1900 – John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson sign contracts with the Baltimore Orioles of the National League. When the long-rumored move by Baltimore to disband occurs, the two players are assigned to the Brooklyn Superbas, but they will refuse and sit out the first third of the season instead. Finally, McGraw and Robinson are sold to the St. Louis Cardinals.
1900 – Mary Hamilton Von Derbeck is to become owner of the Detroit American League franchise and of Bennett Park, in lieu of unpaid alimony. However, her ex-husband George Von Derbeck files the required bond with a Michigan court to cover the alimony due, regains ownership of the club, and sells it to Tiger manager George Stallings on March 6th.
1900 – Washington sells eight players, including home run king Buck Freeman and P Bill Dinneen going to Boston, then disbands. Baltimore players are to be transferred to the Brooklyn Superbas and syndicate baseball will be ended.
Baltimore Orioles sell three of their stars – third baseman John McGraw, catcher Wilbert Robinson, and infielder Bill Keister
1900 – Pitcher Jack Taylor, three-times a 20-game winner and 20-game loser, dies of Bright’s disease in Staten Island, New York, at 26 years of age.
1900 – Rival forces fight for control of the Union Park Ball Grounds in Baltimore. John McGraw’s men camp around a fire at third base. Ned Hanlon, his former manager in Baltimore in the 1890s, now manager of Brooklyn and still president of the Baltimore club in the National League, has forces camped around first base.
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