Detroit Wolverines - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

team that played in the National League

19th century National League teams

The following is a list of United States Major League Baseball teams that played in the National League during the 19th century.-Major league:*Boston Red Stockings 1876–1900 – now Atlanta Braves...

from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant (and World Series

1887 World Series

The 1887 World Series was won by the Detroit Wolverines of the National League, over the St. Louis Browns of the American Association, 10 games to 5. It was played between October 10 and October 26, and played in numerous neutral cities, as well as in Detroit and St. Louis...

) in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season

1888 Detroit Wolverines season

The Detroit Wolverines finished the season with a 68-63 record, finishing in fifth place in the National League. After the season, the ownership, having lost so much money on the team, disbanded the team and sold off the players.- Roster :...

Franchise history

Founded at the suggestion of Detroit mayor William G. Thompson

William G. Thompson

William G. Thompson was a Union Army officer, lawyer, politician, and the mayor of Detroit, Michigan. He also founded Detroit's first major league baseball team.-Early life:...

, the Wolverines played the first game of major league baseball in Detroit on May 2, 1881, in front of 1,286 fans. Their home field was called Recreation Park

Recreation Park (Detroit)

Recreation Park was a ballpark located in Detroit. The ballpark was home to the Detroit Wolverines of the National League from 1881 to 1888. The Wolverines won the National League Pennant while playing at Recreation Park during the 1887 season. Recreation Park was also home to minor league teams in...

, and it consisted of a wooden grandstand located between Brady Street and Willis Avenue. This stadium was demolished in 1894, though its location is indicated by a historical marker in what was once left field. The name of the ball club derives from Michigan being known as "The Wolverine State". The team name "Wolverines" is now primarily associated with University of Michigan

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

sports.

Though they folded after only eight seasons, the Wolverines occupy an important place in baseball history. On September 6 1883, they conceded 18 runs in a single inning against the Chicago White Stockings

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

, the most ever in MLB. In 1885, new owner Frederick Kimball Stearns began spending heavily in an attempt to create a 'super-team' by buying high-priced players. Most notably, he purchased the entire Buffalo Bisons

Buffalo Bisons (1879-1885)

The original Buffalo Bisons baseball club played in the National League between 1879 and 1885. The Bisons played their games at Riverside Park and Olympic Park in Buffalo, New York.-Year-by-year records:-Players of note:*Dan Brouthers...

franchise that August, to secure the services of its stars: Dan Brouthers

Dan Brouthers

Dennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned the period from to , with a brief return in...

, Jack Rowe

Jack Rowe

John Charles "Jack" Rowe was an American baseball player.Rowe was born in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, in 1911. He first played baseball under Tom Loftus with the Peoria Reds in 1878. In 1879, Rowe and his brother, Dave Rowe, signed with the Rockford team in the newly formed Northwestern League...

, Hardy Richardson

Hardy Richardson

Abram Harding "Hardy" Richardson was a second basemen and outfielder mostly, who played in the Major Leagues for a number of teams throughout the 19th century. Most of Richardson's career was with the Buffalo Bisons...

, and Deacon White

Deacon White

James Laurie "Deacon" White was an American baseball player who was one of the principal stars during the first two decades of the sport's professional era...

, the so-called "Big Four". This strategy quickly met resistance from his fellow owners, who changed the league's rules governing the splitting of gate receipts, reducing the visiting team's maximum share to $125 per game. Detroit was not yet the Motor City, and its population was too small to support a highly paid team. The Wolverines' home gate receipts were not sufficient to sustain their payroll, and Stearns was forced to sell his stars to other clubs.

The Wolverines' most successful season came in 1887, when they were crowned as the champion of the National League with a record of 79 wins and 45 losses. After the season, they defeated the St. Louis Browns

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

, champion of the rival American Association

American Association (19th century)

The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...

, in a series of exhibition matches, winning ten of the fifteen games played. These games were a predecessor to the modern World Series

World Series

The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...

, which did not begin until 1903.

Due to heavy financial losses, the team was disbanded following the 1888 season

1888 Detroit Wolverines season

.

Three Detroit players hit for the cycle: George Wood on June 13, 1885, Mox McQuery

Mox McQuery

William Thomas "Mox" McQuery was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He played for the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds of the Union Association, the Detroit Wolverines and the Kansas City Cowboys , both of the National League, and the Syracuse Stars and Washington Statesmen , both of the American...

on Sept. 28, 1885, and Jack Rowe

Jack Rowe

on Aug. 21, 1886.

Prominent players

Charlie Bennett
Charlie Bennett
Charles Wesley Bennett was a catcher in Major League Baseball.-Career overview:Born in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Bennett played 15 seasons in the major leagues. He played in 1062 games, had a .340 on base percentage and collected 978 hits, 203 doubles, 67 triples, 55 home runs, and 533 RBIs...
Dan Brouthers
Dan Brouthers
Dennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned the period from to , with a brief return in...
Fred Dunlap
Fred Dunlap
Frederick C. "Sure Shot" Dunlap was a second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball from 1880 to 1891. He was the highest paid player in Major League Baseball from 1884 to 1889. He has also been rated by some contemporary and modern sources as the greatest overall second baseman of the...
Ned Hanlon
Deacon McGuire
Deacon McGuire
James Thomas "Deacon" McGuire was a catcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball who spent over a quarter of a century playing professional baseball in a much-traveled career which saw him set several records for durability...
Hardy Richardson
Hardy Richardson
Abram Harding "Hardy" Richardson was a second basemen and outfielder mostly, who played in the Major Leagues for a number of teams throughout the 19th century. Most of Richardson's career was with the Buffalo Bisons...
Jack Rowe
Jack Rowe
John Charles "Jack" Rowe was an American baseball player.Rowe was born in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, in 1911. He first played baseball under Tom Loftus with the Peoria Reds in 1878. In 1879, Rowe and his brother, Dave Rowe, signed with the Rockford team in the newly formed Northwestern League...
Billy Shindle
Billy Shindle
William D. "Billy" Shindle was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Detroit Wolverines , Baltimore Orioles , Philadelphia Athletics , Philadelphia Phillies , and the Brooklyn Grooms & Bridegrooms . Shindle batted and threw right-handed...
Sam Thompson
Sam Thompson
Samuel Luther Thompson was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement...
Deacon White
Deacon White
James Laurie "Deacon" White was an American baseball player who was one of the principal stars during the first two decades of the sport's professional era...
Chief Zimmer
Chief Zimmer
Charles Louis Zimmer was a catcher in Major League Baseball for 19 seasons from to , playing for the Detroit Wolverines , New York Metropolitans...

Brouthers, Hanlon, and Thompson are members of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Franchise history

Prominent players

See also

External links