Western League (U.S. baseball)
Encyclopedia
The Western League of Professional Baseball Clubs, simply called the Western League, was a minor league baseball
league originally founded on February 11, 1885, and focused in the Midwest.
After several failures and reorganizations, the most notable version of the league was organized by Ban Johnson
on November 20, 1893. In 1900, the league was renamed the American League
, and declared major league
status in 1901.
‚ Kansas City
‚ Cleveland‚ Milwaukee‚ Toledo
and Omaha
. The Indianapolis Hoosiers
won the first title with a record of 27-4-1.
The league failed at the end of the 1885 season, but it was reformed again before the 1886 season. In 1887, the league was dominated by Topeka
's Golden Giants
, a high-priced collection of major leaguers, including Bug Holliday
, Jim Conway
, Perry Werden
and Jimmy Macullar
, which won the title by 15½ games. The league failed yet again after playing a partial 1888 season, then was reformed again for the 1892 and 1893 seasons before folding again on June 20, 1893.
, on November 20, 1893, the Western League reorganized again. From this point forward, this version of the league has continued in existence (eventually to become the American League).
At that meeting, Ban Johnson
was elected President, and would remain so until his retirement nearly 35 years later. Johnson, a Cincinnati-based newspaper 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
. These two men would be among the cornerstones of the American League.
After the 1899 season, the National League
announced it was dropping Baltimore
, Cleveland
, Louisville
and Washington
. This afforded an opportunity for the Western circuit to expand into those vacated cities. In a meeting in Chicago
on October 11, 1899, the Western League renamed itself the American League. It was still officially a minor league, subject to the National Agreement
, and generally subordinate to the National League
of Major League Baseball
. The NL gave permission to the AL to put a team in Chicago that year, and Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to the South Side. However, the new team in Chicago was subject to rules from the National League. The Cubs (then the Orphans) were allowed to draft two players each year from the AL team. Comiskey was also barred from using the name "Chicago" in all of his dealings, so he cleverly revived the old moniker "White Stockings" from the days of Cap Anson
for his team. The AL also transferred the Grand Rapids team to Cleveland.
After the 1900 season, the American League declined to renew its membership in the National Agreement and declared itself a major league. In 1901, it began raiding National League rosters and attempting to compete directly against the NL.
, in the Great Plains
and Rocky Mountains
states. In its post-World War II incarnation, the Western League included clubs in: Denver, Colorado
(now in National League); Des Moines, Iowa
; Omaha, Nebraska
; and Colorado Springs, Colorado
(now all members of the AAA Pacific Coast League
).
Several other 20th century minor league circuits have also used the same name.
However, some sources' information contradicts the above:
Other sources have: Minneapolis → Baltimore → New York
The Allen books merely indicate that Buffalo, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Minneapolis were replaced by Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, simply listing the cities each time in alphabetical order. The Home Team, a history of Baltimore baseball written in the 1950s by James Bready, indicates that the Baltimore franchise of 1901 was a totally new entry, not a transfer from elsewhere.
In the Chicago Tribune, January 29, 1901, it is reported that the American League voted to drop Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Buffalo, and award new franchises to new backers in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston. The article goes on to report that these were the only franchise decisions at that meeting, Manning's Kansas City franchise having been transferred to Washington at a previous meeting. ("Seeks to snare Duffy of Boston," Chicago Daily Tribue, Jan. 29, 1901, pg. 9.)
Minneapolis owner C. H. Saulpaugh, Indianapolis owner W. H. Watkins, and Kansas City owner James Manning opposed the move of the American League into eastern cities. Only Manning appears to have been eventually swayed, and agreed to move his franchise. ("Manning to put club here," The Washington Post, Nov. 12, 1900, pg. 8) The Indianapolis club jumped to the 1901 incarnation of the American Association that the National League formed but never got off the ground. ("Teams at league park," The Washington Post, Jan. 6, 1901, pg. 8)
Saulpaugh sold his Minneapolis club, the lease on its ballpark Nicollet Park, and the American League players, to A. B. Beal. The Jan. 16 Chicago Daily Tribune calls them "the Western league franchise." ("Watkins shows his hand," Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan. 16, 1901, pg. 8) This likely alludes to them joining a new minor league that was planned to play in cities left behind by the American League. ("Johnson returns in pacific mood," Chicago Daily, Dec. 23, 1900, pg. 17)
As late as November 23, 1900 Buffalo was to be given a one-year contract to remain a member of the AL. ("Baseball for Baltimore," New York Times, Nov. 23, 1900, pg. 8) By January, enthusiasm for a Boston club meant the AL would either go to 10 teams or have to drop one. ("Circuit of ten clubs," Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan. 13, 1901, pg. 18) Buffalo lost out but President Franklin of Buffalo was satisfied with the "agreement that the American leaguers would permit him to keep his team intact so far as they were concerned. They promised not sign any of his players if he went into another league." ("Seeks to snare Duffy of Boston," Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan. 29, 1901, pg. 9.)
The player rosters from opening day 1900 compared to the rosters of 1901 seem to bear this scenario out. Washington in 1901 had several players from Kansas City of 1900. The rosters of Boston, Baltimore and Philadelphia do not seem to share any similarity to the rosters of 1900 Minneapolis, Buffalo, and Indianapolis.("New baseball faces," Chicago Daily, Apr. 8, 1900, pg. 18) A preseason analysis by the Chicago Daily acknowledges the Washington Club is built around a nucleus from Manning's old Kansas City club, but treats Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia as new teams. ("Lineup of the rival leagues," Chicago Daily, Mar. 31, 1901, pg. 17)
This research indicates that Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Cleveland, held their clubs steady from 1900 to 1901. Kansas City moved to Washington under the same ownership by Manning. Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston seem to have been created anew with new ownership. Total Baseball agrees with this assessment in their team histories, although they treat Washington as a new club with many players and Manning, taken from Kansas City, rather than calling them a transferred club.
Buffalo continued to play as a minor league franchise continuously until 1970; the current Bisons incarnation
is a revival that dates to 1979.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
league originally founded on February 11, 1885, and focused in the Midwest.
After several failures and reorganizations, the most notable version of the league was organized by Ban Johnson
Ban Johnson
Byron Bancroft "Ban" Johnson , was an American executive in professional baseball who served as the founder and first president of the American League ....
on November 20, 1893. In 1900, the league was renamed the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, and declared major league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
status in 1901.
History
Before its most notable incarnation in November 1893, the Western League existed in various forms. The league was originally formed as a minor league on February 11, 1885. The original clubs were located in IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
‚ Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
‚ Cleveland‚ Milwaukee‚ Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
and Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
. The Indianapolis Hoosiers
Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)
At least three different teams in minor league baseball have borne the name Indianapolis Hoosiers.-Western League Hoosiers I:The first Western League, which lasted only part of the season, included an Indianapolis Hoosiers team....
won the first title with a record of 27-4-1.
The league failed at the end of the 1885 season, but it was reformed again before the 1886 season. In 1887, the league was dominated by Topeka
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
's Golden Giants
Topeka Golden Giants (1887)
The Topeka Golden Giants, also known as Goldsby's Golden Giants, was a minor league baseball team located in Topeka, Kansas. The team, which lasted for just one season, played in the Western League....
, a high-priced collection of major leaguers, including Bug Holliday
Bug Holliday
James Wear "Bug" Holliday was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball for ten seasons, from through , plus the 1885 World Series. He holds the distinction of being the first player to make his major league debut in post-season play, with the Chicago White Stockings in 1885...
, Jim Conway
Jim Conway (baseball)
James P. "Jim" Conway was an American Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Brooklyn Atlantics, Philadelphia Athletics and Kansas City Cowboys, over the course of three seasons – and . His brother Pete Conway, was a major league pitcher as well, most notably for the Detroit...
, Perry Werden
Perry Werden
Percival Wheritt Werden born in St. Louis, Missouri was a First Baseman for the St. Louis Maroons , Washington Nationals , Toledo Maumees , Baltimore Orioles , St...
and Jimmy Macullar
Jimmy Macullar
James F. "Jimmy" Macullar , also known as "Little Mac", was an American Major League Baseball player from Boston, Massachusetts. He played mostly at shortstop, but did play many games in the center field, for three different teams in two leagues...
, which won the title by 15½ games. The league failed yet again after playing a partial 1888 season, then was reformed again for the 1892 and 1893 seasons before folding again on June 20, 1893.
Reorganization and conversion to American League
In a meeting in Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, on November 20, 1893, the Western League reorganized again. From this point forward, this version of the league has continued in existence (eventually to become the American League).
At that meeting, Ban Johnson
Ban Johnson
Byron Bancroft "Ban" Johnson , was an American executive in professional baseball who served as the founder and first president of the American League ....
was elected President, and would remain so until his retirement nearly 35 years later. Johnson, a Cincinnati-based newspaper reporter, had been recommended by his friend Charles Comiskey
Charles Comiskey
Charles Albert "The Old Roman" Comiskey was a Major League Baseball player, manager and team owner. He was a key person in the formation of the American League and later owned the Chicago White Sox...
, former major league star with the St. Louis Browns
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in the 1880s, who was then managing the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. 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
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. These two men would be among the cornerstones of the American League.
After the 1899 season, the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
announced it was dropping Baltimore
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
, Cleveland
Cleveland Spiders
The Cleveland Spiders were a Major League Baseball team which played between 1887 and 1899 in Cleveland, Ohio. The team played at National League Park from 1889 to 1890 and at League Park from 1891 to 1899.- 1887-1891 :...
, Louisville
Louisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891, first as the Louisville Eclipse and later as the Louisville Colonels , the latter name derived from the historic Kentucky colonels...
and Washington
Washington Senators (1891-1899)
The Washington Senators were a 19th century baseball team. The team was also known as the Washington Statesmen and the Washington Nationals. The team played at Boundary Field....
. This afforded an opportunity for the Western circuit to expand into those vacated cities. In a meeting in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on October 11, 1899, the Western League renamed itself the American League. It was still officially a minor league, subject to the National Agreement
Major League Baseball Constitution
The Major League Baseball Constitution is a document under which the day-to-day operation of Major League Baseball are conducted. It was originally drafted in 1903 as the Constitution of the National League and has since been amended several times, most recently in June 2005.-1876 National League...
, and generally subordinate to the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. The NL gave permission to the AL to put a team in Chicago that year, and Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to the South Side. However, the new team in Chicago was subject to rules from the National League. The Cubs (then the Orphans) were allowed to draft two players each year from the AL team. Comiskey was also barred from using the name "Chicago" in all of his dealings, so he cleverly revived the old moniker "White Stockings" from the days of Cap Anson
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
for his team. The AL also transferred the Grand Rapids team to Cleveland.
After the 1900 season, the American League declined to renew its membership in the National Agreement and declared itself a major league. In 1901, it began raiding National League rosters and attempting to compete directly against the NL.
Another Western League
When Ban Johnson changed his league's name to the American League before the 1900 season, another "Western League" was immediately formed. This league operated from 1900 to 1937 and from 1947 to 1958. Its franchises were located west of the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, in the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
and Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
states. In its post-World War II incarnation, the Western League included clubs in: Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
(now in National League); Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
; Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
; and Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
(now all members of the AAA Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
).
Several other 20th century minor league circuits have also used the same name.
League members 1894-1900
- Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(only WL charter member in its original city) - Sioux CitySioux City, IowaSioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
Cornhuskers → St. Paul Saints, 1895 → Chicago White Stockings, 1900 (renamed Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, 1903) - MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
Brewers → St. Louis BrownsBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, 1902 → Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, 1954 - Grand RapidsGrand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
Rustlers → Cleveland Blues, 1900 (renamed Cleveland Broncos, 1902, Cleveland Naps, 1903, and Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, 1915)
- Had transferred to St. Joseph, Missouri and Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, NebraskaOmaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
in 1898 before returning to Michigan in 1899.- Kansas CityKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
Blues → Washington Senators, 1900 → Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, 1961 - Toledo White Stockings http://books.google.com/books?id=pPa6LCWS6u8C&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=western+league+toledo+team+1894&source=web&ots=PYKOtd6B17&sig=hZp1SzrVUcd4oPND3ux3cDF7_BE&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result → ColumbusColumbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
Buckeyes http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/history/top100.jsp?idx=59, 1896 → replaced by Buffalo, 1899- Buffalo BisonsBuffalo BisonsThe Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
, 1899 → dropped for newly organized Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, 1901
- Buffalo Bisons
- Minneapolis MillersMinneapolis MillersThe Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
→ dropped 1901 - Indianapolis IndiansIndianapolis IndiansThe Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
→ dropped 1901
- Kansas City
Disputes in League history
There is an inconsistency in the history of certain teams as shown in various sources.- Indianapolis IndiansIndianapolis IndiansThe Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
→ Philadelphia Athletics, 1901 → Kansas City Athletics, 1955 → Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, 1968
However, some sources' information contradicts the above:
- Indianapolis Indians → Baltimore Orioles, 1901 → New York Highlanders (renamed New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, 1913)
Other sources have: Minneapolis → Baltimore → New York
The Allen books merely indicate that Buffalo, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Minneapolis were replaced by Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, simply listing the cities each time in alphabetical order. The Home Team, a history of Baltimore baseball written in the 1950s by James Bready, indicates that the Baltimore franchise of 1901 was a totally new entry, not a transfer from elsewhere.
Transition to American League
The Minneapolis Millers are indicated to have been abandoned by the American League following the 1900 season. Stew Thornley points out that the American League saw bigger markets in the east and wanted to cash in on the former National League territory. Therefore, the Minneapolis franchise is thought to be abandoned and new franchises were added in place of Minneapolis and other abandoned cities. Some teams were indeed transferred, as was the case with the Kansas City team.In the Chicago Tribune, January 29, 1901, it is reported that the American League voted to drop Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Buffalo, and award new franchises to new backers in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston. The article goes on to report that these were the only franchise decisions at that meeting, Manning's Kansas City franchise having been transferred to Washington at a previous meeting. ("Seeks to snare Duffy of Boston," Chicago Daily Tribue, Jan. 29, 1901, pg. 9.)
Minneapolis owner C. H. Saulpaugh, Indianapolis owner W. H. Watkins, and Kansas City owner James Manning opposed the move of the American League into eastern cities. Only Manning appears to have been eventually swayed, and agreed to move his franchise. ("Manning to put club here," The Washington Post, Nov. 12, 1900, pg. 8) The Indianapolis club jumped to the 1901 incarnation of the American Association that the National League formed but never got off the ground. ("Teams at league park," The Washington Post, Jan. 6, 1901, pg. 8)
Saulpaugh sold his Minneapolis club, the lease on its ballpark Nicollet Park, and the American League players, to A. B. Beal. The Jan. 16 Chicago Daily Tribune calls them "the Western league franchise." ("Watkins shows his hand," Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan. 16, 1901, pg. 8) This likely alludes to them joining a new minor league that was planned to play in cities left behind by the American League. ("Johnson returns in pacific mood," Chicago Daily, Dec. 23, 1900, pg. 17)
As late as November 23, 1900 Buffalo was to be given a one-year contract to remain a member of the AL. ("Baseball for Baltimore," New York Times, Nov. 23, 1900, pg. 8) By January, enthusiasm for a Boston club meant the AL would either go to 10 teams or have to drop one. ("Circuit of ten clubs," Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan. 13, 1901, pg. 18) Buffalo lost out but President Franklin of Buffalo was satisfied with the "agreement that the American leaguers would permit him to keep his team intact so far as they were concerned. They promised not sign any of his players if he went into another league." ("Seeks to snare Duffy of Boston," Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan. 29, 1901, pg. 9.)
The player rosters from opening day 1900 compared to the rosters of 1901 seem to bear this scenario out. Washington in 1901 had several players from Kansas City of 1900. The rosters of Boston, Baltimore and Philadelphia do not seem to share any similarity to the rosters of 1900 Minneapolis, Buffalo, and Indianapolis.("New baseball faces," Chicago Daily, Apr. 8, 1900, pg. 18) A preseason analysis by the Chicago Daily acknowledges the Washington Club is built around a nucleus from Manning's old Kansas City club, but treats Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia as new teams. ("Lineup of the rival leagues," Chicago Daily, Mar. 31, 1901, pg. 17)
This research indicates that Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Cleveland, held their clubs steady from 1900 to 1901. Kansas City moved to Washington under the same ownership by Manning. Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston seem to have been created anew with new ownership. Total Baseball agrees with this assessment in their team histories, although they treat Washington as a new club with many players and Manning, taken from Kansas City, rather than calling them a transferred club.
Buffalo continued to play as a minor league franchise continuously until 1970; the current Bisons incarnation
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
is a revival that dates to 1979.
Western League pennant winners
- 1885 IndianapolisIndianapolis Hoosiers (minor league baseball)At least three different teams in minor league baseball have borne the name Indianapolis Hoosiers.-Western League Hoosiers I:The first Western League, which lasted only part of the season, included an Indianapolis Hoosiers team....
- 1886 Denver
- 1887 TopekaTopeka Golden Giants (1887)The Topeka Golden Giants, also known as Goldsby's Golden Giants, was a minor league baseball team located in Topeka, Kansas. The team, which lasted for just one season, played in the Western League....
- 1888 incomplete season
- 1892 Columbus
- 1893 incomplete season
- 1894 Sioux CityChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
- 1895 Indianapolis
- 1896 MinneapolisMinneapolis MillersThe Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
- 1897 Indianapolis
- 1898 Kansas CityMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
- 1899 Indianapolis
- 1900 ChicagoChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(American League)
Sources
- The National League Story, Lee Allen, Putnam, 1961.
- The American League Story, Lee Allen, Putnam, 1962.
- On to Nicollet, Stew Thornley, Nodin Press, 1988.
- Batter-Up!, Ross Bernstein, Nodin Press, 2002.
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers
- Total Baseball, 8th edition, John Thorn, Phil Birnbaum, Bill Deane, and Rob Neyer, SportClassic Press, 2004.