The Dodgers 6-4 win Wednesday over the Minnesota Twins was the organization’s 10,000th in the National League, depending on how you look at it.
The focus of the numbers controversy centered on the 1899 season.
The Dodgers 2014 media guide showed the team came into this season with 9,972 National League wins from 1890-2013. That excludes 13 wins from the 1899 season which were thrown out.
According to page ten of the Reach official American League baseball guide volume 1900-1901, an arbitrator ruled that the Dodgers illegally purchased the contract of Zeke Wrigley. The unlawful purchase meant he shouldn't have been allowed to play in the 18 games he did during the 1899 season. The Dodgers went 13-5 in those games, but they were all tossed from the record books and the team was fined $500. Information regarding the incident was first uncovered by Dodger historian Mark Langill. Last month, the Elias Sports Bureau, the official stat keeper for Major League Baseball, waved its magic statistician wand and reinstated the 13 wins.
So, with Wednesday’s 15th win of the season, the Dodgers joined the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs in the historic ten thousand win club.
The organization entered into the National League in 1890 as the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and beat Boston for their first league win. In 1899 the team played as the Brooklyn Superbas.
In their history, the Dodgers have racked up 21 National League pennants and nine World Series titles.
