19th Century NL Franchise Shifts

[Brian McKenna]

The following lists the vast number of franchise shifts that took place in the National League during its first 25 years before it settled itself with the coming of the American League:

------IN--------------------------------------------OUT
1876
Chicago
St. Louis
Harford
Boston
Louisville
New York
Philadelphia
Cincinnati
1877-------------------------------------------------New York
------------------------------------------------------Philadelphia
1878
Providence
Milwaukee
Indianapolis
------------------------------------------------------Harford
------------------------------------------------------St. Louis
------------------------------------------------------Louisville
1879
Buffalo
Milwaukee
Syracuse
Troy
Cleveland
------------------------------------------------------Indianapolis
1880
Worcester
------------------------------------------------------Syracuse
1881
Detroit
------------------------------------------------------Cincinnati
1883
New York
Philadelphia
------------------------------------------------------Worcester
------------------------------------------------------Troy
1885
St. Louis
------------------------------------------------------Cleveland
1886
Kansas City
Washington
------------------------------------------------------Providence
------------------------------------------------------Buffalo
1887
Pittsburgh
Indianapolis
------------------------------------------------------St. Louis
------------------------------------------------------Kansas City
1889
Cleveland
------------------------------------------------------Detroit
1890
Brooklyn
Cincinnati
------------------------------------------------------Indianapolis
------------------------------------------------------Washington
1892
Baltimore
St. Louis
Washington
Louisville

1900------------------------------------------------Baltimore
------------------------------------------------------Louisville
------------------------------------------------------Washington
------------------------------------------------------Cleveland.

[SABR Steve]

In 1877, Cincinnati's games were not officially counted by the NL because they failed to pay their dues, forfeiting their membership. The club in fact reorganized twice during the season. When the NL met on December 5, 1877, the Reds were readmitted, having met all the League's demands under a contract they had with them. Cincy's games are now counted by the current crop of revisionists without regard to history as it happened. Thus, all the won/lost totals, as well as batting averages and other stats for 1877 that you see and use in recent reference books are erroneous. Cincinnati was not a member in 1877, but reentered in 1878.

[Brian McKenna]

did the league teams still play cincinnati? was the schedule kept? were the games viewed as viable contests by their opponents despite whatever administrative threats that were being bantered about?

those kind of disputes were common throughout all of baseball in the 19th century - especially in the minor and independent leagues - but with other major league teams as well - some major league teams didn't even join the league until august

likewise in the negro leagues and in the minors in the 20th century, especially during the depression

[SABR Steve]

Yes to your questions. However, to include them now as official is revisionism pure and simple. It is not history as it was known.

[paa0408]

I really enjoyed getting your listing of NL franchise shifts since the league first formed. I have been looking for something like this for quite some time. Thanks

paa0408

[Hoyfan]

I appreciated the list too. Egads, baseball history can be confusing, especially when the American League and now-defunct leagues are taken into account. How many "Baltimore Orioles" franchises have there been through the years? How many "St. Louis Browns," "Milwaukee Brewers," and "Chicago White Stockings/Sox"?

[ACrank]

How many "Baltimore Orioles" franchises have there been through the years? How many "St. Louis Browns," "Milwaukee Brewers," and "Chicago White Stockings/Sox"?

Here is a website that should help answer that:

http://www.baseball1.com/bb-data/bbd-tms.html

For instance according to this site there were:

4 Baltimore Oriole franchsies

3 St Louis Brown franchsies (but one of those was knicknamed the Cards and Redbirds and another was also called the Reds)

5 Milwaukee Brewer franchises - including one of those that became one of the St Louis Brown franchises (which is ironic since the first baseball team Bill Veeck Jr owned was a minor league Milwaukee Brewer franchise)

1 Chicago White Sox franchise but one of the knicknames of the Cubs was the WhiteStockings

[HDH]

I appreciated the list too. Egads, baseball history can be confusing, especially when the American League and now-defunct leagues are taken into account. How many "Baltimore Orioles" franchises have there been through the years? How many "St. Louis Browns," "Milwaukee Brewers," and "Chicago White Stockings/Sox"?

O's=3
Browns=2
Brewers=3
White Stockins/Sox=2