns Pittsburgh Alleghenys NL Chicago White Stockings Detroit Wolverines World's Championship Series 1886 World Series Sportsman's Park, St. Louis, Missouri West Side Park, Chicago, Illinois St. Louis Browns Chicago White Stockings List of Major League Baseball seasons MLB 1885 Major League Baseball season 1885 1887 Major League Baseball season 1887 The 1886 major league baseball season began on April 17, 1886. The regular season ended on October 15, with the Chicago White Stockings and the St. Louis Browns as regular season champions of the National League and American Association, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the third World's Championship Series on October 18 and ended with Game 6 on October 23, in what was a best-of-seven-playoff. The Browns defeated the White Stockings, four games to two, capturing their first World's Championship Series. Over the offseason, the National League's Buffalo Bisons transfer into the minor league International League and Providence Grays fold. The two open spots are filled by the newly enfranchised Kansas City Cowboys and Washington Nationals. Schedule Major League Baseball schedule The 1886 schedule consisted of 140 games for all American Association teams and 126 games for all National League, each of which had eight teams. Each AA team was scheduled to play 20 games against the other seven teams, while each NL team was scheduled to play 18 games against the other seven teams. Both the AA's 140-game format and NL's 126-game format were newly-implementation for the 1886 season, each replacing the 112-game, 16 games against the other seven teams format that both leagues had from 1884 and 1885. The NL would adopt the AA's format in 1888, and each league would use this 140-game format until 1892. American Association Opening Day took place on April 17 featuring six teams, while National League Opening Day took place on April 29, also featuring six teams. The American Association would see its final day of the regular season on October 15 with a doubleheader between the New York Metropolitans and Philadelphia Athletics, while the National League would see its final day of the season on October 11 with a game between the Kansas City Cowboys and Washington Nationals.1886 Major Leagues Schedule https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1886-schedule.shtml 2025-02-08 Baseball Reference en The 1886 World's Championship Series took place between October 18 and October 23. Rule changes The 1886 season saw the following rule changes: Stolen bases became an official statistic.MLB Rule Changes https://www.baseball-almanac.com/rulechng.shtml 2025-01-28 Baseball Almanac en-us In the American Association, six balls became a base on balls, down from eight, while in the National League, seven balls became a base on balls, up from six. The pitcher's box was extended by one foot in the direction of second base, from six to seven feet.Pestana Mark 1885 Winter Meetings: A Temporary Stability Society for American Baseball Research https://sabr.org/journal/article/1885-winter-meetings-a-temporary-stability/ 2025-02-10 en-US In the American Association, a one-foot-long by four-foot-wide smooth flat stone was placed in front of the pitcher's box.Baseball History: 19th Century Baseball: The Field: The Pitcher's Area https://www.19cbaseball.com/field-8.html 2025-02-10 www.19cbaseball.com In the American Association the batter's box was extended by one foot in width, on either side of home plate, expanding from three feet wide and one foot from home plate to four feet wide and six inches from home plate, copying the change the National League did the previous season.Baseball History: 19th Century Baseball: The Field: Evolution of the Batter's Area https://www.19cbaseball.com/field-2.html 2025-02-10 www.19cbaseball.com The American Association allowed home plate to be made out of white stone. The reserve rule was expanded to cover 12 players on each team, up from 11 established in 1883. Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManager1886 Major League Managers https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1886-managers.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enAmerican Association American Association (1882–1891) American AssociationBaltimore OriolesOxford, MarylandA 1 1Oriole Park5,000Billy BarnieBrooklyn GraysBrooklyn, New YorkB 1 1Washington Park3,000Charlie Byrne baseballCincinnati Red StockingsCincinnati, OhioAmerican Park3,000Ollie Caylor O. P. CaylorLouisville ColonelsLouisville, KentuckyEclipse Park5,860Jim Hart baseball managerNew York MetropolitansSt. George, New YorkB 1 1St. George Grounds5,100Jim GiffordBob Ferguson infielderPhiladelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaJefferson Street Grounds15,000Lew SimmonsBill SharsigPittsburgh AlleghenysAllegheny, PennsylvaniaC 1 1Recreation Park (Pittsburgh)17,000Horace Phillips baseballSt. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park12,000Charles ComiskeyNational League National League (baseball) National LeagueBoston BeaneatersBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds3,000John Morrill baseballChicago White StockingsChicago, IllinoisWest Side Park6,000Cap AnsonDetroit WolverinesDetroit, MichiganRecreation Park (Detroit)UnknownBill Watkins baseballKansas City CowboysKansas City, MissouriLeague ParkUnknownDave Rowe baseballNew York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds20,709Jim MutriePhiladelphia QuakersPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaRecreation Park6,500Harry WrightSt. Louis MaroonsSt. Louis, MissouriUnion Base Ball Park10,000Gus SchmelzWashington NationalsWashington, D.C.Swampoodle Grounds6,000Michael Scanlon baseballJohn Gaffney baseball Sunday games Blue laws restricted Sunday activities in several localities, causing the Brooklyn Grays of the American Association (which was informally referred to as the "Beer & Whiskey League" due to its openness on alcohol, compared to the National League) to play at ballparks in a different locality. TeamCityBallparkCapacityGames playedBrooklyn GraysBrooklyn Dodgers – Seamheads.com Ballparks Database https://www.seamheads.com/ballparks/team.php?TeamID=BR3 2025-01-30 www.seamheads.comRidgewood, New YorkB 1 2Ridgewood ParkUnknown14 A 1 In today's Baltimore, Maryland. B 1 2 In today's New York, New York. C 1 In today's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Standings start American Association St. Louis Browns break National League Chicago White Stockings end Tie games 28 tie games (13 in AA, 15 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again), occurred throughout the season. start American Association Baltimore Orioles, 8 Brooklyn Grays, 4 Cincinnati Red Stockings, 3 Louisville Colonels, 2 New York Metropolitans, 2 Philadelphia Athletics, 4 Pittsburgh Alleghenys, 3 break National League Boston Beaneaters, 1 Chicago White Stockings, 2 Detroit Wolverines, 3 Kansas City Cowboys, 5 New York Giants, 5 Philadelphia Quakers, 5 St. Louis Maroons, 4 Washington Nationals, 5 end Postseason Bracket World's Championship Series 6 AA St. Louis Browns 0 128 4 87 107 410* NL Chicago White Stockings 6 0 118* 5 3 3*Denotes walk-off Managerial changes Off-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerBuffalo BisonsJack ChapmanTeam transferred to minor league International LeaguePhiladelphia AthleticsHarry StoveyLew SimmonsProvidence GraysFrank BancroftTeam foldedSt. Louis MaroonsAlex McKinnonGus Schmelz In-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerNew York MetropolitansJim GiffordBob FergusonPhiladelphia AthleticsLew SimmonsBill SharsigWashington NationalsMichael ScanlonJohn Gaffney League leaders Any team shown in small text indicates a previous team a player was on during the season. American Association start + Hitting leaders1886 American Association Batting Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AA/1886-batting-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total AVG Guy Hecker (LOU) .341 OPS Bob Caruthers (STL) .974 HR Bid McPhee (CIN) 8 RBI Tip O'Neill (STL) 107 R Arlie Latham (STL) 152 H Dave Orr (NYM) 193 SB Harry Stovey (PHA) 68 break + Pitching leaders1886 American Association Pitching Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AA/1886-pitching-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total W Dave Foutz (STL)Ed Morris (PIT) 41 L Matt Kilroy (BAL) 34 ERA Dave Foutz (STL) 2.11 K Matt Kilroy1 (BAL) 513 IP Toad Ramsey (LOU) 588.2 SV Bones Ely (LOU)Dave Foutz (STL)Nat Hudson (STL)Ed Morris (PIT)Joe Strauss (BRO/LOU) 1 WHIP Ed Morris (PIT) 1.032 1 All-time single-season strikeouts record end National League start + Hitting leaders1886 National League Batting Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1886-batting-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total AVG King Kelly (CHI) .388 OPS Dan Brouthers (DET) 1.026 HR Dan Brouthers (DET)Hardy Richardson (DET) 11 RBI Cap Anson (CHI) 147 R King Kelly (CHI) 155 H Hardy Richardson (DET) 189 SB Ed Andrews (PHI) 56 break + Pitching leaders1886 National League Pitching Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1886-pitching-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total W Lady Baldwin (DET)Tim Keefe (NYG) 42 L George Weidman (KC) 36 ERA Henry Boyle (SLM) 1.76 K Lady Baldwin (DET) 323 IP Tim Keefe (NYG) 535.0 SV Charlie Ferguson (PHI) 2 WHIP Lady Baldwin (DET) 0.967 end Milestones Batters Cycles List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle Fred Dunlap (DET/SLM): Dunlap hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history as a part of the St. Louis Maroons, on May 24 against the New York Gothams.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 Pete Browning (LOU): Browning hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history, on August 8 against the New York Metropolitans. Jack Rowe (DET): Rowe hit for his first cycle and third in franchise history, on August 21 against the Chicago White Stockings. Chippy McGarr (PHA): McGarr hit for his first cycle and third in franchise history, on September 23 against the St. Louis Browns. Pitchers No-hitters List of Major League Baseball no-hitters Al Atkinson (PHA): Atkinson threw his second career no-hitter and second no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the New York Metropolitans 3–2 on May 1. Atkinson walked three and struck out seven.Won In The Last Inning http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1886-05-02/ed-1/seq-7/ The Sun (New York City) 1886-05-02 Adonis Terry (BRO): Terry threw his first career no-hitter and second no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the St. Louis Browns 1–0 on July 24. Terry walked two and struck out three.In The Base Ball Field http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1886-07-25/ed-1/seq-7/ The Sun (New York City) 1886-07-25 Matt Kilroy (BAL): Kilroy threw his first career no-hitter and first no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Pittsburgh Alleghenys 6–0 on October 6. Only three Alleghenys reached base.Catchers Who Caught No Hitters http://bb_catchers.tripod.com/catchers/catchnoh.htm bb_catchers.tripod.com Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers 2012-07-19 August 6, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120806172440/http://bb_catchers.tripod.com/catchers/catchnoh.htm dead Base Ball Notes https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1886-10-07/ed-1/?sp=3 The Sun (New York City) 1886-10-07 Other pitching accomplishments Matt Kilroy (BAL): Set the Major League single-season record for most strikeouts, striking out 513.Single-Season Leaders & Records for Strikeouts https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SO_p_season.shtml 2026-03-11 Baseball Reference en Charlie Sweeney (SLM): Sets the Major League single-season record for most allowed home runs in a single game, allowing 7 home runs in a 14–7 loss to the Detroit Wolverines on June 12. Miscellaneous Pat Dealy (BSN): Set a National League record by allowing 10 passed balls in a single game on May 3. Kansas City Cowboys: Set a major league record for most runs scored in the 11th inning, by scoring 10 runs against the Detroit Wolverines on July 21.DeRosa Theo The most runs scored in each inning, from the 1st to the 26th(!) https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-most-runs-scored-in-each-inning 2026-04-20 MLB.com en Venues The National League saw two teams join for the 1886 season: The Kansas City Cowboys played at League Park in Kansas City, Missouri. The Washington Nationals played at Swampoodle Grounds in Washington, D.C. The 1886 season saw two teams play their final games at their respective ballparks: The St. Louis Maroons would play their final game at Union Base Ball Park on September 23 against the Kansas City Cowboys, relocating to Indianapolis, Indiana at Seventh Street Park as the Indianapolis Hooisers for the start of the 1887 season. The Philadelphia Quakers would play their final game at Recreation Park in a doubleheader on October 9 against the Detroit Wolverines, moving to Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds for the start of the 1887 season. The Brooklyn Grays of the American Association begin hosting Sunday games, playing 14 games at Ridgewood Park in Ridgewood, New York on May 2, 16, 23, 30, June 6, 13, 20, July 18, 25, August 1, 22, 29, September 12 and 19.1886 Log For Wallace's Ridgewood Park in New York, NY https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1886/PKL_NYC071886.htm 2026-03-11 Retrosheet See also 1886 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths) References External links 1886 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference Category:Major League Baseball seasons Category:1886 in baseball