Detroit Wolverines

In 1885 the Wolverines bought the whole Buffalo club in order to get four of its players — Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, Hardy Richardson and Jack Rowe, the Big Four. Two years later they won the pennant at 79-45 and beat St. Louis in a fifteen-game championship series. Then the owner sold the players off and the club folded after 1888.

Eight seasons at 426-437. The best is 1886, at 87-36; the worst is 1884, at 28-84, the year before the purchase. Home was Recreation Park.

Four Hall of Famers played here: Brouthers, White, Sam Thompson, and Ned Hanlon, who played center field before managing Baltimore. Detroit had no major-league club again until 1901.