1901 Major League Baseball season

The 1901 major league baseball season was contested from April 18 through October 6, 1901. It was the inaugural season for the American League (AL), with the Chicago White Stockings finishing first in league standings. In the National League (NL), in operation since 1876, the Pittsburgh Pirates finished atop the league standings. There was no postseason.

1901 MLB season
LeagueAmerican League, National League
SportBaseball
DurationApril 24 – September 28, 1901 (AL)
April 18 – October 6, 1901 (NL)
Number of games140
Number of teams8 (AL), 8 (NL)
Pennant Winners
AL championsChicago White Stockings
  AL runners-upBoston Americans
NL championsPittsburgh Pirates
  NL runners-upPhiladelphia Phillies
Locations of teams for the 1901 American League season
American League
Locations of teams for the 1900–1901 National League seasons
National League

Teams
League Team City Stadium Capacity
American League Baltimore Orioles Baltimore, Maryland Oriole Park Unknown
Boston Americans Boston, Massachusetts Huntington Avenue Grounds 11,500
Chicago White Stockings Chicago, Illinois South Side Park 15,000
Cleveland Blues Cleveland, Ohio League Park 9,000
Detroit Tigers Detroit, Michigan Bennett Park 8,500
Milwaukee Brewers Milwaukee, Wisconsin Lloyd Street Grounds Unknown
Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Columbia Park 9,500
Washington Senators Washington, D.C. American League Park Unknown
National League Boston Beaneaters Boston, Massachusetts South End Grounds 2,300
Brooklyn Superbas New York, New York Washington Park 18,800
Chicago Orphans Chicago, Illinois West Side Park 16,000
Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati, Ohio League Park 3,000
New York Giants New York, New York Polo Grounds 16,000
Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania National League Park 18,000
Pittsburgh Pirates Allegheny, Pennsylvania Exposition Park 16,000
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis, Missouri Robison Field Unknown

Schedule
See also: Major League Baseball schedule

The 1901 schedule consisted of 140 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 20 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This format had previously been used by the National League during their 1888–1891 seasons. This format would last until 1904, which saw an increase of games played.

National League Opening Day took place on April 18 with a game between the Brooklyn Superbas and the Philadelphia Phillies, while American League Opening Day did not take place until April 24, with a game between the Chicago White Stockings and the Cleveland Bluebirds. The American League would see its final day of the season on September 28, while the National League would see its final day of the season on October 6.

Rule changes

On February 27, 1901, the National League Rules Committee announced several rule changes, effective immediately.[1][2]

  • All foul balls are to count as strike balls, except after two strikes. Previously, foul balls would not affect the count. To cut the cost of lost foul balls, the committee urges that batters who foul off good strikes are to be disciplined. The American League will not adopt this rule until the 1903 season.
  • catchers must play within 10 feet of the batter
  • A ball will be called if the pitcher does not throw to a ready and waiting batter within 20 seconds
  • Players using indecent or improper language will be banished by the umpire.
  • A ball will be called when a batter is hit by a pitch.

Further changes were made in April:

  • In a mail vote, the owners will rescinded the new hit by pitch rule, restoring the rule that a HBP will earn a batter first base.

Standings

Managers

League leaders

American League

National League

Milestones

Batters

Pitchers

Home field attendance
Team name Wins %± Home attendance %± Per game
St. Louis Cardinals[4] 76 16.9% 379,988 40.7% 5,278
Chicago White Stockings[5] 83 354,350 4,991
New York Giants[6] 52 -13.3% 297,650 56.7% 4,192
Boston Americans[7] 79 289,448 4,195
Detroit Tigers[8] 74 259,430 3,706
Pittsburgh Pirates[9] 90 13.9% 251,955 -4.6% 3,652
Philadelphia Phillies[10] 83 10.7% 234,937 -22.2% 3,405
Philadelphia Athletics[11] 74 206,329 3,126
Cincinnati Reds[12] 52 -16.1% 205,728 21.0% 2,857
Chicago Orphans[13] 53 -18.5% 205,071 -17.5% 2,930
Brooklyn Superbas[14] 79 -3.7% 198,200 8.3% 2,915
Washington Senators[15] 61 161,661 2,377
Boston Beaneaters[16] 69 4.5% 146,502 -27.5% 2,093
Baltimore Orioles[17] 68 141,952 2,151
Milwaukee Brewers[18] 48 139,034 1,986
Cleveland Blues[19] 54 131,380 1,904

References
  1. "The National League Rules Committee decrees that all foul balls are to count as strikes, except after two strikes. - This Day In Baseball". February 27, 1901. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  2. "This Day in Sports: The National League Makes it Way Harder for Fans to Catch a Foul Ball". ESPN.com. February 27, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  3. "1901 American League Batting Leaders".
  4. "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  5. "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  6. "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  7. "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  8. "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  9. "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  10. "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  11. "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  12. "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  13. "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  14. "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  15. "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  16. "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  17. "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  18. "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  19. "Cleveland Guardians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.


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