The following are the baseball events of the year 1897 throughout the world.

Champions

edit

National League final standings

edit
 
1897 Boston Beaneaters
National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Boston Beaneaters 93 39 .705 54‍–‍12 39‍–‍27
Baltimore Orioles 90 40 .692 2 51‍–‍15 39‍–‍25
New York Giants 83 48 .634 51‍–‍19 32‍–‍29
Cincinnati Reds 76 56 .576 17 49‍–‍18 27‍–‍38
Cleveland Spiders 69 62 .527 23½ 49‍–‍16 20‍–‍46
Washington Senators 61 71 .462 32 40‍–‍26 21‍–‍45
Brooklyn Bridegrooms 61 71 .462 32 38‍–‍29 23‍–‍42
Pittsburgh Pirates 60 71 .458 32½ 38‍–‍27 22‍–‍44
Chicago Colts 59 73 .447 34 36‍–‍30 23‍–‍43
Philadelphia Phillies 55 77 .417 38 32‍–‍34 23‍–‍43
Louisville Colonels 52 78 .400 40 34‍–‍31 18‍–‍47
St. Louis Browns 29 102 .221 63½ 18‍–‍41 11‍–‍61

National League statistical leaders

edit
 
Kid Nichols

Notable seasons

edit
  • Baltimore Orioles right fielder Willie Keeler led the NL in batting average (.424) and hits (239). He was second in the NL in total bases (304), slugging percentage (.539), adjusted OPS+ (164), and runs scored (145). He was third in the NL in on-base percentage (.464).[1][2]
  • Boston Beaneaters pitcher Kid Nichols had a win–loss record of 31–11 and led the NL in innings pitched (368), wins (31), and adjusted ERA+ (168). He was second in the NL in earned run average (2.64). He was fifth in the NL in strikeouts (127).[3][4]

Events

edit

Births

edit

January

edit

February

edit

March

edit

April

edit

June

edit

July

edit

August

edit

September

edit

October

edit

November

edit

December

edit

Deaths

edit
  • February 5 – Old Hoss Radbourn, 42, Hall of Fame pitcher who won over 300 games including a record 60 for the 1884 Providence Grays, leading the National League in wins, strikeouts, winning percentage and games twice each and in shutouts, innings and ERA once each; completing 489 out of 503 starts, pitching three shutouts in the 1884 World Championship Series, while holding single-season records for games pitched with 76 in 1883, going 27–12 for the 1890 Players' League champions.
  • February 8 – Fleury Sullivan, 35, pitcher.
  • March 5 – Dave Foutz, 40, first baseman/outfielder/pitcher who played from 1884 through 1896 for the St. Louis Browns and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Grooms, a three-time .300 hitter and manager for the Brooklyn teams between 1893 and 1896 for a .690 career winning percentage, while pitching 41 wins for the 1886 champion Browns.
  • March 10 – Wes Blogg, 42, catcher.
  • March 21 – Andy Allison, 49, first baseman.
  • March 22 – Dave Anderson, 28, pitcher.
  • March 25 – Bill Quarles, 28, pitcher.
  • April 13 – Charlie Yingling, 31, shortstop.
  • July 10 – Kid Baldwin, 32, catcher.
  • August 1 – Jake Seymour, 43, who played for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association in the 1882 season.
  • August 4 – John Gilroy, 27, pitcher.
  • August 9 – Jack Scheible, 31, pitcher.
  • August 19 – Jim McKeever, 36, catcher.
  • August 22 – Tricky Nichols, 47, pitcher who posted a 28–73 record and a 3.06 ERA in 106 games for six different teams between 1875 and 1882.
  • August 27 – Sam Moran, 26, pitcher.
  • October 9 – Milo Lockwood, 39, outfielder and pitcher.
  • October 19 – O. P. Caylor, 47, one of the founders of the American Association.
  • November 2 – Joe Sullivan, 27, shortstop.
  • November 15 – Charlie Smith, 56, infielder who appeared in 14 games for the 1871 New York Mutuals.
  • November 19 – Frank McGinn, 28, infielder.
  • December 20 – William Brown, 31, catcher.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Willie Keeler Stats". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "1897 National League Batting Leaders". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  3. ^ "Kid Nichols Stats". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  4. ^ "1897 National League Pitching Leaders". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Felber, Bill. "June 29, 1897: The Chicago Colts' record romp for 36 runs". sabr.org. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  6. ^ Snelling, Dennis (1 January 1995). The Pacific Coast League: A Statistical History, 1903-1957. Jefferson: McFarland. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-7864-0045-4.