April 3, 1946: Sarasota, FL:
It was a warm April evening in 1946 when Harry Barrell found himself sitting across from his brother Bobby at a cozy seafood restaurant in Sarasota, Florida. The Boston Minutemen had just played a spring training game against Bobby's defending world champion Philadelphia Keystones earlier that day. It had been an exciting contest, with the Minutemen securing a thrilling 4-3 win in the bottom of the ninth inning. However, both Barrell brothers had been taken out of the game before that crucial moment. Bobby had gone 1-for-2 with a double and run scored, while Harry had gone 0-for-1 with a walk.
As they enjoyed their meal, Harry took a sip of his drink and looked at Bobby with a contemplative expression. It had been a while since they had a chance to catch up, and there was something important Harry wanted to share.
"Bobby," Harry began, "I need to tell you something. A few weeks ago, I came incredibly close to joining Thomas Bigsby's Great Western League."
Bobby's eyes widened in surprise. "The GWL? You were considering leaving the FABL?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I was seriously considering it. Colonel Bigsby told me about this when we were both in the Army in Europe. He talked about starting a rival league on the West Coast, a league where players would have more freedom and options, rather than being essentially tied down. He owns the Los Angeles Knights now. He offered me a contract with a significant raise over what Boston is paying me."
Harry's salary with the Minutemen was already a good one by FABL standards, so Bobby understood that this wasn't a decision made lightly. Bobby leaned back in his chair, absorbing the information. "So, aside from the obvious—money—what made you consider it?"
Harry took a deep breath. "Well, you know how players in the FABL feel about the reserve clause and the pay disparity. Bigsby's idea was to provide players with a choice, a chance for fairer compensation and better working conditions."
Bobby's brow furrowed. "I get it, Harry, but you know I'm happy in Philadelphia. We've had success, won championships, and I have a good life with Annette and the boys." Bobby paused and added, "I actually received a GWL contract offer too, from San Francisco, but I didn't really consider it. Pop's philosophy of 'your word is your bond' really sunk in, I guess," Bobby concluded with a smirk.
Harry nodded, understanding Bobby's perspective. "Yeah, Sarah was against the move to California too. She pointed out that the FABL has been around since the 1890s, and the GWL is a brand-new venture that might not last. It was a tough decision."
Bobby nodded slowly. "I understand, Harry. It's a big decision to make. The FABL has its flaws, but it's also steeped in history. Let's be honest here, it's an American institution at this point. Sometimes, the grass isn't always greener on the other side."
Harry smiled appreciatively. "You're right, Bob. It's just that the idea of change, of something new and different, was enticing. But in the end, I couldn't ignore the loyalty I feel to the Minutemen, the fans, and the unfinished business we have in Boston."
Bobby chuckled and said, "I bet some of that unfinished business is successfully corrupting Buddy Schneider."
Harry's double-play partner, second baseman Buddy Schneider, was one of the three baseball-playing Schneider brothers (one of whom- Skipper - was becoming a star for the Chicago Cougars). Buddy was humble and self-deprecating almost to a fault. Harry was, ultimately, a good team mate, but he liked things loosey-goosey and Buddy was too straight-laced for him.
Harry laughed in reply and said, "That's still a work in progress."
Bobby gave his brother a warm smile and got back to the topic at hand. "I'm proud of you, Harry. Sometimes, staying true to what you know and what you believe in is the best choice."
As they finished their meal, the brothers continued to talk and reminisce about their careers, sharing stories and laughter. The decision to stay with the FABL lingered in the back of Harry's mind, and if he had been a younger man without a wife and child, he might have taken the chance. But he knew he had too much at stake, and he liked playing in Boston.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Same day, Washington, DC:
While their clubs were preparing for the first postwar spring training season, the owners of the FABL gathered in the nation's capital, Washington. The FABL had its offices there since William Whitney stepped down as league president almost fifty years earlier, and little had changed within the baseball "Halls of Power" since.
Rufus Barrell was present, serving as an advisor to Calvin Stockdale, the new owner of the Eagles. Stockdale, fresh out of a thirty-year career in the US Navy, had commanded a heavy cruiser in the Pacific theater. With limited knowledge of running a baseball organization, he admitted to Rufus that he would rely on the Eagles' staff for day-to-day operations, preferring to remain "hands-off" with the team. Rufus believed that Stockdale would eventually become more involved, though he decided to keep that observation to himself. Stockdale wanted Rufus's guidance as he and the other owners discussed the threat posed by the "upstarts out West," as Sam Belton had referred to the new GWL.
The reactions of the various owners varied. Leland Winthrop, owner of the Gothams, felt that the GWL was beneath notice, stating, "They will come and go like a bad dream." Others, such as Bernie Millard of the Toronto team, were ready to go to war and crush the GWL. Most owners fell somewhere in between, showcasing a range of attitudes from dismissive to concerned, and even belligerent. Rufus himself believed that the GWL presented a serious threat and that the FABL owners might have to do something they had never done before: change the way they handled their players.
At 78 years old, Jesse Barton of the Boston team represented what Rufus privately referred to as the "old guard." Alongside Jacques Cartier of Montreal, Dan Prescott of Brooklyn, Al Mielke of the Stars, and Powell Thompson of Detroit, they were, in Rufus's opinion, dinosaurs in the modern era. Despite being in the same age bracket as these men, Rufus found their ideas rigid and unchangeable. On the other hand, the younger crowd, led by Chiefs owner Billy Whitney (grandson of the FABL founder), Matilda Johnson, the owner of the Sailors (the only female owner in the FABL), and Rick Marshall of Cleveland, held more progressive ideas.
Reflecting on the meeting later with Alice, Rufus described it as "a bunch of rich people acting like, well, spoiled rich people." They were accustomed to having things go their way, and most were offended by Tom Bigsby and his associates' attempt to encroach on their exclusive domain. "They'll wreck the game!" Millard had shouted.
In the end, not even Sam Belton could bring the group to a consensus. The official stance from the FABL was a "wait and see" approach. Each club would make its own decisions. Millard declared that his Wolves would never sign a player "who had turned traitor" by joining the GWL. Whitney, on the other hand, stated, "If they can play, I'd sign them."
Rufus left the meeting thinking it was fortunate that it had been kept private. If Bigsby and the other GWL owners had witnessed the internal strife caused by their upstart league, they would have likely celebrated.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calvin Stockdale (l) and Rufus Barrell (r), 1946
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------