International Association

From BR Bullpen

The International Association of Professional Base Ball Players was first formed in 1877 as an alternative to the National League, becoming the first minor league.

This organization cannot be considered the first "true" minor league for many reasons. To quote several SABR historians ..."each association had no set schedule and umpire selection was nothing short of chaotic. In addition, many of the Association teams competed in more than one Association or League. Thus, Lynn of the International Association was also competing in the New England Association and the Columbus Buckeyes were also in the League Alliance." The same held true for the 1878 season.

For these reasons, these leagues cannot be called "true" minor leagues. They were at best "loose and independent" organizations, more on the model of the defunct National League than of the National League. Candy Cummings, an early pitching star in professional baseball was chosen as the circuit's first president. He was also a player, with the Lynn Live Oaks, but before the end of the year, after the Lynn team had collapsed, he would be back pitching in the National League, for the Cincinnati Reds, while still assuming the functions of president of the International Association.

Not until Ted Sullivan formed the Northwestern League in 1879, was there a league with a pre-set schedule. And then the minor leagues first truly appeared.

It was renamed the National Association in 1879 after its last Canadian team dropped out.

In 1888 the name was used again when the International League changed their name to the International Association. Three years later they became the Eastern Association.

Cities Represented (1877)[edit]

Teams & Statistics[edit]

Years[edit]

1877
President: Candy Cummings

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
London Tecumsehs 14 4 .778 - Harry Gorman
Pittsburgh Alleghenys 13 6 .684 1.5 Denny McKnight
Rochester Flour Cities 10 8 .556 4 George Brackett
Manchester 9 10 .474 5.5 H.S. Clark
Guelph Maple Leafs 4 12 .250 9 George Sleeman
Columbus Buckeyes % 9 11 .450 NA George Strief / Charlie Pabor
Lynn Live Oaks % 1 9 .100 NA Candy Cummings

% Lynn and Columbus disbanded

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Steve Brady Rochester BA .358 Fred Goldsmith London W 14
Chub Sullivan Columbus Hits 30 Fred Goldsmith London PCT .778 14-4
Ed Caskin
Richard Dixon
Chick Fulmer		 HR 1
Five tied Runs 15

Cities Represented (1878)[edit]

Teams & Statistics[edit]

Years[edit]

1878
President: James A. Williams

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Buffalo Bisons 27 10 .730 - George Smith
Syracuse Stars 26 10 .722 0.5 Mike Dorgan
Utica Pent-Ups 23 14 .622 4 Pop Snyder / Jim Gifford
Rochester Flour Cities 20 16 .556 6.5 Joe Simmons
Manchester Manchesters 20 17 .541 7 H.S. Clark
Lowell Lowells 15 20 .429 11 Josiah Butler
Springfield Springfields 9 25 .265 16.5 Willis Arnold
London Tecumsehs ^ 23 13 .639 NA Roscoe Barnes
Hornell Hornells ^ 9 12 .429 NA Horace Phillips
Lynn Live Oaks / Worcester Worcesters ! 9 26 .257 NA George Brackett
Binghamton Crickets & 6 6 .500 NA C.T. McCormick
Pittsburgh Alleghenys # 2 10 .167 NA
New Haven / Hartford $ 1 11 .083 NA Charles Watt

$ New Haven transferred to Hartford May 20, franchise expelled June 20
! Lynn transferred to Worcester June 4
# Pittsburgh disbanded June 8
& Binghamton disbanded July 19
^ Hornell and London disbanded August 21

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
John O'Rourke Manchester BA .393 Harry McCormick Syracuse W 26
Joe Hornung London / Buffalo Runs 37 Blondie Purcell Utica PCT .727 16-6
John O'Rourke Manchester Hits 70
George Derby Hornell / Syracuse HR 2

Cities Represented (1888-1890)[edit]

Teams and Statistics[edit]

1888[edit]

1888 International Association
President: Strachen Cox

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Syracuse Stars 81 30 .730 0 Charlie Hackett
Toronto Canucks 75 35 .682 5.5 Charlie Cushman
Hamilton Mountaineers 66 44 .600 14.5 Harry Fisher
Rochester Jingoes 62 45 .579 17 Andy Leonard
London Tecumsehs 53 53 .500 25.5 Phil Powers
Buffalo Bisons 48 62 .436 32.5 John Chapman
Troy Trojans 29 79 .268 50.5 Ted Sullivan (6/15)/ L.E. Burkett / Pat Dealy (7/13)/ Hackett (8/2)/ Werden
Albany Governors 19 86 .181 59 Tom York
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Patsy Donovan London BA .359 Con Murphy Syracuse W 34
Rasty Wright Syracuse Runs 143 Al Atkinson Toronto SO 307
Ollie Beard Syracuse Hits 174 Con Murphy Syracuse ERA 1.27
Mike Lehane Buffalo HR 13 Eddie Burke Toronto SB 107

1889[edit]

1889 International Association
President: Riley Miller

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Detroit Wolverines 72 39 .649 0 Bob Leadley
Syracuse Stars 63 44 .589 7 Jack Chapman
Rochester Jingoes 60 49 .550 11 Andy Leonard / Patrick Powers
Toledo Black Pirates 54 51 .514 15 Charlie Morton
Toronto Canucks 56 55 .505 16 Charlie Cushman
London Tecumsehs 51 55 .481 18.5 Phil Powers (6/1)/ Thomas Esterbrook (7/8)/ Wallace Fessenden
Buffalo Bisons 41 65 .404 28.5 Deacon White / Jack Rowe / Will White
Hamilton Hams 35 74 .321 36 Ed Swartwood / Abner Powell
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Perry Werden Toledo BA .394 Bob Barr Rochester W 29
Bobby Wheelock Detroit Runs 130 Ed Cushman Toledo SO 194
Perry Werden Toledo Hits 167 Tom Vickery Toronto SO 194
Buster Hoover Toronto HR 10 Cannonball Titcomb Toronto ERA 1.27
Ed Smith Detroit Pct .692; 18-8

1890[edit]

1890 International Association
President: Charles White

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Detroit Wolverines 31 19 .620 0 Bob Leadley
Saginaw-Bay City Hyphens 32 20 .615 0 Malcom McArthur
Toronto Canucks 30 20 .600 1 Chub Collins
Hamilton Mountaineers / Montreal Canadiens ## 24 26 .480 7 Jimmy Dean
Buffalo Bisons / Grand Rapids Shamrocks # 14 29 .326 13.5 Louis Bacon
London Tecumsehs ### 15 32 .319 14.5 Wallace Fessenden

# Buffalo (8-16) moved to Grand Rapids June 11.
## Hamilton (21-18) moved to Montreal June 23.
### London disbanded July 8, causing the league to fold July 10.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bill Andrus Buffalo BA .339 Ed Cartwright NA Runs 45
Don Casey NA Hits 68 Dan Quinn Buff/Mont/Det HR 3
E. Doyle NA HR 3

Sources[edit]

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