The New York Metropolitans were a Major League Baseball team that played in New York City. They played in the American Association from 1883 through 1887.[1] During their time as a Major League team, the Metropolitans employed five different managers.[2] The duties of the team manager include team strategy and leadership on and off the field.[3][4]
The Metropolitans' first manager was Jim Mutrie, also known as "Truthful Jim".[2][5] Mutrie managed the team in 1883 and led them to a record of 54 wins and 42 losses.[5] Mutrie also managed the Metropolitans for the 1884 season. In their second season, Mutrie led the Metropolitans to a record of 75 wins and 32 losses, which garnered them the American Association league title.[5][6] The team went on to face the Providence Grays in the 1884 World Series, and lost three game to zero.[7] The 19th century World Series was considered an exhibition contest between the champion of the National League and the champion of the American Association.[8] After the 1884 season, Mutrie left to manage the New York Giants of the National League.[5]
The Metropolitans' second manager was Jim Gifford.[2] He joined the team for their third season in the American Association after having managed a portion of the 1884 Indianapolis Hoosiers, also of the American Association. In 1885, Gifford led the team to a record of 44 wins and 64 losses.[9] Gifford continued to manage the Metropolitans for the 1886 season.[2] But, after 17 games, and a 5 win and 12 loss start, Gifford was replaced with veteran manager Bob Ferguson.[10] Ferguson became the team's third manager during their fourth season, and they were his eighth and last team he managed.[2][10] Ferguson led the team to a record 48 win and 70 loss finish in 1886.[10] Ferguson stayed with the team for the 1887 season, their fifth season as a franchise, but after a 6 win and 24 loss start, he was replaced with the teams' first baseman, Dave Orr, who became the player-manager.[2][11][12] However, after eight games, and a record of 3 wins and 5 losses, he was also replaced as manager of the team. Orr's replacement was baseball newspaper columnist and former manager of the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who finished the season with a record of 35 wins and 60 losses.[13][14] Caylor was the fifth and last manager for the Metropolitans, who ceased operations after the 1887 season.[1]
- ^ a b "New York Metropolitans Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ^ a b c d e f "New York Metropolitans Managers". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ^ "Manager: Definition | Dictionary.com". Dictionary.Reference.com. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 2006. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ^ Dickson, P. (2009). The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (Third ed.). W.W. Norton & Co. p. 530. ISBN 978-0-393-06681-4.
- ^ a b c d "Jim Mutrie Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ^ "1884 American Association Team Statistics and Standings". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
- ^ "1884 World Series". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
- ^ "World Series". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ^ "Jim Gifford Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ^ a b c "Bob Ferguson Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ^ "Dave Orr Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ^ "Dave Orr Fielding Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
- ^ "O. P. Caylor Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ^ "The Chronology – 1887". BaseballLibrary.com. The Idea Logical Company, Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2009-10-27.