| Classification | Independent (1885) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Minor League Baseball |
| Inaugural season | 1885 |
| Ceased | 1885 |
| Replaced by | New England League |
| President | Unknown 1885 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Most titles | 1 Lawrence 1885 |
The Eastern New England League was a minor league baseball league that played in the 1885 season. League teams were based in Maine and Massachusetts. The league evolved into the New England League in 1886.
History
The Eastern New England League began play in 1885 with five teams in Massachusetts and Maine.[1] The five charter teams were Lawrence, Haverhill, Biddleford/Newburyport, Portland and Brockton, with Lawrence winning the 1885 championship.[2] The league continued play and shortened its name after the 1885 season.[3][4]
The five–team league schedule consisted of an 80 game season, with each team playing 20 games against each of the other four. On July 17, 1885, the Biddeford Clamdiggers had a record of 13–20 when the franchise disbanded and was replaced by Newburyport, Massachusetts to complete the season.[5]
Lawrence ended the 1885 season with a 50–31 record, finishing 2.0 games ahead of second place Brockton, as the league held no playoff.[6]
The newly named "New England League" played its first game in 1886, with the same five Eastern New England League clubs plus the addition of the Boston Blues as a sixth team. The first New England League champion was the Portland club.[7][8]
Baseball Hall of Fame member Frank Selee managed the 1885 Haverhill team.[9][10]
Cities represented
- Biddeford, ME: Biddeford Clamdiggers 1885
- Brockton, MA: Brockton 1885
- Haverhill, MA: Haverhill 1885
- Lawrence, MA: Lawrence 1885
- Newburyport, MA: Newburyport Clamdiggers 1885
- Portland, ME: Portland 1985
Standings and statistics
1885 Eastern New England League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | 50 | 31 | .617 | – | Walt Burnham |
| Brockton | 48 | 33 | .593 | 2.0 | Bill McGunnigle |
| Haverhill | 44 | 35 | .557 | 5.0 | Walter Prince / George Brackett / Frank Selee |
| Portland | 33 | 46 | .418 | 16.0 | John Winship / Chick Fulmer |
| Biddeford Clamdiggers/ Newburyport Clamdiggers | 25 | 55 | .313 | 24.5 | Irwin |
Biddeford (13–20) disbanded July 17, replaced by Newburyport July 25.
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent Howard | Brockton | BA | .357 | Dick Conway | Lawrence | W | 23 | |
| William Hawes | Brockton | Runs | 86 | Dick Conway | Lawrence | SO | 274 | |
| Walter Prince Patrick O'Connell | Haverhill Lawrence | RBI | 61 61 | Con Murphy | Haverhill | PCT | .867 13–2 | |
| Ernest Ellis Elmer Foster | Newburyport Haverhill | HR | 6 6 |
References
- ↑ "Eastern New England League (Independent) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ↑ "1885 Eastern New England League (ENEL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ↑ "Baseball - Digital Commonwealth". www.digitalcommonwealth.org.
- ↑ Bevis, Charlie (2007). The New England League: A Baseball History, 1885-1949. ISBN 978-0786431595.
- 1 2 Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
- ↑ "1885 Eastern New England League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ↑ "1886 New England League (NEL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ↑ "New England League (B) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ↑ "Frank Selee Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ↑ "Frank Selee – Society for American Baseball Research".