The Federal League opened as a renegade minor league --operating without permission of the governing National Commission -- in six cities 1913. Competing head-to-head with four major league clubs, the Feds not only survived, but received an important infusion of capital and enthusiasm when James Gilmore, a Chicago manufacturer, assumed control.
Gilmore brought such moneyed interests as Phil Ball, Charles Weeghman and Robert Ward, all of whom had been turned down for major league membership, into the fold. At an August meeting, plans were set for the Feds to declare "major" status for 1914.
Fans who had not previously taken the Feds seriously did so when Joe Tinker, the famed Chicago shortstop, "jumped" to become player-manager of the Chicago Federal League club. Others, like Three Fingered Brown, Eddie Plank, Chief Bender and Hal Chase, followed. By the end of January, an estimated 40 major leaguers had contracted to play for Federal League teams. Several signed contracts with two leagues, and their status became the focus of court cases. Fed owners also filed an anti-trust action against the American and National Leagues. (The case was assigned to the court of Judge K.M. Landis -- his first direct involvement with baseball.)
Indianapolis won the initial Federal League pennant, St. Louis the second. But for two years, the real action took place among attorneys and club owners representing both leagues. In December of 1915, Gilmore and delegates representing the National League struck a tentative "peace" deal. In exchange for going outof business and dropping their lawsuits, Federal owners were allowed to sell their players to the highest bidders, Weeghman was allowed to purchase the Chicago franchise, Ball was allowed to buy a St. Louis team of his choice, and the remaining Federal teams were liquidated on terms acceptable to the teams' owners. On Dec. 22, the arrangement was signed and the Federal League officially died.
Col. Jacob Ruppert and Col. Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston purchase the New York Yankees Jan. 11.
Ty Cobb steals his 96th base Oct. 3; that stands as a single-season record until broken by Maury Wills in 1962.
IN THE WORLD
U.S. population reaches 100 million