1915 – Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L’Hommedieu Huston buy the New York Yankees from Frank Farrell and Bill Devery for $460,000. Ruppert, who owns a brewery, is thinking of renaming the team the “Knickerbockers” to promote his product, but is dissuaded by newspaper men.
1915 – The National Commission declares University of Michigan senior George Sisler a free agent after a two-year fight. Pittsburgh Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss claimed rights to Sisler, who had signed a contract as a minor leaguer but never played pro ball. After graduating, Sisler will sign with the St. Louis Browns, managed by his former college coach, Branch Rickey.
On January 5, 1915, the Philadelphia Athletics purchase future Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie from the Cleveland Indians. Lajoie slumped to a .258 average in 1914. Thirteen years after a U.S. District Court decision for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia effectively banned him from playing for the Philadelphia Athletics, Nap Lajoie rejoins the team. With Lajoie leaving the Cleveland Naps….
The Federal League sues organized baseball, claiming it to be an illegal trust and asking that it be dissolved and all contracts voided. The case is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago, before Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. He will stall his decision, and peace will be declared at the end of the year, but another suit, brought by the owners of the Baltimore Terrapins franchise, will result in baseball receiving an exemption from antitrust laws. In the meantime, the FL shifts players to strengthen teams in key cities. Benny Kauff, the league’s answer to Ty Cobb, is moved from the Indianapolis Hoosiers to the Brooklyn Tip-Tops.
1915 – Infielder Hans Lobert, well known as the “fastest man” in the National League, is traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the New York Giants for pitcher Al Demaree, infielder Milt Stock, and catcher Bert Adams. The speedster will injure his knee in a preseason game at West Point.
On January 2, 1915, the St. Louis Cardinals file suit against star outfielder Lee Magee in an effort to prevent him from signing with the Brooklyn Tip-Tops of the Federal League. The suit will fail, clearing the way for Magee to play and manage in the rival league. [jetpack_subscription_form title=”Join the Community” subscribe_text=”We bring you…
Major League Baseball Season Recap 1914 World Series – Boston Braves NL over Philadelphia A’s AL 4 games to 0 World Series MVP – Babe Ruth Award – Awards – </strong? Major League Cy Young Award Cy Young Award National League Cy Young Award American League MVP Awards – NL Johnny Evers AL Eddie Collins Major League Rookie of The…
1914 – Ban Johnson’s efforts to strengthen the New York Yankees succeed when he arranges the purchase of the team by Colonel Jacob Ruppert and Captain Tillinghast L’Hommedieu Huston for $460,000 from Bill Devery and Frank Farrell. After Detroit Tigers owner Frank Navin refuses to let manager Hugh Jennings go, the new New York owners will name longtime Detroit pitcher Bill Donovan to manage the team. Under the new regime, the Yankees will make the most important trade in franchise history when they purchase Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox in 1920.
1914 – The Philadelphia Phillies trade star outfielder and team captain Sherry Magee to the Boston Braves for cash and two players to be named later. The two turn out to be Possum Whitted and Oscar Dugey. Magee led the National League in hits (171), doubles (39), RBI (103), and slugging average (.509), while hitting .314 with 15 home runs and 92 runs. On the first day of 1915 spring training at Macon, Georgia, Magee will step in a hole while shagging fly balls and break his collar bone. He will hit just .280 with two home runs and 87 RBI in 156 games.
1914 – Washington manager Clark Griffith meets with Walter Johnson in Kansas City and convinces the star to re-sign for $12,500, considerably less than his recent contract with the Chifeds, with the assurance that Griffith would convince the Washington management to spring for a bigger contract later. Washington will later sign Johnson to $16,000 a year for five years. Griffith gets $6,000 from Charles Comiskey to allow Johnson to repay his Chifed signing bonus.
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