![1888 Kansas City Cowboys crop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/1888_Kansas_City_Cowboys_crop.jpg)
The
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 ...
were a professional baseball team based in
Kansas City, Missouri that played in 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 ...
for two seasons from 1888 to 1889.
The franchise initially used
Association Park
Association Park is the name of two different baseball grounds which were located in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
Association Park (I)
This ballpark was home to the Kansas City Cowboys of the National League for the 1886 season. It was initiall ...
as their home field in 1888, then moved to
Exposition Park for the 1889 season.
The team began the 1888 season with part-time
outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...
Dave Rowe as their
player-manager
A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the s ...
. He was released from the team after beginning the season with a
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of matc ...
of 14–36 though 50 games.
He was replaced with
second baseman Sam Barkley
Samuel E. Barkley (May 24, 1858 – April 20, 1912) was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, he played for four teams in six seasons from to .
Career
Barkley began his career with the Toledo Bl ...
, who did not improve the team's play, winning 22 of the next 58 games.
He was replaced with non-playing
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities ...
Bill Watkins, who finished the season.
Although the Cowboys completed their initial season in last place out of the league's eight teams, there were notable player achievements; on June 6,
Henry Porter threw a
no-hitter, and on June 13, Barkley hit for the
cycle.
The franchise's only future
Hall of Fame player,
"Slidin' Billy" Hamilton, began his career as a part-time outfielder in 1888, and was their starting
right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the ...
in 1889.
He is the franchise's all-time leader in
runs scored,
bases on balls, and
stolen bases.
With Watkins as the team's manager in 1889, the team improved their win–loss record to 55–82, with two ties, finishing seventh among the league's eight teams.
On November 15, 1889, the Cowboys submitted their resignation from the AA and joined the
Western Association
The Western Association was the name of five different leagues formed in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Weste ...
as the
Kansas City Blues for the 1890 season.
Players
References
External links
*Franchise index a
Baseball-Referencean
{{featured list
*
Major League Baseball all-time rosters
All-time rosters