1872 MLB Imperialism Map

Territory Changes

Team Territory Control

This table shows all teams sorted by the number of territories they control.

Final standings: the Philadelphia Athletics finished on top with 6 of 11 territories (54.5%).

Team Territories Controlled
Philadelphia Athletics 6 (54.5%)
Troy Haymakers 5 (45.5%)

Play with the MLB Map

Simulate your own territory battles: spin the wheel, input results, and see what happens.

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Because not all territorial conquests happen on the field.

Territory Mapping Software

How MLB Territory Conquest Works

  • Every team starts with the land closest to its ballpark.
  • Win a game and you take all of the loser's territory.
  • Territory carries over all season, with no resets until next year.
  • Click any territory to trace every team that held it.

Full Rules and FAQ

Shared Venues Note

Some teams in this season share a venue location. For visualization purposes, each team's territory boundary is calculated from a slightly offset position (~300 feet apart) to create distinct territories.

  • Union Grounds:
    • Brooklyn Eckfords (nudged NE)
    • New York Mutuals (nudged SW)
  • Olympics Grounds:
    • Washington Nationals (nudged NE)
    • Washington Olympics (nudged SW)

Data sources: Game data from Sports Reference; venue data from VenueStats .

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Season Records

The standout territory feats of the season.

Biggest Land Grab
+6
in a single day (1872-06-22)
Longest Reign
18
straight days as leader
Most Conquered
21
territories taken all season
Biggest Collapse
−6
lost in one day (1872-06-28)

Team Directory

Each team's season at a glance — days spent leading the map, largest empire, territory conquered, and the rise-and-fall sparkline. Sorted by who dominated.

Newington Park

42 days led peak 6 +21 taken

Union Grounds

18 days led peak 6 +10 taken

Walpole Street Grounds

17 days led peak 6 +17 taken

Haymakers' Grounds

0 days led peak 5 +8 taken

Capitoline Grounds

0 days led peak 1 +0 taken

Union Grounds

0 days led peak 1 +0 taken

Olympics Grounds

0 days led peak 1 +0 taken

Olympics Grounds

0 days led peak 1 +0 taken

Explore MLB Through the Years

All 156 MLB seasons, 1871 to 2026. Replay any of them game by game, or make your own version.

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