MLB Teams in 1910 – A Retrospective
At the turn of the 20th century, Major League Baseball had just become a professional sport. The league was still in its infancy, with only eight teams competing for the title of World Series champions. But by 1910, the league had grown exponentially and was now comprised of sixteen teams. Here, we’ll take a look at the baseball teams of 1910 and explore their history and accomplishments.
The National and American Leagues
The National and American Leagues were the two main divisions of Major League Baseball in 1910. They were organized separately and had different rules and regulations. The National League had eight teams, while the American League had eight teams as well.
The National League teams of 1910 were the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Superbas, Boston Doves and St. Louis Cardinals. The American League teams were the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Naps, Detroit Tigers, New York Highlanders, Philadelphia Athletics, Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Browns.
The World Series of 1910
The World Series of 1910 was a best-of-seven series between the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League and the Chicago Cubs of the National League. The series was won by the Athletics, four games to one. It was the first World Series to be broadcast on the radio and the first to feature night games.
The Athletics were led by pitcher Chief Bender, infielder Danny Murphy and outfielder Eddie Collins. The Cubs were led by pitcher Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, infielder Johnny Evers and outfielder Frank Schulte.
The Teams of 1910
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs were one of the most successful teams of 1910, finishing in first place in the National League with a 104-49 record. They were led by manager Frank Chance, who had been with the team since 1905. The Cubs featured a strong pitching staff, led by “Three Finger” Brown and Ed Reulbach, and a powerful lineup with three future Hall of Famers: Johnny Evers, Frank Schulte and Joe Tinker.
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds were the second-place team in the National League in 1910, finishing with a 92-61 record. They were managed by Clark Griffith, who had been with the team since 1909. The Reds featured a strong pitching staff, led by Bob Ewing and Red Ames, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: Edd Roush and Heinie Groh.
New York Giants
The Giants finished in third place in the National League in 1910 with an 86-67 record. They were managed by John McGraw, who had been with the team since 1902. The Giants featured a strong pitching staff, led by Christy Mathewson and Red Ames, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: Fred Snodgrass and George Kelly.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies were the fourth-place team in the National League in 1910, finishing with a 78-75 record. They were managed by Red Dooin, who had been with the team since 1909. The Phillies featured a strong pitching staff, led by Lefty Leifield and George McQuillan, and a powerful lineup with three future Hall of Famers: Sherry Magee, Gavvy Cravath and Bill Killefer.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates finished in fifth place in the National League in 1910 with a 76-76 record. They were managed by Fred Clarke, who had been with the team since 1900. The Pirates featured a strong pitching staff, led by Deacon Phillippe and Howie Camnitz, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: Honus Wagner and Max Carey.
Brooklyn Superbas
The Superbas finished in sixth place in the National League in 1910 with a 73-79 record. They were managed by Wilbert Robinson, who had been with the team since 1901. The Superbas featured a strong pitching staff, led by Nap Rucker and Harry McIntire, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: Zack Wheat and Joe Tinker.
Boston Doves
The Doves finished in seventh place in the National League in 1910 with a 64-90 record. They were managed by George Stallings, who had been with the team since 1907. The Doves featured a strong pitching staff, led by Irv Young and Bill Doak, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: Rabbit Maranville and Fred Tenney.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals finished in last place in the National League in 1910 with a 57-96 record. They were managed by Roger Bresnahan, who had been with the team since 1909. The Cardinals featured a strong pitching staff, led by Bob Harmon and Slim Sallee, and a powerful lineup with four future Hall of Famers: Roger Bresnahan, Miller Huggins, Joe Tinker and Frank Chance.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox finished in first place in the American League in 1910 with a 93-58 record. They were managed by Fielder Jones, who had been with the team since 1906. The White Sox featured a strong pitching staff, led by Ed Walsh and Jack Quinn, and a powerful lineup with three future Hall of Famers: Ed Walsh, Eddie Collins and Joe Jackson.
Cleveland Naps
The Naps finished in second place in the American League in 1910 with a 87-67 record. They were managed by Napoleon Lajoie, who had been with the team since 1902. The Naps featured a strong pitching staff, led by Addie Joss and Dick Rudolph, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: Napoleon Lajoie and Tris Speaker.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers finished in third place in the American League in 1910 with a 84-70 record. They were managed by Hughie Jennings, who had been with the team since 1907. The Tigers featured a strong pitching staff, led by George Mullin and Ed Summers, and a powerful lineup with three future Hall of Famers: Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford and Hughie Jennings.
New York Highlanders
The Highlanders finished in fourth place in the American League in 1910 with an 82-71 record. They were managed by Harry Wolverton, who had been with the team since 1909. The Highlanders featured a strong pitching staff, led by Jack Warhop and Russ Ford, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: Hal Chase and Home Run Baker.
Philadelphia Athletics
The Athletics were the fifth-place team in the American League in 1910, finishing with a 77-76 record. They were managed by Connie Mack, who had been with the team since 1901. The Athletics featured a strong pitching staff, led by Chief Bender and Jack Coombs, and a powerful lineup with four future Hall of Famers: Eddie Collins, Frank Baker, Rube Waddell and Chief Bender.
Washington Senators
The Senators finished in sixth place in the American League in 1910 with a 69-83 record. They were managed by Jimmy McAleer, who had been with the team since 1908. The Senators featured a strong pitching staff, led by Walter Johnson and Bob Groom, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: Clyde Milan and Walter Johnson.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox finished in seventh place in the American League in 1910 with a 68-85 record. They were managed by Bill Carrigan, who had been with the team since 1906. The Red Sox featured a strong pitching staff, led by Cy Young and Smoky Joe Wood, and a powerful lineup with five future Hall of Famers: Tris Speaker, Harry Hooper, Duffy Lewis, Larry Gardner and Joe Wood.
St. Louis Browns
The Browns were the last-place team in the American League in 1910, finishing with a 57-96 record. They were managed by Jack O’Connor, who had been with the team since 1909. The Browns featured a strong pitching staff, led by George Suggs and Tom Hughes, and a powerful lineup with two future Hall of Famers: George Sisler and Bobby Wallace.
The Legacy of the 1910 MLB Teams
The sixteen teams of 1910 were the foundation of the modern Major League Baseball. Each team had its own unique history and accomplishments, and many of the players on these teams would go on to become legends in the game.
The sixteen teams of 1910 were the first to compete in the World Series, with the Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago Cubs facing off in the first best-of-seven series. The series was won by the Athletics, four games to one, setting the stage for the modern World Series.
The sixteen teams of 1910 also featured numerous future Hall of Famers, including Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker, Chief Bender, Walter Johnson, Joe Tinker and many more. These players would go on to become some of the most significant figures in the history of Major League Baseball.
Conclusion
In 1910, Major League Baseball was still in its infancy. But despite its youth, the league had grown tremendously and was now comprised of sixteen teams. These teams featured some of the greatest players of the game, many of whom would go on to become legends in the sport. The sixteen teams of 1910 also set the stage for the modern World Series, which was won by the Philadelphia Athletics four games to one.
The sixteen teams of 1910 will always be remembered as the foundation of Major League Baseball. Their legacy lives on in the modern game, and they will forever be remembered as some of the greatest teams in the history of the sport.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many MLB teams were there in 1910?
In 1910, there were sixteen MLB teams, eight in the National League and eight in the American League. - Who won the World Series in 1910?
The World Series in 1910 was won by the Philadelphia Athletics, four games to one. - Who were some of the future Hall of Famers on the 1910 teams?
Some of the future Hall of Famers on the 1910 teams were Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker, Chief Bender, Walter Johnson, Joe Tinker and many more.