1.
American League
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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 league based in the Great Lakes states. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season,25 years after the formation of the National League. At the end of season, the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion. Through 2016, American League teams have won 64 of the 112 World Series played since 1903, the 2016 American League champions are the Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankees have won 40 American League titles, the most in the history, followed by the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics. Originally a minor league known as the Western League, the American League later developed into a major league after the American Association disbanded, in its early history, the Western League struggled until 1894, when Ban Johnson became the president of the league. Johnson led the Western League into major league status and soon became the president of the newly renamed American League, babe Ruth, noted as one of the most prolific hitters in Major League Baseball history, spent the majority of his career in the American League. The American League has one notable difference versus the National League, in 1902, the Milwaukee Brewers moved to St. Louis and were renamed the St. Louis Browns. In 1902, The Cleveland Bluebirds were also renamed the Cleveland Broncos, in 1903, the Broncos were renamed the Cleveland Naps. In 1915, the Naps were renamed the Cleveland Indians, in 1903, the Baltimore Orioles moved to New York and were renamed the New York Highlanders. In 1913, the Highlanders were renamed the New York Yankees, in 1904, the Chicago White Stockings were renamed the Chicago White Sox. In 1908, the Boston Americans were renamed the Boston Red Sox, in 1954, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and were renamed as the Baltimore Orioles. In 1955, the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City and were renamed as the Kansas City Athletics, in 1961, the league expanded and added two teams as the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators, expanding the league to 10 teams. The original Senators team moved to Minneapolis/St, Paul in 1961 and were renamed as the Minnesota Twins. The Angels team name changed to the California Angels in 1966, then to the Anaheim Angels in 1997, the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Pilots were added to the American League, expanding the league to 12 teams. In 1970, the Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee and were renamed the Milwaukee Brewers, in 1972, the Washington Senators relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and were renamed the Texas Rangers. In 1977, the league expanded to fourteen teams, when the Seattle Mariners, in 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays was added to the American League and at the same time, the Milwaukee Brewers were switched to the National League, leaving the American League with 14 teams
2.
Bennett Park (Detroit)
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Bennett Park was a ballpark, named after Charlie Bennett, that formerly existed in Detroit, Michigan, at Michigan and Trumbull. It was home to the Detroit Tigers, the ballclub began play here in the minor Western League with a 17-2 win over the Columbus Senators on April 28,1896. That league was renamed the American League in 1900 but was officially a minor league. The AL declared itself a major starting in 1901. Bennett Park was home to the first nighttime game in Detroit. On September 24,1896, the Tigers played their last game of their first season at Bennett Park, Tigers owner George Arthur Vanderbeck had workers string lights above the stadium for the nighttime game. Nighttime baseball wouldnt return to Detroit until June 15,1948, the ballpark sat 5,000 when opened in 1896 and was gradually expanded to 14,000 by the time it was closed after the 1911 season. That did not count the wildcat bleachers that were built on the rooftops of houses behind the left field fence and this small ballpark enjoyed some big success, as the Tigers and their young sensation Ty Cobb won three consecutive pennants during 1907–1909. Unfortunately, their success ran out in the post-season on each occasion and this ballpark is hallowed ground to fans of the Chicago Cubs, as it was on this site in both 1907 and 1908 that the Cubs clinched their first two World Series championships. Baseball-Almanac. com Past Tigers Venues A New Field of Dreams for Detroit
3.
Detroit
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Detroit is the most populous city in the U. S. state of Michigan, the fourth-largest city in the Midwest and the largest city on the United States–Canada border. It is the seat of Wayne County, the most populous county in the state, the municipality of Detroit had a 2015 estimated population of 677,116, making it the 21st-most populous city in the United States. Roughly one-half of Michigans population lives in Metro Detroit alone, the Detroit–Windsor area, a commercial link straddling the Canada–U. S. Border, has a population of about 5.7 million. Detroit is a port on the Detroit River, a strait that connects the Great Lakes system to the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The Detroit Metropolitan Airport is among the most important hubs in the United States, the City of Detroit anchors the second-largest economic region in the Midwest, behind Chicago, and the thirteenth-largest in the United States. Detroit and its neighboring Canadian city Windsor are connected through a tunnel and various bridges, Detroit was founded on July 24,1701 by the French explorer and adventurer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and a party of settlers. During the 19th century, it became an important industrial hub at the center of the Great Lakes region, with expansion of the American automobile industry in the early 20th century, the Detroit area emerged as a significant metropolitan region within the United States. The city became the fourth-largest in the country for a period, in the 1950s and 1960s, suburban expansion continued with construction of a regional freeway system. A great portion of Detroits public transport was abandoned in favour of becoming a city in the post-war period. Due to industrial restructuring and loss of jobs in the auto industry, between 2000 and 2010 the citys population fell by 25 percent, changing its ranking from the nations 10th-largest city to 18th. In 2010, the city had a population of 713,777 and this resulted from suburbanization, corruption, industrial restructuring and the decline of Detroits auto industry. In 2013, the state of Michigan declared an emergency for the city. Detroit has experienced urban decay as its population and jobs have shifted to its suburbs or elsewhere, conservation efforts managed to save many architectural pieces since the 2000s and allowed several large-scale revitalisations. More recently, the population of Downtown Detroit, Midtown Detroit, paleo-Indian people inhabited areas near Detroit as early as 11,000 years ago. In the 17th century, the region was inhabited by Huron, Odawa, Potawatomi, for the next hundred years, virtually no British, colonist, or French action was contemplated without consultation with, or consideration of the Iroquois likely response. When the French and Indian War evicted the Kingdom of France from Canada, the 1798 raids and resultant 1799 decisive Sullivan Expedition reopened the Ohio Country to westward emigration, which began almost immediately, and by 1800 white settlers were pouring westwards. By 1773, the population of Detroit was 1,400, by 1778, its population was up to 2,144 and it was the third-largest city in the Province of Quebec
4.
Michigan
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Michigan /ˈmɪʃᵻɡən/ is a state in the Great Lakes and Midwestern regions of the United States. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, Michigan is the tenth most populous of the 50 United States, with the 11th most extensive total area. Its capital is Lansing, and its largest city is Detroit, Michigan is the only state to consist of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is noted to be shaped like a mitten. The Upper Peninsula is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac, the two peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge. The state has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, as a result, it is one of the leading U. S. states for recreational boating. Michigan also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds, a person in the state is never more than six miles from a natural water source or more than 85 miles from a Great Lakes shoreline. What is now the state of Michigan was first settled by Native American tribes before being colonized by French explorers in the 17th century, the area was organized as part of the larger Northwest Territory until 1800, when western Michigan became part of the Indiana Territory. Eventually, in 1805, the Michigan Territory was formed, which lasted until it was admitted into the Union on January 26,1837, the state of Michigan soon became an important center of industry and trade in the Great Lakes region and a popular immigrant destination. Though Michigan has come to develop an economy, it is widely known as the center of the U. S. automotive industry. When the first European explorers arrived, the most populous tribes were Algonquian peoples, which include the Anishinaabe groups of Ojibwe, Odaawaa/Odawa, the three nations co-existed peacefully as part of a loose confederation called the Council of Three Fires. The Ojibwe, whose numbers are estimated to have been between 25,000 and 35,000, were the largest, French voyageurs and coureurs des bois explored and settled in Michigan in the 17th century. The first Europeans to reach what became Michigan were those of Étienne Brûlés expedition in 1622, the first permanent European settlement was founded in 1668 on the site where Père Jacques Marquette established Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan as a base for Catholic missions, missionaries in 1671–75 founded outlying stations at Saint Ignace and Marquette. Jesuit missionaries were received by the areas Indian populations, with relatively few difficulties or hostilities. In 1679, Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle built Fort Miami at present-day St. Joseph, in 1691, the French established a trading post and Fort St. Joseph along the St. Joseph River at the present day city of Niles. The hundred soldiers and workers who accompanied Cadillac built a fort enclosing one arpent, cadillacs wife, Marie Thérèse Guyon, soon moved to Detroit, becoming one of the first European women to settle in the Michigan wilderness. The town quickly became a major fur-trading and shipping post, the Église de Saint-Anne was founded the same year
5.
George Stallings
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George Tweedy Stallings was an American manager and player in Major League Baseball. He was born on November 17,1867 in Atlanta, Stallings graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1886. He entered medical school, but was offered a contract by Harry Wright. He was cut in spring training.100, as a manager, he had a mixed major league resume prior to 1914, a poor record with the Phillies, then mild successes in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and New York Highlanders. In the minor leagues, he managed the 1895 Nashville Seraphs to win the Southern League pennant and he also managed Detroit before it became a major league team in part of 1896 and from the end of 1898 through its becoming a charter member of the American League. They then defeated the heavily favored Philadelphia Athletics in four games to earn the nickname Miracle Braves. Stallings is credited with being the first manager to use platooning to good effect and it was not strictly left/right hand platooning, but he did change his lineup significantly when the Braves played a team starting a left-handed pitcher. Bill James credits him with being the first major league manager to use platooning as a weapon, the 1914 championship was the only World Series title earned by the Braves during their tenure in Boston, which lasted through March 1953. It also was Stallings’ first and only big league championship and he managed the Braves through 1920, but posted no winning season after 1916. His career major league managing record was 879 wins,898 losses over 13 years, Stallings was responsible for bringing professional baseball back to the city of Montreal, Quebec. In 1928, his partnership with Montreal lawyer and politician Athanase David and they built the modern new Delorimier Stadium in downtown Montreal as the home for the team that would be where Jackie Robinson would break the baseball color barrier in 1946. Stallings was famous for his superstitions, and for his nervousness on the bench and he has been described as both distinguished and salty-tongued. He died in Haddock, Georgia at age 61 of heart disease, according to legend, when asked by his physician why he had a bad heart, Stallings replied, Bases on balls, doc. List of Major League Baseball player–managers Baseball-Reference. com – career managing record and playing statistics
6.
Detroit Tigers
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The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. One of the ALs eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in 1901 and they are the oldest continuous one-name, one-city franchise in the AL. The Tigers have won four World Series championships,11 AL pennants, the Tigers also won division titles in 1972,1984 and 1987 while members of the AL East. The team currently plays its games at Comerica Park in Downtown Detroit. The Tigers constructed Bennett Park at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Avenue in Corktown, in 1912, the team moved into Navin Field, which was built on the same location. It was expanded in 1938 and renamed Briggs Stadium and it was renamed Tiger Stadium in 1961 and the Tigers played there until moving to Comerica Park in 2000. The club is a member of the American League, one of four clubs still located in its original city. It was established as a member in 1901. The Tigers played their first game as a league team at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 25,1901. After entering the ninth inning behind 13–4, the team staged a comeback to win 14–13. The team finished third in the eight-team league,11 years later, an elegant stadium was constructed on the site of Bennett Park and named Navin Field for owner Frank Navin. In 1938, it was improved and named Briggs Stadium, and was subsequently renamed Tiger Stadium in 1961, Tiger Stadium was used by the Tigers until the end of the 1999 season. Since 2000, they have played in Comerica Park, there are various legends about how the Tigers got their nickname. One involves the orange stripes they wore on their black stockings, Tigers manager George Stallings took credit for the name, however, the name appeared in newspapers before Stallings was manager. Another legend concerns a sportswriter equating the 1901 teams opening day victory with the ferocity of his alma mater and they had played significant roles in certain Civil War battles and in the 1898 Spanish–American War. The baseball team was informally called both Wolverines and Tigers in the news. The earliest known use of the name Tigers in the media was in the Detroit Free Press on April 16,1895, upon entry into the majors, the ballclub sought and received formal permission from the Light Guard to use its trademark
7.
Major League Baseball
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Major League Baseball is a professional baseball organization, the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. A total of 30 teams now play in the National League and American League, the NL and AL operated as separate legal entities from 1876 and 1901 respectively. After cooperating but remaining legally separate entities since 1903, the merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball in 2000. The organization also oversees Minor League Baseball, which comprises about 240 teams affiliated with the Major League clubs, with the World Baseball Softball Confederation, MLB manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament. Baseballs first professional team was founded in Cincinnati in 1869,30 years after Abner Doubleday supposedly invented the game of baseball, the first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another. The period before 1920 in baseball was known as the dead-ball era, Baseball survived a conspiracy to fix the 1919 World Series, which came to be known as the Black Sox Scandal. The sport rose in popularity in the 1920s, and survived potential downturns during the Great Depression, shortly after the war, baseballs color barrier was broken by Jackie Robinson. The 1950s and 1960s were a time of expansion for the AL and NL, then new stadiums, Home runs dominated the game during the 1990s, and media reports began to discuss the use of anabolic steroids among Major League players in the mid-2000s. In 2006, an investigation produced the Mitchell Report, which implicated many players in the use of performance-enhancing substances, today, MLB is composed of thirty teams, twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada. Baseball broadcasts are aired on television, radio, and the Internet throughout North America, MLB has the highest season attendance of any sports league in the world with more than 73 million spectators in 2015. MLB is governed by the Major League Baseball Constitution and this document has undergone several incarnations since 1875, with the most recent revisions being made in 2012. Under the direction of the Commissioner of Baseball, MLB hires and maintains the sports umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, MLB maintains a unique, controlling relationship over the sport, including most aspects of Minor League Baseball. This ruling has been weakened only slightly in subsequent years, the weakened ruling granted more stability to the owners of teams and has resulted in values increasing at double-digit rates. There were several challenges to MLBs primacy in the sport between the 1870s and the Federal League in 1916, the last attempt at a new league was the aborted Continental League in 1960. The chief executive of MLB is the commissioner, Rob Manfred, the chief operating officer is Tony Petitti. There are five other executives, president, chief officer, chief legal officer, chief financial officer. The multimedia branch of MLB, which is based in Manhattan, is MLB Advanced Media and this branch oversees MLB. com and each of the 30 teams websites. Its charter states that MLB Advanced Media holds editorial independence from the league, MLB Productions is a similarly structured wing of the league, focusing on video and traditional broadcast media
8.
1901 Chicago White Stockings season
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The 1901 Chicago White Stockings season was their first season as a major league team, and their second season in Chicago. It was also the season of American League as a major league. The White Stockings had a balanced lineup, which was led by outfielders Dummy Hoy and Fielder Jones. They relied primarily on speed, as Frank Isbell, Sam Mertes, the pitching staff was anchored by Clark Griffith, who went 24–7 with a 2.67 ERA. They won the pennant by four games, 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, the NL actually gave permission to the AL to put a team in Chicago, and Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to Chicagos South Side. After the season, the AL declined to renew its membership in the National Agreement, after acquiring a number of stars from the older league, including pitcher and manager Clark Griffith, the White Stockings also captured the ALs first major-league pennant the next year, in 1901. May 9,1901, Earl Moore of the Cleveland Blues threw the first no-hitter in the history of the American League against the White Stockings, Chicago beat the Blues by a score of 4–2 despite not having one hit. baseball-almanac. com
9.
Earned run average
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In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched, runs resulting from defensive errors are recorded as unearned runs and omitted from ERA calculations. Henry Chadwick is credited with devising the statistic, which caught on as a measure of pitching effectiveness after relief pitching came into vogue in the 1900s. Some criterion was needed to capture the apportionment of earned-run responsibility for a pitcher in games that saw contributions from other pitchers for the same team, a pitcher is assessed an earned run for each run scored by a batter who reaches base while batting against that pitcher. The National League first tabulated official earned run average statistics in 1912, recently written baseball encyclopedias display ERAs for earlier years, but these were computed retroactively. Negro League pitchers are often rated by RA, or total runs allowed, as with batting average, the definition of a good ERA varies from year to year. During the dead-ball era of the 1900s and 1910s, an ERA below 2.00 was considered good, in the 1960s, sub-2.00 ERAs returned, as other influences such as ballparks with different dimensions were introduced. Today, an ERA under 4.00 is again considered good, the all-time record for the lowest single season earned run average by a pitcher pitching 300 or more innings is 1.12, set by Bob Gibson in 1968. The record for the lowest career earned run average is 1.82, held by Ed Walsh, but a purported record based on so few innings pitched is highly misleading. Over the years, more than a dozen part-time pitchers have pitched 105 or more innings and had a run average lower than 0.86. Some sources may list players with infinite ERAs and this can happen if a pitcher allows one or more earned runs without retiring a batter. Additionally, an undefined ERA occasionally occurs at the beginning of a baseball season and it is sometimes incorrectly displayed as zero or as the lowest ranking ERA, even though it is more akin to the highest. At times it can be misleading to judge relief pitchers solely on ERA, because they are charged only for runs scored by batters who reached base while batting against them. Thus, if a pitcher enters the game with his team leading by 1 run, with 2 outs and the bases loaded. If he retires the batter, his ERA for that game will be 0.00 despite having surrendered the lead. Starting pitchers operate under the rules but are not called upon to start pitching with runners already on base. The relievers freedom to use their energy for a few innings, or even for just a few batters. ERA, taken by itself, can also be misleading when trying to objectively judge starting pitchers, the advent of the designated hitter rule in the American League in 1973 made the pitching environment significantly different
10.
Joe Yeager
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Joseph Francis Yeager, nicknamed Little Joe, was a professional baseball player. He played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Superbas, Detroit Tigers, New York Highlanders, and St. Louis Browns. Born in Philadelphia, Little Joe Yeager played in 574 major league games, including 295 as a third baseman,94 as a pitcher,83 as a shortstop,48 as a second baseman, in his rookie season, Yeager was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Superbas. He had 32 complete games and an earned run average. Yeager played for the Detroit Tigers as a starting pitcher during their first major league season in 1901. He pitched 199.2 innings in 1901, with 22 complete games,2 shutouts, and his 2.61 earned run average was 3rd-best in the American League behind Cy Young, and his adjusted ERA+ of 147 was 2nd-best in the league behind Cy Young. Yeager also played 12 games at shortstop for the 1901 Tigers and had an average of.296 with a.343 on-base percentage. After a 6–12 season as a pitcher in 1902, Yeager made the switch from pitcher to third baseman and he was the Tigers starting third baseman in 1903 and went on to play third base for the New York Highlanders and St. Louis Browns. Yeager is credited by some with originating the squeeze play, Yeager died in Detroit, Michigan in 1937. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
11.
Cy Young
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Denton True Cy Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-season baseball career, he pitched for five different teams, Young established numerous pitching records, some of which have stood for a century. Young compiled 511 wins, which is most in Major League history and 94 ahead of Walter Johnson, Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. One year after Youngs death, the Cy Young Award was created to honor the previous seasons best pitcher, in addition to wins, Young still holds the major league records for most career innings pitched, most career games started, and most complete games. He also retired with 316 losses, the most in MLB history, Youngs 76 career shutouts are fourth all-time. He also won at least 30 games in a five times. In addition, Young pitched three no-hitters, including the perfect game in baseball history, first in baseballs modern era. In 1999,88 years after his major league appearance and 44 years after his death. That same year, baseball fans named him to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, Youngs career started in 1890 with the Cleveland Spiders. After eight years with the Spiders, Young was moved to St. Louis in 1899, after two years there, Young jumped to the newly created American League, joining the Boston franchise. He was traded back to Cleveland in 1909, before spending the two months of his career with the Boston Rustlers. After his retirement, Young went back to his farm in Ohio, Cy Young was the oldest child born to McKinzie Young, Jr. and German American Nancy Mottmiller. The couple had four children, Jesse Carlton, Alonzo, Ella. When the couple married, McKinzies father gave him the 54 acres of land he owned. Young was born in Gilmore, a farming community located in Washington Township, Tuscarawas County. He was christened Denton True Young, Some sources later, and even today, list his middle name erroneously as Tecumseh, apparently as a result of being nicknamed The Chief by teammates. He was raised on one of the farms and went by the name Dent Young in his early years. Young was also known as Farmer Young and Farmboy Young, Young stopped his formal education after he completed the sixth grade so he could help out on the familys farm
12.
Kid Elberfeld
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Norman Arthur Kid Elberfeld was a professional baseball player. Elberfeld played shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, New York Highlanders, Washington Senators, elberfled also managed the New York Highlanders for the last half of the 1908 season. Elberfeld was given the nickname The Tabasco Kid because of his fiery temper and he was known for his ferocious verbal, and sometimes physical, assaults on umpires. On one occasion, while in the minors, Elberfeld threw a lump of mud into the open mouth. Later in his career, Elberfeld assaulted umpire Silk OLoughlin and had to be removed by police. Although records were not kept, it was said that Elberfeld was thrown out of games than any other player of his era. Elberfeld broke into organized baseball in 1892 in Clarkson, Tennessee and he was so highly regarded as a prospect that a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies recommended signing him over another shortstop prospect, Honus Wagner. Elberfeld played only 14 games for the Phillies in 1898 before being sent to the Detroit Tigers, a year later, Elberfeld was purchased from Detroit by the Cincinnati Reds. Elberfeld lasted only 41 games in Cincinnati, prior to the 1900 season, the Reds sent Elberfeld back to Detroit, then still part of the Western League. Elberfeld remained with Detroit when they joined the newly formed American League in 1901 and he was the Tigers starting shortstop during their first two seasons as a Major League team. In the teams debut, on April 25,1901, the Tigers committed 7 errors, later in the season, Elberfeld had 12 assists in a game on September 2,1901. Elberfeld went on to bat.308 in the Tigers inaugural season, becoming the Tigers first team batting leader, in 1902, Elberfelds batting average dropped to.260, but he started the 1903 season on a hitting tear. In June 1903, with Elberfeld hitting.341 for the Tigers, he was traded to the New York Highlanders for Herman Long, despite his hot hitting, Elberfeld had fallen out of favor in Detroit after being suspended for abusing an umpire. Tiger manager Ed Barrow accused Elberfeld of deliberately throwing games to get himself traded, elbefeld was with the Highlanders from 1903 to 1909. During that time, he broke the.300 mark only once, nevertheless, he was considered an integral part of the Highlanders teams, contributing in many small ways. For example, on May 20,1907, Elberfeld stole home twice in the same game, in late June 1908, New York manager Clark Griffith resigned, and Elberfeld took over as the manager. The Highlanders finished the 1908 season, Elberfelds only season as a Major League manager, in December 1909, Elberfeld was sold to the Washington Senators for $5,000. He played two seasons for the Senators before being released and he signed with Montgomery in the Southern League where he befriended a young Casey Stengel
13.
Ban Johnson
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Byron Bancroft Ban Johnson was an American executive in professional baseball who served as the founder and first president of the American League. Johnson developed the AL—a descendant of the minor league Western League—into a clean alternative to the National League, to encourage a more orderly environment, Johnson strongly supported the new leagues umpires, which eventually included Hall of Famer Billy Evans. With the help of league owners and managers such as Charles Comiskey, Charles Somers and Jimmy McAleer, Johnson lured top talent to the AL, which soon rivaled the more established National League. Johnson dominated the AL until the mid-1920s, when a dispute with Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis culminated in his forced resignation as league president. Born in Norwalk, Ohio, Johnson went on to law at Marietta College. He subsequently became the editor of a newspaper in Cincinnati. During this time, Johnson befriended Charles Comiskey, who was manager of the Cincinnati Reds. At the urging of Comiskey and Reds owner John T. Brush, Johnson was elected as president of the Western League, Johnson had criticized the National League for its rowdy atmosphere, which was driving away families and women. He set about making baseball more friendly to both, contrary to the practice of the time, Johnson gave his umpires unqualified support and had little tolerance for players or managers who failed to show them due respect. Johnson also fined and suspended players who used language on the field. Soon, the Western League was recognized as not only the strongest minor league, Johnson, however, had a bigger plan—another major league. With the help of Comiskey, who had purchased the Sioux City franchise and moved it to St. Paul in 1894 after leaving the Reds and he also had Comiskey move his Saint Paul team to Chicago, where they eventually became the White Sox. The latter move was made with the blessing of the NL, for the 1900 season, the Western League was renamed as the American League, although it remained a minor league. The 1900 season was an success, and Johnson received a 10-year contract extension. In October, he withdrew the AL from the National Agreement, the final step came on January 28,1901, when he declared the AL would operate as a major league. He then placed teams in Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, the Buffalo Bisons were to be a member of the new American League and their manager Franklin was told right up to Jan. 29,1901, that Buffalo was in the league and not to worry, Ban Johnson unceremoniously dumped Buffalo and it was later revealed that he not only had been negotiating surreptitiously with Boston people for several months, but also that he had money invested in the Boston franchise. Johnson also had a stake in the Washington franchise, which he kept until 1903
14.
Baltimore Orioles
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The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball as a member of the American League East division, Louis, Missouri to become the St. Louis Browns. After 52 often-beleaguered years in St. Louis, the franchise was purchased in November 1953 by Baltimore business interests led by Clarence Miles, the franchise officially moved to Baltimore for the 1954 season and adopted the historic Orioles name in honor of the official state bird of Maryland. The Orioles name had also used by several previous major and minor league baseball clubs in Baltimore. Nicknames for the team include the Os and the Birds, the Orioles experienced their greatest success from 1966 to 1983, when they made six World Series appearances, winning three of them. The franchise has won a total of nine division championships, six pennants. The Orioles are also known for their successful stadium, the trend-setting Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The modern Orioles franchise can trace its roots back to the original Milwaukee Brewers of the minor Western League, the Brewers were there when the WL renamed itself the American League in 1900. At the end of the 1900 season, the American League removed itself from baseballs National Agreement, two months later, the AL declared itself a competing major league. As a result of several shifts, the Brewers were one of only two Western League teams that didnt fold, move or get kicked out of the league. In its first game in the American League, the team lost to the Detroit Tigers 14–13 after blowing a lead in the 9th inning. To this day, it is a league record for the biggest deficit overcome that late in the game. During the first American League season in 1901, they finished last with a record of 48–89 and its lone Major League season, the team played at Lloyd Street Grounds, between 16th and 18th Streets in Milwaukee. The Miles-Krieger -Hoffberger group renamed their new team the Baltimore Orioles soon after taking control of the franchise, the name has a rich history in Baltimore, having been used by a National League team in the 1890s. In 1901, Baltimore and McGraw were awarded a franchise in the growing American League. After a battle with Ban Johnson, the Head of the American League in 1902, McGraw took many of the top players including Dan McGann, Roger Bresnahan and Joe McGinnity to the New York Giants. As an affront to Johnson, McGraw kept the black and orange colors of the New York Giants, which San Francisco wears to this day. In 1903, the rest of the team was transferred to New York where they were nicknamed the Highlanders until circa 1912, as a member of the high-minor league level International League, the Orioles competed at what is now known as the AAA level from 1903 to 1953
15.
Doc Casey
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James Patrick Doc Casey, sometimes referred to as Jimmy Casey, was an American baseball player and manager from 1892 to 1911. Casey played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball as a third baseman for the Washington Senators, Brooklyn Superbas, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago Cubs. In his 10 years in the leagues, Casey compiled 1,312 putouts at third base. Casey also played 10 seasons in the leagues and served as a player-manager for the Montreal Royals in 1908 and 1909. He also managed the Fort Wayne, Indiana team in 1911, Casey was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1870. He studied dentistry at Baltimore Medical College, but left to play baseball in 1892 for the Pawtucket, Casey reportedly earned the nickname Doc because he sometimes used his knowledge of dentistry to assist fellow baseball players with their teeth. From 1893 to 1894, Casey attended Maryland Agricultural College and played on its baseball team and he also continued to play baseball in the New England League, for Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1893 and Portland, Maine, in 1894. From 1894 to 1898, Casey played for the Toronto Canucks in the Eastern League, in 1898, he compiled a.328 batting average with 66 stolen bases,41 extra base hits, and 123 runs scored in 122 games for Toronto. Casey made his league debut with the Washington Senators in September 1898. He appeared in 28 games for the Senators in 1898, principally as a third baseman, the Senators finished in 11th place in 1898 with a 51–101 record. In April 1899, he was traded by Washington, one of the worst teams in the National League, to the Brooklyn Superbas, early in the season, Casey drew attention for his defensive play at third base. Casey appeared in 143 games and stole 27 bases and helped lead the 1899 Brooklyn club to the National League championship, Casey ranked second among National League third basemen in 1899 with 23 double plays turned. The 1899 Superbas had the two shortest players in the National League in Casey and Wee Willie Keeler, Casey appeared in only one game for Brooklyn in 1900. In May 1900, Sporting Life reported that Casey had been loaned by the Brooklyn club to the Detroit Tigers of the newly formed American League, with Cross on the team there was no place for Casey as a matter of course. He will be better off with something to do every day than he possibly could be sitting on the all the time. He isnt the kind of player who cares to ornament the bench. Casey became the Tigers starting third baseman in 1900, appearing in 115 games for the club, in October 1900, Sporting Life selected Casey as the best fielding third baseman in the American League. Casey remained with the Tigers in 1901 and 1902, the teams first two seasons as a league club
16.
Frank Dillon
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Frank Edward Dillon, known in later years as Pop Dillon, was an American baseball player and manager. He appeared in 312 major league games and compiled a.252 batting average and he was later a player and manager for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League from 1903 to 1915. He led the Angels to PCL pennants in 1903,1905,1907 and 1908, Dillon was born in 1873 in Normal, Illinois. His father, Levi Dillon, owned a business breeding and selling Percheron horses, Dillon attended the University of Wisconsin and played for the Wisconsin Badgers baseball team from 1892 to 1894. Dillon was a cousin of Hall of Famer Clark Griffith, in 1899, Dillon made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He appeared in 30 games as a first baseman for the 1899 Pirates and he returned to the Pirates in 1900, but appeared in only five games. In 1900, Dillon was sold by Buffalo to the Detroit Tigers of the American League, Dillon appeared in 123 games for the 1900 Tigers and compiled a.291 batting average. In 1901, Dillon played first base for the Tigers during their first season as a league club. On April 25,1901, he hit a league record four doubles in the Tigers first major league game. He hit two of his doubles in a 10-run rally in the inning to give the Tigers a 14-13 victory over Milwaukee at Bennett Park. He compiled a.288 batting average in 281 at bats with the 1901 Tigers, in March 1902, Dillon failed to report for spring training with the Tigers, and a story circulated that he had been hospitalized with appendicitis. The Detroit Free Press reported on March 12 that the story about the appendicitis was a canard and he rejoined the Tigers and appeared in 66 games for the club during the 1902, though his batting average dropped 80 points to.206. He was turned over to the Baltimore Orioles during the 1902 season, in August 1902, Dillon jumped to the Los Angeles Angels in the California League. He led the California League in 1902 with a.338 batting average in 318 at bats, in October 1902, Dillon was hired to be player-manager in 1903 for the newly reorganized Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. In 1903, Dillon led the Angels to the PCL pennant with a 133–78 record, after leading Los Angeles to the PCL pennant, Dillon signed in December 1903 to play in 1904 with the Brooklyn Superbas of the National League. In January 1904, Dillon attempted to renege on his Brooklyn contract to remain in Los Angeles, however, and arbitration award in March 1904 awarded him to Brooklyn for the 1904 season. Dillon appeared in 135 game as Brooklyns first baseman in 1904, compiling a.258 batting average, in March 1905, the Los Angeles club paid $1,700 to Brooklyn for the return of Dillon. The sum paid by Los Angeles was reported to be the biggest price ever paid by a league club for the purchase of a big league player
17.
Bert Husting
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Berthold Juneau Husting was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with four different teams between 1900 and 1902. Listed at 5 ft 10.5 in,185 lb. Husting batted and he was born in Mayville, Wisconsin. He went 14–5 for the 1902 Athletics team who won the AL pennant, in a staff that included Rube Waddell, unfortunately, the Athletics did not have the chance to face the NL Champion Pittsburgh Pirates for the World Championship because there was none in 1902. Following his playing retirement, he pursued a law career, Husting died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at age 70. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference Retrosheet Baseball Library
18.
Ducky Holmes
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James William Ducky Holmes was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed, Holmes spent his first two seasons with the Colonels and played the next two seasons with four different clubs. After a seasons absence, he returned to play in the American Leagues inaugural season in 1901, in 932 career games, Holmes batted.282 with 236 stolen bases and 1,014 hits. List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
19.
Joe McGinnity
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Joseph Jerome McGinnity was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National Leagues Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Superbas and he returned to the NL with the New York Giants. McGinnity continued to pitch in the leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54. In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average and he had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times and ERA once, with the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904, McGinnity was nicknamed Iron Man because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for games and innings pitched in a single season. McGinnity is considered one of the players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946, McGinnitys father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States and he changed it by adding an n after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, the two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, the McGinnitys had four more children. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood, the McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his brothers went to work in the mines to support their family
20.
Road (sports)
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A road game or away game is a sports game where the specified team is not the host and must travel to another venue. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions, each team has a location where it practices during the season and where it hosts games. When a team is not the host, it must travel to games. Thus, when a team is not hosting a game, the team is described as the team, the visiting team, or the away team. The venue in which the game is played is described as the stadium or the road. The host team is said to be the home team, major sporting events, if not held at a neutral venue, are often over several legs at each teams home ground, so that neither team has an advantage over the other. Occasionally, the team may not have to travel very far at all to a road game. These matches often become local derbies, a few times a year, a road team may even be lucky enough to have the road game played at their own home stadium or arena. This is prevalent in college athletics where many schools will play in regional leagues or groundshare. The related term true road game has seen increasing use in U. S. college sports in the 21st century, while regular-season tournaments and other special events have been part of college sports from their creation, the 21st century has seen a proliferation of such events. These are typically held at sites, with some of them taking place outside the contiguous U. S. or even outside the country entirely. In turn, this has led to the use of true road game to refer to contests played at one home venue. In some association football leagues, particularly in Europe, the teams fans sit in their own section. Depending on the stadium, they will either sit in a designated section or be separated from the home fans by a cordon of police officers. However, in the leagues in England, supporters may be free to mix. When games are played at a site, for instance the FA Cup final in England which is always played at Wembley Stadium. This results in each team occupying one half of the stadium and this is different from other sports, particularly in North America, where very few fans travel to games played away from their home stadium. Home and away fans are not separated at these games
21.
1901 Boston Americans season
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The 1901 Boston Americans season was the first season for the professional baseball franchise that later became known as the Boston Red Sox, and the first season of play for the American League. It resulted in the Americans finishing second in the AL with a record of 79 wins and 57 losses, the team was managed by Jimmy Collins and played its home games at Huntington Avenue Grounds. The Americans were led by Buck Freeman, who hit 12 home runs and their longest winning streak of the season came between June 14 and 22 when they defeated the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Stockings, and Cleveland Blues until succumbing on the 23rd to the Blues. Their longest losing streak was between May 11 and 16, when they fell to the Washington Senators and Baltimore Orioles, Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. com
22.
1901 Cleveland Bluebirds season
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The 1901 Cleveland Bluebirds season was a season in American baseball. It was the franchises first in the majors, being one of the franchises of the American League. Unofficially known as the Blues, the finished seventh out of eight teams. As a result,1900 marked the first year since 1886 during which the city of Cleveland did not have an affiliated with Major League Baseball. During this time, Cleveland had a minor baseball team, known as the Bluebirds or Blues due to their all-blue uniforms. The American League became a major league before the 1901 season, as the American League made the jump to major league status, many players jumped ship, including Cy Young and Nap Lajoie, which led the National League to call them an outlaw league in November 1900. The Cleveland Blues played their first game of the season against the Chicago White Stockings on April 24,1901 and this was the first games in the history of the American League, three other games scheduled that day were rained out. The starting lineup consisted of, Ollie Pickering, Jack McCarthy, Frank Genins, Candy LaChance, Bill Bradley, Erve Beck, Bill Hallman, Bob Wood, and Bill Hoffer. Hoffer allowed seven runs in the first two innings and the Blues failed to recover, as they lost the game 8–2, earning the first loss in American League history. In the second game of the season, Beck hit the first home run in American League history off pitcher John Skopec, on May 9,1901, Earl Moore threw the first no-hitter in the history of the franchise and the American League. The Blues lost to Chicago by a score of 4–2 despite allowing no hits, on May 23, Cleveland scored nine runs with the bases empty and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat Washington 14–13. Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, R = Runs, H = Hits, 2B = Doubles, 3B = Triples, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in, SB = Stolen bases Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, R = Runs, H = Hits, 2B = Doubles, 3B = Triples, Avg. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, Indians Journal, Year by Year & Day by Day with the Cleveland Indians since 1901
23.
Milwaukee Brewers
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The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team and are based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The team is named for the association with the brewing industry. Since 2001, the Brewers have played their games at Miller Park. The team was founded in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, an team of the American League, in Seattle. The Pilots played their games at Sicks Stadium. After only one season, the relocated to Milwaukee, becoming known as the Brewers. In 1998, the Brewers joined the National League and they are the only franchise to play in four divisions since the advent of divisional play in Major League Baseball in 1969. The teams only World Series appearance came in 1982, after winning the ALCS against the California Angels, the Brewers faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, losing 4-3. In 2011, the Brewers won the NLDS versus the Arizona Diamondbacks 3–2, the Brewers were part of the American League from their creation in 1969 through the 1997 season, after which they moved to the National League Central Division. Milwaukee had previously been a National League city when its team was the Milwaukee Braves, in 1981, Milwaukee won the American League East Division in the second half of the strike-shortened season. In the playoffs, they lost the series to the New York Yankees. In 1982, Milwaukee won the American League East Division and the American League Pennant, in the Series, they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three. In 1998, the Brewers changed leagues, going from the American League to the National League, in 2008, for the first time in the 26 years since their World Series appearance, the Brewers advanced to postseason play by winning the National League wild card. They were eliminated in the National League Division Series by the eventual World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies, on September 23,2011, the Milwaukee Brewers clinched their first division title in 29 years. The first Brewers uniforms were hand-me-downs from the Seattle Pilots, because the move to Milwaukee received final approval less than a week before the start of the season, there was no time to order new uniforms. However, the outline of the Pilots logo remained visible, the uniforms had unique striping on the sleeves left over from the Pilots days. The cap was a version of the Milwaukee Braves cap in blue. Ultimately, it was decided to keep blue and gold as the team colors, the Brewers finally got their own flannel design in 1971
24.
Chicago White Sox
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The Chicago White Sox is an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. The White Sox play their games at Guaranteed Rate Field. They are one of two league clubs in Chicago, the other is the Chicago Cubs, who are a member of the National League Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf. One of the American Leagues eight charter franchises, the Chicago team was established as a major baseball club in 1900. The club was called the Chicago White Stockings, but this was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox. The team played games at South Side Park before, in 1910. The White Sox won the 1906 World Series with a team dubbed the Hitless Wonders, and the 1917 World Series led by Eddie Cicotte, Eddie Collins. The 1919 World Series was marred by the Black Sox Scandal, in response, Major League Baseballs new Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the players from Major League Baseball for life. In 1959, led by Early Wynn, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio and manager Al Lopez and they won the AL pennant in 2005, and went on to win the World Series. The White Sox originated as the Sioux City Cornhuskers of the Western League, in 1894, Charles Comiskey bought the Cornhuskers and moved them to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they became the St. Paul Saints. In 1901, the Western League broke the National Agreement and became the new major league American League, the very first season in the American League ended with a White Stockings championship. However, that would be the end of the season as the World Series did not begin until 1903, the franchise, now known as the Chicago White Sox, made its first World Series appearance in 1906, beating the crosstown Cubs in six games. The White Sox would win a pennant and second World Series in 1917, beating the New York Giants in six games with help from stars Eddie Cicotte. The Sox were heavily favored in the 1919 World Series, huge bets on the Reds fueled speculation that the series had been fixed. This set the franchise back, as they did not win another pennant for 40 years. The White Sox did not finish in the half of the American League again until after club founder Charles Comiskey died and passed ownership of the club to his son
25.
Cleveland Indians
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The Cleveland Indians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. Since 1994, they have played at Progressive Field, the teams spring training facility is at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. The Indians current World Series championship drought is the longest active drought, the name Indians originated from a request by club owner Charles Somers to baseball writers to choose a new name to replace Cleveland Naps following the departure of Nap Lajoie after the 1914 season. The name referenced the nickname Indians that was applied to the Cleveland Spiders baseball club during the time when Louis Sockalexis, common nicknames for the Indians include the Tribe and the Wahoos, the latter being a reference to their logo, Chief Wahoo, a controversial Native American caricature. The teams mascot is named Slider, the franchise originated in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1894 as the Grand Rapids Rustlers, a minor league team in the Western League. The team moved to Cleveland in 1900 and changed its name to the Cleveland Lake Shores, one of the American Leagues eight charter franchises, the major league incarnation of the club was founded in Cleveland in 1901. Originally called the Cleveland Bluebirds, the played in League Park until moving permanently to Cleveland Stadium in 1946. At the end of the 2016 season, they had a regular season record of 9. In 1857 baseball games were a spectacle in Clevelands Public Squares. City authorities tried to find an ordinance forbidding it, to the joy of the crowd, – Harold Seymour 1865–1868 Forest Citys of Cleveland 1869–1872 Forest Citys of Cleveland From 1865 to 1868 Forest Citys was an amateur ball club. During the 1869 season, Cleveland was among several cities which established professional baseball teams following the success of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first fully professional team. In the newspapers before and after 1870, the team was called the Forest Citys. In 1871 the Forest Citys joined the new National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, ultimately, two of the leagues western clubs went out of business during the first season and the Chicago Fire left that citys White Stockings impoverished, unable to field a team again until 1874. Cleveland was thus the NAs westernmost outpost in 1872, the year the club folded, Cleveland played their full schedule to July 19 followed by two games versus Boston in mid-August and disbanded at the end of the season. 1879–1881 Cleveland Forest Citys 1882–1884 Cleveland Blues In 1876, the National League supplanted the NA as the professional league. Cleveland were not among its members, but by 1879 the league was looking for new entries. The Cleveland Forest Citys baseball team was then re-created, the National League required distinct colors for the 1882 season, so the Cleveland Forest Citys became the Cleveland Blues
