1901 Major League Baseball season
Sports season
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The 1901 major league baseball season was contested from April 18 through October 6, 1901. It was the inaugural major league season for the American League (AL) (having previously been the minor league Western League), with the Chicago White Stockings winning the AL pennant. In the National League (NL), in operation since 1876, the Pittsburgh Pirates won the NL pennant. There was no postseason. This was the first season of the modern era.
National League (NL)
April 18 â October 6, 1901 (NL)
| 1901 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | April 24 â September 28, 1901 (AL) April 18 â October 6, 1901 (NL) |
| Games | 140 |
| Teams | 16 (8 per league) |
| Pennant winners | |
| AL champions | Chicago White Stockings |
| AL runners-up | Boston Americans |
| NL champions | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| NL runners-up | Philadelphia Phillies |
This would be the only season in which the Milwaukee Brewers played, as the team would relocate to St. Louis, Missouri for the following season as the St. Louis Browns (before that team relocated to Baltimore, Maryland as the modern Baltimore Orioles in 1954, where they remain to this day. The Baltimore Orioles of this season would fold following the 1902 season).
Schedule
The 1901 schedule consisted of 140 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 20 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This format had previously been used by the National League during their 1888â1891 seasons. This format would last until 1904, which saw an increase of games played.
National League Opening Day took place on April 18 with a game between the Brooklyn Superbas and the Philadelphia Phillies, while American League Opening Day did not take place until April 24, with a game between the Chicago White Stockings and the Cleveland Bluebirds. The American League would see its final day of the season on September 28, while the National League would see its final day of the season on October 6.
Rule changes
On February 27, 1901, the National League Rules Committee announced several rule changes, effective immediately.[1][2][3]
- All foul balls are to count as strike balls, except after two strikes. Previously, foul balls would not affect the count. To cut the cost of lost foul balls, the committee urges that batters who foul off good strikes are to be disciplined. The American League will not adopt this rule until the 1903 season.
- A one-ball penalty would be imposed if the pitcher throws a warm-up toss to anyone except the catcher.
- Catchers play within 10 feet of the batter.
- A ball will be called if the pitcher does not throw to a ready and waiting batter within 20 seconds, a predecessor to the modern-day pitch clock that was implemented 123 years later in 2023.
- Players using indecent or improper language will be banished by the umpire.
- A ball will be called when a batter is hit by a pitch.
Further changes were made in April:
- In a mail vote, the owners rescinded the new hit by pitch rule, restoring the rule that a HBP will earn a batter first base.
Teams
Sunday games
Blue laws restricted Sunday activities in several localities, causing several teams to play at ballparks in a different locality.
| Team | City | Ballpark | Capacity | Games played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Tigers[5] | Springwells Township, Michigan[B] | Burns Park | 3,700[6] | 13 |
- ^ In today's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- ^
Standings
American League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Stockings | 83 | 53 | .610 | â | 49âââ21 | 34âââ32 |
| Boston Americans | 79 | 57 | .581 | 4 | 49âââ20 | 30âââ37 |
| Detroit Tigers | 74 | 61 | .548 | 8½ | 42âââ27 | 32âââ34 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 74 | 62 | .544 | 9 | 42âââ24 | 32âââ38 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 68 | 65 | .511 | 13½ | 40âââ25 | 28âââ40 |
| Washington Senators | 61 | 72 | .459 | 20½ | 31âââ35 | 30âââ37 |
| Cleveland Blues | 54 | 82 | .397 | 29 | 28âââ39 | 26âââ43 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 48 | 89 | .350 | 35½ | 32âââ37 | 16âââ52 |
National League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 90 | 49 | .647 | â | 45âââ24 | 45âââ25 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 83 | 57 | .593 | 7½ | 46âââ23 | 37âââ34 |
| Brooklyn Superbas | 79 | 57 | .581 | 9½ | 43âââ25 | 36âââ32 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 76 | 64 | .543 | 14½ | 40âââ31 | 36âââ33 |
| Boston Beaneaters | 69 | 69 | .500 | 20½ | 41âââ29 | 28âââ40 |
| Chicago Orphans | 53 | 86 | .381 | 37 | 30âââ39 | 23âââ47 |
| New York Giants | 52 | 85 | .380 | 37 | 30âââ38 | 22âââ47 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 52 | 87 | .374 | 38 | 27âââ43 | 25âââ44 |
Tie games
15 tie games (8 in AL, 7 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again), occurred throughout the season.
American League
- Baltimore Orioles, 2
- Boston Americans, 2
- Chicago White Stockings, 1
- Cleveland Blues, 2
- Detroit Tigers, 1
- Milwaukee Brewers, 2
- Philadelphia Athletics, 1
- Washington Senators, 5
National League
- Boston Beaneaters, 2
- Brooklyn Superbas, 1
- Chicago Orphans, 1
- Cincinnati Reds, 3
- New York Giants, 4
- Pittsburgh Pirates, 1
- St. Louis Cardinals, 2
Managerial changes
Off-season
| Team | Former Manager | New Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | Team enfranchised | John McGraw |
| Boston Americans | Team enfranchised | Jimmy Collins |
| Chicago White Stockings | Charles Comiskey (minor league) |
Clark Griffith |
| Cincinnati Reds | Bob Allen | Bid McPhee |
| Cleveland Blues | Jimmy McAleer (minor league) |
Jimmy McAleer |
| Detroit Tigers | George Stallings (minor league) |
George Stallings |
| Milwaukee Brewers | Connie Mack (minor league) |
Hugh Duffy |
| Philadelphia Athletics | Team enfranchised | Connie Mack |
| St. Louis Cardinals | Louie Heilbroner | Patsy Donovan |
| Washington Senators | Jim Manning (Kansas City Blues, minor league) |
Jim Manning |
League leaders
Any team shown in small text indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
American League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Nap Lajoie1 (PHA) | .426 |
| OPS | Nap Lajoie (PHA) | 1.106 |
| HR | Nap Lajoie1 (PHA) | 14 |
| RBI | Nap Lajoie1 (PHA) | 125 |
| R | Nap Lajoie (PHA) | 145 |
| H | Nap Lajoie (PHA) | 232 |
| SB | Frank Isbell (CWS) | 46 |
1 American League Triple Crown batting winner
National League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Jesse Burkett (STL) | .376 |
| OPS | Ed Delahanty (PHI) | .955 |
| HR | Sam Crawford (CIN) | 16 |
| RBI | Honus Wagner (PIT) | 126 |
| R | Jesse Burkett (STL) | 142 |
| H | Jesse Burkett (STL) | 142 |
| SB | Honus Wagner (PIT) | 49 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Bill Donovan (BRO) | 25 |
| L | Luther Taylor (NYG) | 27 |
| ERA | Jesse Tannehill (PIT) | 2.18 |
| K | Noodles Hahn (CIN) | 239 |
| IP | Noodles Hahn (CIN) | 375.1 |
| SV | Bill Donovan (BRO) Jack Powell (STL) |
3 |
| WHIP | Al Orth (PHI) | 1.001 |
Milestones
Batters
Cycles
- Fred Clarke (PIT):
- Clarke hit for his first cycle and second in franchise history, on July 23 against the Cincinnati Reds.[11]
- Nap Lajoie (PHA):
- Lajoie hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history, on July 30 against the Cleveland Blues.[11]
Other batting accomplishments
- Nap Lajoie (PHA):
- Became the fourth player in major league history and the first in American League history to win the Triple Crown, an achievement of leading a league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI) over the same season.[12]
Pitchers
No-hitters
- Christy Mathewson (NYG):
- Mathewson threw his first career no-hitter and the second no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 5â0 on July 15. Mathewson walked four and struck out four.[13]
Other pitching accomplishments
- Cy Young (BOS):
- Became the seventh member of the 300-win club, defeating the Philadelphia Athletics on July 12, winning 5â3.[14]
- Won the pitching triple crown.
Home field attendance
| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals[15] | 76 | 16.9% | 379,988 | 40.7% | 5,278 |
| Chicago White Stockings[16] | 83 | 354,350 | 4,991 | ||
| New York Giants[17] | 52 | â13.3% | 297,650 | 56.7% | 4,192 |
| Boston Americans[18] | 79 | 289,448 | 4,195 | ||
| Detroit Tigers[19] | 74 | 259,430 | 3,706 | ||
| Pittsburgh Pirates[20] | 90 | 13.9% | 251,955 | â4.6% | 3,652 |
| Philadelphia Phillies[21] | 83 | 10.7% | 234,937 | â22.2% | 3,405 |
| Philadelphia Athletics[22] | 74 | 206,329 | 3,126 | ||
| Cincinnati Reds[23] | 52 | â16.1% | 205,728 | 21.0% | 2,857 |
| Chicago Orphans[24] | 53 | â18.5% | 205,071 | â17.5% | 2,930 |
| Brooklyn Superbas[25] | 79 | â3.7% | 198,200 | 8.3% | 2,915 |
| Washington Senators[26] | 61 | 161,661 | 2,377 | ||
| Boston Beaneaters[27] | 69 | 4.5% | 146,502 | â27.5% | 2,093 |
| Baltimore Orioles[28] | 68 | 141,952 | 2,151 | ||
| Milwaukee Brewers[29] | 48 | 139,034 | 1,986 | ||
| Cleveland Blues[30] | 54 | 131,380 | 1,904 |
Venues
The 1901 season saw the American League elevated to major league status, and with it, eight new major league teams in eight venues:
- The Baltimore Orioles played at Oriole Park.
- The Boston Americans played at the Huntington Avenue Grounds.
- The Chicago White Stockings played at South Side Park.
- The Cleveland Blues played at League Park, former home of the NL Cleveland team.
- The Detroit Tigers played at Bennett Park and Sunday home games at Burns Park (playing 13 of 70 games).
- The Milwaukee Brewers played their only season at Lloyd Street Grounds, playing their final game during a doubleheader on September 12 against the Chicago White Stockings, relocating to St. Louis, Missouri at Sportsman's Park for the start of the 1902 season.
- The Philadelphia Athletics played at Columbia Park.
- The Washington Senators played at American League Park.
The Cincinnati Reds would play their final game at League Park, on October 6 during a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, moving into the Palace of the Fans for the start of the 1902 season.