| 1901 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | April 24 – September 28, 1901 (AL) April 18 – October 6, 1901 (NL) |
| Games | 140 |
| Teams | 16 (8 per league) |
| Pennant winners | |
| AL champions | Chicago White Stockings |
| AL runners-up | Boston Americans |
| NL champions | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| NL runners-up | Philadelphia Phillies |
| MLB seasons | |
The1901 major league baseball season was contested from April 18 through October 6, 1901. It was the inaugural major league season for theAmerican League (AL) (having previously been the minor leagueWestern League), with theChicago White Stockings winning theAL pennant. In theNational League (NL), in operation since 1876, thePittsburgh Pirates won theNL pennant. There was no postseason. This was the first season of the modern era.
This would be the only season in which theMilwaukee Brewers played, as the team would relocate toSt. Louis,Missouri for thefollowing season as theSt. Louis Browns (before that team relocated toBaltimore,Maryland as the modernBaltimore Orioles in1954, where they remain to this day. TheBaltimore Orioles of this season would fold following the1902 season).
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 their1888–1891 seasons. This format would last until1904, which saw an increase of games played.
National League Opening Day took place on April 18 with a game between theBrooklyn Superbas and thePhiladelphia Phillies, while American League Opening Day did not take place until April 24, with a game between theChicago White Stockings and theCleveland 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.
On February 27, 1901, theNational League Rules Committee announced several rule changes, effective immediately.[1][2][3]
Further changes were made in April:
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Stockings | 83 | 53 | .610 | — | 49–21 | 34–32 |
| Boston Americans | 79 | 57 | .581 | 4 | 49–20 | 30–37 |
| Detroit Tigers | 74 | 61 | .548 | 8½ | 42–27 | 32–34 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 74 | 62 | .544 | 9 | 42–24 | 32–38 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 68 | 65 | .511 | 13½ | 40–25 | 28–40 |
| Washington Senators | 61 | 72 | .459 | 20½ | 31–35 | 30–37 |
| Cleveland Blues | 54 | 82 | .397 | 29 | 28–39 | 26–43 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 48 | 89 | .350 | 35½ | 32–37 | 16–52 |
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 90 | 49 | .647 | — | 45–24 | 45–25 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 83 | 57 | .593 | 7½ | 46–23 | 37–34 |
| Brooklyn Superbas | 79 | 57 | .581 | 9½ | 43–25 | 36–32 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 76 | 64 | .543 | 14½ | 40–31 | 36–33 |
| Boston Beaneaters | 69 | 69 | .500 | 20½ | 41–29 | 28–40 |
| Chicago Orphans | 53 | 86 | .381 | 37 | 30–39 | 23–47 |
| New York Giants | 52 | 85 | .380 | 37 | 30–38 | 22–47 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 52 | 87 | .374 | 38 | 27–43 | 25–44 |
Any team shown insmall text indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Nap Lajoie1 (PHA) | .426 |
| OPS | Nap Lajoie (PHA) | 1.106 |
| HR | Nap Lajoie1 (PHA) | 14 |
| RBI | Nap Lajoie1 (PHA) | 125 |
| R | Nap Lajoie (PHA) | 145 |
| H | Nap Lajoie (PHA) | 232 |
| SB | Frank Isbell (CWS) | 46 |
1 American LeagueTriple Crown batting winner
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Jesse Burkett (STL) | .376 |
| OPS | Ed Delahanty (PHI) | .955 |
| HR | Sam Crawford (CIN) | 16 |
| RBI | Honus Wagner (PIT) | 126 |
| R | Jesse Burkett (STL) | 142 |
| H | Jesse Burkett (STL) | 142 |
| SB | Honus Wagner (PIT) | 49 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Bill Donovan (BRO) | 25 |
| L | Luther Taylor (NYG) | 27 |
| ERA | Jesse Tannehill (PIT) | 2.18 |
| K | Noodles Hahn (CIN) | 239 |
| IP | Noodles Hahn (CIN) | 375.1 |
| SV | Bill Donovan (BRO) Jack Powell (STL) | 3 |
| WHIP | Al Orth (PHI) | 1.001 |
| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals[10] | 76 | 16.9% | 379,988 | 40.7% | 5,278 |
| Chicago White Stockings[11] | 83 | 354,350 | 4,991 | ||
| New York Giants[12] | 52 | −13.3% | 297,650 | 56.7% | 4,192 |
| Boston Americans[13] | 79 | 289,448 | 4,195 | ||
| Detroit Tigers[14] | 74 | 259,430 | 3,706 | ||
| Pittsburgh Pirates[15] | 90 | 13.9% | 251,955 | −4.6% | 3,652 |
| Philadelphia Phillies[16] | 83 | 10.7% | 234,937 | −22.2% | 3,405 |
| Philadelphia Athletics[17] | 74 | 206,329 | 3,126 | ||
| Cincinnati Reds[18] | 52 | −16.1% | 205,728 | 21.0% | 2,857 |
| Chicago Orphans[19] | 53 | −18.5% | 205,071 | −17.5% | 2,930 |
| Brooklyn Superbas[20] | 79 | −3.7% | 198,200 | 8.3% | 2,915 |
| Washington Senators[21] | 61 | 161,661 | 2,377 | ||
| Boston Beaneaters[22] | 69 | 4.5% | 146,502 | −27.5% | 2,093 |
| Baltimore Orioles[23] | 68 | 141,952 | 2,151 | ||
| Milwaukee Brewers[24] | 48 | 139,034 | 1,986 | ||
| Cleveland Blues[25] | 54 | 131,380 | 1,904 |
