1899 Brooklyn Superbas
From BR Bullpen
[edit] 1899 Brooklyn Superbas / Franchise: Los Angeles Dodgers / BR Team Page
Record: 101-47, Finished 1st in National League (1899 NL)
Won NL Pennant
Managed by Ned Hanlon
[edit] History, Comments, Contributions
The 1899 Brooklyn Superbas dominated the 1899 National League, winning 101 games and beating the second-place 1899 Boston Beaneaters by eight games. The last-place 1899 Cleveland Spiders, a famously-bad team, were 84 games behind because their best players had been moved over to St. Louis. The St. Louis team, in spite of acquiring several Hall of Famers, finished 18 games behind Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn pitching staff was led by 25-year-old Jay Hughes who had a record of 28-6. Hughes would pitch only four years in the majors because he preferred to be on the west coast. Brickyard Kennedy went 22-9 and would win 20 games in 1900 with Brooklyn as well. Jack Dunn, more famous later as the owner of the minor league Baltimore Orioles, won 23 games. Dunn appeared in 142 major league games as a pitcher but far more as a position player, appearing mainly at third base.
The hitters were led by Hall of Famers Willie Keeler and Joe Kelley. Keeler dominated the team with a .379 batting average while Kelley was second among regulars at .325. Kelley and Keeler led the team in triples while Kelley had the most home runs. Kelley had the most RBI while Keeler had the most runs scored. Tom Daly led the team in doubles with 24 and was second in stolen bases with 43 while Keeler led the team with 45 stolen bases.
Hall of Fame manager Ned Hanlon had led the 19th Century National League Baltimore Orioles to three pennants in the 1890's and would lead the Superbas to a second pennant in 1900. In all, he managed 20 years in the majors.
The Superbas won again in 1900 but with only 82 victories. Keeler and Kelley stayed but Jay Hughes was gone, replaced by Joe McGinnity who had been with Baltimore in 1899.
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