Milwaukee Cream Citys

• Location: Milwaukee, WI
• League: Northwestern League 1884; Western League 1885
• Ballpark: Wright Street Grounds

The Milwaukee Cream Citys joined the Northwestern League as an expansion team in 1884. In mid-August, the league re-starts when Saginow drops out and Winona joins. Milwaukee was offered the championship of the old league but they declined. The league folds in early September when Minneapolis folds. After the season was over, they joined the major league Union Association on September 27th, where they posted an 8-4 record. Following the folding of the Union Association before the start of its 1885 season, Milwaukee and Kansas City reformed the U.A. as a minor league and called the new league the Western League. The team went 9-6 in the first half and 11-9 in the second half before the league folded in mid-June. At an earlier point the team's travel plans had to be changed - en route to Omaha to play the Omahogs, Omaha folded and Milwaukee instead went to face their replacements in Keokuk. Overall Milwaukee had the second-best record in the league that year.

Year-by-Year Record

Year	League	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1884	Northwestern League	30-26	5th	James McKee / Tom Loftus	Saginaw disbanded, causing a second season
	Northwestern League	11-4	1st	Tom Loftus	Joined Union Association with St. Paul
1885	Western League	22-13	--	Tom Loftus	none

Further Reading

• Dennis Pajot: The Rise of Milwaukee Baseball: The Cream City from Midwestern Outpost to the Major Leagues, 1859-1901, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2009.
• Brian A. Podoll: The Minor League Milwaukee Brewers 1859-1952, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2003.