Brooklyn Superbas

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The Superbas nickname was used by fans and sportswriters alongside other nicknames such as Trolley Dodgers, Bridegrooms, and Robins. Even after 1910, the name Superbas continued to appear in some contexts, such as the Brooklyn Daily Eagle using it in box scores as late as 1916. The team moved from Eastern Park to Washington Park II in 1898, and then to Ebbets Field in 1913.

In Their Own Story

By 1899, the landscape of Brooklyn baseball had shifted dramatically. Charles Ebbets, who owned 80% of the club by the decade's end, saw his team absorb skilled players from the defunct American Association New York Metropolitans and the Baltimore Orioles. Harry Von der Horst and manager Ned Hanlon orchestrated this move, bringing a winning culture to Washington Park. The press immediately recognized the new combined roster's potential, linking it to the famous circus act The Hanlons' Superba. This era proved their success; in 1899 and 1900, they were the champions of the National League. Despite this dominance, the name was just one of many used interchangeably by the public. A New York Times article from 1916 would later refer to the same franchise as both 'Dodgers' and 'Superbas' in the same sentence, highlighting how these identities overlapped before 'Dodgers' became conclusive in 1933.

Reader's Guide

The Superbas era is part of the broader history of the Brooklyn Dodgers franchise, which began in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. The team's legal name was the Brooklyn Base Ball Club, and it did not formally adopt a single nickname until 1916, when 'Dodgers' appeared on World Series programs. The team's stadiums included Washington Park, Eastern Park, and later Ebbets Field.

Did You Know?

• The Superbas won back-to-back National League championships in 1899 and 1900.
• The nickname 'Superbas' came from the circus act The Hanlons' Superba.
• The team continued to be called Superbas in some newspaper reports even after 1910.
• The Superbas played at Eastern Park, which was not bordered by street-level trolley lines.