1883 Season Recap

Federal League

The Rochester Robins soared to the pennant, edging out the hard-charging Cleveland Blue Caps in an "extra game" after the clubs finished tied through 98 contests. Rochester’s 63–36 mark (.636) was built on steady pitching and the bat of Larry Buckley, who made history with the first batting Triple Crown in organized base ball: a .344 average, 10 home runs, and 95 runs batted in. Buckley’s totals were all league highs, with New York’s Dave Claiborne (.339) and Chicago’s ironman player-manager Morgan Cook (.333) close behind.

Federal League Standings (1883)

Though Buckley dominated headlines, the press remained curiously quiet about Louisville’s Sam Day, the Australian-born second baseman who continued to do everything well for a third straight year. Playing in relative obscurity for the mid-pack Colts, Day never received the plaudits his all-around play deserved.

On the mound, numbers were gaudier than elegant. New York’s Martin Bird took the ERA title at 2.34, while Chicago’s Doug Crockett claimed the wins crown with 39. The ironman laurels, however, belonged to a pair of pitchers who seemed almost superhuman. Philadelphia’s Mike McCord, discarded by Cleveland after a “dead arm,” rebounded with 61 starts for the Unions, going 21–36 across an eye-watering 504 innings. Yet even he was overshadowed by New York’s folk hero Tom “The Erie Eel” Ewart, who started 63 games on the mound and 35 more in center field. Ewart’s 28–34 record, 2.99 ERA, league-best 251 strikeouts, 58 complete games, and 4 shutouts, paired with a .286 batting average and solid glove in the outfield, made him the Columbians’ not-so-secret weapon and a fan favorite across the loop.

International Association

The Federal’s rival, the International Association, found its rhythm in 1883, thanks in no small part to the arrival of the long-dominant New York Excelsiors. Long a barnstorming juggernaut, the Excelsiors finally joined organized play and promptly ran off with the pennant at 61–37. Their arrival was controversial — owner Jeremiah Goodwin, a sharp-eyed businessman with little regard for collegiality, had poached liberally from both Federal and IA clubs in building his roster.

Independent Association Standings (1883)

His prize catch was Scottish-born first baseman Jim “The Great Scot” Scott, who lived up to his nickname by hitting .353 with 29 doubles, 12 triples, and 75 runs batted in. Alongside him was Paul Weyman, the league’s lone Black player and a versatile defender who could also take the mound. Weyman’s .294 average and steady glove made him indispensable.

Toronto’s Isaac Montgomery (.347) and Montreal’s Robert “Buster” Brown (league-leading 15 triples and 9 homers) added offensive fireworks elsewhere, while on the mound the season turned into a duel between Excelsior ace Candy Lemmons and Pittsburgh’s Dennis Catchings. Lemmons, stolen from Rochester after 1881, led in ERA (2.06), while Catchings, a Vulcans lifer, topped the league with 38 wins.

Postseason Drama

With Rochester and Cleveland tied atop the Federal and the IA’s crown comfortably in New York’s hands, eyes turned to the Federal League tiebreaker. Unlike his predecessor, Federal League President Augustus Pembroke, who owned New York and had no stake in the pennant race, elected to add a single game to the slate, and allow the champion to be determined upon the field of battle. 

The Rochester Robins romped over the Cleveland Blue Caps, 11–3, at Genesee Grounds. Jed Edwards led the charge, going 4-for-4 with a home run, a triple, two singles, and a walk. He crossed the plate four times and drove in a pair. The win secured the first pennant in club history for Rochester.

Bill Nolette earned his 29th win of the season, working all nine innings. He allowed seven hits and three runs while striking out four and walking two.

Larry Buckley gave Rochester a commanding lead with a grand slam in the bottom of the third. The first sacker finished 2-for-5 with a homer, a single, two runs scored, and four runs batted in.

“We’ve played well all season, so this is not a surprise to me,” said Pat Manke, the Robins’ player-manager, after the game. Manke, who already juggles duties as pitcher, catcher, and all around utility man, has added the manager’s chair to his growing list of responsibilities.

The IA, with no such playoff required, instead celebrated its first full season with a banquet in New York City, where Goodwin was feted in the press even as his fellow owners grumbled over his cutthroat ways.

A League in the Shadows

While the Federal and IA jostled for supremacy, whispers grew louder of a third circuit preparing for a debut in 1884. Bankers and industrialists in cities spurned by the existing leagues were said to be banding together, and former stars shut out of both loops were rumored to be in talks. Nothing had been finalized by winter’s end, but the possibility of another base ball war loomed large over the sport.

A New Face of Authority

In a shocking twist that no one saw coming, Pembroke resigned the Federal League presidency after the season concluded. He explained by saying that he wanted to focus on his team and now that peace between the Federal and International circuits had been achieved, he could no longer serve as President. His replacement, a non-baseball man, was lawyer-turned-banker Albert P. Whitford of Boston. A stern and serious man, Whitford's focus would solely on maintaining order and ensuring prosperity for the Federal League. Time would tell whether this step away from a "base ball man" at the top would be a smart move, or a failure.