Detroit Wolverines facts for kids

The Detroit Wolverines were an old-time Major League Baseball team. They played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in Detroit, Michigan. During their time, they won 426 games and lost 437. Their biggest success was winning the league championship and the "pre-modern" World Series in 1887. The team stopped playing after the 1888 season.

The Wolverines' Story

The Detroit Wolverines baseball team was started because William G. Thompson, the mayor of Detroit, suggested it. Their very first major league game in Detroit was on May 2, 1881. About 1,286 fans came to watch.

The team's home field was called Recreation Park. It had a wooden grandstand. This stadium was taken down in 1894. Today, a historical marker shows where it used to be. The team's name, "Wolverines," came from Michigan being known as "The Wolverine State." Even though the University of Michigan also uses "Wolverines" for its sports teams, there was no connection between the university and this old baseball team.

A Short but Important History

Even though the Wolverines only played for eight seasons, they made some history. On September 6, 1883, they gave up 18 runs in one inning against the Chicago White Stockings. This is still the most runs ever given up in a single inning in Major League Baseball.

In 1885, a new owner named Frederick Kimball Stearns tried to build a "super-team." He spent a lot of money to buy expensive players. He even bought the entire Buffalo Bisons team! This was to get their best players: Dan Brouthers, Jack Rowe, Hardy Richardson, and Deacon White. These four were known as the "Big Four."

Other team owners didn't like this idea. They changed the rules about how money from ticket sales was shared. This meant the Wolverines didn't earn enough money from their home games to pay their high-priced players. So, Stearns had to sell his star players to other teams. The Detroit Wolverines team then had to stop playing after the 1888 season. The Cleveland Spiders team took their place in the National League in 1889.

Their Best Season: 1887

The Wolverines had their most successful year in 1887. They won the National League championship with 79 wins and 45 losses. After that, they played against the St. Louis Browns. The Browns were the champions of another league called the American Association. The Wolverines won ten out of fifteen games against them. These games were like an early version of the modern World Series, which didn't officially start until 1903.

Three Detroit players managed to hit for the cycle while playing for the team. This means they hit a single, double, triple, and home run all in the same game!

• George Wood did it on June 13, 1885.
• Mox McQuery did it on September 28, 1885.
• Jack Rowe did it on August 21, 1886.

Famous Players

Here are some of the well-known players who played for the Detroit Wolverines:

• Charlie Bennett
• Dan Brouthers
• Count Campau
• Fred Dunlap
• Ned Hanlon
• Deacon McGuire
• Hardy Richardson
• Jack Rowe
• Billy Shindle
• Sam Thompson
• Deacon White
• Chief Zimmer

Baseball Hall of Famers

Some players from the Detroit Wolverines were so good that they were later chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

See also

• Detroit Wolverines football team – A different team from the NFL in 1928.
• 1881 Detroit Wolverines season
• 1882 Detroit Wolverines season
• 1883 Detroit Wolverines season
• 1884 Detroit Wolverines season
• 1885 Detroit Wolverines season
• 1886 Detroit Wolverines season
• 1887 Detroit Wolverines season
• 1888 Detroit Wolverines season
• Detroit Wolverines all-time roster

Images for kids

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  The 1888 Detroit Wolverines team, with Boston's South End Grounds in the background.

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  Hardy Richardson of the Detroit Wolverines, around 1887.