1901 Chicago White Stockings season
White Stockings win first AL pennant in 1901.
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The 1901 Chicago White Stockings season was the team's first as a major league club and the inaugural season of the American League as a major league. The White Stockings won the pennant by four games with an 83–53 record, scoring the most runs in the AL behind a balanced lineup led by outfielders Dummy Hoy and Fielder Jones.
Offseason
In 1900, the Western League renamed itself the American League but remained a minor league under the National Agreement. After the season, the AL left the National Agreement, beginning a war with the NL. The White Stockings acquired several stars, including pitcher-manager Clark Griffith, and won the AL's first major-league pennant in 1901.
Regular season
The White Stockings opened the season on April 24 with an 8–2 win over the Cleveland Blues. On May 9, Cleveland's Earl Moore threw the first no-hitter in American League history against Chicago, yet the White Stockings won 4–2 despite not recording a hit.
The team's speed was a key factor, as Frank Isbell, Sam Mertes, and Fielder Jones finished first, second, and third in the league in stolen bases. The pitching staff was anchored by Clark Griffith, who posted a 24–7 record with a 2.67 ERA. The White Stockings finished the season at 83–53, winning the pennant by four games.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: 1901 Chicago White Stockings season (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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