Pittsburgh Burghers
Encyclopedia
The Pittsburgh Burghers were a baseball
team in the Players' League, a short-lived Major League
that existed only for the 1890
season. The team included a number of players who had jumped from the National League
's Pittsburgh Alleghenys (now the Pittsburgh Pirates
), including Hall of Famers
Pud Galvin
, Ned Hanlon, and Jake Beckley
. Hanlon served as the team's Manager
. Meanwhile, John Tener, who would go on to represent Pittsburgh in the United States Congress
and be elected the 25th Governor of Pennsylvania, finished his pitching
career with the Burghers in 1890. Later Tener would become the president of the National League, and a director of the Philadelphia Phillies
.
In its only season, the Burghers finished in 6th place with a 60-68 record. The team played at the Alleghenies' former home, Exposition Park
. The stadium and the team was located in Allegheny, Pennsylvania
, which was not incorporated into the city of Pittsburgh until 1907. The area is currently known today as the North Side of Pittsburgh, and the site of Exposition Park was later used for Three Rivers Stadium
.
In an indirect way, it can be argued that the Burghers, alone among the old Players' League franchises, still exist today. Nearly all of the Alleghenys' stars had jumped to the upstart league, and the resulting drain on attendance led Alleghenys owner Dennis McKnight
to return his franchise to the National League. He then joined the Burghers' ownership group as a minority owner, and this group repurchased the Pittsburgh National League franchise under a different corporate name. It is this franchise that forms the current ownership lineage of today's Pirates. In fact, the Pirates nickname can also be traced back to the Burghers. In 1890 after the then-Alleghenys scooped up every star player from the Burghers, including several who had jumped from other National League and American Association
clubs. This led an official from the AA's Philadelphia Athletics
to denounce the Alleghenys' actions as "piratical"--an accusation that led the Alleghenys to rename themselves the Pirates for the next season.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team in the Players' League, a short-lived Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
that existed only for the 1890
1890 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Brooklyn Bridegrooms 3, Louisville Colonels 3, 1 tie*National League: Brooklyn Bridegrooms*American Association: Louisville Colonels*Players' League: Boston RedsInter-league playoff: Brooklyn declined challenge by Boston...
season. The team included a number of players who had jumped from 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...
's Pittsburgh Alleghenys (now the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
), including Hall of Famers
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Pud Galvin
Pud Galvin
James Francis Galvin , nicknamed "Pud", "Gentle Jeems", and "The Little Steam Engine", was an American National Association and Major League Baseball pitcher. He was Major League Baseball's first 300-game winner...
, Ned Hanlon, and Jake Beckley
Jake Beckley
Jacob Peter Beckley , nicknamed "Eagle Eye", was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century. He was born in Hannibal, Missouri.-Professional career:...
. Hanlon served as the team's Manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. Meanwhile, John Tener, who would go on to represent Pittsburgh in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and be elected the 25th Governor of Pennsylvania, finished his pitching
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
career with the Burghers in 1890. Later Tener would become the president of the National League, and a director of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
In its only season, the Burghers finished in 6th place with a 60-68 record. The team played at the Alleghenies' former home, Exposition Park
Exposition Park (Pittsburgh)
Exposition Park was a baseball park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1890 to circa 1915. It was located on the north side of the Allegheny River across from Pittsburgh's downtown area. Prior to the construction of this version of Exposition Park, two previous ballparks of the same name were...
. The stadium and the team was located in Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny City was a Pennsylvania municipality located on the north side of the junction of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, across from downtown Pittsburgh. It was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907...
, which was not incorporated into the city of Pittsburgh until 1907. The area is currently known today as the North Side of Pittsburgh, and the site of Exposition Park was later used for Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
.
In an indirect way, it can be argued that the Burghers, alone among the old Players' League franchises, still exist today. Nearly all of the Alleghenys' stars had jumped to the upstart league, and the resulting drain on attendance led Alleghenys owner Dennis McKnight
Dennis McKnight
Dennis Neal McKnight is a former American football guard who played in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, and the Philadelphia Eagles. McKnight played college football at Drake University.McKnight is currently the running back coach of the Edmonton Eskimos....
to return his franchise to the National League. He then joined the Burghers' ownership group as a minority owner, and this group repurchased the Pittsburgh National League franchise under a different corporate name. It is this franchise that forms the current ownership lineage of today's Pirates. In fact, the Pirates nickname can also be traced back to the Burghers. In 1890 after the then-Alleghenys scooped up every star player from the Burghers, including several who had jumped from other National League and American Association
American Association
American Association may refer to one of the following professional baseball leagues:* American Association , active from 1882 to 1891* American Association , active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997...
clubs. This led an official from the AA's Philadelphia Athletics
Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)
The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional baseball team, one of six charter members of the American Association, a 19th-century major league, which began play in 1882 as a rival to the National League. The other teams were the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Eclipse of...
to denounce the Alleghenys' actions as "piratical"--an accusation that led the Alleghenys to rename themselves the Pirates for the next season.