The 1902 major league baseball season was contested from April 17 through October 5, 1902. It was the second season for the American League (AL), with the Philadelphia Athletics winning the AL pennant. In the National League (NL), in operation since 1876, the Pittsburgh Pirates won the NL pennant for the second consecutive season. There was no postseason.
Prior to the season, the Milwaukee Brewers moved and became the St. Louis Browns; the franchise would remain in St. Louis through 1953, and in 1954 moved again to become the modern Baltimore Orioles. This season would be the last of this season's Baltimore Orioles, who would fold following the conclusion of the season. The Cleveland Blues renamed as the Cleveland Bronchos.
Schedule
The 1902 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 continued the format put in place for the season. This format would last until , which saw an increase of games played.
National League Opening Day took place on April 17 with every team playing, while American League Opening Day did not take place until April 19, with a one-off game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Americans, with the rest of the season beginning April 23. The American League would see its final day of the season on September 29, while the National League would see its final day of the season on October 5.
Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBaltimore OriolesBaltimore, MarylandOriole ParkUnknownBoston AmericansBoston, MassachusettsHuntington Avenue Grounds11,500Chicago White StockingsChicago, IllinoisSouth Side Park14,000Cleveland BronchosCleveland, OhioLeague Park (Cleveland)9,000Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganBennett Park8,500Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaColumbia Park9,500St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park 8,000Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.American League Park7,000Boston BeaneatersBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds6,600Brooklyn SuperbasNew York, New YorkWashington Park12,000Chicago OrphansChicago, IllinoisWest Side Park13,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioPalace of the Fans12,000New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds16,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaNational League Park18,000Pittsburgh PiratesAllegheny, PennsylvaniaExposition Park16,000St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriLeague Park (St. Louis)15,200
Sunday games Blue laws restricted Sunday activities in several localities, causing several teams to play at ballparks in a different locality.
TeamCityBallparkCapacityGames playedCleveland BronchosDayton, OhioFairview ParkUnknown1Fort Wayne, IndianaJail FlatsUnknown2Canton, OhioMahaffey ParkUnknown1Columbus, OhioNeil Park6,0001Detroit TigersSpringwells Township, MichiganBurns Park3,70010
Standings
American League
National League
Tie games 23 tie games (8 in AL, 15 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, 1 Boston Americans, 1 Chicago White Stockings, 4 Cleveland Bronchos, 1 Detroit Tigers, 2 Philadelphia Athletics, 1 St. Louis Browns, 4 Washington Senators, 2
National League Boston Beaneaters, 5 Brooklyn Superbas, 3 Chicago Orphans, 6 Cincinnati Reds, 1 New York Giants, 5 Philadelphia Phillies, 1 Pittsburgh Pirates, 3 St. Louis Cardinals, 6
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston BeaneatersFrank SeleeAl BuckenbergerChicago OrphansTom LoftusFrank SeleeCleveland BronchosJimmy McAleerBill Armour Detroit TigersGeorge StallingsFrank DwyerNew York GiantsGeorge DavisHorace FogelSt. Louis BrownsHugh DuffyJimmy McAleerWashington SenatorsJim ManningTom Loftus In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBaltimore OriolesJohn McGrawWilbert RobinsonCincinnati RedsBid McPheeFrank BancroftFrank BancroftJoe KelleyNew York GiantsHorace FogelHeinie SmithHeinie SmithJohn McGraw
League leaders Any team shown in indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
Across both leagues, Sammy Strang tied as a leader in runs at 109 (108 with the Chicago White Stockings of the AL and 1 with the Chicago Orphans of the NL).
American League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Nap Lajoie (CLE/) .378 OPS Ed Delahanty (WSH) 1.043 HR Socks Seybold (PHA) 16 RBI Buck Freeman (BOS) 121 R Topsy Hartsel (PHA)Dave Fultz (PHA) 109 H Charlie Hickman (CLE/) 193 SB Topsy Hartsel (PHA) 47
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Cy Young (BOS) 32 L Bill Dinneen (BOS) 21 ERA Ed Siever (DET) 1.91 K Rube Waddell (PHA) 210 IP Cy Young (BOS) 384.2 SV Jack Powell (SLB) 2 WHIP Bill Bernhard (CLE/) 0.942
National League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Ginger Beaumont (PIT) .357 OPS Honus Wagner (PIT) .857 HR Tommy Leach (PIT) 6 RBI Honus Wagner (PIT) 91 R Honus Wagner (PIT) 105 H Ginger Beaumont (PIT) 193 SB Honus Wagner (PIT) 42
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Jack Chesbro (PIT) 28 L Stan Yerkes (STL) 21 ERA Jack Taylor (CHC) 1.29 K Vic Willis (BSN) 225 IP Vic Willis (BSN) 410.0 SV Vic Willis (BSN) 3 WHIP Jack Taylor (CHC) 0.953
Milestones Batters Herman Long (BSN): Recorded his 500th career stolen base against the New York Giants on April 21. He became the 10th player to reach this mark.
Pitchers No-hitters
Nixey Callahan (CWS): Callahan threw his first career no-hitter and the first no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Detroit Tigers 3–0 in game one of a doubleheader on September 20. Fraser walked two and struck out two.
Miscellaneous Dummy Hoy (CIN) / Dummy Taylor (NYG/): Hoy bats against Taylor (while on New York) on May 16, becoming the first deaf matchup in major league history. Cleveland Bronchos: Set a major league record in a game against the Baltimore Orioles on June 2, committing six errors in a single inning.
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendancePhiladelphia Athletics8312.2%420,078103.6%5,754Boston Americans77 −2.5%348,56720.4%4,909Chicago White Stockings74 −10.8%337,898 −4.6%4,693New York Giants48 −7.7%302,8751.8%4,266Cleveland Bronchos6927.8%275,395109.6%4,237St. Louis Browns7862.5%272,28395.8%3,730Chicago Orphans68 28.3%263,700 28.6%3,663Pittsburgh Pirates10314.4%243,826 −3.2%3,434St. Louis Cardinals56 −26.3%226,417 −40.4%3,235Cincinnati Reds70 34.6%217,300 5.6%3,104Brooklyn Superbas75 −5.1%199,868 0.8%2,897Detroit Tigers52 −29.7%189,469 −27.0%2,828Washington Senators610.0%188,15816.4%2,767Baltimore Orioles50 −26.5%174,60623.0%2,728Boston Beaneaters735.8%116,960 −20.2%1,624Philadelphia Phillies56 −32.5%112,066 −52.3%1,624
Venues The St. Louis Browns, newly relocated from their inaugural major league season in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as the Milwaukee Brewers, leave Lloyd Street Grounds and move into Sportsman's Park where they would play for 52 seasons through before again relocating to Baltimore, Maryland where they remain to this day as the Baltimore Orioles.
The Cincinnati Reds leave League Park (where they played for 18 seasons) and move to the Palace of the Fans, where they would go on to play for ten seasons through .
Regarding games that were rescheduled to Sunday, and existing blue laws, the Cleveland Bronchos play five games across four parks: Fairview Park in Dayton, Ohio (one game, June 8). Jail Flats in Fort Wayne, Indiana (two games, June 22 & August 31). Mahaffey Park in Canton, Ohio (one game, June 15). Neil Park in Columbus, Ohio (one game, August 3).
See also 1902 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1902 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference 1902 in baseball history from ThisGreatGame.com