Philadelphia Phillies left fielder
Ed Delahanty led the NL in home runs (13), slugging percentage (.631), adjusted OPS+ (190), and runs batted in (126). He was second in the NL in total bases (315). He was third in the NL in batting average (.397) and on-base percentage (.472).[1][2]
Cleveland Spiders pitcher
Cy Young had a win–loss record of 28–15 and led the NL in strikeouts (140) and shutouts (5). He was second in the NL in innings pitched (414.1). He was third in the NL in wins (28). He was fifth in the NL in earned run average (3.24) and adjusted ERA+ (140).[3][4]
Events
April 7 – A broken wrist that refuses to heal compels Louisville first baseman
Pete Cassidy to be the first MLB player to try a newfangled medical breakthrough called the "x-ray".
The
Washington Senators defeat the
Pittsburgh Pirates, 14–9, in a
beanball battle. Senators pitcher
Win Mercer hits three Pittsburgh batters while Pirate
Pink Hawley plunks three Washington batters in a disastrous 11-run seventh inning, tying a mark he set on July 4,
1894. Hawley retires in 1900 after nine seasons of play with a still-standing National League record of 195
hit batters. All told, eight batters are plunked in the contest, a National League-record five by Hawley. The five Washington batters hit by pitches ties the NL mark and won't be matched until July 2,
1969.
July 13 –
Philadelphia Phillies left fielder
Ed Delahanty becomes the second Major Leaguer to hit
four home runs in a game, two of them being inside-the-park home runs. It wasn't enough, as the Phillies lose to the
Chicago Colts, 9–8. He is the only member of the "four home runs in a game" club to have an inside-the-park home run as part of his feat, and he is the first player to do so in a losing effort.