The Federal League formed in 1913 as an "outlaw league" in six cities across the Midwest. In 1914 it added two teams and declared itself a major league. The league's owners "stole" players from the two existing major leagues and put teams in some of the same cities. Both the American and National Leagues struck back. After the 1915 season, with several Federal League teams struggling financially, the two more-established leagues bought out several teams. This caused the collapse of the Federal League. The impact of the Federal League on baseball is still felt today. The league filed one of the first antitrust lawsuits against Organized Baseball. The case ended up in the court of Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who looms large in baseball history. Although that case was settled, a later lawsuit went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Court decided that baseball is entertainment and thus not subject to antitrust law. This decision has had a wide-ranging effect on the business of baseball. For a physical reminder of the Federal League, one can still see the ballpark built for the Chicago Whales, now known as Wrigley Field.

In late 1913 the newly formed Federal League declared itself a major league in competition with the established National and American Leagues. Backed by some of America’s wealthiest merchants and industrialists, the new organization posed a real challenge to baseball’s prevailing structure. For the next two years the well-established leagues fought back furiously in the press, in the courts, and on the field. The story of this fascinating and complex historical battle centers on the machinations of both the owners and the players, as the Federals struggled for profits and status, and players organized baseball’s first real union. Award winning author, Daniel R. Levitt gives us the most authoritative account yet published of the short-lived Federal League, the last professional baseball league to challenge the National League and American League monopoly.

Chronicles the 1913-1915 battle between baseball's newly-formed Federal League versus the established National and American leagues, and discusses the short- and long-term impact on the game.

"An account of the desegregation of baseball's Pacific Coast League, the first American League of any sport to desegregate all of its teams"--

Babe Ruth thrilled baseball fans with his tremendous home-run swing. He made friends-and some enemies-with his loud, larger-than-life personality. The list of books about Ruth could fill a few bookshelves. Most recently, SABR awarded the prestigious Seymour Medal to Jane Leavy for her 2018 biography entitled The Big Fella, and she contributes the introduction to this book we call THE BABE. A baseball book published under that title is quite naturally about the great slugger for the New York Yankees, who led the American League in home runs 12 times and lived life large during the Jazz Age. This book includes the contributions of over 50 SABR members: 30 articles, plus accounts of 50 notable games from The Babe's career. He hit tape-measure long balls, fought with managers, won more than 90 games as a pitcher, and gave time and money to children's charities. In no way is this an exhaustive last word on Babe Ruth. That might be an impossible chore. We do believe this book will help readers get a fuller picture of baseball's most fabled figure, a man still famous today and still revered in the game he loved. Introduction, Jane Leavy 1. George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Allan Wood 2. Babe - A Baseball Nickname, Bill Nowlin 3. How "Ruthian" Was Babe Ruth?, Mike Huber 4. Cool Babe Ruth Facts, Allan Wood 5. The Home Runs That Changed Everything, Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail Research Team: Mark Blaeuer, Mike Dugan, Don Duren, Bill Jenkinson, and Tim Reid 6. Showdown: Babe Ruth's Rebellious Barnstorming Tour, T S Flynn 7. Babe Ruth in Minnesota, Stew Thornley 8. Babe Ruth Visits Louisville, Harry Rothgerber 9. The Babe Comes North, David McDonald 10. The Babe's Canadian Connections, David McDonald 11. Babe Ruth and Baseball Diplomacy, Robert K. Fitts 12. Cigars, Horses, and A Couple of Homers: The Bambino's Experience in Cuba, Reynaldo Cruz and Bill Nowlin 13. Babe Ruth and Cricket, Glen Sparks 14. Sale of the Century: The Yankees Bought Babe Ruth for Nothing, Michael Haupert 15. The Mystery of Jackie Mitchell and Babe Ruth, Leslie Heaphy 16. Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig, Tara Krieger 17. Babe Ruth and Ownership: Not A Match Made in Heaven, Gary Sarnoff 18. Babe Ruth and the Boston Braves before Opening Day 1935, Carolyn Fuchs and Wayne Soini, with Herb Crehan 19. Babe Ruth's National League "Career" 28 Games with the 1935 Boston Braves, Saul Wisnia 20. U. S. Presidents and The Babe, Curt Smith 21. The Babe: In Person and Onscreen, Rob Edelman 22. Babe Ruth Characterizations - and Caricatures, Rob Edelman 23. To the Rescue: Brother Matthias, Brian (Chip) Martin 24. Babe Ruth: A Man of Simple Faith, Gabriel B. Costa 25. Babe Ruth's Final Legacy to the Kids, Alan Cohen 26. The Babe's Final Personal Appearance, Steve Smith 27. Even Against HOF Hurlers, Ruth Was King of Swing, Ed Gruver 28. The Babe as a Pitcher, Pete Palmer 29. Babe Ruth Stealing Home, Bill Nowlin 30. 715, Allan Wood BALLGAMES 31. July 11, 1914: Babe Ruth Debuts, Joe Schuster 32. October 2, 1914: A Sign of So Many Swats to Come, Mark S. Sternman 33. May 6, 1915: Ruth's First Career Home Run, Mike Huber 34. May 20, 1916: Ruth Replaced While Throwing No-Hitter, Bill Nowlin 35. June 13, 1916: Red-Hot Ruth vs the Browns, James Forr, 36. August 15, 1916: Ruth Outlasts Johnson, Jack Zerby, 37. October 9, 1916: Red Sox Win Game Two on a Loaned Diamond, Cecilia M. Tan and Bill Nowlin 38. May 6, 1918: First Start As A Position Player, Glen Sparks 39. September 5, 1918: Babe Ruth Tosses Shutout, Mike Huber 40. April 18, 1919: Six Home Runs in Six At-Bats, Jimmy Keenan And over 40 more!

A collection of articles, essays, statistics, and lore on the game of baseball.

This baseball lover's ultimate guide features totally revised and up-to-date statistics and every active major league player's updated numbers.