The National League was concerned about the rough play and actions of its players during the 1890s. Fights broke out between players and umpires, fans and players, and fans and umpires. Players cheated, threw games for money, swore, spit, and much more. The champions of such behavior were the Baltimore Orioles.

The Baltimore Orioles paid off their groundskeepers to hide cement slabs in front of home plate. The resulting high bouncers came to be know as the "Baltimore chops." Fans used mirrors to reflect sunlight into the eyes of opposing batters and fielders. Fans were also given dead balls . After a foul ball would go into the stands, the fans would throw back a deadened ball. Players would elbow, trip, punch, and hold base runners, taking advantage of the fact that there was only one umpire. They would cut second base on the way to third if the umpire was not looking. Players would hide baseballs strategically in the tall outfield grass. The Baltimore Orioles would do anything to win whether or not it was legal.

The Baltimore Orioles, despite all of their contributions to the cheater's rulebook, were a good team. In fact, they were one of the most talented teams ever. Managed and assembled by Ned Hanlon, this team boasted seven Hall of Famers, including Hanlon. John McGraw, Hugh Jennings, Joe Kelley, Dan Brouthers, Wilbert Robinson, and Willie Keeler. Keeler set the 44 game hitting streak record that would stand until Pete Rose broke it in 1978. John McGraw was on of the best third sackers ever and is third all time in on base percentage (he is just behind Babe Ruth and Ted Williams). The true talent of this team however was hitting. They pioneered the "Slugging Style," consistently posting high batting averages and outscoring opponents by large margins.

Orioles manager and later Brooklyn Superbas manager Ned Hanlon.

The 1894 Baltimore Orioles boasted seven Hall of Famers including: Ned Hanlon, John McGraw, Hugh Jennings, Wilbert "Uncle Robby" Robinson, Joe Kelley, and "Wee" Willie Keeler. The player circled in white is not a Hall of Famer, but he is famous nonetheless. Kid Gleason would later pitch a 1-0 World Series shut out against Cy Young, and he would later manage the World Series 1917 and 1919 White Sox. Eight players on that team would later be banned from baseball for life after accepting money to lose the World Series.

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