Union Association
From BR Bullpen
The Union Association was launched by Henry Lucas in 1884. Lucas rigged the schedule to make things easier for his St. Louis Maroons, who dominated the league. Only five of the league's original eight teams survived the season, while four (or five, depending on how you figure things) others appeared at one point or another. Only two teams survived the season in sound financial shape - Lucas's Maroons joined the National League, while Justus Thorner's Cincinnati Outlaw Reds failed in an attempt to replace Detroit in the NL.
The UA has often been included in lists of major leagues, but Bill James devoted several pages in his Historical Baseball Abstract to argue otherwise.
There was also a minor league called the Union Association which operated from 1911 to 1914 in the Rocky Mountains; it was a class D league.
[edit] 1884 Teams & Statistics
1884 Union Association
President: Henry Lucas
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Maroons | 94 | 19 | .832 | 0 | Henry Lucas |
| Cincinnati Outlaw Reds | 69 | 36 | .657 | 21 | Dan O'Leary /Sam Crane |
| Baltimore Monumentals | 58 | 47 | .552 | 32 | Charlie Levis / Bill Henderson |
| Boston Reds | 58 | 51 | .532 | 34 | Murnane / Furniss / Morse |
| Washington Nationals | 47 | 65 | .420 | 46.5 | Mike Scanlon |
| Milwaukee Cream Citys(5) | 8 | 4 | .667 | NA | Tom Loftus |
| Chicago/Pittsburgh (3) | 41 | 50 | .451 | NA | |
| Philadelphia Keystones (2) | 21 | 46 | .313 | NA | Fergy Malone / Tom Pratt |
| St. Paul Saints | 2 | 6 | .250 | NA | Andrew Thompson |
| Altoona Mountain City (1) | 6 | 19 | .240 | NA | Ed Curtis |
| Kansas City Cowboys | 16 | 63 | .203 | NA | Ted Sullivan |
| Wilmington Quicksteps (4) | 2 | 16 | .111 | NA | Joe Simmons |
(2)Philadelphia disbanded Aug. 7 & Wilmington replaced them AUG. 18.
(3)Chicago moved to Pittsburgh August 20.
(4)Wilmington disbanded September 15 & St. Paul replaced them September 27.
(5)Pittsburgh disbanded September 19 & Milwaukee replaced them September 27.
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Dunlap | St. Louis | BA | .412 | Bill Sweeney | Baltimore | W | 40 | |
| Fred Dunlap | St. Louis | Runs | 160 | Hugh Daily | Chi/Pitt/Wash | SO | 483 | |
| Fred Dunlap | St. Louis | Hits | 185 | Jim McCormick | Cincinnati | ERA | 1.54 | |
| Fred Dunlap | St. Louis | HR | 13 | Jim McCormick | Cincinnati | Pct | .875; 21-3 |
[edit] Further Reading
- Bill James: "State of the Union", in The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, The Free Press, New York, NY, 2001, pp. 21-34.
- David Nemec: The Beer and Whisky League
