Cleveland Blues

• Location: Cleveland, OH
• League: National League 1879-1884; American Association 1887-1888; American League (minors) 1900; American League 1901.
• Ballpark: Kennard Street Park 1879-1884; National League Park 1887-1888; League Park 1900-1901

Team History

The first Cleveland Blues team played in the National League from 1879 to 1884. That team is also known as the Cleveland Forest Citys.

The second Cleveland Blues team played in the American Association in 1887 and 1888. That team is also sometimes called the Cleveland Spiders.

Following the 1899 season, Ban Johnson moved the Grand Rapids Furniture Makers to Cleveland to fill the spot left by the Cleveland Spiders when the National League contracted four teams after the 1899 season. Initially the team was called the Bluebirds, the name was soon shortened to the Blues on account of their all-blue uniforms. The Blues played in the 1900 American League before it became a major league. They finished sixth but had some fine performers. OF Ollie Pickering (.324/~.350/.386) led the AL in runs (117) and hits (194, 23 ahead of the runner-up), was second in steals (49) and was third in average. 1B Candy LaChance hit .302/~.341/.400 and swiped 39 bases. Bill Hart (18-15, 2.60) and Bill Hoffer (16-12, 2.93) led the rotation. The following season, the team was unofficially known as the Bronchos.

Year-by-Year Record

Year	League	Record	Finish	Manager
1879	National League	27-55	6th	Jim McCormick
1880	National League	47-37	3rd	Jim McCormick
1881	National League	36-48	7th	Mike McGeary/John Clapp
1882	National League	42-40	5th	Jim McCormick/Fred Dunlap
1883	National League	55-42	4th	Frank Bancroft
1884	National League	35-77	7th	Charlie Hackett
1887	American Association	39-92	8th	Jimmy Williams
1888	American Association	50-82	6th	Jimmy Williams/Tom Loftus
1900	American League	63-73	6th	Jimmy McAleer
1901	American League	55-82-1	7th	Jimmy McAleer

Source:

• Russell Schneider: The Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia , Temple University Press, Philadelphia, Pa © 1996