Whales, Terriers, and Terrapins: The Federal League 1914-15 (The SABR Digital Library)

The Federal League formed in 1913 as an “outlaw league” in six cities across the Midwest. In 1914 it added two teams and declared itself a major league. The league’s owners “stole” players from the two existing major leagues and put teams in some of the same cities. Both the American and National Leagues struck back. After the 1915 season, with several Federal League teams struggling financially, the two more-established leagues bought out several teams. This caused the collapse of the Federal League.The impact of the Federal League on baseball is still felt today. The league filed one of the first antitrust lawsuits against Organized Baseball. The case ended up in the court of Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who looms large in baseball history. Although that case was settled, a later lawsuit went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Court decided that baseball is entertainment and thus not subject to antitrust law. This decision has had a wide-ranging effect on the business of baseball. For a physical reminder of the Federal League, one can still see the ballpark built for the Chicago Whales, now known as Wrigley Field.This book contains biographies of a number of the key players and executives, and game accounts of some of the most interesting games during the league’s brief existence. The book represents the collaborative work of many SABR members. The enthusiasm for this book on the Federal League was so great that 54 members quickly signed up to make the book a reality. BIOGRAPHIESSelected ExecutivesJames A. Gilmore by Dan LevittPhil Ball by Steve Steinberg by Robert B. Ward by Joel RippelCharles Weeghman by Dan LevittPLAYERS (including some player/managers)Indianapolis Hoosiers / Newark PeppersJimmy Esmond by Anne KeeneGeorge Kaiserling by Harry SchogerAl Kaiser by Bob BarrierHarry Moran by Harry SchogerChicago Chi-Feds/Chicago WhalesMax Flack by Joel RippelGeorge McConnell by Mark S. SternmanMike Prendergast by Chris RaineyJoe Tinker by Bob WebsterArt Wilson by Bob LeMoineDutch Zwilling by Maury BouchardBaltimore TerrapinsVern Duncan by Brian WoodBenny Meyer by Mike HuberGeorge Suggs by Chad MoodyHarry Swacina by Kevin LarkinJimmy Walsh by Phil WilliamsBuffalo BluesCharlie Hanford by Joel RippelGene Krapp by Chris RaineyBaldy Louden by Matthew CleverAl Schulz by Steve WestBrooklyn Tip-TopsHappy Finneran by Thomas BrownDan Marion by Cindy ThompsonAl Shaw by Adam FoldesTex Wisterzil by Chris RaineyKansas City PackersTed Easterly by Adam KlinkerGrover Gilmore by Joanne HulbertPete Henning by Rich BogovichGeorge "Chief" Johnson by Steve SchmittDuke Kenworthy by Bill NowlinGeorge Perring by Rich BogovichPittsburgh RebelsFrank Allen by C. Paul Rogers III Elmer Knetzer by Bob WigginsEd Lennox by Matt AlbertsonTex McDonald by Skip NipperRebel Oakes by Phil WilliamsAl Wickland by Kevin LarkinSt. Louis TerriersDave Davenport by Gregory H. WolfDel Drake by Tom DrakeWard Miller by Bill JohnsonDoc Watson by Gregory H. WolfEd Willett by Paul HofmannJUDGEKenesaw M. Landis by Dan BusbyUMPIRESUmpires in the Federal League by Bill NowlinSELECTED GAMESIndianapolis Hoosiers June 20, 1914 by Harry Schogerune 20, 1914 by Harry SchogerJuly 7, 1914: by Kevin Larkin July 19, 1914 by Harry Schoger July 27, 1914 by Frederick C. BushAugust 24, 1914 by Kevin LarkinOctober 7, 1914: by Jerrod CotosmanNewark PeppersMay 31, 1915 by Bill NowlinAugust 7, 1915 by Maury BouchardSeptember 6, 1915 by John ZinnSeptember 6, 1915 by John ZinnChicago Chi-Feds / Chicago WhalesJuly 12, 1914 by Benjamin SabinJuly 14, 1914 by Bill JohnsonSeptember 9, 1914 by Brian M. FrankMay 15, 1915 by Sean KolodziejSeptember 19, 1915 by Richard CuicchiOctober 3, 1915 by Mark S. Sternmanand many more!