1900 – Future Hall of Fame pitcher Ted Lyons is born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Lyons will make his major league debut in 1923 and will go on to win 260 games over a 21-year career with the Chicago White Sox.
Season Recap: 1900 League Champion: Brooklyn Superbas
On December 20, 1900, future Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett is born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Hartnett will hit 236 home runs during a 20-year career with the Chicago Cubs and New York Giants.
New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds swap future Hall of Famers
1900 – Suffering from a drop in attendance in 1900, National League owners vote to cut costs with a 16-player limit after May 1st. The Players Association claims the move is aimed at pressuring players into signing by shrinking the number of jobs.
1900 – The National League considers going back to 12 teams to counter American League moves into some cities. Club owners invite Ban Johnson to come to the NL meeting, but change their mind about compromise and leave the AL head outside the meeting room. The NL awards the AL’s Minnesota and Kansas City territories to the new Western League, even before the AL officially abandons them. The NL agrees to hear the players in a public meeting, but rejects all their demands.
1900 – A rumor that the Players Protective Association leaders have gone to Philadelphia to meet with Ban Johnson causes National League owners to “have something closely resembling a fit,” says the New York Times. Players later admit the meeting took place.
1900 – At the National League meetings at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, rumors fly. Ban Johnson says the American League has signed a lease on a park in Detroit. The Players Protective Association says its members will not sign with the NL.
Given a ten-year contract to control the Baltimore franchise, John McGraw says he intends to be there a long time, and wants to lease grounds in Baltimore where he can stay. He’ll be a manager for 32 more years, but not in Baltimore.
National League president Nick Young wishes success to the new American League, but says he does not consider it a major league.