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Louisville Colonels logo

Louisville Colonels
Seasons 1882-1899 (18 seasons)

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Teams Louisville Colonels History Seasons

Recap

The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association (AA) throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891. They were known as the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1884, and as the Louisville Colonels from 1885 to 1891. The latter name derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. After the AA folded in 1891, the Colonels joined the National League and played through the 1899 season.

After spending several years as a well-known semi-pro team, the Eclipse joined the newly founded American Association in 1882. The Eclipse's backer, local distiller J. H. Pank, was named vice-president of the AA, and the team was to be run by a consortium led by W. L. Lyons. Their star player, infielder Pete Browning, who had achieved some measure of local fame, remained with the team when they ascended to major league status. The team got off to a good start, finishing in second place, their best finish for several seasons.

Managing partner Lyons resigned in mid-1888, and was succeeded by team secretary Mordecai Davidson. The following season, the team sank to a 27–111 record and a last place finish. As a result, Davidson surrendered control of the team to the AA. The Colonels lost five straight games in two days, including a tripleheader on September 7 and a doubleheader the next day, all against the Baltimore Orioles. With the prohibition of tripleheaders in the early 1920s, this record still stands. The 1889 Colonels were the first team in major league history to lose 100 games in a single season.

In 1890 the team, which had been purchased by Barney Dreyfuss, bounced back with a vengeance. The Colonels won the 1890 pennant in the AA and became the first and only team to rise from the cellar to the pennant in one season. That year the AA was considered only the third-best behind the NL and the Players' League.

In 1892 the American Association dissolved, and the Colonels moved to the National League and played there until 1899. In 1900 Dreyfuss acquired controlling interest of the Pittsburgh Pirates and brought 14 Colonels players with him, including future Hall of Famers Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke, marking the end of the original Colonels organization and Louisville as a Major League Baseball host city.

Close
Season Overviews Seasons List
1899 Louisville Colonels Season
1899 Louisville Colonels
75-77 (.493)
Missed Postseason
1898 Louisville Colonels Season
1898 Louisville Colonels
70-81 (.464)
Missed Postseason
1897 Louisville Colonels Season
1897 Louisville Colonels
52-78 (.400)
Missed Postseason
1896 Louisville Colonels Season
1896 Louisville Colonels
38-93 (.290)
Missed Postseason
1895 Louisville Colonels Season
1895 Louisville Colonels
35-96 (.267)
Missed Postseason
1894 Louisville Colonels Season
1894 Louisville Colonels
36-94 (.277)
Missed Postseason
1893 Louisville Colonels Season
1893 Louisville Colonels
50-75 (.400)
Missed Postseason
1892 Louisville Colonels Season
1892 Louisville Colonels
63-89 (.414)
Missed Postseason
1891 Louisville Colonels Season
1891 Louisville Colonels
54-83 (.394)
Missed Postseason
1890 Louisville Colonels Season
1890 Louisville Colonels
88-44 (.667)
Tied World's Championship Series
1889 Louisville Colonels Season
1889 Louisville Colonels
27-111 (.196)
Missed Postseason
1888 Louisville Colonels Season
1888 Louisville Colonels
48-87 (.356)
Missed Postseason
1887 Louisville Colonels Season
1887 Louisville Colonels
76-60 (.559)
Missed Postseason
1886 Louisville Colonels Season
1886 Louisville Colonels
66-70 (.485)
Missed Postseason
1885 Louisville Colonels Season
1885 Louisville Colonels
53-59 (.473)
Missed Postseason
1884 Louisville Eclipse Season
1884 Louisville Eclipse
68-40 (.630)
Missed Postseason
1883 Louisville Eclipse Season
1883 Louisville Eclipse
52-45 (.536)
Missed Postseason
1882 Louisville Eclipse Season
1882 Louisville Eclipse
42-38 (.525)
Missed Postseason

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Colonels History

  • Franchise Overview
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  • Team Stats
  • Franchise Leaders
  • Season Records
  • Managers
  • Ballpark History
  • Logo History
  • Audio & Video Clips
  • Articles & Photos
  • Baseball Card History
  • Links Wikipedia
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