1893 Federal League Season Recap

St. Louis edges Philadelphia in Pennant Chase

After the 1892 pennant-winning effort by Cincinnati, the Monarchs were expected to be in the chase once again in 1893. But James Tice's club did not live up to expectations and finished at 69-63, 14 games off the pace. Instead, another new power arose and for the third straight season, the Federal League had a new champion: the St. Louis Pioneers. Interestingly, the link between the Pioneers and Monarchs ran deep - it was Pioneers (or Brewers as they were then now) founder Adolph Fuchs who stayed loyal to Tice, leaving the Century League with him and sticking by him during the Border Association's war with the Century League that followed.

By 1893 Fuchs was long gone, having passed away in 1890. His son, George Fuchs, ran the Pioneers for their first year in FABL, when St. Louis finished a strong third, with an 83-57 record. Sensing an opportunity and being more interested in brewing beer than baseball, the younger Fuchs sold the Pioneers. New owner Charles Matthews, a Maryland-transplant, took over and in his second year of ownership, the Pioneers won the pennant with an 83-49 mark, finishing two games ahead of Philadelphia.

The result was a dramatically reshaped league—and a pennant race that produced one of the most ironic outcomes imaginable.

Always a Bridesmaid

One could forgive Jefferson Edgerton for being frustrated at the end of the 1893 season. The Philadelphia Keystones owner saw his club finish in the runner-up position for the third straight time, having finished two, six and two games back in 1891, 92 and 93 respectively.

So Ol' Jeff came up with a proposal. He had a local metalsmith create a sterling silver cup and suggested to FABL President Ned Wilson that the league institute a seven-game playoff series, the winner of which would receive the silver cup. The competitors, Edgerton proposed, would be the first and second place clubs in the just completed season. Wilson agreed, and the Edgerton Cup series was born. It would begin following the 1894 season.

Atlantic Association Joins the National Agreement

As the business of baseball continued to grow the Northeast-based Atlantic Association joined the Federally Aligned Baseball Leagues' National Agreement in 1893. Featuring clubs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, the league was considered a notch or two below the premier minor circuits (The Eastern Assoc. and Western Fed. respectively), but having the AA under the FABL umbrella was seen as a boon for both sides. The AA would get protection from raids by other member circuits while FABL added another league to develop future players for the Federal League.

In a thrilling first season, the Scranton Black Diamonds won the AA pennant by one game over the rival Allentown Lehighs. Three other clubs finished within five games, giving the Atlantic Association an exciting debut amongst the Federally Aligned Baseball Leagues.

Top Performers

The Pioneers' pennant-winning efforts were led by Jean Beaulieu, a Canadian-born first sacker who led the Federal League in both hits (202) and RBIs (115) while finishing second in the batting race with a .376 average. The batting crown itself went to third baseman Oscar Engel of Cincinnati, who hit .380 for the fifth-place Monarchs. 

One man stood out amongst the stars for his two-way play: pitcher-outfielder Jack Pendleton of St. Louis. As a hitter, Pendleton hit .325 with 13 HRs, scoring 112 and driving in 79. He added 36 doubles and 11 triples. On the pitching side, he made 44 starts, posting a 26-16 record with a 4.19 ERA (slightly below average for the league). Control was a bit of a problem as he issued 197 free passes while striking out 172. Still, there is no doubt Pendleton played an outsized role in St. Louis' championship season.

The top pitcher was generally considered to be Philadelphia's Lew Stiggers. The right-hander made 56 appearances, posted a 26-16 record and a league-best 2.32 ERA. The Gothams' Otto Hinz (29-15, 3.73) led the loop with 29 victories, while other top moundsmen included Chicago's Harry Hartmann (26-16, 2.83) and young Montreal fireballer Rufus Barrell (28-17, 3.74, league-leading 184 strikeouts). 

Final Federal League Standings

The Panic of 1893 Changes the Face of the Sport

1. The Collapse of Minor Leagues

While the FABL leagues struggled but survived, the unaffiliated minor leagues were devastated. Because the Panic hit the West and South particularly hard—regions where smaller leagues were still trying to establish a foothold—many leagues folded mid-season.

• In 1893 and 1894, dozens of teams and several entire leagues (such as the Southeast Association and various Western leagues) went bankrupt or suspended operations because fans simply could not afford the "luxury" of a ticket.

• This led to a surplus of players and a "buyer’s market" for the surviving teams, who could offer lower salaries to desperate athletes.

2. Declining Attendance and Stagnant Revenue

Attendance took a significant hit. The Federal League (which was the only "Major League" at the time, having absorbed the Border Association in 1892) saw its crowds thin out.

• Ticket Prices: Most teams maintained a 50-cent admission price, which was a steep cost for a working-class person whose wages had been slashed or who was facing unemployment.

• Financial Instability: Owners like Charles Matthews (St. Louis Pioneers) and William Whitney (Chicago Chiefs) faced personal and professional financial strain. Matthews, in particular, saw his real estate and baseball empire begin to crumble during this era.

3. The "Big League" Monopoly

The Panic occurred just after the Federal League had consolidated into a 12-team "monopoly" (the "Big League"). Because the economy was so poor, no rival leagues could find the capital to launch.

• This lack of competition allowed owners to be extremely frugal. They instituted salary caps (notably the $2,400 cap) and "reserve clauses" that bound players to teams for life, knowing players had nowhere else to go for a paycheck.

• This period of owner dominance and suppressed wages eventually sowed the seeds of player resentment that led to the formation of the Union League a few years later.

4. Rule Changes to Save the Game

To combat the "boring" nature of the game and dwindling ticket sales, baseball leaders introduced radical rule changes in 1893 to increase scoring and excitement:

• Pitching Distance: The pitcher's box was replaced with a rubber slab, and the distance from home plate was increased from 50 feet to 60 feet, 6 inches (the distance still used today).

• The goal was to help hitters (who were struggling against high-speed pitching) and create more "action" on the bases to lure fans back to the park during the depression.

5. Synergy with "Beer Baseball"

Since ticket sales were down, owners looked for other revenue streams. This era saw an increase in the "synergy" between baseball and other entertainment.

• Owners like Matthews (drawing inspiration from the Fuchs-era) built "amusement parks" around their stadiums—adding horse tracks, shoot-the-chutes, and beer gardens—to make the ballpark a destination for whatever discretionary income people had left.