Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional baseball team, one of six charter members of the American Association
, a 19th-century major league
, which began play in 1882
as a rival to the National League
. The other teams were the Baltimore Orioles
, Cincinnati Red Stockings
, Eclipse of Louisville, Pittsburgh Alleghenys, and St. Louis Brown Stockings
. The team took its name from a previous team, which played in the National Association
from 1871
through 1875
and in the National League
in 1876
.
, finishing one game ahead of the St. Louis team. That same year, however, the National League set up its own team in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Quakers
(later Phillies). The Quakers finished last in 1883, but soon improved on the field and at the gate.
Their home games were played at Oakdale Park
in 1882, and at the Jefferson Street Grounds
from 1883 to 1890. In addition, games were also occasionally played at Gloucester Point Grounds
. They had eight different managers, with co-owner Bill Sharsig
having the longest tenure.
Notable players for the Athletics included future Baseball Hall of Fame member Wilbert Robinson
and Al Atkinson
. Atkinson is one of the few pitchers to throw more than one no-hitter
, and he threw them both for the Athletics, on May 24, 1884 and May 1, 1886. In the first no-hitter Atkinson beaned leadoff hitter Ed Swartwood
and then retired 27 batters in a row. In 1888 the Athletics would have two no-hitters within a week, with Ed Seward
throwing one on July 26 and Gus Weyhing
on July 31.
and manager Horace Phillips
. After the tour, Phillips jumped ship to the competing Quakers and was replaced on the management team by minstrel show performer Lew Simmons.
Though the Players' League folded after a single season, it had taken its toll. In September 1890, the Athletics released or sold their players and finished the season with a pick-up team, losing the final 21 games. The Athletics were expelled by the league at the end of the season and was replaced by a new Philadelphia Athletics team, which previously played in the Players' League as the Quakers
. The new team hired Sharsig as manager.
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...
, a 19th-century major league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, which began play in 1882
1882 in baseball
-Champions:*National League: Chicago def. Providence 5 games to 4*American Association: Cincinnati Red Stockings*League Alliance: New York MetropolitansInterleague*Chicago vs. Cincinnati tie 1 game each*Chicago def...
as a rival to the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. The other teams were the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
, Cincinnati Red Stockings
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, Eclipse of Louisville, Pittsburgh Alleghenys, and St. Louis Brown Stockings
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...
. The team took its name from a previous team, which played in the National Association
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
from 1871
1871 in baseball
-Champions:*National Association : Philadelphia Athletics*National Association of Amateur Base Ball Players: Star of Brooklyn, 30–13*National Association of Junior Base Ball Players: Fly Aways-National Association final standings:...
through 1875
1875 in baseball
-Champions:*National Association: Boston Red Stockings-National Association final standings:-Statistical leaders:-April-June:*May 3 - The Hartford Dark Blues are caught using an illegal bat which had been whittled nearly flat on one side and painted black to conceal the altering...
and in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in 1876
1876 in baseball
After a tumultuous six-year existence, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , folded following the season. The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was formed in Chicago, Illinois by businessman, and owner of the Chicago White Stockings, William Hulbert, for the...
.
Overview
Over the ten years of their existence, the Athletics were a successful club on the field, winning 633 games and losing 564, for a winning percentage of .529. The team won the AA pennant in 18831883 in baseball
-Champions:*National League: Boston Beaneaters*American Association: Philadelphia Athletics*Inter-State League: Brooklyn Atlantics*Northwestern League: Toledo Blue StockingsInter-league playoff: Philadelphia declined to play Boston...
, finishing one game ahead of the St. Louis team. That same year, however, the National League set up its own team in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Quakers
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(later Phillies). The Quakers finished last in 1883, but soon improved on the field and at the gate.
Their home games were played at Oakdale Park
Oakdale Park
Oakdale Park is a former baseball field located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The field was home to the Philadelphia Athletics in their first season of the American Association in 1882...
in 1882, and at the Jefferson Street Grounds
Jefferson Street Grounds
Jefferson Street Grounds was a baseball field located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was also known as Jefferson Park and Athletics Park. It was home to the Philadelphia Athletics from 1871 to 1876, five seasons in the...
from 1883 to 1890. In addition, games were also occasionally played at Gloucester Point Grounds
Gloucester Point Grounds
Gloucester Point Grounds is a former baseball ground located in Gloucester City, New Jersey. The ground, roughly bounded by the present day streets: 5th St, Jersey Ave, 7th St, Charles St, and Pine St and then located just behind Thompson's Hotel, along a creek, was the part-time home to the...
. They had eight different managers, with co-owner Bill Sharsig
Bill Sharsig
William A. Sharsig was an American Major League Baseball Co-owner, general manager, business manager and on field manager of the American Association Philadelphia Athletics, both their first incarnation and their second, which had migrated over from the Players' League...
having the longest tenure.
Notable players for the Athletics included future Baseball Hall of Fame member Wilbert Robinson
Wilbert Robinson
Wilbert Robinson , nicknamed "Uncle Robbie", was an American catcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball...
and Al Atkinson
Al Atkinson (baseball)
Albert Wright Atkinson was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played three seasons; one in the Union Association and parts of three seasons in the American Association. He became the first player to desert his existing contract to jump over to the Union Association...
. Atkinson is one of the few pitchers to throw more than one no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
, and he threw them both for the Athletics, on May 24, 1884 and May 1, 1886. In the first no-hitter Atkinson beaned leadoff hitter Ed Swartwood
Ed Swartwood
Cyrus Edward Swartwood was an American professional baseball player and umpire. He played all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily as a right fielder and first baseman. He played for the Buffalo Bisons , Pittsburgh Alleghenys/Pirates , Brooklyn Grays , and Toledo Maumees...
and then retired 27 batters in a row. In 1888 the Athletics would have two no-hitters within a week, with Ed Seward
Ed Seward
Edward William Seward born as Edward William Sourhardt, , was an American Major League Baseball pitcher for six seasons from 1885 to 1891. Seward made his professional baseball debut in 1884 at age 16 with Terre Haute of the Northwestern League. Because of his age, he was referred to as "Kid" Seward...
throwing one on July 26 and Gus Weyhing
Gus Weyhing
August "Gus" Weyhing was a pitcher for nine professional baseball teams in a career that spanned 14 years from to . He was small for a pitcher by today's standards, listed at 5 feet 10 inches tall and between 120-145 pounds...
on July 31.
Beginnings
The Athletics were founded by businessman Bill Sharsig in September 1880. In 1881, the team went on a barnstorming tour, and Sharsig took on two partners: player Charlie MasonCharlie Mason (baseball)
Charles E. Mason was an American professional baseball player who played from 1875–1883, primarily as an outfielder.-External links:...
and manager Horace Phillips
Horace B. Phillips
Horace B. Phillips was an American manager in Major League Baseball for eight seasons, from 1879 to 1889. He managed one season for the Troy Trojans, one season for the Columbus Buckeyes and six seasons for the Pittsburg Alleghenys...
. After the tour, Phillips jumped ship to the competing Quakers and was replaced on the management team by minstrel show performer Lew Simmons.
Success
The Athletics were successful both on and off the field during the early part of their existence. After winning the AA in 1883, in 1884 it was said that Sharsig, Simmons and Mason had cleared between $200,000 and $300,000 in just three years, then the greatest financial success scored in baseball.Ownership shuffle
After the 1887 season, Sharsig bought out Mason and Simmons, selling their shares of the club to H. C. Pennypacker and William Whittaker.Collapse of 1890
The last straw for the AA Athletics, and several other American Association teams, was the creation of the Players' League in 1890. The established leagues lost players to the upstart league, player salaries soared (by the standards of the day), and there simply were not enough fans to support three baseball leagues. The Athletics also had problems with their own payroll, with the salaries of Pennypacker and Whittaker causing additional financial trouble.Though the Players' League folded after a single season, it had taken its toll. In September 1890, the Athletics released or sold their players and finished the season with a pick-up team, losing the final 21 games. The Athletics were expelled by the league at the end of the season and was replaced by a new Philadelphia Athletics team, which previously played in the Players' League as the Quakers
Philadelphia Quakers/Athletics (PL/AA)
The Philadelphia Athletics were a short-lived Major League Baseball franchise that existed for two seasons from to . Known alternatively as the Philadelphia Quakers, and sometimes informally as "Buffinton's Beauties", they played their first season in the newly created Players' League of ,...
. The new team hired Sharsig as manager.
See also
- 1882 Philadelphia Athletics season1882 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1882 season was the first season for the brand new Philadelphia Athletics . They finished with a 41-34 record and a third place position in the brand new American Association league....
- 1883 Philadelphia Athletics season1883 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1883 Philadelphia Athletics finished with a 66-32 record and won the championship of the American Association.-Roster:-Starters by position:...
- 1884 Philadelphia Athletics season1884 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1884 Philadelphia Athletics finished with a 61-46 record and finished in seventh place in the American Association.- Notable transactions :* August, 1884: Frank Ringo was signed as a free agent by the Athletics.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
- 1885 Philadelphia Athletics season1885 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1885 Philadelphia Athletics finished with a 55-57 record and finished in fourth place in the American Association.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
- 1886 Philadelphia Athletics season1886 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1886 Philadelphia Athletics finished with a 63-72 record and finished in sixth place in the American Association.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
- 1887 Philadelphia Athletics season1887 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1887 Philadelphia Athletics finished with a 64-69 record and finished in fifth place in the American Association.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
- 1888 Philadelphia Athletics season1888 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1888 Philadelphia Athletics finished with a 81-52 record and finished in third place in the American Association.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
- 1889 Philadelphia Athletics season1889 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1889 Philadelphia Athletics finished with a 75-58 record and finished in third place in the American Association.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
- 1890 Philadelphia Athletics season1890 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe 1890 Philadelphia Athletics finished with a 54-78 record and finished in eighth place in the American Association. During the season, the team struggled financially and wound up selling or releasing most of their players. They were able to finish the season with a pickup team and were...
- Philadelphia Athletics (American Association) all-time rosterPhiladelphia Athletics (American Association) all-time roster* The following is a list of players and who appeared in at least one game for the Philadelphia Athletics franchise, which played in the American Association from 1882–1890...
External links
- Team index page, 1882-90 AA Athletics