In 1873 Ross Barnes continued to lead his Boston Red Stockings team that won a 2^nd championship while other players got the credit.  He won a 2^nd batting title, and led the league in plate appearances, runs, doubles, triples, stolen bases and walks.  Boston did not play the sterling defense of the year before, possibly because they did not need to, putting 5 players on the silver slugger list and scoring 12.3 runs per game.  Barnes added another fantastic fielder award but lost out for the Defensive MVP to Chick Fulmer of the Philadelphia Whites.  He was however by far the league’s most effective hitter, creating 70 runs.

Joining Barnes on the 4 player 1873 all-star team is Boston Shortstop and Manager George Wright.  Like Barnes, his batting proficiency increased while his defense suffered.  He was a plus defender on the season, but he did not come close to Chick Fulmer’s performance getting to 5.69 balls per game vs. Fulmer’s 6.19.  Wright was the only shortstop for his team, while Fulmer was subbed for often.  Wright batted .387 and lead his team in Home Runs with 3.  He was the league’s 2^nd most effective hitter with 50 run created.

Al Spaulding had an off season batting, unlike most of his teammates in Boston, but made up for it by being the best pitcher in the league.  He was also the league’s Silver Slugger, but not by the margin he had been in the previous year, batting .328 and creating 27 runs.  His defense was very bad going from being a plus defender in 1872 to giving up 10 extra runs due to poor defense while committing 22 errors.  On the season he struck out 50 and walked 36 and is my Most Valuable Pitcher for the season.

Rounding out the 1873 all-star team, for a 2^nd year is Davy Force, playing the entire season for the 3^rd place Baltimore Canaries.  He did not hit quite as well as Levi Merle (.586 vs .596 Runs Per Game) or field quite as well as Bob Ferguson (36.1 Runs Prevented vs 23.8) but he was the best combined 3^rd baseman in the league and the 3^rd best position player in the league.  He in fact finished just above Wright with 1.069 Runs per game vs Wright’s 1.032.

In 1873 Ross Barnes continued to lead his Boston Red Stockings team that won a 2^nd championship while other players got the credit.  He won a 2^nd batting title, and led the league in plate appearances, runs, doubles, triples, stolen bases and walks.  Boston did not play the sterling defense of the year before, possibly because they did not need to, putting 5 players on the silver slugger list and scoring 12.3 runs per game.  Barnes added another fantastic fielder award but lost out for the Defensive MVP to Chick Fulmer of the Philadelphia Whites.  He was however by far the league’s most effective hitter, creating 70 runs.

Joining Barnes on the 4 player 1873 all-star team is Boston Shortstop and Manager George Wright.  Like Barnes, his batting proficiency increased while his defense suffered.  He was a plus defender on the season, but he did not come close to Chick Fulmer’s performance getting to 5.69 balls per game vs. Fulmer’s 6.19.  Wright was the only shortstop for his team, while Fulmer was subbed for often.  Wright batted .387 and lead his team in Home Runs with 3.  He was the league’s 2^nd most effective hitter with 50 run created.

Al Spaulding had an off season batting, unlike most of his teammates in Boston, but made up for it by being the best pitcher in the league.  He was also the league’s Silver Slugger, but not by the margin he had been in the previous year, batting .328 and creating 27 runs.  His defense was very bad going from being a plus defender in 1872 to giving up 10 extra runs due to poor defense while committing 22 errors.  On the season he struck out 50 and walked 36 and is my Most Valuable Pitcher for the season.

Rounding out the 1873 all-star team, for a 2^nd year is Davy Force, playing the entire season for the 3^rd place Baltimore Canaries.  He did not hit quite as well as Levi Merle (.586 vs .596 Runs Per Game) or field quite as well as Bob Ferguson (36.1 Runs Prevented vs 23.8) but he was the best combined 3^rd baseman in the league and the 3^rd best position player in the league.  He in fact finished just above Wright with 1.069 Runs per game vs Wright’s 1.032.

According to baseball’s rules, a player is eligible as a rookie as long as they bat less than 130 times and have less than 50 Innings pitched.  In 1872 there were players who played in every game and still had less than 130 at bats, and so I did not give out a rookie of the year.  In 1872 there were, in general more games and so I feel confident in giving out the first rookie of the year award to Jim O’Rourke.  He batted .349 for the Boston Red Stockings a year after posting 103 at bats for the 1872 for Midland.  He was the 2^nd best 1^st baseman in the league behind Cap Anson, and the 7^th best hitter overall.  I’m sure Jim has a bright future.

Best By Position Silver Slugger Fantastic Fielders P Al Spalding Al Spalding C Cal McVey Deacon White Pop Snyder 1B Chick Fulmer Cap Anson Joe Start 2B Ross Barnes Ross Barnes Ross Barnes 3B Davy Force Levi Meyerle Bob Ferguson SS George Wright George Wright Chick Fulmer OF Count Gedney Charlie Pabor Count Gedney OF Tom York Jim O'Rourke Tom York OF Dave Eggler Cal McVey George Bechtel MVP Ross Barnes Ross Barnes Chick Fulmer