The St. Louis Browns

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...

 season was the team's 4th season in St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

 and the 4th season in the American Association

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...

. The Browns went 79-33 during the season, best in the American Association, and won their first AA pennant

Pennant (sports)

A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...

. In the World Series

1885 World Series

The 1885 World Series was an end-of-the-year playoff series between the National League champion Chicago White Stockings and American Association champion St. Louis Browns. The Series was played in four different cities...

, the Browns played 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...

 champion Chicago White Stockings

1885 Chicago White Stockings season

The Chicago White Stockings season was a season in American baseball. The team won the National League pennant for the first time since , beating the New York Giants by two games. They went on to face the St. Louis Browns in the 1885 World Series...

. The series ended in dispute with each club winning 3 games with 1 tie.

The making of the first championship

Manager Charlie Comiskey finally was able to assemble and direct a team from start to finish the way he wanted. The result: a runaway championship.

The team was built on daring baserunning, clutch hitting, and the best pitching in the league. The team as a whole led the league in both earned run average

Earned run average

In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

 and overall runs allowed by a healthy margin over second-best Louisville

1885 Louisville Colonels season

The 1885 Louisville Colonels season was a season in American baseball. The team finished with a 53-59 record, sixth place in the American Association.- Roster :- Starters by position :...

. Individually, Dave Foutz

Dave Foutz

David Luther Foutz was a pitcher for the Saint Louis Browns of the American Association and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the National League from to , compiling a 147-66 career record. He also played first base and the outfield...

 was outstanding, as he won 33 of the 46 games he started and ranked fifth in ERA. His teammate Bob Caruthers

Bob Caruthers

Robert Lee Caruthers , nicknamed "Parisian Bob," was an American right-handed pitcher and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the St. Louis Browns and Brooklyn Bridegrooms...

 was even better, compiling league-leading totals in wins (40), ERA

Earned run average

In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

 (2.07) and winning percentage

Winning percentage

In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...

 (a stellar .755).

Running away from the pack

The Browns took over first place to stay in the second week of May, but they made a joke of the race in July. On successive home stands, they had winning streaks of 17 and 10 games, combining for a major-league record 27-game winning streak at home that still stands as the best ever. They finished 16 laps ahead of second-place Cincinnati Red Stockings and earned a berth in the World Series

1885 World Series

The 1885 World Series was an end-of-the-year playoff series between the National League champion Chicago White Stockings and American Association champion St. Louis Browns. The Series was played in four different cities...

 against National League champion Chicago White Stockings.

The championship

Game 1 between the Browns and White Stockings was called for darkness tied 5-5 after eight innings. The Series turned with Game 2 in St. Louis. Chicago was leading 5-4 in the sixth inning when Comiskey pulled his team off the field in protest of the work of umpire Dave Sullivan. Sullivan later forfeited the game to Chicago.

After Foutz pitched St. Louis to a 13-4 victory, however, Anson reneged, and the baseball world called the series a draw.

Roster

1885 St. Louis Browns
Roster
valign="top" | Pitchers		valign="top" | Catchers Infielders		valign="top" | Outfielders		valign="top" | Manager

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
1B		83	340	87	.256	2	44
OF		52	206	72	.350	3	38

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	17	60	7	.117	0	3
	4	17	1	.059	0	1

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	53	482.1	40	13	2.07	90
	47	407.2	33	14	2.63	147
	13	112	6	6	3.38	41

World Series

• Game 1 (October 14): Darkness ends game one after 8 innings‚ with the teams tied 5-5.

• Game 2 (October 15): With Chicago leading 5-4 in the sixth inning, Browns manager Charles Comiskey
  Charles Comiskey
  Charles Albert "The Old Roman" Comiskey was a Major League Baseball player, manager and team owner. He was a key person in the formation of the American League and later owned the Chicago White Sox...
  
   calls his team off the field to protest a ruling made by umpire Dave Sullivan. The game is forfeited to Chicago.

• Game 6 (October 23): The series moves from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati‚ setting a record for the series played in the most cities. (It was also played in New York and St. Louis.) Chicago takes a 3-2 series lead by beating the Browns 9-2.

• Game 7 (October 24): Behind pitcher Dave Foutz
  Dave Foutz
  David Luther Foutz was a pitcher for the Saint Louis Browns of the American Association and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the National League from to , compiling a 147-66 career record. He also played first base and the outfield...
  
  , St. Louis defeats Chicago 13-4 in the 7th and last game. The Browns claim the game 2 forfeit didn't count and therefore claim the championship. The two clubs split the $1000 prize.