1901 – Philadelphia Phillies owner John Rogers files for an injunction prohibiting Nap Lajoie, Bill Bernhard, and Chick Fraser from playing for any other team – the most serious legal test of the reserve clause to date.
On March 15, 1901, star third baseman Jimmy Collins jumps from the National League to the American League. The 28-year-old Collins leaves the Boston Beaneaters to sign a guaranteed $4,000 contract with the Boston Americans (Soon to be the Red Sox) @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@ [jetpack_subscription_form title=”Join the Community” subscribe_text=”We bring you cool stories about the game,…
The bleachers at League Park during a Cleveland Indians game, 1901. Photo by National Baseball Hall of Fame Library’s
On March 11, 1901, The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Baltimore Orioles manager John McGraw has signed a Cherokee Indian named “Tokohama” to play second base. In reality, Tokohama isn’t a Native American his real name is Charlie Grant, trying to pass off the black infielder as a Cherokee Indian The skipper’s scheme to secretly integrate…
1901 – The American League approves a 14-player limit to go into effect 14 days after the start of the season. The limit is changed at the last minute, the deadline postponed for two weeks, and the limit increased to 15 players by Ban Johnson, after six teams request the change.
1901 – Jimmy Collins, the choice of Connie Mack as the best all-time third baseman, switches leagues but not cities. Collins leaves the Boston Beaneaters National League club to manage the new Boston Americans of the American League. The Beaneaters will also lose outfielder Hugh Duffy, who becomes manager of Milwaukee’s new AL entry, and catcher Billy Sullivan, who signs with the Chicago White Sox. More than half the AL rosters – a total of 185 – will be filled by former NL players.
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