Cleveland Blues

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Team History[edit]

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[edit]

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:[edit]

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