The following is a list of United States
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
teams that played in the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
during the 19th century. None of these teams, other than Athletic and Mutual, had actual names during this period; sportswriters however often applied creative monickers which are still, mistakenly, used today as "team names" following a convention established in 1951.
Surviving teams
Major league
*
Boston: "Red Stockings, "Red Caps," "Beaneaters" 1876–1900 – now Atlanta Braves
*
Brooklyn: "Grays," "Bridegrooms," "Grooms," "Superbas," "Robins," "Trolley Dodgers" 1890–1900 – transferred from the
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
; now Los Angeles Dodgers
*
Chicago "White Stockings": 1876–1900 – now known as the Cubs
*
Cincinnati: "Red Stockings" or "Reds" 1890–1900 – transferred from the American Association
*
New York: occasionally "Gothams," more often "Giants" 1883–1900 – later the New York Giants and now San Francisco Giants
*
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
1883–1900 – very occasionally tagged "Quakers" 1883–1890, most often "Philadelphias" in the style of the day, shortened to "Phillies."
*
Pittsburgh: 1887–1900 founded as Allegheny (a Pittsburgh suburb) and referred to in typical manner as "Alleghenys" 1883-1890, dubbed "Pirates" from 1891 – transferred from the American Association
*
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
"Brown Stockings or "Browns," later "Red Stockings" or "Reds" 1892–1900 – transferred from the American Association; now known as the Cardinals.
Minor league
*
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen ...
1879–1885 – moved to the minors in 1886 and played in Buffalo until 1970 before several moves. Suspended operations in 1973. A current minor league team bearing the "
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen ...
" name, dating to 1979, claims this team as part of their official history.
Defunct teams
*
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
1892-1899 - transferred from the American Association
*
Cincinnati Red Stockings
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of were baseball's first all-professional team, with ten salaried players. The Cincinnati Base Ball Club formed in 1866 and fielded competitive teams in the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) 1867†...
1876–1879
*
Cleveland Blues 1879–1884
*
Cincinnati Stars
The Cincinnati Stars were a Major League Baseball team that played in the National League for the 1880 season and were managed by John Clapp. The club finished their only season in 8th place with a record of 21–59.
Following the 1880 campai ...
1880
*
Cleveland Spiders
The Cleveland Spiders were an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The team competed at the major league level from 1887 to 1899, first for two seasons as a member of the now-defunct American Association (AA), followed ...
1889–1899 – transferred from the American Association; the
1899 Cleveland Spiders hold the record for the
worst winning percentage in the
history of Major League Baseball
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
*
Detroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th-century Major League Baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant (and winning the pre ...
1881–1888
*
Hartford Dark Blues
The Hartfords (more commonly called the Hartford Dark Blues because of their uniform color) were a 19th-century baseball team. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut.
History
In 1874, baseball in Hartford, CT was being played in a fever pit ...
1876–1877 – transferred from
National Association; based in Brooklyn in 1877
*
Indianapolis Blues
The Indianapolis Blues were a baseball team in the National League for one season (1878), in which they finished fifth in the six-team league with a 24–36 record. They were managed by outfielder/first baseman/catcher John Clapp, and played the ...
1878
*
St. Louis Maroons/Black Diamonds/Indianapolis Hoosiers 1885–1889 – transferred from the
Union Association in 1885; moved to Indianapolis where often called Hoosiers in 1887
*
Kansas City Cowboys Several sports team in Kansas City, Missouri have used the name Cowboys:
*Kansas City Cowboys (Union Association), a baseball team in the Union Association in 1884
*Kansas City Cowboys (National League), a baseball team in the National League in 18 ...
1886
*
Louisville Grays
The Louisville Grays were a 19th-century United States baseball team and charter member of the National League, based in Louisville, Kentucky. They played two seasons, 1876 and 1877, and compiled a record of 65–61. Their home games were a ...
1876–1877
*
Louisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that also played in the American Association (AA) throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891. They were known as the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1884, and as th ...
1892–1899 – transferred from the American Association
*
Milwaukee Grays
The Milwaukee Grays were a short-lived baseball team that spent one year, 1878, in the National League.
The team was part of the League Alliance, loosely affiliated with the National League, in 1877. It won 19 games and lost 13 (including a 10†...
(or Cream Citys) 1878
*
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, through 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League. The team played first in ...
1888
*
Mutual of New York
The Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York (also known as Mutual of New York or MONY) was the oldest continuous writer of insurance policies in the United States. Incorporated in 1842, it was headquartered at 1740 Broadway, before becoming a wh ...
1876 – transferred from National Association
*
Athletic of Philadelphia
Athletic may refer to:
* An athlete, a sportsperson
* Athletic director, a position at many American universities and schools
* Athletic type, a physical/psychological type in the classification of Ernst Kretschmer
* Athletic of Philadelphia, a ba ...
1876 – transferred from National Association
*
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at the Messer Street Grounds in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National Leag ...
1878–1885
*
St. Louis Brown Stockings 1876–1877 – transferred from National Association
*
Syracuse Stars 1879
*
Troy Trojans
The Troy Trojans are the sports teams of Troy University. They began playing in the NCAA's Division I-A in 2001, became a football only member of the Sun Belt Conference in 2004, and joined that conference for all other sports in 2005. Troy Univer ...
1879–1882
*
Washington Nationals 1886–1889
*
Washington Senators (1891–99) Washington Senators may refer to:
Politicians
* Members of the United States Senate, which convenes in Washington, D.C.
** United States senators from Washington, senators representing the state of Washington in the United States Senate
* Members ...
*
Worcester Ruby Legs
The Worcester Worcesters were a 19th-century Major League Baseball team from 1880 to 1882 in the National League. The team is referred to, at times, as the Brown Stockings or the Ruby Legs; however, no contemporary sources from the time exist tha ...
1880–1882
Timeline
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at:1876 color:lineColor #Formation of NL
BarData =
bar:MNY # Mutual of New York
bar:AOP # Athletic of Philadelphia
bar:CHC # Chicago White Stockings / Colts / Orphans / Cubs
bar:ATL # Boston Red Stockings / Beaneaters / Doves / Rustlers / Braves / Bees / Milwaukee Braves / Atlanta Braves
bar:HAR # Hartford Dark Blues / Brooklyn Hartfords
bar:SLBS # St. Louis Brown Stockings / Browns
bar:CINR # Cincinnati Red Stockings /Reds
bar:LOU # Louisville Grays
bar:IND # Indianapolis Blues
bar:MILG # Milwaukee Grays
bar:PRO # Providence Grays
bar:BUF # Buffalo Bisons
bar:CLEB # Cleveland Blues
bar:SYR # Syracuse Stars
bar:TRY # Troy Trojans
bar:WRC # Worcester Worcesters
bar:DETW # Detroit Wolverines
bar:SF # New York Giants / San Francisco Giants
bar:PHI # Philadelphia Phillies
bar:SLM # St. Louis Maroons / Black Diamonds / Indianapolis Hoosiers
bar:KCC # Kansas City Cowboys
bar:WSHN # Washington Nationals
bar:PIT # Pittsburgh Pirates
bar:MIN # Minneapolis Millers
bar:CLES # Cleveland Spiders
bar:CIN # Cincinnati Reds
bar:LAD # Brooklyn Dodgers / Los Angeles Dodgers
bar:BALO # Baltimore Orioles (AA)
bar:LOUC # Louisville Cardinals
bar:STL # St. Louis Browns / Cardinals
bar:WSHS # Washington Senators
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# --- Charter NL Franchises in 1876
bar:MNY from:1857 till:1871 color:nl1 text:"(NABBP)"
bar:MNY from:1871 till:1876 color:nl1 text:"(NA)"
bar:MNY from:1876 till:1877 color:green text:"Mutual of New York" $Right
bar:AOP from:1860 till:1871 color:nl1 text:"(NABBP)"
bar:AOP from:1871 till:1876 color:nl1 text:"(NA)"
bar:AOP from:1876 till:1877 color:blue text:"Athletic of Philadelphia" $Right
bar:ATL from:1871 till:1876 color:nl1 text:"(NA)"
bar:ATL from:1876 till:end color:red text:"Boston (Braves)" textcolor:white
bar:CHC from:1870 till:1871 color:nl1 text:"(NABBP)" $Left
bar:CHC from:1871 till:1872 color:nl1
bar:CHC from:1874 till:1876 color:nl1 text:"(NA)"
bar:CHC from:1876 till:end color:darkblue text:"Chicago (Cubs)" textcolor:white
bar:CINR from:1876 till:1881 color:red text:"Cincinnati" $Right
bar:HAR from:1874 till:1876 color:nl1 text:"(NA)"
bar:HAR from:1876 till:1877 color:darkblue text:"Hartford" $UpRight
bar:HAR from:1877 till:1878 color:skyblue text:"Brooklyn" $DownRight
bar:LOU from:1876 till:1878 color:gray text:"Louisville" $Right
bar:SLBS from:1875 till:1876 color:nl1 text:"(NA)" $Left
bar:SLBS from:1876 till:1878 color:brown text:"St. Louis" textcolor:white $Right
# --- 1878
bar:IND from:1878 till:1879 color:blue text:"Indianapolis" $Right
bar:MILG from:1878 till:1879 color:gray text:"Milwaukee" $Right
bar:PRO from:1878 till:1885 color:skyblue text:"Providence"
# --- 1879
bar:BUF from:1879 till:1886 color:gray2 text:"Buffalo"
bar:CLEB from:1879 till:1885 color:navy text:"Cleveland" textcolor:white
bar:SYR from:1879 till:1880 color:yellow text:"Star of Syracuse" $Right
bar:TRY from:1879 till:1883 color:green text:"Troy" textcolor:yellow
# --- 1880
bar:WRC from:1880 till:1883 color:brown text:"Worcester" $Right
# --- 1881
bar:DETW from:1881 till:1889 color:vegasgold text:"Detroit"
# --- 1883
bar:SF from:1883 till:end color:orange text:"New York (Giants)"
bar:PHI from:1883 till:end color:red2 text:"Philadelphia (Phillies)" textcolor:white
# --- 1884
bar:SLM from:1884 till:1885 color:nl1 text:"(UA)" $Left
bar:SLM from:1885 till:1886 color:darkred text:"St. Louis" textcolor:white $UpRight
bar:SLM from:1886 till:1887 color:black text:
bar:SLM from:1887 till:1890 color:darkblue text:"Indianapolis" $Right
# --- 1886
bar:KCC from:1886 till:1887 color:oceanblue text:"Kansas City" $Right
bar:WSHN from:1886 till:1890 color:darkblue text:"Washington" textcolor:white
# --- 1887
bar:PIT from:1882 till:1887 color:nl1 text:"(AA)"
bar:PIT from:1887 till:end color:yelloworange text:"Pittsburgh (Pirates)"
# --- 1888
bar:MIN from:1888 till:1889 color:orange text:"Minneapolis"
# --- 1889
bar:CLES from:1887 till:1889 color:nl1 text:"(AA)"
bar:CLES from:1889 till:1900 color:black text:"Cleveland" textcolor:white
# --- 1890
bar:CIN from:1882 till:1890 color:nl1 text:"(AA)"
bar:CIN from:1890 till:end color:red text:"Cincinnati (Reds)" textcolor:white
bar:LAD from:1884 till:1885 color:nl1
bar:LAD from:1885 till:1888 color:nl1 text:"(AA)"
bar:LAD from:1888 till:1890 color:nl1
bar:LAD from:1890 till:end color:darkblue text:"Brooklyn (Dodgers)" textcolor:white
# --- AA Merger
bar:BALO from:1882 till:1892 color:nl1 text:"(AA)"
bar:BALO from:1892 till:1900 color:yellow text:"Baltimore"
bar:LOUC from:1882 till:1892 color:nl1 text:"(AA)"
bar:LOUC from:1892 till:1900 color:gray text:"Louisville" textcolor:white
bar:STL from:1882 till:1892 color:nl1 text:"(AA)"
bar:STL from:1892 till:end color:red2 text:"St. Louis (Cardinals)" textcolor:white
bar:WSHS from:1891 till:1892 color:nl1 text:"(AA)" $Left
bar:WSHS from:1892 till:1900 color:darkblue text:"Washington" textcolor:white
Franchises by Year
*1876
**Boston
**Chicago
**Cincinnati
**Hartford
**Louisville
**Mutual
**Athletic
**St. Louis
*Between 1876 and 1877 seasons
**Drop: Mutual and Athletic
*1877
**Boston
**Chicago
**Cincinnati
**Hartford (played most games in Brooklyn)
**Louisville
**St. Louis
*Between 1877 and 1878 seasons
**Drop: Hartford, Louisville and St. Louis
**Add: Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Providence
*1878
**Boston
**Chicago
**Cincinnati
**Indianapolis
**Milwaukee
**Providence
*Between 1878 and 1879 seasons
**Drop: Indianapolis and Milwaukee
**Add: Buffalo, Cleveland, Syracuse and Troy
*1879
**Boston
**Chicago
**Cincinnati
**Providence
**Buffalo
**Cleveland
**Syracuse
**Troy
*Between 1879 and 1880 seasons
**Drop: Syracuse
**Add: Worcester
*1880
**Boston
**Chicago
**Cincinnati
**Providence
**Buffalo
**Cleveland
**Troy
**Worcester
*Between 1880 and 1881 seasons
**Drop: Cincinnati
**Add: Detroit
*1881
**Boston
**Chicago
**Providence
**Buffalo
**Cleveland
**Troy
**Worcester
**Detroit
*Between 1881 and 1882 seasons
**Drop:none
**Add: none
*1882
**Boston
**Chicago
**Providence
**Buffalo
**Cleveland
**Troy
**Worcester
**Detroit
*Between 1882 and 1883 seasons
**Drop: Troy and Worcester
**Add: New York and Philadelphia
*1883
**Boston
**Chicago
**Providence
**Buffalo
**Cleveland
**Detroit
**New York
**Philadelphia
*Between 1883 and 1884 seasons
**Drop: none
**Add: none
*1884
**Boston
**Chicago
**Providence
**Buffalo
**Cleveland
**Detroit
**New York
**Philadelphia
*Between 1884 and 1885 seasons
**Drop: Cleveland
**Add: St. Louis from the Union Association
*1885
**Boston
**Chicago
**Providence
**Buffalo
**Detroit
**New York
**Philadelphia
**St. Louis
*Between 1885 and 1886 seasons
**Drop: Buffalo and Providence
**Add: Kansas City and Washington
*1886
**Boston
**Chicago
**Detroit
**New York
**Philadelphia
**St. Louis
**Kansas City
**Washington
*Between 1886 and 1887 seasons
**Drop: Kansas City
**Add: Pittsburgh (from the American Association) and Topeka
**Move: St. Louis to Indianapolis
*1887
**Boston
**Chicago
**Detroit
**New York
**Philadelphia
**Washington
**Indianapolis
**Pittsburgh
*Between 1887 and 1888 seasons
**Drop: none
**Add: Minneapolis
*1888
**Boston
**Chicago
**Detroit
**New York
**Philadelphia
**Washington
**Indianapolis
**Pittsburgh
**Minneapolis
*Between 1888 and 1889 seasons
**Drop: Detroit
**Add: Cleveland from the American Association
*1889
**Boston
**Chicago
**New York
**Philadelphia
**Washington
**Indianapolis
**Pittsburgh
**Cleveland
*Between 1889 and 1890 seasons
**Drop: Indianapolis and Washington
**Add: Brooklyn and Cincinnati (both from the American Association)
*1890
**Boston
**Chicago
**New York
**Philadelphia
**Pittsburgh
**Cleveland
**Brooklyn
**Cincinnati
*Between 1890 and 1891 seasons
**Drop: none
**Add: none
*1891
**Boston
**Chicago
**New York
**Philadelphia
**Pittsburgh
**Cleveland
**Brooklyn
**Cincinnati
*Between 1891 and 1892 seasons
**Drop: none
**Add: Baltimore, Louisville, St. Louis and Washington (all from the American Association)
*1892–1899
**Boston
**Chicago
**New York
**Philadelphia
**Pittsburgh
**Cleveland
**Brooklyn
**Cincinnati
**Baltimore
**Louisville
**St. Louis
**Washington
This lineup of teams remained the same from 1892 to the end of the 1899 season. After the 1899 season Baltimore, Cleveland, Louisville and Washington were dropped from the National League.
*1900
**Boston
**Chicago
**New York
**Philadelphia
**Pittsburgh
**Brooklyn
**Cincinnati
**St. Louis
This lineup remained the same until Boston relocated to Milwaukee in 1953.
See also
*
List of National League pennant winners
The National League pennant winner of a given Major League Baseball season is the team that wins the championship—the pennant—of MLB's National League (NL). This team receives the Warren C. Giles Trophy and the right to play in the World Se ...
*
History of baseball team nicknames
This is a summary of the evolution of names of the current professional Major League Baseball teams in the National League (organized 1876) and subsequent rival American League (established 1901), and also of selected former major and minor lea ...
References
*
{{National League
*
*
Articles which contain graphical timelines