The (English) Baseball League (est. 1888): A History

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Baseball League 1914
First Division Financial Report

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Results

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Promoted Club

Blackburn Rovers

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Promoted Club

Oldham Athletic Latics

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Final Table

Newcastle United and Aston Villa were required to seek re-election to the Second Division. They were joined in the vote for League membership by four non-league clubs. Voting (number of votes):

34	Leicester Fosse     Elected to the League
24	Newcastle United    Re-elected to the League
16	Aston Villa         Not re-elected to the League
2	Stockport County    Not elected to the League
1	Middlesbrugh        Not elected to the League
1	Luton Town          Not elected to the League

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Team Batting and Pitching

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Award Winners



Baseballer of the Year: Bobby Arscott




Batsman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year: Caleb Woodcock




Pitcher of the Year: William Smith

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division League Leaders

Batting Leaders

Pitching Leaders

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Top Game Performances

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Top 20 Batsmen and Pitchers

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Top Systems

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Baseball League 1914
Second Division Financial Report

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Stevenson, Career Base Hits Leader, Ends Career

Edwin Stevenson, the only player in the Baseball League to have accumulated 3,000 base hits during his career thus far, is leaving the game.

Stevenson came into the League with the Ardwick club (later renamed Manchester City) in 1892 after having spent three seasons with them in the old Baseball Alliance. He became one of the best batsmen in the League almost immediately. Stevenson led his division in hits average twice (.390 in both 1896 and 1900) and finished second twice as well, batting as high as .404 in 1907. He placed among the top five batting averages for his division in fourteen of his twenty five seasons. He finished with a career average of .361, the third highest career mark in the League.

As excellent as Stevenson was at the plate, he was just as excellent whilst running the bases. In addition to the League career hits mark, he holds the career mark for stolen bases with 976, having passed Willie Clark’s 930 in 1910, and almost three hundred more than the current active leader Will Smith, who has 679, so the mark will be safe for a while. Stevenson also led the division in stolen bases twice (1895, 1901). He retires as the career league leader in runs scored with 1,496, games played (2,144), and at bats (8,471).

Stevenson played in two test series with Manchester City, in 1894 and 1897 (the latter resulting in promotion for the Citizens), and after he’d been traded to Sunderland for the 1902 season, played in the 1907 EOI Cup tie which Sunderland lost to the Liverpool club.

Editor's note: Due to a flaw in the version of OOTP being used for this dynasty, Second Division totals are reflected inaccurately on the BNN player page of the game (i.e., they include non-League stats as well). Below are Edwin Stevenson's corrected stats for both D2 and total career:

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Last Original League Player Retires

The last player to have played in the Baseball League in its inaugural season of 1888, Brendan Phillips, has announced that he will quit the League.

Phillips joined the Derby County club at the age of eighteen in 1887 and was the winning pitcher in the famous extra innings “Mad Dash” BA Cup final in which Rams defeated the Clarets of Burley four runs to three. Joining the newly formed Baseball League with Rams for 1888, Phillips turned in a sensational season of seventeen victories against only three defeats and a 2.04 earned runs against average to attain the mantle of best pitcher by acclamation for the League’s maiden season.

Phillips was a very well travelled baseballer. From Derby County, he went to Newton Heath (now Manchester United) in 1898; to Chelsea in 1910; and to Doncaster in 1912 for whom he finished his career. Beginning with 1888, he played all twenty six of his seasons in the League.

In addition to leading the League in victories and earned runs against average in 1888, Phillips also led his division in innings pitched in 1903 with 241⅓; in strike outs (51) and strike out average (2.48) in 1888; and in earned runs against average again in 1890 with 2.39.

In career marks, Phillips places second in career games with 661 and innings pitched (5,061⅔); fourth in victories (281); ninth in strike outs (1,444); and by our calculation ninety seventh in earned runs average against (3.06). Phillips also holds the dubious record of the most losses in a career with 268, second most hits yielded (5,330); and third most home runs allowed (120).

Phillips played in three League test series, in 1892, 1893 and 1896. Rams were promoted in 1893 and relegated the other two seasons. He did not play in any EOI Cup series.

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BASEBALL IN WAR.

THE ATTITUDE OF THE CLUB AUTHORITIES.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

The nature of communications passing between the recruiting agencies and those responsible for the control of baseball has not been disclosed, but that their cooperation has so far been imperfect is suggested by the statement of the secretary of a London club that recruiting at baseball matches towards the close of the season had been entirely haphazard.

It is claimed by the members of the Council of the Baseball Association that upwards of 100,000 recruits for the army have been secured from the ranks of association baseball, and that this total exceeds by far the combined recruits who have enlisted from all other branches of sport. All professional players of the leading clubs, in addition to their ordinary baseball training, undergo military drill on certain mornings during the week, and rifle ranges have been constructed on most grounds for daily practice. The fitness of this body of men for home defence or active reserve is unquestioned.

The number of professional baseball players has been much exaggerated. A member of the Council of the Baseball Association states that the number registered with the Association this season is less than 5,000. Not less than 2,000 are serving in various branches of his Majesty’s forces.

There are in this country some 3,500 players earning their living by the game. A census of first-class players, those employed directly by the clubs of the Baseball League, put their numbers at 1,132, more than two-thirds of whom are married. The total number of unmarried men who depend on the game for a livelihood is reckoned at 1,000. There are, roughly, 3,000,000 unmarried men of military age, of whom considerably over 2,000,000 have not undertaken service of any kind. People interested in baseball say they cannot understand why the 1,000 baseball players who might enlist should be singled out for condemnation.

A baseball official in London believes that the professional clubs would welcome the compulsory stopping of baseball. The wages to be paid under contract for the 1915 season, from which the clubs are unable to escape, amount to £110,000. Baseball must continue until it is prohibited by Act of Parliament.

No baseball club has refused permission to any player who is desirous to enlist. The breaking of a contract is exclusively the right of the player. These contracts are usually binding for a year.

WHAT IS DONE BY THE CLUBS.

The following particulars concerning recruiting have been supplied by club officials. Most of them state that recruiting was encouraged at every match from the date of declaration of war and that players contributed from 2½ per cent. to 12½ per cent. of their wages to the relief funds. Public collections have also been made for the Belgian Relief Fund at most grounds :—

WEST BROMWICH ALBION—Formed a West Bromwich Albion Company, attached to the 5th South Staffs territorials, raised principally from their supporters. Eight players have enlisted, and a director rejoined the Army as a Major. Hundreds more of club supporters have joined the colours, and £139 has been contributed to various war relief funds.
PRESTON NORTH END—Three players joined the Army and £285 has been contributed.
LINCOLN CITY—All the sons of the directors of military age, two sons of the secretary, all the sons of the working-men’s committee, and a director volunteered for service or enlisted. Three players joined the Army, and £249 has been given to the war funds.
MANCHESTER UNITED—About 300 recruits have been secured for the Army, and about £300 contributed to relief funds.
LIVERPOOL—One player, one director, two sons of directors, and many shareholders have enlisted. War fund donations and collections have amounted to £554. Recruiting went on at every match.
NEWCASTLE UNITED—Three players enlisted; £196 has gone to relief funds, and there had been public recruiting at every match.
MIDDLESBROUGH—Three club members enlisted and over 100 men signalled their intention to enlist after one recruiting meeting. Contributed £140.
BOLTON WANDERERS—£130 contributed. No players joined.
BURNLEY—Two players and assistant trainer serving. Special room reserved for recruiting officials; 12 enlisted at last meeting. £177 raised.
CARDIFF CITY—Hundreds of club supporters joined. Exclusive of collections, the club contributed £66. Majority of supporters of club engaged in coal and railway work that must go on.
DONCASTER—Twenty-three players enlisted. The secretary says :— “We are only a poor club, but doing all we can.” Exclusive of other collections contributed £58. The 5th Hampshire Regiment get use of ground for training.
SWINDON TOWN—Contributed £70. Nearly all supporters of the club are in railway service and not permitted to enlist. Only two unmarried players on the team.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST—Two players enlisted and scored of members. £70 contributed. Have been thanked for “real assistance” rendered to recruiting officers.
FULHAM—Only six players unmarried; two enlisted. King Edward’s Horse drill on the ground. £46 contributed.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY—Three players joined the Army, and one was killed. Harm was done for recruiting by a message received from the Recruiting Office in October cancelling a meeting because “sufficient men had enlisted”. Contributed £204.

[Caporegime]

EDIT: Never mind. You actually answered my questions while I was typing.

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BASEBALL AND THE WAR.

WAR OFFICE FAVOURABLE TO A CONTINUANCE.

At a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Baseball Association in London yesterday, it was stated that the War Office opinion was favourable to the continuance of baseball for the 1915 championship season. The Association decided to contribute £1,000 to the Prince of Wales’s War Relief Fund and £250 to the Belgian Relief Fund. The following resolution was passed :—

That clubs having professional players are urged to give every facility for their temporary release, and that a committee be appointed to confer with the War Office and other authorities.

Mr. Wm. Wilkie, director of the Liverpool club, who presided, appealed to every man who was capable of rendering personal service to his country to do so at once. He believed the suspension of all games would be mischievous, and that baseball players and spectators were as prepared to do their duty as any other section of the community. He urged clubs to give all possible assistance by releasing players during the war.

The Baseball League has recommended each club to arrange for their players to undergo special military drill during the winter, and for the provision of a miniature rifle range to provide ample shooting practice. For their part, baseballers have been urged in the strongest possible terms not to hie to temperate climes to continue their professional sporting exploits during the winter, lest they be castigated as deserters at the time during which they are most needed by their country and their King.

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PROPOSED BATTALION OF BASEBALLERS

Mr. Joynson-Hicks, M.P., presided in a conference held in the chambers of the Baseball Association yesterday to promote a Baseballers’ Battalion for the Army. Lord Kinnaird and Captain T. Whiffen, the chief recruiting officer for London, also attended. All the professional baseball clubs of London sent delegates. The proceedings were conducted in private.

The meeting heartily approved the project, and Mr. F. J. Wall was appointed secretary pro tem. Mr. Joynson-Hicks was instructed to confer with the War Office authorities on certain points, and it was decided to invite all the professional baseball players in London to a conference to be held in Fulham Town Hall next Tuesday. The chairman was thanked for the interest he has taken in the movement.

[joefromchicago]

I really like what you're doing with your league's involvement in the war effort. Quite riveting, old chap!