The 1914 major league baseball season began on April 13, 1914, with the first game of the inaugural major league season of the Federal League (having previously existed as a minor league the year before). The league declared itself as a "third major league", with its own eight teams, in competition with the established National and American Leagues.
The National League regular season ended on October 6 with the Boston Braves as champions, and the American League regular season concluded the next day with the Philadelphia Athletics as champions. The Federal League season ended on October 10, and saw the Indianapolis Hoosiers winning the Federal League pennant. The postseason between the National and American Leagues began with Game 1 of the 11th World Series on October 9 and ended with Game 4 on October 13. The Braves swept the Athletics in four games, capturing their first championship in franchise history. Both the National and American Leagues rejected offers by the Federal League for a postseason matchup. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Philadelphia Athletics from the season.
This was the last of four seasons that the Chalmers Award, a precursor to the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (introduced in 1931), was given to a player in each of the established National and American Leagues.
The Brooklyn Dodgers renamed as the Brooklyn Robins.
The major-league status of the Federal League was confirmed by the Special Baseball Records Committee (as convened by then-Commissioner of Baseball William Eckert) in 1969.
Schedule
The 1914 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League, National League, and Federal League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format first put in place for the season, and which lasted until the 140-game schedule of . Most teams played more than 154 games, due to tie games (called on account of darkness or weather) that had to be replayed; tie games are excluded from team standings, but the statistics of individual players are included in their season totals.
The Federal League had its Opening Day on April 13, with a game between Buffalo and Baltimore. Opening Day for the American and National Leagues was on April 14, and featured all 16 teams of those leagues, only the third time those two leagues started their season on the same day (the season had been the second). The National League had its final day of the regular season on October 6, while the American League's final day of the regular season was October 7. The World Series between AL and NL champions took place between October 9 and October 13. The Federal League had the final day of its regular season on October 10.
Teams An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park27,000Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park28,000Cleveland NapsCleveland, OhioLeague Park21,414Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganNavin Field23,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkBrush Stadium34,000Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park23,000St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park18,000Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.National Park27,000Boston BravesBoston, MassachusettsSouth End Grounds11,000Fenway Park*27,000*Brooklyn RobinsNew York, New YorkEbbets Field30,000Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWest Side Park16,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioRedland Field20,696New York GiantsNew York, New YorkBrush Stadium34,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaNational League Park18,000Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field23,000St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriRobison Field21,000Baltimore TerrapinsBaltimore, MarylandTerrapin Park16,000Brooklyn Tip-TopsNew York, New YorkWashington Park18,800Buffalo BuffedsBuffalo, New YorkFederal League Park20,000Chicago FederalsChicago, IllinoisWeeghman Park14,000Indianapolis HoosiersIndianapolis, IndianaFederal League Park23,000Kansas City PackersKansas City, MissouriGordon and Koppel Field12,000Pittsburgh RebelsPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaExposition Park16,000St. Louis TerriersSt. Louis, MissouriHandlan's Park15,000
Standings
American League
National League
Federal League
Tie games 43 tie games (18 in AL, 10 in NL, 15 in FL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
American League Boston Red Sox, 6 Chicago White Sox, 3 Cleveland Naps, 4 Detroit Tigers, 4 New York Yankees, 3 Philadelphia Athletics, 6 St. Louis Browns, 6 Washington Senators, 4
National League Boston Braves, 5 Chicago Cubs, 2 Cincinnati Reds, 3 New York Giants, 2 Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 St. Louis Cardinals, 4
Federal League Baltimore Terrapins, 6 Brooklyn Tip-Tops, 3 Buffalo Buffeds, 4 Chicago Federals, 3 Indianapolis Hoosiers, 4 Kansas City Packers, 3 Pittsburgh Rebels, 4 St. Louis Terriers, 3
Postseason The postseason began on October 9 and ended on October 13 with the Boston Braves sweeping the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1914 World Series in four games. The National and American Leagues refused a postseason against the Federal League.
Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBrooklyn RobinsBill DahlenWilbert RobinsonChicago CubsJohnny EversHank O'DayCincinnati RedsJoe TinkerBuck Herzog
In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerNew York Yankees Frank ChanceRoger Peckinpaugh
League leaders Across two leagues, Dave Davenport tied as a leader in saves at 6 (2 with the Cincinnati Reds of the NL and 4 with the St. Louis Terriers of the FL).
American League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Ty Cobb (DET) .368 OPS Ty Cobb (DET) .979 HR Home Run Baker (PHA) 9 RBI Sam Crawford (DET) 104 R Eddie Collins (PHA) 122 H Tris Speaker (BOS) 193 SB Fritz Maisel (NYY) 74
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Walter Johnson (WSH) 28 L Joe Benz (CWS) 19 ERA Dutch Leonard (BOS) 0.96 K Walter Johnson (WSH) 225 IP Walter Johnson (WSH) 371.2 SV Jack Bentley (WSH)Red Faber (CWS)Roy Mitchell (SLB)Jim Shaw (WSH) 4 WHIP Dutch Leonard (BOS) 0.886
National League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Jake Daubert (BRO) .329 OPS Gavvy Cravath (PHI) .901 HR Gavvy Cravath (PHI) 19 RBI Sherry Magee (PHI) 103 R George Burns (NYG) 100 H Sherry Magee (PHI) 171 SB George Burns (NYG) 62
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Grover Alexander (PHI) 27 L Red Ames (CIN) 23 ERA Bill Doak (STL) 1.72 K Grover Alexander (PHI) 214 IP Grover Alexander (PHI) 355.0 SV Red Ames (CIN)Slim Sallee (STL) 6 WHIP Babe Adams (PIT) 1.032
Federal League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Benny Kauff (IND) .370 OPS Benny Kauff (IND) .981 HR Dutch Zwilling (CWH) 16 RBI Frank LaPorte (IND) 107 R Benny Kauff (IND) 120 H Benny Kauff (IND) 211 SB Benny Kauff (IND) 75
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Claude Hendrix (CWH) 29 L Bob Groom (SLT)Henry Keupper (SLT) 20 ERA Claude Hendrix (CWH) 1.69 K Cy Falkenberg (IND) 236 IP Cy Falkenberg (IND) 377.1 SV Russ Ford (BUF) 6 WHIP Russ Ford (BUF) 0.934
Milestones Batters Cycles
Ed Lennox (PRB): Lennox hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history, on May 6 against the Kansas City Packers.
Other batting accomplishments Honus Wagner (PIT): Became the second member of the 3,000-hit club with a double in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 9. Nap Lajoie (CLE): Became the third member of the 3,000-hit club with a double in the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in game one of a doubleheader on September 27.
Pitchers No-hitters
Joe Benz (CWS): Benz threw his first career no-hitter and fifth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Cleveland Naps 6–1 on May 31. Benz walked two and struck out three. Iron Davis (BSN): Davis threw his first career no-hitter and fourth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 7–0 in game 2 of a doubleheader on September 9. Davis walked five and struck out four. Ed Lafitte (BKF): Lafitte threw his first career no-hitter and first no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Kansas City Packers 6–2 in game 1 of a doubleheader on September 19. Lafitte walked seven, hit one by pitch, and struck out one.
Awards and honors Chalmers Award: Johnny Evers (BSN, National); Eddie Collins (PHA, American)
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceBoston Red Sox91 15.2%481,359 10.1%6,093Chicago White Sox70 −10.3%469,290 −27.2%5,794Detroit Tigers80 21.2%416,225 4.4%5,336Boston Braves94 36.2%382,913 84.1%4,847New York Giants84 −16.8%364,313 −42.2%4,554New York Yankees70 22.8%359,477 0.5%4,609Philadelphia Athletics99 3.1%346,641 −39.4%4,444St. Louis Cardinals81 58.8%256,099 25.8%3,242St. Louis Browns71 24.6%244,714 −2.2%3,021Washington Senators81 −10.0%243,888 −25.1%3,167Chicago Cubs78 −11.4%202,516 −51.7%2,665Cleveland Naps51 −40.7%185,997 −65.6%2,354Pittsburgh Pirates69 −11.5%139,620 −52.8%1,813Philadelphia Phillies74 −15.9%138,474 −70.5%1,775Brooklyn Robins75 15.4%122,671 −64.6%1,553Cincinnati Reds60 −6.3%100,791 −60.9%1,309 Note: Attendance data for Federal League teams is unavailable.
Venues The 1914 season saw the two-year Federal League form, and with it, eight new teams in eight new venues: The Baltimore Terrapins played at Terrapin Park, former home of the 1901–1902 AL Baltimore Orioles when it was known as Oriole Park. The Brooklyn Tip-Tops played at Washington Park, former longtime home of the NL Brooklyn team. The Buffalo Buffeds played at Federal League Park. The Chicago Federals played at Weeghman Park, current longtime home of the NL Chicago Cubs (known today as Wrigley Field). The Indianapolis Hoosiers played their only season at Federal League Park, playing their last game on October 8 against the St. Louis Terriers, relocating to Newark, New Jersey at Harrison Park for the start of the season. The Kansas City Packers played at Gordon and Koppel Field. The Pittsburgh Rebels played at Exposition Park, former longtime home of the NL Pittsburgh Pirates and PL Pittsburgh Burghers. The St. Louis Terriers played at Handlan's Park.
The Boston Braves would play their last game at their inaugural home at the South End Grounds site on August 11, having played 39 seasons as a Major League team and five seasons as a member of the National Association, back to and respectively, and moved into the Boston Red Sox home of Fenway Park on September 7 to accommodate crowds larger than their South End Grounds capacity and the Braves' eventually successful run at the World Series. They previously played their on August 1 and August 8. In all, 29 of their 79 home games were played at Fenway Park. The team would only play at Fenway through July of the following season.
See also 1914 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1914 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference