Before the Tigers: Detroit’s First Professional Baseball Team

In the first of a two part article, I take a look at the beginnings of the National League’s Detroit Wolverines between 1881-1885.

As the City of Detroit expanded in size, William G. Thompson decided that the Motor City was big enough in population to host a major league baseball team. Sometime between the 1880-81 seasons, the National League agreed and granted a franchise to Thompson, who would take on the role as owner, in addition to his current job, the Mayor of Detroit.

The Detroit Wolverines baseball club made its National League debut on May 2nd, 1881 at four o’clock local time against the Buffalo Bisons. In front of 1,286 spectators at Detroit’s Recreation Park, the Wolverines lost 6-5 to the Bisons, an NL bottom-feeder the year before. The Wolverines first season was a success, as far as first seasons go, finishing with a 41-43 record. Manager Frank Bancroft got the team as far up the ladder as 2^nd, thanks to an 11-6 July, but went 14-19 the rest of the way to finish 4^th in the eight-team league.

A handful of the players who made up the inaugural Wolverines team came over from the NL team in Worcester, the team previously managed by Bancroft. None, however, had more of an impact on the club than starting catcher Charlie Bennett. Bennett made his major league debut with Milwaukee in 1878 as a part-time catcher, but was out of baseball in 1879 before he joined Worcester. Bennett made his bones throughout his career on defense, leading the league in fielding percentage seven times during his career and is also credited with inventing the chest protector. Bennett was ranked #49 by Bill James on his top catchers of all-time list and is also one of the two players ever to play the duration of his career with the Wolverines, the other being Ned Hanlon.

Hanlon patrolled center field every year for the Wolverines at Recreation Park. Hanlon came to Detroit via Cleveland, where he spent his rookie season in 1880. A defensive star with speed to burn, Hanlon stole 69 bags in 1887. Never a great average hitter, Hanlon hit .302 in 1885, his only season over .300. Hanlon is enshrined in Cooperstown as a manager, having a highly successful second career as a bench boss. However, he provided the Wolverines with a steady center fielder for their entire existence.

The Wolverines were back in 1882 with Bancroft behind the bench for a second straight season. He managed the team to a 42-41 record in his second season, with Bennett leading the team in RBI (51) and average (.301). George Wood, another ex-Ruby Leg hit a team-high seven home runs. Only four pitchers were used all season, led by Stump Wiedman, who had 25 wins and a 2.63 ERA.

However, despite turning in a winning record, ’82 was Bancroft’s last as the bench boss. The team even sat in first place for a short time in early-July, holding a 25-14 record. But a collapse, highlighted by a six-game skid in August, signaled the end for Bancroft. Nevertheless, a few of the teams’ early losses could have been the fault of a crooked umpire, Dick Higman.

In the early days, umpires used to be assigned to a team for an extended period of time to cut down on travel costs and Higman was assigned to the Wolverines. However, during an early losing streak, Thompson became upset with a few of Higman’s calls. He then hired a private detective to follow Higman, who intercepted a note written to a gambler named James Todd, telling him to bet money on the opposing teams. Thompson showed the letter along with handwriting sample from Higman to the other NL owners. Higman received a lifetime ban from baseball and, ironically, he later became a bookie in Chicago.

Eighteen eighty-three ushered in the Jack Chapman-era in Detroit, starting the worst era in franchise history, to say the least. In the first season with Chapman at the helm, the team slipped almost 100 percentage points and finished with a 40-58 record, their worst record posted so far. The Wolverines actually started the year 12-6 before putting themselves out of contention after a horrendous June, where they finished 5-18 for the month. Bennett once again led the charge on all accounts for the club, leading in various offensive categories.

Changes were in store for 1884 and the first to go was first baseman Martin Powell, who was actually let go before the end of the ’83 campaign, despite hitting .273 with 48 RBIs when he was released. An original member of the club, Powell was replaced by Milt Scott, who was purchased in January from Fort Wayne of the Northwestern League.  Also added was 20-year old pitcher/shortstop Frank Meinke, to fill-in at short and to pitch.

The changes would hardly help the Wolverines in 1884; even Babe Ruth might not have been able to stop the bleeding in the Motor City. Everyday starters Bill Geiss, Meinke and Weidman all hit below the Mendoza Line and altogether, Detroit hit .208. The club lost 17 of its first 18 on their way to a putrid 28-84 record, one that is still among the worst in baseball history.

After the season ended, Thompson fired Chapman and hired in his place Charlie Morton, a player-manager who held the same role with Toledo of the American Association the year before. Morton brought in a few new players to the Detroit fold, one being Deacon McGuire. After playing for Morton the year previous in Toledo as a rookie, McGuire spent the 1885 season backing up Bennett, before moving on to play 24 more seasons with various big league teams.

Morton’s stint with the Wolverines might have been even worse than Chapman’s.  Under Morton, the team started the year 7-31 before Thompson, starting to lose his patience with the club, fired him on July 25^th and replaced him will Bill Watkins. Morton the player was also released by the club after hitting only .177. However, before he left, Morton brought in one more player, an outfielder named Sam Thompson.

Sam Thompson is enshrined in Cooperstown as a Philadelphia Phillie and rightfully so. Thompson spent 10 seasons with the Phillies, posting ridiculous statistics along the way to pave his path to the Hall of Fame. However, Thompson’s big league career started in Detroit, with the Wolverines in 1885. Playing in his home state of Indiana, Thompson was pursued by a few of his friends to come with them to try out for the Wolverines. He decided to come along for the trip and on June 15^th, Detroit happily purchased his contract and made him their new right fielder. Even though he made his debut on July 2^nd, he still led the team in average (.303) and home runs (7).

Watkins, whose only managing experience came as an interim for 13 games with Indianapolis in 1884, did a pretty good job finishing the season. The team played .500 baseball for him and despite finishing with an overall record of 41-67, the new manager was given a contract to manage the 1886 season by the new owner, Frederick Kimball Stearns.

Stearns acquired the team in August of 1885 from a flustered Thompson, who couldn’t believe how far his team had fallen. However, in the off-season, Stearns decided to purchase big name stars, which not only would help him contend for a championship, but would ultimately bring in massive gate receipts from around the league.

Meanwhile, in Buffalo, the Bisons were struggling financially. They needed money, something Stearns had plenty of. In return, Stearns wanted some talent, which Buffalo had plenty of. So an agreement was worked out: for the price of $7,000, four highly talented players would be suiting up for Detroit in the following season.

And the new owner got his money’s worth.

The final part of this two part article will be published on Friday, September 12^th.