The 1897 major league baseball season began on April 19, 1897. The regular season ended on October 3, with the Boston Beaneaters as the pennant winner of the National League and the Baltimore Orioles as runner-up. The postseason began with Game 1 of the fourth Temple Cup on October 4 and ended with Game 5 on October 11. The Orioles defeated the Beaneaters, four games to one, capturing their second consecutive Temple Cup.

Due to lack of enthusiasm from both players and fans, and the perception that the Temple Cup was more of an exhibition contest than a true championship contest, the 1897 Temple Cup would be the final version of the championship series. Aside from the 1900 Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, this would be the last championship series until the birth of the modern World Series in .

Schedule

The 1897 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 since and was the last season to use the format, which saw an extension of the schedule to 154 games the following season.

Opening Day took place on April 19 featuring a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Beaneaters. The final day of the season was on October 3, featuring four teams. The Temple Cup took place between October 4 and October 11, with two exhibition games breaking up the series played on October 7–8 between Games 3 and 4.

Rule changes The 1897 season saw the following rule changes: A new rule eliminating on-field coaches when the bases were empty was implemented. If a runner got on, one base coach was permitted. With two or more runners on base, both coaching boxes could be filled. Team captains were now prohibited from leaving his position on the field in order to dispute an umpire’s ruling (this included outfielders). If a stolen base figured in the scoring of a run, that run would be considered unearned. The power to appoint official game scorers was conferred upon the league president, a move designed to eliminate hometown favoritism in base-hit and error rulings.

Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBaltimore OriolesBaltimore, MarylandUnion Park6,500Boston BeaneatersBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds6,600Brooklyn BridegroomsBrooklyn, 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, PennsylvaniaNational League Park18,000Pittsburgh PiratesAllegheny, PennsylvaniaExposition Park6,500St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriNew Sportsman's Park14,500Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Boundary Field6,500

Standings National League

Tie games 23 tie games, which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again), occurred throughout the season. Baltimore Orioles, 6 Boston Beaneaters, 3 Brooklyn Bridegrooms, 4 Chicago Colts, 6 Cincinnati Reds, 2 Cleveland Spiders, 1 Louisville Colonels, 6 New York Giants, 7 Philadelphia Phillies, 2 Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 St. Louis Browns, 2 Washington Senators, 3

Postseason Bracket

Managerial changes Off-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerBrooklyn BridegroomsDave FoutzBilly BarnieLouisville ColonelsBill McGunnigleJim RogersPhiladelphia PhilliesBilly NashGeorge StallingsPittsburgh PiratesConnie MackPatsy Donovan

In-season TeamFormer ManagerNew ManagerLouisville ColonelsJim RogersFred ClarkeSt. Louis BrownsTommy DowdHugh NicolHugh NicolBill HallmanBill HallmanChris von der AheWashington SenatorsGus SchmelzTom Brown

League leaders National League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Willie Keeler (BAL) .424 OPS Willie Keeler (BAL) 1.003 HR Hugh Duffy (BSN) 11 RBI George Davis (NYG) 135 R Billy Hamilton (BSN) 152 H Willie Keeler (BAL) 239 SB Bill Lange (CHI) 73

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Kid Nichols (BSN) 31 L Red Donahue (STL) 35 ERA Amos Rusie (NYG) 2.54 K Doc McJames (WAS)Cy Seymour (NYG) 156 IP Kid Nichols (BSN) 368.0 SV Win Mercer (WAS)Kid Nichols (BSN) 3 WHIP Kid Nichols (BSN) 1.168

Milestones Batters Cap Anson (CHI): Recorded his 3,000th career hit with a single in the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles on July 18. He is the first player to reach 3,000 hits.

Other batting accomplishments Billy Hamilton (BSN): Broke the major league record for most career stolen bases when he stole his 742nd base, June 1.

Pitchers No-hitters

Cy Young (CLE): Young threw his first career no-hitter and the first no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Cincinnati Reds 6–0 in game 1 of a doubleheader on September 18. Young walked none, hit one by pitch, and struck out three, though three batters reached due to fielding errors.

Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceNew York Giants83 29.7%390,34042.5%5,136Cincinnati Reds76 −1.3%336,800 −9.7%4,953Boston Beaneaters9325.7%334,800 39.5%4,997Chicago Colts59 −16.9%327,160 3.0%4,883Philadelphia Phillies55 −11.3%290,027 −18.8%4,329Baltimore Orioles900.0%273,0469.5%3,957Brooklyn Bridegrooms61 5.2%220,831 9.9%3,155Pittsburgh Pirates60−9.1%165,950 −15.8%2,553Washington Senators615.2%151,028−32.3%2,221Louisville Colonels5236.8%145,2109.2%2,135St. Louis Browns29 −27.5%136,400 −25.9%2,236Cleveland Spiders69−13.8%115,250−24.2%1,773

See also 1897 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)

References

External links 1897 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference