Preface

Perhaps Senator William Marcy said it best in 1832 when he popularized the proverb, “to the victor belong the spoils.” The pages of baseball history are cluttered with stories of championship squads, their deeds immortalized by the enamored media. Even casual fans are acquainted with “The Gashouse Gang,” “The Miracle Mets,” and “The Big Red Machine,” to name just a few.

But what of the losers? Every year, their stories fade deeper into the mists of time as new October heroes are born. In 1899, the Cleveland Spiders established an all-time record for futility with a 20–134 record. Along the way, they compiled a staggering 24 consecutive defeats. Seventeen years later, Connie Mack’s doleful Athletics came up short on 117 occasions despite the presence of Napoleon Lajoie, one of the greatest second basemen ever to play the game. The Boston Braves suffered a similar fate in 1935, losing 115 contests while carrying Babe Ruth on the roster. How on earth did this happen? And are these tales less worthy of our attention? Certainly not!

In the pages that follow, the underdogs are given their due. Cellar Dwellers recounts the misadventures of baseball’s worst teams. Deserted by fans and ridiculed by the press, most of these clubs played to nearly empty stadiums, often losing gracefully, but sometimes making a mockery of the sport. With few exceptions, their efforts have been largely excluded from the existing body of baseball lore. Cellar Dwellers paints a picture not only of pratfalls and pranks, but also of tribulation and tragedy. It’s high time these forgotten chronicles found an audience.

Jonathan Weeks

February 2012