Atlantic Association
The Atlantic Association was a minor league baseball organization that operated between 1889 and 1890 and again in 1908 in the Northeastern United States.
| Sport | Minor League Baseball |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 1889 1908 |
| Ceased | 1890 (1st iteration) 1908 (2nd iteration) |
| President | James M. Braden (1889–1890) Hugh McBreen (1908) |
| No. of teams | 14 (Total – 1st iteration) 7 (Total – 2nd iteration) |
| Country |  United States |
| Most titles | 1 Worcester (1889) New Haven Nutmegs (1890) Portland Blue Sox (1908) |
| Classification | Independent (1889–1890) Class D (1908) |
| Related competitions | New England League |
History
First Demise
In each of the two seasons 4 or more teams failed to finish the season and with three teams remaining folded after the 1890 season.[1] Only the New Haven Nutmegs survived after the demise of the league by transferring to another league.
Second Demise
A smaller league in 1908 was also like the first league and plagued by teams failing to finish the season.[1] Despite being the best team, Portland folded with the demise of the league and disbanded with its association with the Maine State League.
Cities represented
- Attleboro, Massachusetts: Attleboro Angels (1908) – team moved from Taunton
- Baltimore, Maryland: Baltimore Orioles (1890) – not to be mistaken for the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association
- Easton, Pennsylvania: Easton (1889) – unnamed club failed to complete season and folded in June 1889
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Athletics (1890) – former Harrisburg Ponies from the Pennsylvania State League and replaced the Jersey City Gladiators July 1890
- Hartford, Connecticut: Hartford Baseball Club (1889); Hartford Nutmeggers (1890): team disbanded August 1890
- Jersey City, New Jersey: Jersey City Skeeters (1889) Jersey City Gladiators (1890): replaced the Skeeters and then replaced by Harrisburg Athletics July 1890
- Lebanon, Pennsylvania: Lebanon (1890) – unnamed team disbanded August 25, 1890
- Lewiston, Maine: Lewiston (1908)
- Lowell, Massachusetts: Lowell (1889) – unnamed team disbanded after 1889
- New Haven, Connecticut: New Haven (1889) – unnamed team disbanded?; New Haven Nutmegs 1890: best team in the AA in 1892 but transferred to Eastern Association after end of season and last played as Eastern League's New Haven Bulldogs in 1932
- Newark, New Jersey: Newark Little Giants (1889–1890) – formerly with Eastern League, International League and Central League; club folded 1889
- Newport, Rhode Island: Newport Ponies (1908) – disbanded May 19
- Norwalk, Connecticut: Norwalk (1889) – unnamed team disbanded after single season
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island: Pawtucket Colts (1908) – originally with New England League in 1899
- Portland, Maine: Portland Blue Sox (1908) – best team in the AA in 1908, moved from Maine State League and appears to have joined New England League in 1919
- Washington D.C.: Washington Senators (1890): disbanded July 1890
- Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania: Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons (1889) – disbanded August 1889
- Wilmington, Delaware: Wilmington Peach Growers (1890) – disbanded August 1890
- Taunton, Massachusetts: Taunton Angels (1908) – team moved to Attleboro, MA as Angels
- Woonsocket, Rhode Island: Woonsocket Trotters (1908) – disbanded May 1908
- Worcester, Pennsylvania: Worcester (1889–1890) – best team in the AA in 1889
Teams and Statistics
1889 Atlantic Association - schedule
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester | 58 | 35 | .624 | 0 | Walt Burnham |
| Newark Little Giants | 54 | 40 | .574 | 4.5 | Sam Trott |
| Hartford | 52 | 44 | .542 | 7.5 | John Henry |
| New Haven | 40 | 52 | .435 | 17.5 | Harry Spence / Jack Burdock |
| Lowell | 35 | 59 | .373 | 23.5 | John Cosgrove/ Nate Kellogg / Dan Sullivan |
| Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons | 32 | 20 | .605 | NA | John Irwin / M.H. Bergunder |
| Jersey City Skeeters | 33 | 23 | .589 | NA | Patrick Powers |
| Easton | 10 | 26 | .378 | NA | Henry Putnam |
| Norwalk | 2 | 17 | .105 | NA | Jim Donnelly / George Moolic |
Norwalk disbanded September 2.
Easton disbanded June 22.
Jersey City disbanded July 25.
Wilkes-Barre disbanded August 1.
Player Statistics
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Hamilton | Lowell | BA | .341 | Jesse Burkett | Worcester | W | 30 | |
| Ted Scheffler | Worcester | Runs | 87 | Henry Dooms | Newark | W | 30 | |
| Robert Hamilton | Lowell | Hits | 117 | Jesse Burkett | Worcester | SO | 240 | |
| William Campion | Worcester | HR | 8 | Bill Daley | Jersey City | Pct | .750; 18-6 |
1890 Atlantic Association - schedule
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven Nutmegs | 82 | 36 | .695 | 0 | Walt Burnham |
| Worcester / Lebanon | 60 | 51 | .541 | 18.5 | Jim Cudworth |
| Newark Little Giants | 60 | 61 | .496 | 23.5 | Sam Trott |
| Jersey City Gladiators / Harrisburg Athletics | 58 | 72 | .446 | 30 | Steve Brady / Jack Burdock / James Harrington |
| Baltimore Orioles | 77 | 24 | .762 | NA | Billy Barnie |
| Washington Senators | 38 | 47 | .447 | NA | Ted Sullivan |
| Wilmington Peach Growers | 29 | 66 | .305 | NA | Barney Stephenson / Joe Simmons / Bill Wehrle |
| Hartford Nutmeggers | 22 | 60 | .268 | NA | John Henry / Ezra Sutton / Tom Forster |
Jersey City (27-46) disbanded July 22. Harrisburg, from the disbanded Interstate League, applied for the vacant franchise and joined the league July 24.
Worcester (37-31) moved to Lebanon July 28.
Washington disbanded August 2.
Hartford disbanded August 25.
Wilmington disbanded August 27.
Baltimore left the league to join the American Association August 27.
Player Statistics
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Sommer | Baltimore | BA | .347 | Les German | Baltimore | W | 35 | |
| Reddy Mack | Baltimore | Runs | 120 | John Doran | New Haven | SO | 241 | |
| Danny Long | Baltimore | Runs | 120 | John Doran | New Haven | ERA | 1.12 | |
| Dan Lally | New Haven | Hits | 159 | Mike O'Rourke | Baltimore | Pct | .923; 12-1 | |
| Dan Lally | New Haven | HR | 12 |
1908 Atlantic Association Class D
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Blue Sox | 8 | 3 | .727 | 0 | F. Driscoll |
| Lewiston | 8 | 4 | .667 | .5 | George Beede / Ed McDonough |
| Pawtucket Colts | 6 | 3 | .667 | 1 | William Conners |
| Newport Ponies | 5 | 5 | .500 | 2.5 | Ben Anthony / George Reed |
| Taunton / Attleboro Angels | 1 | 12 | .077 | 8 | Mike McDermott / Bill Wilson / McEleney |
| Woonsocket Trotters | 0 | 1 | .000 | NA | John Leighton / Buster Burrill |
Taunton moved to Attleboro
Woonsocket disbanded May 4.
Pawtucket disbanded May 19.
The circuit started May 2 and disbanded May 21.
Player Statistics
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Lush | Taunton/Attleboro | BA | .418 | Sandy Burk | Pawtucket/Attleboro | W | 4 | |
| Bob Black | Pawtucket | Runs | 13 | Sandy Burk | Pawtucket/Attleboro | SO | 40 | |
| Pat Sullivan | Lewiston | Runs | 13 | Joe Burns | Taunton/Attleboro | Hits | 16 | |
| Pat Sullivan | Lewiston | Hits | 16 | Pat Sullivan | Lewiston | HR | 4 |
Hall of Fame alumni
- Jesse Burkett, 1889 Worcester
- Frank Grant, 1890 Harrisburg Athletics
See also
References
- "Atlantic Association - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.