The Providence Grays

Providence Grays

The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...

went 84-28 during the 1884 season

1884 in baseball

-Champions:*First World's Championship Series: Providence Grays over New York Metropolitans *National League: Providence Grays*American Association: New York Metropolitans*Union Association: St...

, easily capturing the National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 championship. They then faced the American Association

American Association (19th century)

The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...

 champions, the New York Metropolitans

1884 New York Metropolitans season

The New York Metropolitans finished with a 75-32 record, first place in the American Association. After the season, they played the National League champion Providence Grays in the 1884 World Series and lost three games to zero.- Roster :...

, in the very first World Series

1884 World Series

In baseball the 1884 World Series was an early forerunner of the modern post-season championship series.Although the "Fall Classic" as we know it didn't begin until 1903, Major League Baseball had several versions of a post-season championship series before that.The first such championship series...

. Thanks to excellent pitching by Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn

Charles Radbourn

Charles Gardner Radbourn , nicknamed "Old Hoss", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball . He played for the Buffalo Bisons , Providence Grays , Boston Beaneaters , Boston Reds , and Cincinnati Reds...

, the Grays swept the series and became the "World Champions."

During the last half of the regular season, Radbourn was the team's main pitcher after Charlie Sweeney

Charlie Sweeney

Charles J. Sweeney was an American Major League Baseball pitcher from 1882 through 1887. He played with moderate success for several teams, but he is best known to historians for the inadvertent career boost that he gave to future Hall of Famer Old Hoss Radbourn.Sweeney began his major league...

 jumped to the Union Association

Union Association

The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted for only one season in 1884. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season...

. Radbourn won 59 games for the Grays, which set a Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 record that has stood for over 120 years.

Regular season

Roster

1884 Providence Grays
Roster
Pitchers		Catchers Infielders		Outfielders		Manager

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C		82	294	72	.245	1	38
1B		93	381	105	.276	2	32
2B		111	469	102	.217	1	37
3B		110	439	109	.248	6	59
SS		102	404	97	.240	2	44
OF		114	490	148	.302	3	41
OF		97	355	70	.197	1	29
OF		113	452	118	.261	3	54

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	34	116	11	.095	0	6
	27	79	11	.139	0	6
	8	27	5	.185	0	1
	1	4	0	.000	0	0

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	75	678.2	59	12	1.38	441
	27	221	17	8	1.55	145
	8	71	4	4	2.15	33
	6	34.2	3	2	2.08	12
	2	13	0	2	7.62	2
	1	9	1	0	1.00	4
	1	5	0	0	9.00	2

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
	1	0	0	0	3.00	0
	1	0	0	0	0.00	0

The World Series of 1884

Providence Grays (NL) (84-28) vs New York Metropolitans

1884 New York Metropolitans season

The New York Metropolitans finished with a 75-32 record, first place in the American Association. After the season, they played the National League champion Providence Grays in the 1884 World Series and lost three games to zero.- Roster :...

(AA) (75-32)

Game 2

Saturday, October 24th, at the Polo Grounds

Providence defeats New York 3-1 (7 innings)

Game 3

Sunday, October 25th, at the Polo Grounds

Providence defeats New York 12-2 (6 innings)