1887 World Series
Encyclopedia
The 1887 World Series was won by the Detroit Wolverines
of the National League
, over the St. Louis Browns
of the American Association
, 10 games to 5. It was played between October 10 and October 26, and played in numerous neutral cities, as well as in Detroit and St. Louis. Detroit clinched the series in game 11.
This Series was part of the pre-modern World Series, an annual competition between the champion of the National League and the champion of the American Association.
The Wolverines, who had been in the League since 1881, had spent a significant sum of money to bring star players to Detroit for the 1887, and the investment paid off with a championship, but not in money. Detroit was not yet the Motor City, and was not ready to support major league baseball. The 1887 champions folded after the 1888 season.
The Detroit Wolverines defeated the St. Louis Browns in the 1887 World Series, 10 games to 5.
After the Wolverines won the National League pennant, owner Fred Stearns challenged the American Association
champion St. Louis Browns
. The Wolverines and the Browns would play "a series of contests for supremacy" of the baseball world. This early "world series" consisted of fifteen games - played in Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Baltimore and Chicago, as well as Detroit and St. Louis. The Wolverines claimed their eighth victory - and thus the championship – in the eleventh game.
Detroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season.-Franchise...
of 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...
, over 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...
of 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...
, 10 games to 5. It was played between October 10 and October 26, and played in numerous neutral cities, as well as in Detroit and St. Louis. Detroit clinched the series in game 11.
This Series was part of the pre-modern World Series, an annual competition between the champion of the National League and the champion of the American Association.
The Wolverines, who had been in the League since 1881, had spent a significant sum of money to bring star players to Detroit for the 1887, and the investment paid off with a championship, but not in money. Detroit was not yet the Motor City, and was not ready to support major league baseball. The 1887 champions folded after the 1888 season.
World Series Summary
After the Wolverines won the National League pennant, owner Fred Stearns challenged 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...
champion St. Louis Browns
1887 St. Louis Browns season
The St. Louis Browns season was the team's 6th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 6th season in the American Association. The Browns went 95-40 during the season and finished first in the American Association, winning their third pennant in a row...
. The Wolverines and the Browns would play "a series of contests for supremacy" of the baseball world. This early "world series" consisted of fifteen games - played in Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Baltimore and Chicago, as well as Detroit and St. Louis. The Wolverines claimed their eighth victory - and thus the championship – in the eleventh game.
- October 9: The St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis CardinalsThe 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...
ended their season with a 95-40 record‚ a win total that was not exceeded until the adoption of the 154-game schedule. - October 10: The World Series opened in St. Louis with the Browns beating Detroit 6-1. St. Louis pitcher Bob CaruthersBob CaruthersRobert 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...
held the Wolverines to five hits and had three hits himself. - October 11: In Game 2, the Wolverines scored five unearned runs to defeat the Browns, 5-3.
- October 12: In Game 3, Detroit won at home, 2-1, in 13 innings. St. Louis batters had 13 hits against Charlie Getzien‚ but scored only once. Bob CaruthersBob CaruthersRobert 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...
held the Wolverines to six hits, but the Wolverines scored twice. - October 13: In Game 4, the World Series began its tour of other cities with a game in Pittsburgh. Detroit won, 8-0, behind the two-hit pitching of Lady BaldwinLady BaldwinCharles B. "Lady" Baldwin was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played six seasons in the Union Association, National League, and Players' League with the Milwaukee Brewers , Detroit Wolverines , Brooklyn Bridegrooms , and Buffalo Bisons...
. - October 15: In Game 5, the Browns beat the Wolverines in Brooklyn, 5-2.
- October 16: In Game 6, played in New York, Detroit beat St. Louis, 9-0. Charlie Getzien took a no-hitter (not counting walks) into the ninth inning but settled for a three-hit game. Charlie GanzelCharlie GanzelCharles William Ganzel was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Paul Saints , Philadelphia Quakers , Detroit Wolverines and Boston Beaneaters . He batted and threw right-handed.A native of Waterford, Wisconsin, Ganzel came from a baseball family...
‚ playing first base in place of the injured Dan BrouthersDan BrouthersDennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned the period from to , with a brief return in...
‚ led Detroit with four hits. Brouthers was out for the series with a sprained ankleSprained ankleA sprained ankle, also known as an ankle sprain, twisted ankle, rolled ankle, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn.-Cause:...
. - October 17: Detroit won Game 7, by a score of 3-1, in Phillies’ Park.
- October 18: In Game 8, Detroit beat the Browns, 9-2, at old Dartmouth Street Grounds in Boston, as Big Sam ThompsonSam ThompsonSamuel Luther Thompson was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement...
hit two home runs. - October 19: Detroit won Game 9 by a score of 4-2 at Athletics’ Park and extended its lead in the World Series to seven games to two.
- October 21: After a rainout the day before, Detroit and St. Louis played two games in two cities on the same day. In the morning game in WashingtonWashington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the Browns pull off a triple play in an 11-4 victory over Detroit. In Game 11, played in the afternoon at Baltimore, Detroit clinched the championship with its eighth victory, 13-3. - October 26: The World Series ended with a final game back in St. Louis. St. Louis won the final game but lost the series‚ 10 games to 5. Sam ThompsonSam ThompsonSamuel Luther Thompson was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement...
led all hitters in the series with a .362 average.
Sources
- Baseball Library chronology for 1887
- Glory Fades Away: The Nineteenth-Century World Series Rediscovered, by Jerry Lansche, Taylor Publishing, Dallas, Texas, 1991: pp. 95-125.
See also
- The original World Series