Originally a minor league known as the Western League, which existed from 1885 to 1899 with teams in mostly Great Lakes states, the league changed its name to the American League for the 1900 season and the next year developed into a second major league as a competitor to the older National League. This was prompted by the NL dropping four teams following the 1899 season after having absorbed its previous rival, the American Association, which disbanded in 1891 after ten seasons.
Chicago Tribune October 12, 1899
The Western league has gone out of existence and in its place is the American League of Professional Baseball clubs.
Such was the decision arrived yesterday at the annual fall meeting of the organization at the Great Northern Hotel. The change of name was agreed upon almost unanimously. The presence of Buffalo, and even Indianapolis, in the circuit was given as sufficient cause for the change, but there was probably more than that behind it. The Western league (formed February 11, 1885) has been growing for years, in ambition as well as influence, and wanted a bigger name.
There has always been an element in the body which believed the organization should assume rivalry with the National league. More conservative members have restrained this spirit, believing baseball war meant destruction to both sides; but the league has nevertheless progressed and the national name now taken indicates that the men in control believe it has advanced at least beyond sectional lines.
Another design, probably, is to head off the new league, and in the direction the Westerners undoubtedly have the sympathy and support of the National league moguls. Other things done at yesterday’s conference indicate that the Western league baseball men are profiting by the situation to boost their own organization. The National league is anxious to block the new league and is quite willing to help the Western league along in order to do it.
President Johnson was instructed to draw up an appeal to the National Board of Arbitration to modify the national agreement in two vital particulars. These are to permit of two players remaining in the Western league two seasons before they become subject to draft, and also increasing its drafting price from $500 to $1,000.
Brush Takes a Hand.
These are the identical things asked for by the Western league at the Philadelphia meeting of the National league two years ago, and at that time summarily rejected. But now things are different. Magnate Brush is himself responsible for the removal of this proposition from the Western body, and Mr. Brush was the leader in the opposition to granting it two years ago. Mr. Brush hasn’t changed without a purpose, and that purpose is to thoroughly placate the Western league and make a close alliance between it and the National league in this hour of threatened invasion. Mr. Brush summoned President Johnson to Inaianapolis a short time ago, and the proposed changes in the national agreement is the outcome.
There is little question what the outcome will be. The American league will be able to keep players two years, and the National will have to pay $1,000 for every player it drafts.
Whatever was done in reference to a change in the circuit was not given out. It is gossip that Tom Loftus will bring his Grand Rapids plant to Chicago, and that Comiskey will switch his St. Paul club to either Louisville or Cleveland. President Johnson was authorized to draw up next season’s schedule and the schedule meeting will be held in Chicago March 14, after the spring meeting of the National league. It seems clear the National and old Western leagues have planned to ally forces and occupy all the desirable cities with their baseball clubs.
Routine Business Finished.
Routine business such as awarding the pennant to Indianapolis and dividing up the season’s sinking fund was attended to. Minneapolis made the most money on the season, then followed Kansas City, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Buffalo, Columbus-Grand Rapids, and St. Paul in the order named.
Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Minneapolis compose the new Board of Directors.
Those at the meeting besides President B. B. Johnson and Secretary W. R. Johnson were:
- W. F. C. Golt and Robert Allen, Indianapolis
M. R. Killilea, Connie Mack and F. C. Gross, Milwaukee
G. A. Vanderbeck, Detroit
J. F. Franklin, Buffalo
C. A. Comiskey, St. Paul
C. H. Saulpaugh, Minneapolis
J. H. Manning, Kansas City
T. J. Loftus of the Columbus club was not present.
The league adopted resolutions of respect to the memory of Loftus’ business partner, Arthur O’Malley, who was part owner of the Grand Rapids club.
The league will hold another session this forenoon.
Chicago Tribune, January 29, 1901
The National league or the American association (league) just missed pulling off a sensational coup at the meeting of the American league, which reorganized itself into a new eight-team circuit yesterday at the Grand Pacific Hotel.
It was nothing less than the kidnapping of Hughey Duffy, one of the young league’s best playing cards, and either holding him for a big ransom or buying him back into the ranks of the National league and American association. It looked more like an attempted abduction, however, and was modeled after the recent Omaha affair of the dame kind. It miscarried only because Mr. Duffy is something over 7.
The Milwaukee end of the association was elected to do the trick, and Messrs. Quin and Havenor came to town on an early morning train. At the station they were met by a man, who later appeared at the Grand Pacific and asked for Mr. Duffy. The clerk pointed him out, and the rest can be best told in Duffy’s words:
- I took him for a newspaper man when he gave me his name, and asked if there was anything in particular doing just then, so I told him there wasn’t much. Then he said he wanted a talk with me, and suggested a short walk. I replied that I had to stay there, as the league was in session then. He said he had a proposition to make to me, and he as he had a tea store near by we had better walk over there. I told him he would have to say what he had to say there. Then he informed me he was interested in the associations’s park at Milwaukee with Mr. Quin, and they were willing to make me a good offer. Before he got any further I told him my opinion of his partners, and that if those four-flushers up there should offer me $100,000 cash in hand I wouldn’t have anything to do with them. I said a few more things, and he remarked that he admired my spirit, and walked out of the hotel.
Now I am wondering what they expected to do, and imagine they must have had a cab and some chloroform around the corner somewhere, with Quin and Havenor waiting. That’s the only way they could have got me.
This bold move on the part of the appendix league created only amusement among the American league magnates, and Duffy was the butt of a lot of good-natured jokes. The only serious comment made upon it was that it showed in what desperate straits the association was to attempt such a thing.
Award the New Franchises.
The American league itself got itself down to business shortly after noon, and with a brief adjournment for lunch remained in session until late in the evening, and in that time accomplished practically all that it was possible to do at this meeting, it being the wish of the Baltimore magnates to return home as soon as possible. A new circuit was adopted as laid out by the Circuit committee, the clubs in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston were admitted, and Indianapolis, Buffalo, and Minneapolis were dropped. Manning’s Kansas City franchise having been transferred to Washington at a previous meeting.
The new franchises were awarded as follows:
- Baltimore to the new corporation, Sidney Franks, President.
Philadelphia to Cornelius Mack.
Boston to Charles W. Somers.
The magnates therefore in no way disclosed their hands in so far as the backing in Philadelphia and Boston is concerned, and declined to dispose it, merely saying they had it. It is certain that Mr. Somers will not move to Boston to head the club there, nor is it likely he will back the club there. The franchise has evidently been awarded him as proxy for the real owners.
1901 Chicago White Stocking
The Chicago White Sox began as the minor league Sioux City Cornhuskers and played in the Western League. The WL reorganized itself in November 1893, with Ban Johnson as President. Johnson, a Cincinnati-based reporter, had been recommended by his friend Charles Comiskey, former major league star with the St. Louis Browns in the 1880s, who was then managing the Cincinnati Reds. After the 1894 season, when Comiskey’s contract with the Reds was up, he decided to take his chances at ownership. He bought the Sioux City team and transferred it to Saint Paul, Minnesota, where it enjoyed some success over the next five seasons.
In 1900, the Western League changed its name to the American League. It was still officially a minor league, subject to the governing National Agreement and an underling of the National League. The NL actually gave permission to the AL to put a team in Chicago, provided they not use the city name in the team’s branding. Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to the Near South Side and renamed it the White Stockings, grabbing a nickname that had once been used by the Chicago Cubs. The White Stockings won the 1900 American League pennant led by player-manager Dick Padden,[1][2] the final WL/AL championship season as a minor league. After the season, the AL declined to renew its membership in the National Agreement and declared itself a major league.
American League President and Founder Ban Johnson
New York Highlanders: Jimmy Williams, Hal Chase, Al Orth, Bill Hogg, Joe Doyle, Clark Griffith, Ira Thomas, Frank Delahanty (played for New York in 1906 and 1908 but for Cleveland in 1907), Lew Brockett, Jack Chesbro, George Moriarty, Wid Conroy, Deacon McGuire, Red Kleinow, Willie Keeler, Walter Clarkson, Kid Elberfeld, Danny Hoffman, Branch Rickey.
Philadelphia Athletics: Harry Davis, Topsy Hartsel, Socks Seybold, Ossie Schreckengost, Jim Byrnes (member of 1906 team, did not play for Philadelphia in 1907, Bris Lord, Jimmy Dygert, Rube Waddell, Connie Mack, Chief Bender, Harry Armbruster (member of 1906 team, did not play for Philadelphia in 1907), Eddie Plank, Jack Coombs, Mike Powers, Danny Murphy, Monte Cross, John Knight, Burke, Rube Oldring.
Detroit Tigers: Claude Rossman, Ed Seiver, Charley O’Leary, Bobby Lowe, Bill Coughlin, Ed Killian, Sam Crawford, Davy Jones, Hugh Jennings, Wild Bill Donovan, George Mullin, Germany Schaefer, Boss Schmidt, Matty McIntyre, Chris Lindsay (played for Detroit 1905-1906 but not in 1907), Fred Payne.
Washington Nationals: Cy Falkenberg, Bob Ganley, Stanley, Mike Heydon, Lave Cross, Tony Smith, Charlie Jones, Joe Cantillon, Frank Kitson, Jake Stahl (Stahl played for Washington in 1906 but not in 1907), Dave Altizer, Rabbitt Nill, Casey Patten, John Warner, John Anderson, Charlie Hickman, Long Tom Hughes.
Chicago White Sox: Nick Altrock, Jiggs Donahue, George Rohe, Frank Owen, Roy Patterson, Patsy Dougherty, Fielder Jones, Billy Sullivan, Ed Hahn, Frank Smith, Ed Walsh, Frank Isbell, Gus Dundon (played for Chicago from 1904-1906 but not in 1907), Doc White, Lee Tannehill, Ed McFarland, George Davis, Babe Towne (played in Chicago in 1906 but not 1907).
Cleveland Naps: George Stovall, Nig Clarke, Bill Bernhard, Harry Bemis, Terry Turner, Nap Lajoie, Elmer Flick, Heinie Berger, Perring, Earle Moore, Jake Thielman, Harry Hinchman, Harry Bay, Bob Rhoads, Addie Joss, Pete O’Brien, Howard Wakefield, Bunk Congalton, Otto Hess, Bill Bradley.
St. Louis Browns: Barney Pelty, George Stone, Ben Smith (played for St. Louis in 1906 but not in 1907), Jim Delahanty, Harry Niles, Fritz Buelow, Harry Howell, Jimmy McAleer, Jack O’Connor, Ollie Pickering, Jack Powell, Tubby Spencer, Tom Jones, Joe Yeager, Beany Jacobson, Ben Koehler (played for St. Louis in 1905-1906 but not in 1907), Charlie Hemphill, Roy Hartzell, Bobby Wallace, Fred Glade.
Boston Americans: Jesse Tannehill, Cy Morgan (two identical portraits in array), Charlie Armbruster, Jimmie Collins, Cy Young, Chick Stahl (played for Boston from 1901-1906 but not in 1907), Lou Criger, Jack Hayden (played for Boston in 1906 but not 1907), Moose Grimshaw, Fred Parent, Joe Harris, Cy Morgan (two identical portraits in array), George Winters, Jimmy Barrett, Bill Dineen, Bucky Freeman, Hobe Ferris.
Leave a Reply