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RMc · 08-12-2024, 02:17 PM

Timothy J. Zarley's book "1901: The War of the Baseball Magnates" describes how the Western League became the American League, partially by grabbing three of the four markets that the National League jettisoned after the 1899 season: Cleveland, Washington, Baltimore (but not Louisville).

But what if the NL didn't contract after the 1899 season, keeping all four of those markets (yes, even the woeful Spiders)? Would the WL -- now the AL -- become the NL's equal?

Well...in this universe, the NL decides to hold tight, unwilling the give the newly-christened American League an opening. They would return the same twelve teams the loop had had since the collapse of the old American Association in 1892. In real life, the Western League technically disbanded and was replaced by the AL, with teams in all of the previous WL cities -- except St. Paul, which was replaced by a new White Sox team in Chicago.

In this reality, the new AL will simply add two new squads: the Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Maple Leafs, making it a ten-team circuit. They will also demand to be taken seriously as a "major league"...the NL will kindly demur on that point.

08-12-2024, 02:17 PM	#5
RMc All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,643	Contraction, consmaction! Timothy J. Zarley's book "1901: The War of the Baseball Magnates" describes how the Western League became the American League, partially by grabbing three of the four markets that the National League jettisoned after the 1899 season: Cleveland, Washington, Baltimore (but not Louisville). But what if the NL didn't contract after the 1899 season, keeping all four of those markets (yes, even the woeful Spiders)? Would the WL -- now the AL -- become the NL's equal? Well...in this universe, the NL decides to hold tight, unwilling the give the newly-christened American League an opening. They would return the same twelve teams the loop had had since the collapse of the old American Association in 1892. In real life, the Western League technically disbanded and was replaced by the AL, with teams in all of the previous WL cities -- except St. Paul, which was replaced by a new White Sox team in Chicago. In this reality, the new AL will simply add two new squads: the Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Maple Leafs, making it a ten-team circuit. They will also demand to be taken seriously as a "major league"...the NL will kindly demur on that point. __________________ "We're all behind our baseball team..." Last edited by RMc; 08-24-2024 at 11:43 AM.