Lowell Tigers

Baseball Hall of Fame member Hugh Duffy played for Lowell in 1887, winning the league batting title.

Lowell and Manchester were followed by the Fall River Cascades (19–21) and Providence Rhode Islanders (11–29) teams in the final standings.

The Lynn Live Oaks (8–22), Fitchburg, Haverhill and Lawrence franchises all folded before the 1877 New England Association season ended on October 15, 1877.

Lowell finished the season 3.5 games ahead of the second place Worcester Grays in the eight-team league to win the championship.

Playing the season under manager Dick Conway, Lowell finished 7.0 games behind the first place Worcester team in the final standings.

[4][26][27][28] At age 19, Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe Kelley made his professional debut with the Lowell of the New England League in 1891.

[4] In 1895, Lowell rejoined the eight-team New England Association and placed fourth in the eight–team league, which folded during the season.

[42][43] The Augusta Live Oaks, Bangor Millionaires, Haverhill Hustlers, Lewiston, Manchester, Nashua and Portland teams joined Lowell in beginning league play on May 15, 1901.

[4][46][47] Pitcher Frank Willis was obtained after the Bangor franchise folded on July 6, 1901 and led the New England league with both 18 victories and 160 strikeouts.

With a 52–59 record under manager Fred Lake, the Tigers ended the season 22.5 games behind the first place Manchester team in the final standings.

Kinsella first discovered Graham's name and statistical information in The Baseball Encyclopedia and noticed he played just one major league game with 0 at-bats before becoming a physician.

[4] In defense of their championship the season before, the 1904 Lowell Tigers placed seventh in the New England League final standings.

Playing the season under managers Bill Connors and George Grant, Lowell/Taunton finished 41.5 games behind the first place Concord Marines.

[64] The Tigers had been in a ten-game losing streak before Bannwart joined the team, and manager Fred Lake decided to call him "Al Winn."

[68] In 1907 Fred Lake did not return as manager, as he played for the Little Rock Travelers and became a scout for the Boston Red Sox.

Lake was credited for discovering future Boston Red Sox stars Tris Speaker, Smokey Joe Wood, Harry Hooper and Bill Carrigan in his time as a scout.

[71] Officially listed as Lowell manager, Bannwart delegated supervision of the Tigers to former New York Giants pitcher Jack Sharrott.

[77] Although the 1909 team was initially successful in drawing fans, it was said Bannwart had an "abrasive personality" that negatively affected attendance.

An injunction was obtained by former Lowell Tigers player (and Harvard Law classmate of Bannwart) Alex O'Brien.

O'Brien who had filed a reserve clause-based lawsuit against Winn that slowed negotiations to sell the franchise to former major league outfielder and manager Patsy Donovan.

[65] On August 19, 1909, Lowell Outfielder Scott Fluharty was 5–5 at the plate, with two triples and four runs scored, as the Tigers lost to the Fall River Indians 7–6 in 10-innings.

[80] At the conclusion of the 1909 season, the Lowell Tigers again placed seventh in the eight–team Class B level New England League.

[4][82] On June 22, 1910, John Smith resigned as Lowell's general manager and was replaced in that position by team owner James Gray.

Fred Tenney managed the Tigers as Lowell finished 11.0 games behind the first place New Bedford Whalers in the eight-team league.

In the minor league seasons up to 1889, Lowell hosted home games at the River Street Grounds.

[91] Moving to their second ballpark, in the minor league seasons from 1891 through 1901, Lowell teams played home games at the Fair Grounds Field.

Team owner Fred Lake had purchased the property, located at the Atherton Grounds in Tewksbury (which was annexed into Lowell in 1905).

[93] Today, the ballpark site is still in use, known as Stoklosa Alumni Field and is home to the Lowell High School teams.

[94][95] In 1907, Lowell Tigers owner Alexander Bannwart (Aka, Al Winn) built the new ballpark for the team.

On December 8, 1921, the city of Lowell Board of Park Commissioners took control of the 120,000 square foot parcel by eminent domain for use as a public playground.