Detroit Wolverines

Historical Franchise

8 seasons | 426-437 (.494) | 1 Championship

The Detroit Wolverines played from 1881 to 1888, a total of 8 seasons. The franchise's all-time record is 426-437 (.494). They have won 1 World Series title.

W (Wins):
Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
L (Losses):
Games charged to the pitcher of record when the opposing team took a lead it never surrendered.
Win% (Winning Percentage):
Wins divided by games decided.

Data updated

🏆 Championships (1)

1887 Detroit Wolverines 10-5

📊 Quick Stats

8 Seasons
426 Wins
437 Losses
.494 Win %
1 Titles
1 Playoffs

📈 Best & Worst Single Seasons

Best BA — 1887 .299 11% above the 1887 NL average (.268)
Worst BA — 1884 .207 16% below the 1884 NL average (.246)
Best ERA — 1881 2.65 4% better than the 1881 NL average (2.77)
Worst ERA — 1887 3.95 2% better than the 1887 NL average (4.05)
Most R — 1887 969 25% above the 1887 NL average (773 R)
Fewest R — 1882 407 11% below the 1882 NL average (457 R)

📂 Quick Links

⭐ Notable Players 🏆 Playoff History 📅 All Seasons 🏢 All Franchises

⭐ All-Time Leaders

Top players by games played (min 100 games)

1
Ned Hanlon 1881-1888
2
Charlie Bennett 1881-1888
3
George Wood 1881-1885
4
Dan Brouthers 1886-1888
5
Sam Thompson 1885-1888

More Notable Players

Deacon White (1886-1888) Jack Rowe (1886-1888) Hardy Richardson (1886-1888) George Weidman (1881-1887) Joe Farrell (1882-1884) Martin Powell (1881-1883) Charlie Ganzel (1886-1888) Larry Twitchell (1886-1888) Pretzels Getzien (1884-1888) Sadie Houck (1881-1883) Lon Knight (1881-1882) Milt Scott (1884-1885) Lady Baldwin (1885-1888) Fred Dunlap (1886-1887) Sam Crane (1885-1886) Sam Trott (1881-1883)

🏆 Playoff History (1)

1887
Detroit Wolverines WS
Won

📅 Season History

8 seasons on record

Franchise History

Wins per season — gold bars are World Series wins, silver are pennants.

1888 Detroit Wolverines 68-63 1887 Detroit Wolverines 79-45 1886 Detroit Wolverines 87-36 1885 Detroit Wolverines 41-67 1884 Detroit Wolverines 28-84 1883 Detroit Wolverines 40-58 1882 Detroit Wolverines 42-41 1881 Detroit Wolverines 41-43

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The Detroit Wolverines franchise in brief

Across 8 seasons from 1881 to 1888, the Detroit Wolverines franchise has a 426-437 record, a .494 winning percentage. The club's final season on record is 1888. The season list starts at 41-43 in 1881 and ends at 68-63 in 1888. In 1882 the Detroit Wolverines went 42-41. The 1883 season ended 40-58. In 1884 the Detroit Wolverines went 28-84. The 1885 season ended 41-67. 1886 produced a 87-36 record. In 1887 the Detroit Wolverines went 79-45. The 1 World Series titles came in 1887.

The latest championship came in 1887, by 10-5 in the Series. The Detroit Wolverines reached the postseason in 1 seasons. In 1887 the club won the World Series, the newest entry in the playoff history. By record, the best season was 1886 (87-36) and the worst 1884 (28-84). At the plate, the 1887 club's .299 is the high mark, compared with .268 for its league; the low was .207 in 1884. Pitching peaked in 1881, with a 2.65 team ERA against the league's 2.77; the 1887 staff was the least effective at 3.95. For run scoring, 1887 leads the franchise callouts with 969; the 1882 team scored the fewest, 407. By games played for the franchise, the leaders are Ned Hanlon (1881-1888), Charlie Bennett (1881-1888), and George Wood (1881-1885). The notable players list continues with Deacon White, Jack Rowe, and Hardy Richardson. Every season links to its own page, the latest being 1888 Detroit Wolverines.

Detroit Wolverines: Frequently Asked Questions

How many World Series have the Detroit Wolverines won?
The Detroit Wolverines have won 1 World Series title.
What is the all-time record of the Detroit Wolverines?
The Detroit Wolverines are 426-437 (.494) all-time across 8 seasons.
When were the Detroit Wolverines founded?
The franchise's first major league season was 1881, and its last was 1888.
What was the best season in Detroit Wolverines history?
By winning percentage, the franchise's best season was 1886, when the team went 87-36.
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