Tuesday, September 8, 2009

1880-1886 Chicago White Stockings “The cub’s second dynasty”

1880-1886 Chicago White Stockings “The cub’s second dynasty”
During the 1880's, the club enjoyed a three year championship run (1880-82) and then a back-to-back success (1885-86) for five of their six NL titles, the other 1876. Under the leadership of Cap Anson they were as dominate as any team ever.
1880 Cubs
Home field: Lakefront Park I, It was located south of Randolph St, between Michigan Ave.
N.L. Champions
W -67 L -17 .798
Manager Cap Anson

The 1880 Cubs season off with a 35-3 record
Coached player Cap Anson is generally recognized as the greatest 19th-century player and still holds cubs records for 1782 runs, 3012 hits and 529 doubles

Cubs had a couple of powerhouse pitchers in
Larry Corcoran 536.1 innings pitched with 43 wins era 1.95 Rookie record
Fred Goldsmith 210.1 innings pitched with 21 wins era 1.75
The first tandem pitchers
With George Gore, Cap Anson, Abner Dalrymple, Tom Burns all hit over 300
In that famous year they had a twenty game win streak June 5th to July 8th
The Cubs crush the national league to win the pennant easily.
Post-season games prior to 1903 were considered exhibitions. And so no post-season championship series was considered, though the NL frequently played exhibition games against other leagues before, during and after the season. It was not until the American Association laid claim to major league status in 1882 that a post-season series was played between champion clubs of rival leagues. The 1882 affair was just a two-game exhibition that was never intended to decide league superiority but it would become the first of several World Series contested between nl and aa
1881 Cubs
Home field: Lakefront Park I
N.L. Champions
W -56 L -28 .667
Manager Cap Anson
Again pitching was outstanding. Anson began to alternate pitching Corcoran and Goldsmith to save wear and tear on Corcoran's arm in 1881. In addition, Goldsmith's crafty curve was a perfect complement to Corcoran's heat. While Corcoran and Goldsmith weren't baseball's first pitching rotation, their success in pitching on alternate days was what caused the idea to be adopted by the rest of baseball. Additionally, Corcoran and the White Stockings' catcher, Silver Flint, have been credited with creating the first set of signs between a pitcher and catcher
Larry Corcoran 396.2 innings pitched with 31 wins era 2.31
Fred Goldsmith 330 innings pitched with 24 wins era 2.59
The Cubs take the national league honors for the second year in a row.
1882 Cubs
Home field: Lakefront Park I
N.L. Champions
W -65 L -29 .655
Manager Cap Anson

1882 club finished with winning 15 of their last 16 games and just lasted over the Providence Grays
Larry Corcoran 355.2 innings pitched with 27 wins era 1.95
Fred Goldsmith 405 innings pitched with 28 wins era 2.42
The dynamic duo of Fred Goldsmith and Larry Corcoran pitched all but 3 innings during the season.
A second major league called the American Association came along in 1882, The AA offered cheaper tickets prices and abundant libations to their fans, in sharp contrast to the alcohol free/high-price tickets environment at National League games. Accordingly, the AA was often referred to as the Beer and Whiskey League by its fans setting up future "World's Championship Series" or just the "World's Series" for short.
The National league champion the Cubs played the AA Champion Cincinnati reds and lose 4-0 at Bank Street Grounds in Cincinnati
Cubs win on the following day 2-0 to end the post-season exhibition contest in Cincinnati a tie for the first world Series.
The Cubs lose to the Grays in Providence final score 11-4 in the first of the best of nine series to determine the NL champs
The cubs lost the first three games while playing several players out of position to prolong the series and make more money from the gate.
Cubs won 4 out of next five with the 9th game to be played in Fort Wayne Indiana and they won 19-7 to be the undisputed champs!!!
Yes the cubs where champs agian for the first 3-peat .
1884 Cubs
Home field: Lakefront Park II
W -62 L -50 .554
Manager Cap Anson
The outfield area was especially close in right field. The right field fence was less than 200 feet away, so anyone hitting the ball over that fence was awarded only a ground rule double. Batters would aim for the fence, and during their years at the park the Chicago club regularly led the league in doubles... except in 1884. In what would be their final season on the lakefront, the White Stockings decided to make the entire outfield fence home run territory. Thus the team slumped in number of doubles while boosting their home runs from typically a dozen or two to 142, it was to little avail for the locals, as the White Stockings finished a distant fourth. The top four home run hitters in the National League of 1884 were all White Stockings; Edward Nagle Williamson happened to come out on top with 27, all but two in Chicago, That record would stand for decades. Starting the season off with losing 14 of there first 20 games the cubs where never in a pennant race. Starting pitchers Corcoran and the White Stockings. Goldsmith lost his effectiveness and was sold to Baltimore in the American Association. Corcoran was expected to shoulder even more of the pitching burden in Goldsmith's absence, but his arm wasn't holding up well either. In at least one game, his right arm hurt so badly that he tried to pitch left-handed. Despite the pain, he managed to throw his third career no-hitter in 1884. Still, the collapse of the White Stockings' pitching rotation meant a fifth place finish
1885 Cubs
Home field: West Side Park
N.L. Champions
W -87 L -25 .777
Manager Cap Anson

The White Stockings played the first five weeks on the road in early 1885 while their next stadium was built. On June 6th, 1885 the White Stockings played their first game in West Side Park, bordered by Congress, Loomis, Harrison and Throop Streets. The park held 10,000 fans and was sometimes referred to as West Side Grounds. A very deep centerfield and very short lines gave West Side Park an odd, bathtub dimensions due to the surrounding streets. Corcoran started out 1885 successfully, but soon the pain came back and he was unable to pitch at all. Overhand pitching was allowed by this time, but it seems unlikely that Corcoran would have been able to even lift his arm enough to try it. Anson released Corcoran midway through the 1885 season With a 21-2 June John Clarkson had a record of 53-16 and amazing 68 complete games to lead the cubs to another pennant
Cubs where in a battle with the New York Giants that lasted all season. Heading into late September the Cubs had a four game series against the Giants that drew national interest and sent reporters to cover the games. With the cubs winning the first three at home that was enough to crown them NL champs .
The World Series was odd many games against many different teams in different cities the breakdown follows:
1 game Chicago
3 games St Louis
7 games in Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Brooklyn
All that mess ended up in a tie 3 wins for the good guys 3 wins for St Louis and one tie.
1886 Cubs
Home field: West Side Park
N.L. Champions
W -90 L -34 .726
Manager Cap Anson
For the second year in a row the cubs where in an epic battle which wasn’t decided to the final game of the season. Between Aug 23rd and Sept 22cd cubs had a record of 24-2 which help to hold off Detroit
The 1886 World Series was won by the St. Louis Browns of the American Association over the Chicago White Stockings of the National League, four games to two. It was played on six consecutive days, from October 18 to October 23, in Chicago and St. Louis.
There you have it 5 NL Pennants 4 championships and numerous records to this day that have not been broken and never will.

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