The 1894 major league baseball season began on April 19, 1894. The regular season ended on September 30, with the Baltimore Orioles as the pennant winner of the National League and the New York Giants as runner-up. The postseason began with Game 1 of the first Temple Cup on October 4 and ended with Game 4 on October 8. The Giants swept the Orioles, capturing their first Temple Cup.

The 1894 season saw the return of a postseason championship series, the Temple Cup, following the end of the World's Championship Series with the demise of the American Association in and the one-off, split-season 1892 World's Championship Series.

Schedule

The 1894 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 in the previous season and would be used until .

Opening Day took place on April 19 featuring eight teams. The final day of the season was on September 30, also featuring eight teams. The Temple Cup took place between October 4 and October 8.

Rule changes The 1894 season saw the following rule changes: Foul bunts are now classified as strikes. The sacrifice hit rule, which is when a batter deliberately gets out in an effort to advance a baserunner to another base, is implemented. Sacrifice hits, which exempt a batter from a time at bat (including sacrifice bunts), is implemented. A precursor to the Infield fly rule is implemented, stating "the batsman is out if he hits a fly ball that can be handled by an infielder while first base is occupied, with only one out."

Teams An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at. Ballparks listed in chronological order. LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBaltimore OriolesBaltimore, MarylandUnion Park6,500Boston BeaneatersBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds (II)*8,500*Congress Street Grounds*14,000*South End Grounds (III)5,000Brooklyn GroomsBrooklyn, New YorkEastern Park12,000Chicago ColtsChicago, IllinoisWest Side Park13,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioLeague Park (Cincinnati)9,000Cleveland SpidersCleveland, OhioLeague Park (Cleveland)9,000Louisville ColonelsLouisville, KentuckyEclipse Park6,400New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds16,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia Base Ball Grounds12,500University of Pennsylvania Athletic Field*UnknownPhiladelphia Base Ball Grounds*Unknown*Pittsburgh PiratesAllegheny, PennsylvaniaExposition Park6,500St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriNew Sportsman's Park14,500Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Boundary Field6,500

Standings National League

Tie games 16 tie games, which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again), occurred throughout the season. Baltimore Orioles, 1 Boston Beaneaters, 1 Brooklyn Grooms, 4 Chicago Colts, 5 Cincinnati Reds, 4 Cleveland Spiders, 1 Louisville Colonels, 1 New York Giants, 7 Philadelphia Phillies, 4 Pittsburgh Pirates, 3 St. Louis Browns, 1

Postseason Bracket

Managerial changes Off-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerPhiladelphia PhilliesHarry WrightArthur IrwinSt. Louis BrownsBill WatkinsGeorge MillerWashington SenatorsJim O'RourkeGus Schmelz

In-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerPittsburgh PiratesAl BuckenbergerConnie Mack

League leaders Any team shown in indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.

National League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Hugh Duffy (BSN) .440 OPS Hugh Duffy (BSN) 1.196 HR Hugh Duffy (BSN) 18 RBI Sam Thompson (PHI) 149 R Billy Hamilton1 (PHI) 198 H Hugh Duffy (BSN) 237 SB Billy Hamilton (PHI) 100 1 All-time single-season runs record

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Amos Rusie1 (NYG) 36 L Pink Hawley (PIT) 27 ERA Amos Rusie1 (NYG) 2.78 K Amos Rusie1 (NYG) 195 IP Theodore Breitenstein (STL) 447.1 SV Tony Mullane (CLE/) 4 WHIP Amos Rusie (NYG) 1.410 1 National League Triple Crown pitching winner

Milestones Batters Four home runs in one game

Bobby Lowe (BSN): Became the first player to hit four home runs in one game in a 20–11 win against the Cincinnati Reds on May 30.

Cycles

Lave Cross (PHI): Cross hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history, on April 24 against the Brooklyn Grooms Bill Hassamaer (WAS): Hassamaer hit for his first cycle and fifth in franchise history, on June 13 against the St. Louis Browns. Sam Thompson (PHI): Thompson hit for his first cycle and second in franchise history, on August 17 against the Louisville Colonels. Tom Parrott (CIN): Parrott hit for his first cycle and fifth in franchise history, on September 28 against the New York Giants.

Other batting accomplishments Tom Brown (LOU): Recorded his 500th career stolen base, becoming the fourth player to reach this mark. It is unknown what day this stolen base occurred. Billy Hamilton (PHI): Tied a record for most stolen bases in a single game, stealing seven bases in game 2 of a doubleheader on August 31 against the Washington Senators. Recorded his 500th career stolen base, becoming the fifth player to reach this mark. It is unknown what day this stolen base occurred.

Pitchers Pink Hawley (STL): Set a Major League record by becoming the first pitcher to hit three consecutive batters by pitch, in a game against the Washington Senators in game one of a doubleheader on July 4.

Miscellaneous Baltimore Orioles: Set a major league record for most runs scored in the ninth innings, by scoring 14 runs against the Boston Beaneaters on April 24. Boston Beaneaters: Set a major league record for most runs scored in the first inning, by scoring 16 runs against the Baltimore Orioles on June 18.

Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceNew York Giants88 29.4%387,00033.4%5,451Philadelphia Phillies71 −1.4%352,773 20.4%4,969Baltimore Orioles8948.3%328,000129.4%4,896Chicago Colts57 1.8%239,000 6.9%3,515Brooklyn Grooms70 7.7%214,000 −8.9%3,101Pittsburgh Pirates65−19.8%159,000 −13.6%2,120Cincinnati Reds55 −15.4%158,000 −18.7%2,394St. Louis Browns56 −1.8%155,000 −20.5%2,348Boston Beaneaters83−3.5%152,800 −21.0%2,425Washington Senators4512.5%125,00038.9%2,016Cleveland Spiders68−6.8%82,000−36.9%1,390Louisville Colonels36−28.0%75,00039.7%1,210

Venues There were two instances of conflagration causing the temporary relocation of teams before returning to a rebuilt ballpark: In what was only the fifth home game of the Boston Beaneaters' season, their home of the South End Grounds burned down during the third inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on May 15, forcing the team to play at the Congress Street Grounds, the former home of the Players' League/American Association Boston Reds from May 16 until the South End Grounds could be rebuilt. The team would play 27 home games at the Congress Street Grounds through June 20, before going on a month-long road trip and returning to a rebuilt South End Grounds on July 20, where they would go on to play another 31 home games for the rest of the season. During a practice session on August 6, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds burned down. The Phillies would play six games from August 11 through August 17 at University of Pennsylvania Athletic Field before returning to the Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds the following day, where temporary bleachers had been installed.

Prior to the start of the season, the Cincinnati Reds' home as League Park saw major changes. A new grandstand in what was left field was built, as well as an ampitheater. The baseball diamond was shifted from the southeast corner of the lot to the southwest corner, with the original seating retained as right field seating.

See also 1894 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)

References

External links 1894 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference