1873 in baseball

The following are the baseball events of the year 1873 throughout the world.

This year in baseball

2000s

2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005
2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000

1990s

1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996 • 1995
1994 • 1993 • 1992 • 1991 • 1990

1980s

1989 • 1988 • 1987 • 1986 • 1985
1984 • 1983 • 1982 • 1981 • 1980

1970s

1979 • 1978 • 1977 • 1976 • 1975
1974 • 1973 • 1972 • 1971 • 1970

1960s

1969 • 1968 • 1967 • 1966 • 1965
1964 • 1963 • 1962 • 1961 • 1960

1950s

1959 • 1958 • 1957 • 1956 • 1955
1954 • 1953 • 1952 • 1951 • 1950

1940s

1949 • 1948 • 1947 • 1946 • 1945
1944 • 1943 • 1942 • 1941 • 1940

1930s

1939 • 1938 • 1937 • 1936 • 1935
1934 • 1933 • 1932 • 1931 • 1930

1920s

1929 • 1928 • 1927 • 1926 • 1925
1924 • 1923 • 1922 • 1921 • 1920

1910s

1919 • 1918 • 1917 • 1916 • 1915
1914 • 1913 • 1912 • 1911 • 1910

1900s

1909 • 1908 • 1907 • 1906 • 1905
1904 • 1903 • 1902 • 1901 • 1900

1890s

1899 • 1898 • 1897 • 1896 • 1895
1894 • 1893 • 1892 • 1891 • 1890

1880s

1889 • 1888 • 1887 • 1886 • 1885
1884 • 1883 • 1882 • 1881 • 1880

1870s

1879 • 1878 • 1877 • 1876 • 1875
1874 • 1873 • 1872 • 1871 • 1870

Early Years

Champions

National AssociationRank Club Wins Losses Win % GB 1st Boston Red Stockings43 16 .729 -- 2nd Philadelphia White Stockings36 17 .679 4.0 3rd Baltimore Lord Baltimores34 22 .607 7.5 4th New York Mutuals29 24 .547 11.0 5th Philadelphia Athletics28 23 .549 11.0 6th Brooklyn Atlantics17 37 .315 23.5 7th Washington Blue Legs8 31 .205 25.0 8th Elizabeth Resolutes2 21 .087 23.0 9th Baltimore Marylands0 6 .000 16.5

March 3 - For the first time, the NA adopts a standardized ball to be used in all league games.

May 14 - Nearly 5,000 fans watch the upstart Philadelphia White Stockings defeat the established Philadelphia Athletics 5-4 in 13 innings. Only once before, in 1865, had that many innings been played in one game.
June 7 - The New York Mutuals and Philadelphia White Stockings combine for 40 errors in a game won by the White Stockings. The White Stockings, aided by the Mutuals 26 miscues, win 12-10.
June 11 - 10,000 fans are in attendance see the Philadelphia White Stockings score 5 runs in the 7th inning to defeat the Philadelphia Athletics 7-5.

July 4 - Leading 11-3 over the Elizabeth Resolutes, the Boston Red Stockings score 21 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning for a 32-3 victory. The home-ahead rule would not be instituted for 6 more years.
July 22 - Tom Barlow of the Brooklyn Atlantics lays down 6 bunts, all for hits, in a game against the Baltimore Canaries.
July 24 - Bob Ferguson of the Brooklyn Atlantics is the umpire in a game between the New York Mutuals and the Baltimore Canaries which ends with the Mutuals scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th for an 11-10 victory. Ferguson and the Mutuals' Nat Hicks get into an altercation with Ferguson breaking Hicks' arm by hitting him with a bat. Ferguson requires a police escort to leave the field and Hicks will be out for 2 months due to the incident.
August 16 - The Boston Red Stockings defeat the Philadelphia White Stockings 11-8 in Chicago in front of several thousand fans. After the game, it is announced that Chicago has signed several players in hopes of placing a team in the NA for the 1874 season.

October 16 - The Baltimore Canaries turn a triple play in a losing cause against the Philadelphia White Stockings.
November 6 - A benefit game is played between the Philadelphia White Stockings and Philadelphia Athletics under a proposed rule of 10 men on the field and 10 innings for a game. The extra player is placed on the infield as a right shortstop and with most observers feeling the extra player unnecessary, the rule is never implemented.
October 22 - The Boston Red Stockings win the pennant for the 2nd year in a row. They clinch on the same date as they had in 1872.