American League Baseball (from 1901)

[struggles_mightily]

USA SPORTING NEWS

AMERICA'S FINEST SPORTING DAILY

25th February 1900

AMERICAN BASEBALL LEAGUE TO OPEN IN 1901

Whatever your opinion about the American Baseball League's quick, vicious rise to baseball prominence, it will be the sole operating league in 1901. With the fledging Western League already having admitted defeat, the only major competitor to the ABL was the National League. The National League President Nick Young made an emotional speech last night, in which he described the ABL as 'pirates' who 'would yet ruin our national pastime'.

Ever since a small cartel of wealthy American businessmen declared their interest in creating a baseball league in 1899, the ABL has become notorious amongst other circuits as a 'rogue' league, using its vast financial support to gain an unfair advantage over its rivals. It began buying out the contracts of popular Western League players before the 1899 season opened, and has continued with its aggressive business strategy. Players flocked to the ABL, with its big-money, long-term contracts offering job security to those willing to work for it.

The National League was quick to shrug off the advances of the new circuit, evidently believing that it would be dealt with in a similar way to all previous competitors. However, none of the NL's previous rivals had such considerable financial clout as the American Baseball League. Nevertheless, the National League enjoyed a strong 1899, as attendances remained high, despite the Superbas dominance in winning the Championship.

But if the National League clubs hoped that the threat from the ABL would simply disappear, they were very wrong indeed. Shortly after the final game of the 1899, news of an immeasurable coup reached the sporting paper. The 'Big Five' National Leaguers -- John McGraw, Willie Keeler, Ed Delahanty, Cy Young and Vic Willis -- signed lucrative, fifteen year deals with the American Baseball League. The national pastime reached a crisis point, as the two leagues spent the off-season in legal wrangles, with the senior circuit attempting to find some law which they could accuse the upstart league of breaking. Yet, the ABL continued relentlessly. The National League's case that the ABL was attempting to 'monopolize' the sport was eliminated quickly. There remain accusations that the ABL's wealthy ownership (who became known as the 'Washington Pirates' owing to their aggressive strategies and supposed association with high-profile Senators) only escaped charges due to their high profile within several major American companies.

Shortly after the ruling, the ABL stole three further players from the champion Superbas (Jay Hughes, Joe Kelley and Hughie Jennings) evoking the later headline "Pirates 3, Superbas 0". With the National League in crisis, they attempted to sign a few major stars around whom they could base a league in the coming years. Buck Freeman and Sam Leever both rejected offers to become the 'poster boys of a sinking ship' in the words of one news reporter.

As the new century began, the number of defectors from the National League to the ABL stood at two-hundred and fifty (and this is even before considering the hundred or so players drawn from the old Western League). The National League made desperate attempts to contract half of its clubs, and take a massive loan to shore up player contracts. The league was denied credit, and its future began to look exceedingly bleak.

Meanwhile, the Western League announced that there would be no 1900 season -- and probably no seasons after that. Ban Johnson looked a spectre of his former belligerent self as he admitted defeat to an enemy he could never have previously imagined. As February began, the National League was left with only one hundred of its original players, and began signing up minor leaguers in an attempt to put together some kind of 1900 season. However, it was obvious at this point that any solution that President Young could engineer would be, at best, short-term. In the long-term, the ABL machine had swept up its talent, and was plotting to sweep up its crowds. At a ceremony in New York-- only a few miles from the hush of Washington Park in off-season -- the ABL unveiled its first President, the former Giant Roger Connor.

It was only a fortnight until the next humiliation, as Connor, along with CEO Buck Mathis, announced that the ABL would be opening franchises in Boston, Baltimore, St. Louis, New York, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia. This was a declaration of war. The National League had been offered an ultimatum: spend a year of embarrassment playing in empty ballparks with unknown players whilst the eyes of the nation are on the superstars and glamour of the ABL, or step aside quietly.

Yesterday, Nick Young announced that his circuit -- once the embodiment of American baseball -- had chosen the latter option. It would admit defeat to the new league, and quietly step out of the limelight. It paid off its debts by selling six parks -- which had housed National League clubs just eight months ago -- to the "Pirates", a gesture which should've been bitterly ironic, yet was simply of mutual benefit. For better or for worse, a new era has been ushered in. And if the bank balance of the new league is anything to go by, this era should last for a pretty long time...

---

Notes: This is a historical replay, beginning in 1901. It deals with the premise of a new and wealthy league (the American Baseball League), rising to prominence by aggressively buying out the contracts of top players in the National and Western Leagues. This league will have real players, and will follow real baseball in many respects. However, it will follow its own rules as far as expansion, re-alignment, the introduction of rules and relocation are concerned. Although the reports will be done in a 'newspaper' style, don't expect me to adapt my writing style too much over the eras. I feel that this would be too much work for something fairly aesthetic -- and, I'm not sure if I have the ability as a writer to handle something like that. Reports will be done weekly at first, and will be up very regularly. I may decide to move to fortnightly or monthly updates later if the pace is too slow. However, I feel that the beauty of historical replay is not simply in noting the best players and the biggest events, but in creating a whole tapestry of events, which may, in retrospect, have been more important than they seemed at the time. All in all, my aim is to have fun and create a long and detailed legacy.

Edit: Damn! Made a stupid mistake in the topic title. Sorry about that. If a mod sees it, can you change it please?

[struggles_mightily]

USA SPORTING NEWS

AMERICA'S FINEST SPORTING DAILY

2nd January 1901

AMERICAN BASEBALL LEAGUE PERSPECTIVES

As the new year begins, our attention will be turning once again towards baseball. But this is baseball in a rather different form to the one we're used to. No more National League. No more Western League. There will only be one professional baseball league in the United States, and this is the American Baseball League. The businessmen who run the circuit have made few friends with their aggressive, almost arrogant, business style. Yet, it is the product that they put on the field by which they will be judged. And how good will it be? Two of our most experienced writers offer their thoughts.

---

"Despite Rhetoric, Monopoly is Bad for the Game"
by Mal Kendrick

When Roger Connor gave his big speech on Thursday, he placed the stress on one word in particular -- 'competition'. Competition, Connor told us, is what drives the game. It's what writes the headlines, and it's what brings the fans to the parks.

He is probably right. Connor is an affable man -- well-respected and not undeservedly, he was a cornerstone in the Giants teams of the nineties. However, I was struck with a certain sense of irony when listening to his words and it didn't sit well with me.

Competition. The argument goes that the American Baseball League will bring together the best ballplayers in the word, and pit them against each other day in and day out. The match-ups and combinations which once seem improbable will all be on display in ABL cities this summer. It's a fabulous boast, but something of a double-edged sword -- and embarrassment of riches, perhaps.

It strikes me in particular that there are two distinctly different types of competition. There is competition between teams and players. This is the kind that Connor was referring to, and the one that the men running the ABL assure us is Good for the Game. Then there is the competition between leagues. According to ABL rhetoric, it would seem, this kind of competition is reprehensible -- it is the scourge of the game, no less. After all, by bringing all players together into a sole professional league, this is the kind of competition that has been completely eliminated by the "Washington Pirates" and their friends.

In any other business, the ABL would be guilty of monopolization, of unfair control of the market. Now, I admit that this line of argument is nothing new. It has been advanced before, and the optimists refute it, saying "no, baseball is different; it can't be governed by the laws of industry". Well, is baseball so different from other industries? I would say that it isn't. Beyond the great accomplishments on the field, there are even greater ones off it. The creation of profit, the attraction of fans, the wooing of young ballplayers. People say that baseball is only a game, yet it is far more, and to ignore this is a terrible mistake.

We are now in a position where there is no alternative option in baseball. Don't like the brand of baseball being played by your local team? Tough luck. Think of fans in Louisville, Cincinnati and Washington, all of them raised on National League teams that no longer exist in anything but memory. Will the ABL choose to put a team in these cities in some number of years? Maybe, but if they don't, nobody else will. This is a dangerous game, a game of dominance by a small number of men who answer to nobody but themselves. And what do we know of these men? Very little, except that they are wealthy and have a good knowledge of the business world. But what do they know of baseball? That is all the common fan cares about.

My anxiety may yet be misplaced -- and as a fan of the game I hope it is -- but these are still times of uncertainty. We have reached a point where a decision of the ABL is not merely a decision made by a league, but made by an entire game, an entire institution. Great power is now the hands of a few decision-makers, there is nothing that can be done about that -- we must simply hope that the decisions made are the correct ones.

---

"New Era Should be Welcomed"

by George Gattis

It had to happen sooner or later. Whether it came as a result of an understanding between the National and Western Leagues, or as the result of a whole new league being created, the petty squabbles between circuits needed to be stopped for the sake of the game.

Of course, the manner in which it happened took everyone by surprise. A secretive partnership of wealthy businessmen aggressively buying out the game's top stars...it seemed like it happened almost overnight. Yet, such hostilities between leagues are nothing new. How many circuits did the National League swallow up or drive out of it business before the tables were abruptly turned? No, this was not a completely unheard of occurrence, it merely happened on a far grander scale, and far more quickly than it ever had before.

And so now the men who Nick Young angrily labelled as 'pirates' run the game. It's not hard to see why so many fans and writers are apprehensive. These are, after all, decidedly not baseball people. But they're business people, and business people don't get to the top by being stupid. Anyone who believes that the ABL will be run ruthlessly, like some despotic nation, is kidding himself. The league's owners are experienced in how to please the customer -- it just so happens that in baseball these 'customers' preferred to be called 'fans' and are often fickle and tempestuous. But they are the ones who make the league possible. Those who say that the new league will answer to no-one are wrong -- the league answers to its fans.

Sure, the fans no longer have the simple option of watching some other team in some other league -- but they have the equally effective option of abandoning the game altogether. I assure you, the new league does not want this. Its owners have spent a small fortune on assembling the players, parks, and other necessities to make this venture this possible. They plan to pack the ballparks on every single day in every single city. And to do this, they know they must keep their fans happy.

And if my predictions are right, I think the baseball fan will be very happy indeed. The game's greatest will now be collected under one banner. The eight teams will each be stocked with the kind of talent never before seen in the National or Western Leagues. And the team that stands victorious at the end of the summer is not merely the champion of a particular circuit. It is baseball's champion.

Baseball has long lacked a sense of competition and co-operation. The arguments and rivalries between leagues did nothing but hurt the game. After all, what fan is concerned with which men run baseball, as long as the baseball is of the best quality possible? The old system died out because it was a dinosaur, a relic of the days when northern and southern tips of the Union felt like seperate nations. Now baseball's focus should shift away from men like Ban Johnson and Nick Young, and towards men like Cy Young and Willie Keeler -- the great players who make the game what it is.

I have a suspicion that, come opening day on March 31st; few will be talking about the "Washington Pirates" or any such similar nonsense. The talk will all be about the ballgame. And I have a further prediction that, come the Championship Series, the talk will be about that fellow Roger Connor, and his fine friends from Wall Street.

[struggles_mightily]

USA SPORTING NEWS

AMERICA'S FINEST SPORTING DAILY
2nd January 1901

MEET THE ABL TEAMS

The identities of the eight teams making up the American Baseball League have been known for some time now. But how well do fans really know the new clubs? Our writers have compiled this helpful profile of all the teams in each of the ABL conferences.

---

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Home Ballpark: Oriole Park.

Park Notes: Should be helpful to the hitters.
Manager: Ned Hanlon -- managed the old Baltimore Orioles National League team from 1892 until 1898, winning three championships consecutively. Managed the championship-winning Superbas in 1899.
AAA Team: Lowell Black Caps
AA Team: Peoria Monarchs
A Team: Frederick Terrapins

BUFFALO MAPLE LEAFS

Home Ballpark: Maple Leaf Park.

Park Notes: Neutral ballpark.
Manager: Jim Manning -- former player in the National League and American Association.
AAA Team: Jacksonville Manatees
AA Team: Evansville Hoosiers
A Team: Yonkers Bluebirds

NEW YORK BLUES

Home Ballpark: Polo Grounds.

Park Notes: Gives a slight advantage to the pitchers.
Manager: Jim Day -- managed the National League New York Giants for the first part of 1899.
AAA Team: Duluth Loons
AA Team: Rochester Brook Trout
A Team: Shenectady Beavers

ST. LOUIS MULES

Home Ballpark: Robison Field.

Park Notes: Favours pitchers.
Manager: Fred Hoey-- managed the National League New York Giants to a tenth place finish in 1899.
AAA Team: Cambridge Terriers
AA Team: Knoxville Coons
A Team: Springfield Rockfish


UNITED STATES CONFERENCE

BOSTON BAY SOX

Home Ballpark: Huntington Ave. Grounds.

Park Notes: Favours pitchers.
Manager: Frank Selee -- managed the old Boston Beaneaters National League team from 1890 until 1899, winning five championships.
AAA Team: Erie White Deer
AA Team: Canton Presidents
A Team: Worcester Cod

CHICAGO CARDINALS

Home Ballpark: West Side Park.

Park Notes: Favours pitchers.
Manager: Tom Burns -- managed the old Chicago Orphans National League team in 1898 and 1899.
AAA Team: Kansas City Catfish
AA Team: Harrisburg Great Danes
A Team: Rockford Warriors

CLEVELAND BUCKEYES

Home Ballpark: League Park.

Park Notes: Favours pitchers.
Manager: Jimmy McAleer -- played for the National League Cleveland Spiders from 1889 to 1899.
AAA Team: Utica Ladybugs
AA Team: Toledo Rockets
A Team: Tulsa Sooners

PHILADELPHIA KEYSTONERS

Home Ballpark: Baker Bowl.

Park Notes: Slightly favours hitters.
Manager: Connie Mack -- played for the National League Pittsburgh Pirates from 1891 to 1896.
AAA Team: Lynn War Dogs
AA Team: Savannah Bass
A Team: Allentown Grouse

[jtb]

Very Interesting. I will be following.

[Matt from TN]

Really nice format. I'll be rooting for Buffalo, although seeing them as the leafs is odd. :P Good luck!

[struggles_mightily]

USA SPORTING NEWS

AMERICA'S FINEST SPORTING DAILY

23rd March 1901

AMERICAN BASEBALL LEAGUE: 1901 SEASON PREVIEW

With the inaugural season of the American Baseball League almost upon us, our writers have been attending the training camps of all eight teams, watching the relevant faces both old and new. Our men have pooled their notes and debated upon the chances and prospects of the players and clubs in the hotly anticipated 1901 season. Who are the 'team to beat' in each conference this year? Which sets of rooters had better prepare for a long summer? Only time will tell, but our men in the bleachers hope to help you along with their insider knowledge...

Today we'll be taking a look at the four teams that will comprise the National Conference: Baltimore, Buffalo, New York and St. Louis.

---

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

PITCHING ROTATION

RHP Amos Rusie - one of the league's best pitchers, he has dominant stuff and a blistering fastball.
RHP Deacon Phillipe - very good starter, with excellent control, which enables him to work the corners when required.
RHP Clark Griffith - veteran pitcher, with good all-around tools and two masterful breaking balls.

SUBSTITUTE PITCHERS

The substitutes are not such a major strength for Baltimore, but should be solid for most of the season. Ed Doheny will not be a great pitcher until he can control his blistering fastball, and Bill Phillips simply does not have great stuff. Bill Dineenis probably the most reliable guy in the 'pen for the Os -- look for him to rack up the innings.

LINEUP

RF Willie Keeler - perhaps the game's best contact hitter, and his speed and patience make him an ideal lead-off man.
3B Jimmy Collins - veteran who will be valuable in the clubhouse, at the plate and on the infield.
SS Honus Wagner - one of the league's best, a complete player who can hit, take walks, steal a bag and defend his position.
LF Jesse Burkett - elite contact hitter, some worry over his defensive game.
CF Ginger Beaumont - young hitter, very highly touted -- could be an MVP one day, but is too inconsistent at the moment.
C Mike Grady - solid hitter, with plenty of experience.
1B Fred Tenney - above-average hitter, who relies on bat control and patience.
2B Billy Gilbert - young hitter, still learning the ropes -- should aim to learn rather than be a huge contributor.

BENCH

With the undoubted quality of the Orioles line-up, it seems trifling to earmark there bench as a in need of improvement. However, it is still worth noting that their reserves are mostly young players, with questionable ability to fill-in in a crisis. Men such as Fred Jacklitsch, Shad Barry and Germany Schaefer may become valuable over the coming years, but may be too inexperienced to be of much worth in 1901. On the other hand, their veteran reserves are mostly poor players, who are not really talented enough to be in the starting lineup. The one exception to this is the thirty-eight year old Dummy Hoy, who should provide adequate cover in the event of an injury in the outfield.

VERDICT

The Orioles have a vast talent pool this year, and it is highly probable that they will contend for Conference honours. They are blessed with three talented starting pitchers. Even more outstanding is their line-up -- with such elite players as Willie Keeler, Jimmy Collins, Honus Wagner and Jesse Burkett hitting everyday, scoring runs should be no problem for the Os. If they do not compete it will be as a result of a considerable injury crisis, which would need to remove a starting pitcher and at least two of their top hitters to seriously affect them. If this happens, their reserves could be inadequate to orchestrate a run at the Conference. But this would be a stroke of almost inconceivable bad luck for Baltimore rooters...

Verdict: Orioles to win their Conference...

---

BUFFALO MAPLE LEAFS

PITCHING ROTATION

LHP Doc White - rookie, being entrusted with huge responsibility as the ace this year -- he has a ton of talent, but rooters will no doubt be wary of his lack of experience.
RHP Cy Young - the best pitcher in the history of the game, and, even at thirty-four he should be amongst the league's best.
LHP Case Patten - another rookie, and the Leafs' biggest question mark -- has talent, but a lack of inexperience and consistency.

SUBSTITUTE PITCHERS

With their seven-strong corps of substitute pitchers, Buffalo has assembled a good mixture of youth and inexperience. Watty Lee, Frank Owen and Win Kellum are all rookie hurlers, who will look to gain some experience of top-level baseball this year, in order to gain starting jobs in future seasons. They will be required to support more experienced pitchers like Bill Carrick and Tully Sparks. If Patten gets in to trouble early on, look for Al Orth to replace him in the rotation. In the meantime, Orth should be the ace up manager Jim Manning's sleeve.

LINE-UP

CF Chick Stahl - reliable hitter, who also has good speed and a good glove -- should make an apt lead-off hitter.
3B Harry Davis - below-average hitter and a converted first baseman who was a defensive disaster in spring training.
SS John McGraw - very good hitter, with good speed, but there are doubts over his glove since he moved over from third.
RF Buck Freeman - good if impatient hitter, could get above ten home runs this year.
LF Joe Kelley - very strong hitter, but is prone to streakiness.
C Ed McFarland - an average hitter, and solid defensive catcher.
2B Gene Demontreville - will make good contact, but to improve he has to take more pitches.
1B Frank Isbell - young, rather average hitter who provides a reliable glove at first, and plenty of stolen bases.

BENCH

The most notable bench player is George van Haltren, a strong, experienced contact hitter, who will get plenty of starts against lefties. The rest of the reserves are solid if unspectacular, with men like Jack McCarthy and Steve Brodie able to provide some offense when required. Along with Art Nicholls, the back-up catcher, any of these men would be able to hold a place in the starting line-up if injuries necessitated it. Young shortstop Freddy Parent could be a future starter.

VERDICT

Buffalo's biggest question is external rather than internal -- how do they manage to compete with Baltimore, and how often can they score wins over their neighbours in New York? Their pitching could turn out to be a problem, if neither White nor Patten manages to find a rhythm and fit into a big-league roster early on. Their offense should be solid, and they are fortunate enough not to rely on any single major star. One factor which hasn't been talked about much is their infield defense, which could be shaky. Davis looked horrid at third in spring, and McGraw is a less-than-accomplished shortstop. In a close division, this could become an important weakness.

Verdict: They should be in a scrap for third with New York neighbours.

---

NEW YORK BLUES

PITCHING ROTATION

RHP Christy Mathewson - young pitcher expected to be a future legend -- at twenty he already has dominating stuff and pin-point control.
RHP Doc McJames - very good pitcher, among the conference's best -- he is a natural pitcher with rare stuff and a blistering heater.
RHP Nig Cuppy - good veteran who relies on hitting his spots well and a curveball with plenty of movement.

SUBSTITUTE PITCHERS

A possible weakness for New York, as they have elected to go into the season with only four substitute pitchers. They are likely to turn to Vic Willis often, and his success will be vital to the ballclub. Jack Taylor and Burt Hart also provide experienced arms, but Taylor relies on control only, and Hart is coming towards the end of his career. Youngster Tom Hughes is a promising hurler, but relies only on a fastball and change-up, and this makes him rather limited.

LINE-UP

LF Topsy Hartsel - a good contact hitter, who waits for his pitch at the plate, Hartsel just needs to be more consistent.
SS Kid Elberfeld - young, rather average hitter, who provides some speed at the top of the line-up.
RF Sam Crawford - very promising young hitter, who can already make contact with the best in the league.
1B Jake Beckley - an experienced player, who is valuable in the clubhouse and a talented, yet impatient, hitter.
CF Roy Thomas - valuable and speedy contact hitter, who knows when to leave off a pitch.
C Bob Wood - veteran backstop with decent hitting ability.
2B Cupid Childs - a decent hitter who struggles with his inconsistencies.
3B Fred Hartman - a rather poor hitter, and a possible liability in the field.

BENCH

New York's bench should be solid but unspectacular this year. It is stocked with veterans of varying ability -- some should be used only in an emergency, like Bobby Lowe or Emil Frisk, whilst outfielder Billy Hamilton could start for plenty of teams. Also, it should be worth watching left fielder Charlie Hemphill, a twenty-four year old who will probably be in the starting line-up next year. Defensively, Frank Bowman should get plenty of playing time late in games, coming in to replace the starting catcher Bob Wood.

VERDICT

The Blues big battle this year should be with their local rivals Buffalo. If their rotation -- perhaps the conference's best -- stays healthy, then they should be able to surpass the Leafs and finish at least in third place. However, they do not have the depth to deal with injuries to top pitchers, and could be in for a long season if Mathewson or Young goes down. Their offense will be a weak spot, particularly when compared to that of Baltimore, but they should be able to produce enough runs to compete with Buffalo and St. Louis, and have better defense than their state rivals.

Verdict: The best they can do is to avoid a last-place finish.

---

ST. LOUIS MULES

PITCHING ROTATION

LHP Rube Waddell - phenomenal youngster with dominant stuff, a 95mph+ fastball and great movement on his breaking pitch.
RHP Roy Patterson - a promising youngster with very good stuff and control, although he needs to add another pitch to become dominant.
RHP Joe McGinnity - good pitcher, who doesn't have the heat or stuff to dominate, but who can hit the corners, and finish hitters off with a tumbling slider.

SUBSTITUTE PITCHERS

If substitute pitchers become a make-or-break factor in this year's National Conference, expect St Louis to do very well. Bert Cunningham and Win Mercer are both skilled veterans (Mercer may only be twenty-six, but has seven seasons of professional baseball already under his belt) who can come into games at any point, and start in the event of an injury. Jack Powell, Jay Hughes and Bill Hoffer all provide talented arms, even if they don't have a ton of experience. In short, a pitching injuries will never be a big worry for the Mules, as they will always have a slew of dependable arms to turn to.

LINE-UP

3B Sammy Strang - young, patient hitter who should hit at a good average and get plenty of steals.
CF Jimmy Barrett - a solid hitter who sees the ball well, and gets a good number of hits as a result.
RF Elmer Flick - very talented young hitter, will be looking to add a fourth consecutive year of hitting .300+.
LF Cy Seymour - once an average pitcher, now a solid hitter, whose game is hampered by a tendency to swing at bad pitches.
1B Dan McGann - good contributor who will hit at a good average and be pretty patient at bat.
2B Jimmy Williams - young hitter who should be primarily looking to learn this year, whilst adding a solid bat to the line-up.
SS Billy Wallace - average hitter who plays his position pretty well.
C Duke Farrell - veteran catcher, average in almost all respects.

BENCH

Just like their rivals over in New York, the Mules' bench is primarily made-up of veterans, who have a range of abilities on the field. Fielder Jones is the most valuable asset, an outfielder with above average skills at the plate. He could start for a number of clubs. Irv Waldron is a talented young outfielder, but the talents of Barrett and Flick make it hard to see him crack the line-up any time soon. He may be traded somewhere, but, until then at least, will be one of the premier bats on the St Louis bench. These two talents will be backed up by decent veterans such as George Hogriever, Jack O'Connor and the tenacious Australian utility player Jack Quinn.

VERDICT

Just like every other team in the conference, St Louis will struggle to match Baltimore for offensive power, and will instead rely on a deep, talented pool of pitchers. Their offense is, at least, comparable with that of New York and Buffalo, and Rube Waddell is a reliable arm to pin their hopes on. They have strength in depth in most areas, and should be able to deal with all but the worst injury crises.

Verdict: If they can beat Buffalo regularly, they have a very good chance to finish second.

Next Week: We'll be taking a look at the four US Conference teams -- Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia -- in the second part of our warm-up for the ABL's inaugural season.

---

Notes: Not sure if I'll do this every year. Doubt I will, in fact. But, if you're not very experienced regarding deadball era baseball, I thought this might be a good place to start. Next year I might try something a bit more free-form and less rigid, I'm not sure...

[struggles_mightily]

USA SPORTING NEWS

AMERICA'S FINEST SPORTING DAILY
30th March 1901

AMERICAN BASEBALL LEAGUE: 1901 SEASON PREVIEW

With the inaugural season of the American Baseball League almost upon us, our writers have been attending the training camps of all eight teams, watching the relevant faces both old and new. Our men have pooled their notes and debated upon the chances and prospects of the players and clubs in the hotly anticipated 1901 season. Who are the 'team to beat' in each conference this year? Which sets of rooters had better prepare for a long summer? Only time will tell, but our men in the bleachers hope to help you along with their insider knowledge...

In the concluding part of our preview, we will be taking a look at the four United States Conference teams: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia.

---

BOSTON BAY SOX

PITCHING ROTATION

LHP Ed Plank - rookie hurler with a all the tools and a big future -- his best weapon is a hammer curve.
RHP Ned Garvin - reliable pitcher with great stuff and an array of pitches, his control is his only worry.
RHP Sam Leever - hard worker, who probably lacks the natural stuff to be a big winner in the ABL.

SUBSTITUTE PITCHERS

Despite their possible weaknesses in the rotation, Boston boasts a corps of substitutes amongst the best in the league. The centre-pieces will be experienced hurlers Al Maul and Jock Menefee, who will be ably supported by the talented Wiley Piatt and Pete Dowling. Six of Boston's seven substitutes has some big-league experience, with the sole exception being twenty-two year old rookie, Charlie Case.

LINEUP

C Roger Bresnahan - young catcher with a lot of hitting talent who could become the marquee player for the organisation.
SS George Davis - experienced shortstop who combines a very good bat with an excellent glove.
LF Ed Delahanty - simply one of the league's best hitters -- makes almost unrivaled contact, and his large frame means he can really pound the ball.
1B John Anderson - a good hitter who needs to become more patient in order to match the conference's best.
CF Danny Green - very good young hitter who also has excellent speed and should steal plenty of bases.
RF Tommy Leach - young former infielder -- a solid hitter who is also very quick on the basepaths.
3B Harry Steinfeldt - can play almost any position, and is a solid if unspectacular young hitter -- will improve.
2B Herman Long - veteran infielder, below-average hitter.

BENCH

Somewhat like their substitute pitching, Boston's bench is filled with solid veterans who can fill in in a crisis. Klondike Douglass, Kid Gleason, Harry Wolverton and Elmer Smith are all players with decent hitting skills, who could hold down a place in the starting lineup in the event of an injury. There is not much youth on the bench this year, but one notable prospect is Jim Delahanty (brother of star outfielder Ed), who should be a starting first or second basemen one day.

VERDICT

The closeness of the teams in the USC makes it difficult to offer a sound appraisal of most team's chances this year. For Boston, their hitting and pitching are both solid, with their success in the later category largely resting on the young shoulders of "Gettysburg" Ed Plank. They may not match Philadelphia this year -- who boast a more reliable rotation -- but should certainly be in the reckoning for the second-place. They are helped by their strength in depth, which could become a factor late in the year.

Verdict: Should be runners-up, but will do no worse than third.

---

CHICAGO CARDINALS

PITCHING ROTATION

RHP Earl Moore - young hurler with dominating stuff, but extremely inconsistent control.
LHP Jesse Tannehill - knuckleballer who should be solid, despite his lack of stuff.
RHP James Callaghan - good all-around pitcher, who doesn't suffer in any particular area, but probably won't be exceptional.

SUBSTITUTE PITCHERS

With only five substitute arms, things could be tough on the Cardinals' pitchers this year. However, the team will be hoping that their best pitchers -- Bill Bernhard, Pinky Hawley and Ted Breitenstein -- can offer enough relief to significantly help the rotation. But if they struggle early or become injured, there is little to replace them with -- only the questionable Joseph Yeager and inexperienced Mike O'Neill remain.

LINEUP

RF Danny Murphy -- promising hitter, who should provide very good contact and some speed at the top of the lineup.
3B Jud Smith - below average hitter with a good glove.
CF Mike Donlin - extremely hot prospect, could become the league's best hitter, and also swings a powerful bat.
1B Charlie Hickman - very good hitter, despite his impatience at the plate
LF Fred Clarke - all-around good player: good speed, good glove and a very good bat.
2B Claude Ritchey - decent hitter.
C Deacon McGuire - very experienced catcher, with decent hitting skills.
SS Dave Fultz - youngster with below-average hitting skills, who is likely to be a liability on the field.

BENCH

If an everyday player gets a long-term injury, the Cardinals could be in trouble. They have three players who could hold down a place in the lineup if required -- outfielders Algie McBride and Patsy Donovan, and catcher Johnny Kling. Apart from this, the bench looks thin, with many inexperienced players (Jiggs Donahue, Davy Jones, Joe Yeager), and players who are simply not good enough to play at this level, such as Monte Cross and George Magoon. All in all, the Cardinals' already questionable line-up could well be weakened even further if an everyday player was lost to injury.

VERDICT

If everything goes right for Chicago this year, then the best they can hope for is a second place finish. They probably will not be able to compete with Philadelphia who, in particular, boast a far better pitching staff. They could give Boston a close race for second, despite both their pitching and hitting being slightly weaker. Nevertheless, third is probably the worst possible result for the Cards, as Cleveland simply does not have the pitching to beat the other teams consistently.

Verdict: Second place might be out of their reach, but they will do no worse than third.

---

CLEVELAND BUCKEYES

PITCHING ROTATION

RHP Roscoe Miller - rookie pitcher with a great curve but not much of anything else.
RHP George Winter - another rookie, Winter has a large selection of quality breaking pitches, but both his stuff and control are average at best.
LHP Frank Foreman - veteran lefty, who has little in the way of pure stuff and is inconsistent in terms of control -- has a good moving slider, though.

SUBSTITUTE PITCHERS

The Buckeyes will be hoping that quality is a far more important factor than quantity when putting a pitching staff together. They possess only four substitute hurlers, but each has considerable talent. The star is Jerry Nops, a good all-around pitcher with a 91+ MPH fastball. Jack Katoll and Sam Yerkes should both be consistent, although they will be steady and workmanlike rather than in any way dominant. The final arm is the young Bob Wicker, already a solid pitcher, who could become a big name in the future.

LINEUP

LF Jimmy Sheckard - solid, patient young hitter who also adds a good glove in the outfield.
3B Bobby Bradley - another youngster, Bradley is already a good hitter, and would be much better if he could stop swinging at poor pitches.
1B Frank Chance - very good hitter, who should also be among the league leaders in stolen bases.
CF Socks Seybold - good hitter, good fielder.
SS Hughie Jennings - a good veteran hitter, and positive clubhouse influence.
RF Sam Mertes - decent but unexceptional hitter.
2B Tom Daly - veteran infielder, who plays the field well and provides a solid late-order bat.
C Heinie Peitz - decent all-around hitter, and area favourite.

BENCH

Cleveland boasts an extremely deep bench, filled with players of varying skills and abilities. Infielders Jim Ganzel and Harry Smith will help to shore up the defense late in games, even if their bats are not too useful in the lineup. They also have players who could easily step in and play every day, if required -- most notably Hugh Duffy and Jimmy Slagle. Veterans such as Bill Hallman and Sam Dungan should help with team spirit, and will no doubt be able to give helpful advice to the many young starters on the team. The one element lacking on the bench is youth, with none of its members really looking like players with long, successful careers ahead of them.

VERDICT

Despite having depth, as well as some very good players, Cleveland will be in for a long year this year. The rotation is unproven and not up to the standard of the others in the league. The line-up has no major weak spots, but has (apart from perhaps Chance) no cornerstone either. Cleveland's team is not poor on paper, it's merely underwhelming but, however you phrase it, it simply isn't good enough to make any noise in this conference.

Verdict: Likely to finish in last place.

---

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

PITCHING ROTATION

LHP Noodles Hahn - excellent young pitcher, will be a star in the future -- possesses great all-around skills.
RHP Kid Nichols - talented veteran, who will win plenty of games, but probably won't be consistently dominant.
RHP Harry Howell - up and coming pitcher, with all the tools needed to be successful, despite not having the best pure stuff.

SUBSTITUTE PITCHERS

The substitute corps should be no concern for the Keystoners at all. Their key arms are all talented, and could be in the rotation for a poorer club. Jack Chesbro in particular, is probably too good to remain a substitute all year. Supporting him will be Ed Scott and Bill Donovan, both valuable players in their own right. The rest of their substitutes are decent pitchers who mostly lack one key element -- nevertheless, they should be reliable in filling in here and there, when required.

LINEUP

RF Bill Keister - talented hitter capable of making good contact.
C Jack Doyle - below-average defensive catcher, Doyle should still be able to provide a solid bat.
2B Nap Lajoie - amongst the best hitters in the game without a doubt, simply makes contact well and very often.
CF Emmet Heidrick - very good young hitter, who could do with learning when to lay off pitches.
LF Kip Selbach - good, patient hitter who will also be valuable due to his speed on the basepaths.
1B Tom McCreery - decent enough hitter, nothing spectacular at all.
SS Bill Dahlen - strong defensive shortstop, the organization won't mind if he has some struggles at the plate.
3B Lave Cross - solid hitter who provides some experience -- will do a job.

BENCH

Philadelphia has the best bench in the conference, perhaps the league. Almost every player on it could start without looking too out of place. Chief Zimmer is a veteran backstop who offers a good defensive alternative. Ducky Holmes, Lefty Davis and Ossee Schreckengost could all start for other ballclubs, and will offer suitable backups in the event of injuries. They also boast perhaps baseball's number one hitting prospect in Tim Jordan, who should be a key part of the lineup in a few years.

VERDICT

Fans in Philadelphia must be confident that they have a team that can really contend this year. They have a wealth of good players -- old and young -- and should be considered favourites in the pennant race. Their rotation and bench are the best in the conference, and they also boast a solid lineup, with one legitimate marquee player in Nap Lajoie. Injuries shouldn't be a major concern for them, as they will probably always have replacements to step up when needed. Unless the wheels really fall off, expect them to go to the inaugural World Championship.

Verdict: Probable pennant winners.

[Sarcastic]

Really great stuff. I can tell that you've put a lot of work into it. Your premise is interesting. It seems similar to something I was thinking (jokingly) about writing, but better.

[struggles_mightily]

USA SPORTING NEWS

AMERICA'S FINEST SPORTING DAILY

1st April 1901

YOUNG ACES DO BATTLE AS ABL OPENS DOORS

The much anticipated inaugural ABL game was played out in warm sunshine yesterday afternoon. The pre-game festivities featured a number of speeches, most notably from league President Roger Connor and CEO Max Buchanan. The uniforms of both teams had an added red stripe across the sleeve, with the date written in white to commemorate the occasion. Forty-two thousand fans had packed into the Polo Grounds by the time the twenty-fifth President of the United States, William McKinley threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

With the formalities and pleasantries out of the way, attention quickly turned to the game in hand -- the first look at the New York Blues and St Louis Mules. The fans in the bleachers muttered expectantly about a pitching duel for the ages, as the Blues' Christy Mathewson took on St. Louis' Rube Waddell. Both hurlers are young men with extremely bright careers ahead of them, and big things were expected today.

The first pitch of American Baseball League history was a ball, a low fastball delivered by Mathewson and taken patiently by St. Louis' lead-off hitter and third baseman Sammy Strang. Showing his early nerves, Mathewson ran up a full count against Strang, and eventually walked him. The next batter up was Jimmy Barrett, and he exploited Mathewson's slow start by pounding a line drive up the middle for a single. Strang, a speedy runner, saw his chance to move to third. Leftfielder Topsy Hartsel took the ball and fired a screaming throw towards Hartman on third, who made a tag. The umpire hesitated, and then called Strang out, much to the delight of the fans around me. There was little rest for Mathewson however, as the faced up to star hitter Elmer Flick next. Flick pounded one to short, where Kid Elberfield made a fine stop and threw nicely to retire Elmer on a close play. No such heroics could save the pitcher against Cy Seymour, however, as he hit a hard liner over second, scoring Barrett and notching the ABL's first run. Mathewson's struggles continued, as he threw inaccurately against the next hitter, Dan McGann. McGann walked in short order, sending Seymour to second. The mood grew tense around the stands as the new hitter walked up, but he could only send a fly ball out to right, which was caught to end the inning.

It seemed that Waddell too was suffering from nerves, as he ran the count full against lead-off hitter Roy Thomas. However, he unleashed a graceful, arcing curve at which Thomas swung and missed to get the strike out. The shortstop Elberfeld was next up, and he and Waddell engaged in a difficult duel, until finally Elberfeld hit one softly to shallow left for a hit. Up next was the young, talented slugger Sam Crawford. Waddell seemed unperturbed by him, however, and threw smouldering fastballs, until 'Wahoo' Sam grounded one to Jimmy Williams on second who deftly tossed to Wallace for the out. Wallace then gunned to first, where Crawford too was retired, ending the inning.

Mathewson's struggles continued into the second, as Wallace then grounded a fastball hard down the third base line and into the corner, picking up a two-base hit. The catcher Duke Farrell was up next, and he quickly bunted a ball in front of the plate. Mathewson approached it hesitantly, and took his time in throwing to first, where Farrell was blazing down the path and was ruled safe. At this point, the fans around me turned rather on their young pitcher, sensing further runs to be near. His opposite number, Waddell came up next, and also tried the bunt. His attempts went foul however, and he was struck out as a result. From here, Mathewson recovered nicely, inducing lazy fly balls from both Strang and Barrett. Waddell was also well into his stride by this point, and retired the New York hitters in order during the second.

Christy survived a brief scare in the third, as he surrendered a full count single to Elmer Flick, who had started behind 0-2 in the count. Displaying his considerable speed, Flick then stole second. However, Mathewson was able to get two more fly ball outs, before Williams grounded out weakly to second. Waddell began the third erratically, going to full counts on both Cupid Childs and Fred Hartman before striking them out. He had no such problems with Mathewson, who grounded out in short order.

Moving into the fourth, Mathewson finely went smoothly through an inning, striking out both Wallace and Waddell whilst retiring the side in order. Waddell matched his counterpart, with two quick outs in his half of the inning, but then ran the count full to Crawford. With the sixth pitch of the at bat, Crawford doubled down the first base line. The experienced outfielder Jake Beckley then went to the plate, with the opportunity to score the game's first run. He wasted no time in rapping a line drive into the outfield, which allowed Crawford to race around the bags to tie the game up. Topsy Hartsel came up next, and was walked by Waddell, who was evidently shaken by the run. He regained his composure however, to strike out Bob Wood to end the inning.

Now pitching with the scores level, Mathewson deftly retired Strang and Barrett, before giving up a smashed, ground-ball single to Elmer Flick. The next hitter, Seymour, was easy work for Christy, and he grounded out weakly to third. Waddell began by surrendering a walk to Childs, and then a low fastball to Hartman went through Farrell's legs, allowing the runner to move along. Nevertheless, Waddell came back to strike out Hartman, and the give the same treatment to Mathewson -- to record his sixth K of the game. The next hitter, Roy Thomas, hit one fairly hard on the left side, but it was snagged nicely by Strang.

Mathewson appeared to be very much in his stride now, and he quickly retired the St. Louis side in order. The first batter up for New York was Kid Elberfeld, who grounded who was fanned smartly. Next up was Crawford, and the pitcher and hitter engaged in a long duel, before Waddell's curve was smacked sharply over third for a single. Crawford stole second soon afterwards, but Waddell was calm under pressure, inducing an easy groundball from Beckley, and preventing the runner from advancing. However, Topsy Hartsel came up next and smoked a loose pitch way over Flick's head in right, and to the wall. Hartsel thundered around the bags and slid into third with a run-scoring triple to give New York the lead. The next hitter flew out tamely, but the damage was done.

The seventh began with Duke Farrell lobbing a ball gently into short left for a single. Up next was Waddell, and he attempted to bunt along his battery mate. However, the task once again proved too much for Waddell, and he pushed the ball out with too much power towards Mathewson, who flung the ball hard to second, where Farrell was just retired. Strang came to the plate next and launched a similar fly ball to the one hit by Hartsel in the last frame, but this time the sprightly Crawford chased it down in the right field corner and leapt, making a dazzling catch at full speed. His acrobatics rallied his team, and Mathewson forced Jimmy Barrett to ground out weakly, ending the inning.

Both pitchers dominated the hitters they faced over the next two halves, with the sides being retired in order on both occasions. In the bottom of the eighth, Waddell was saved from giving up a hit by an athletic diving stop and brisk throw from third baseman Strang, to retire the hitter -- Roy Thomas -- by a hair's breadth. Luck held for Waddell, who struck out Elberfeld on a disputed strike three call. Elberfeld was still bemoaning the decision as he returned to the dugout. The next hitter, Sam Crawford, had no such problems, hitting a liner hard over the second baseman for his third hit today. Young 'Wahoo' Sam was really seeing the ball well today and turned in a quality performance. At this point, Waddell had thrown his 173rd pitch, and the strain began to show on the youngster, as he walked Jake Beckley, the next hitter up. However, he regained his composure and fired off three excellent pitchers in a row to strike out Hartsel -- and record his tenth strike out of the day.

Going into the ninth, the Mules needed to score at least one run in order to force extra innings, with Mathewson just three outs away from a victory. He ran the count full to Jimmy Williams, and then the sixth pitch was left over the middle of the plate. Williams needed no further invitation, and slammed the ball deep to right and over the fence for the home run. The fans around me were still gaping with shock at the scoreboard (which now read 2-2) when Bobby Wallace flew out weakly to centre field. Duke Farrell was then struck out (Mathewson's sixth of the day). This would've brought the pitcher up to bat, but manager Fred Hoey removed him from the line-up, sending up Fielder Jones. This ended an excellent day's pitching for Rube Waddell, who had surrendered only two runs over eight innings. Jones managed to engage Mathewson in a long at-bat but, with the eighth pitch, was struck out, fishing at a tailing curve.

Bill Hoffer was the new pitcher for St. Louis and, he quickly retired Wood and Billy Hamilton, who was pinch-hitting for Cupid Childs. However, he then surrended a line drive single to Fred Hartman. This would've brought up the pitcher but Jim Day too elected to pinch hit -- in this case with Kitty Bransfield. Hartman stole second, and then the hitter rolled a difficult, soft ground ball towards the shortstop. Wallace picked up the ball, but did not risk a throw, as Bransfield was already well down the line. Roy Thomas was next up, and he worked a full count before getting the walk. This gave New York a bases-loaded opportunity to win the game, with Kid Elberfeld the next hitter. Elberfeld did a good job of exploiting Hoffer's innaccuracies, working the count full. The stadium was at a tense hush as Hoffer kicked, fired, and saw his pitch narrowly fouled off. The players set to do it again, and this time the result was a weak grounder to first, dealt with by McGann to end the inning.

So, the first game in the ABL's history was headed to extra innings. Tom Hughes came in to pitch for Mathewson, with Hamilton moving out to left in place of Hartsel, and Dick Padden brought in to play second. Hughes retired the first man with ease, but then Jimmy Barrett came up and hit a pitch very hard and into the left field corner. Barrett rounded second swiftly, and slid into third with an easy triple. The dangerous Elmer Flick was then walked intentionally, with the battery wanting no part of the star hitter. Hughes started off with a strike against Cy Seymour, but then a fastball got away from him, and hit the batter on the shoulder. Fortunately, Seymour was not seriously hurt, but he walked gingerly down the basepath in some considerable pain. Dan McGann came up then, with the bases loaded in the tenth -- an almost unmatched high-pressure situation. He bounced a weak grounder to short, and the ball was flipped to second for an out. The second basemen fired to first, but could not beat the speedy McGann. St. Louis took a one-run lead in the tenth, and appeared unassailable. However, the remaining scoring opportunity was wasted frivolously, as McGann broke for second attempting a steal, but was thrown out by a flat, fast throw from Bob Wood.

With a loss seeming imminent, many New Yorkers had already left the stadium, and did not see Sam Crawford's hard liner up the middle, which gave him his fourth hit of the day. Jimmy Barrett followed next, and punished some sloppy pitching with a hard grounder that bounced beyond the infielders' gloves -- a single, on which Crawford moved from first to third. Dick Padden came up next for his first at bat and, on the first pitch he faced, laid down a squeeze bunt that trickled along the first base line. McGann rushed in, picked up and threw home on a close play. The ump declared the runner safe to cheers from the home fans. Suddenly, the advantage was in the hands of the Blues as catcher Bob Wood stepped up to the plate. He could only manage a grounder however, to third, which Strang picked up and, took back to his base for the out. His throw to first was a good one, yet Wood narrowly beat it out. But with runners on first and second and only one out, it appeared that New York was still on the brink of a famous victory. Yet, Jimmy Williams got behind in the count, and then rolled one tamely to second. The flip to second was good for the first out, and a hard throw to first completed the double play and dampened the home side's spirits.

After an exhausting tenth inning, it seemed difficult to comprehend that the game was still going on. Hughes pitched well, though, and escaped the inning unscathed despite a close play at first and a long, high fly ball out in right off the bat of Wallace. All too soon, Hoffer was forced to return to the mound. He pitched loosely against the first hitter, and the result was a sharp hit over third, lined nicely by Fred Hartman. Hughes was due up next, but he was removed in favour of Charlie Hemphill, the young outfielder. With the target being to score only one run, Hemphill was ordered to bunt, and did so cleanly, moving Hartman over to second. Roy Thomas was next up, and the fans seemed well aware that a hit could win the game for their team. The first pitch was a strike, low in the zone. The next was higher, a fastball, and Thomas jumped on it. He belted a high fly ball, way back, and over the wall. With that two-run homer, the game was won for the home team. After the long, tense battle, the rooters around me seemed relieved, and then jovial, almost as scarred as the players after a tightly-balanced, enjoyable four hour war.

This was the perfect game to advertise the ABL. A close encounter all the way, with two great pitching performances and timely hitting. Three young players on display here (Waddell, Mathewson and Crawford) will surely go far. 'Competition' was the word so often used by Roger Connor and his friends and on this warm spring afternoon at the old Polo Grounds, there was more than enough of it to go around.

---

Notes: Just though it'd be worthwhile to chronicle the league's first game in full. This might not ever happen again (though it could for some opening days, World Championship deciders or other games that seem sufficiently historic), not least because this kind of lengthy, detailed match report is largely a feature of pre-TV journalism, and also because it takes a big effort...