One of the first minor leagues in history, the Western League (previously the Northwestern League) was founded by Ban Johnson in 1885 and was the predecessor of today's American League. The Western League endured a season to season existence until Johnson created the American League and the Western continued to be a part of the minors, employing such future Hall of Famers as Charles Comiskey, Dizzy Dean, and Connie Mack. The league's demise in the minors came in the 1950s, but it was revived in 1995 as an independent league on the West Coast with no relation to the majors. This work begins with an introduction to the Western League and documents the history of the Western and the American leagues from 1885 through 1999. Included are photographs of teams and players who participated in the league and in-depth team and individual player statistics.

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

When baseball teams began competing in Milwaukee in the 1860s the game, though still recognizably baseball, had some peculiar rules. There were no gloves, no protective gear for the catchers, the pitchers threw underhanded, and the game was over when one team scored 21 runs. Spanning the years 1859 to 1901, this volume presents a detailed study of the history of baseball in Milwaukee. In addition to coverage of the major league teams that played in the city, there is also an extensive history of the many minor league and amateur league teams. Also included are photographs and illustrations of owners, players and teams as well as statistics on Milwaukee players and teams of the era.

In late 1901, a number of baseball owners decided to break away from the Western League and form a new league called the American Association. This "outlaw league" refused to recognize organized baseball's reserve clause, but vowed to respect contracts. Unfortunately, organized baseball did not reciprocate. Over the next two years, the leagues battled each other for players, fans, and financial superiority. This narrative of that struggle details the business operations of the different clubs, the difficulties of securing property for ball parks, and the problem of players jumping contracts. It also chronicles the two playing seasons during the conflict and describes the rowdy behavior of both players and umpires that characterized baseball at the time. Although the American Association would go on to a longer and more successful life, this study shows that outcome was by no means certain in the early 20th century.

This comprehensive survey of major league baseball looks at the national pastime’s legendary figures, major innovations, and pivotal moments, from the beginning of the twentieth century through World War II. In America's Game: A History of Major League Baseball through World War II, Bryan Soderholm-Difatte provides a comprehensive narrative of the major developments and key figures in Major League Baseball, during a time when the sport was still truly the national pastime. Soderholm-Difatte details pivotal moments—including the founding of the American League, the 1919 Black Sox scandal, and navigating the Great Depression and two World Wars—and concludes with a chapter examining the exclusion of black ballplayers from the major leagues. Central personalities covered in this book include baseball executives Judge Landis and Branch Rickey, managers John McGraw and Joe McCarthy, and iconic players such as Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. America’s Game isn’t simply about celebrating the exploits of great players and teams; it is just as much about the history of Major League Baseball as an institution and the evolution of the game itself. With significant changes taking place in baseball in recent times, this book will remind baseball fans young and old of the rich history of the game.

From the early days of town ball to the latest seasons of the Twins and Saints, Stew Thornley offers the ultimate history of the Great American Pastime in the North Star State.

Statues of Hank Aaron and Robin Yount, two of Milwaukee's baseball heroes, stand outside the city's palatial new Miller Park. Aaron and Yount represent two generations of major league baseball in Milwaukee, but what about professional baseball in Milwaukee before the arrival of the major league Braves in 1953? Why was it such an important city for minor league baseball? This book traces Milwaukee's baseball history from the game's first appearance in the city in 1859 to the Brewers' last American Association season in 1952. It covers Rufus King, the man responsible for bringing baseball to Milwaukee, and his efforts at getting the game off to a successful start in the city, Milwaukee's status as the largest minor league market in the Northwestern League and Western Association, legendary manager Connie Mack, southpaw Rube Waddell, Hall of Fame player Hugh Duffy, who managed the team to its only Western League pennant in 1903, widowed owner Agnes Malloy Havenor, who chose veteran third baseman Harry Clark to lead the Brewers to their first two AA pennants in 1913 and 1914, colorful owner Otto Borchert, the Brewers' pennant-winning 1936 season under manager Al Sothoron, the "golden era" of minor league baseball in the city, highlighted by owner Bill Veeck's sideshows and colorful managers Casey Stengel, "Jolly Cholly" Grimm, and Nick "Tomato Face" Cullop, and the last years of minor league baseball in 1952 before the arrival of the Braves.