GUIDE TO THE PAPERS of the FEDERAL LEAGUE SUIT
National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
National Baseball Hall of Fame 25 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326
www.baseballhall.org
This guide to the collection was prepared by Claudette Scrafford in January 2010 and reviewed by James Gates in February 2010.
Collection Number: BA MSS 85 BL-39.2010
Title: Federal League Suit
Inclusive Dates: 1914 - 1945
Extent: 4 linear feet (9 archival boxes)
Repository: National Baseball Hall of Fame Library National Baseball Hall of Fame 25 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326
Abstract: This is a collection of correspondence, agreements, court transcripts, affidavits and newspaper clippings relating to the Federal League Suit.
Acquisition Information: This collection was donated by the Commissioner’s Office in March 2009.
Preferred Citation: Federal League Suit, BA MSS 85, National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY.
Access Restrictions: By appointment only. Available Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm.
Copyright: Property rights reside with the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the library.
Processing Information: This collection was processed by Claudette Burke in January 2010 and reviewed by James Gates in February 2010. Provenance was maintained.
History: In February 1913, executive John Powers announced the formation of a new independent baseball league in the Midwest. The new league vowed to respect the National Agreement and said it would find players among “free agents, semi-pros and unsigned youngsters.” A second meeting in Indianapolis on March 8th unveiled a revised list of franchises and a new name: The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs.
Initially, Organized Baseball adopted a policy to ignore the new independent circuit which was operating outside of the National Agreement. The Sporting News predicted the Federal League would quickly disappear like most of its predecessors. But before the end of the 1913 season, the outlaw Federal League would prove itself and a potential baseball war loomed on the horizon.
On January 5, 1915, the Federal League of Base Ball Clubs filed an antitrust lawsuit against Organized Baseball in the United States District Court of Northern Illinois. The Feds charged Organized Baseball with being a combination, a conspiracy, and a monopoly, in contradiction of the Sherman antitrust law. They named as defendants the sixteen presidents in the organized major leagues and the three members of the National Commission. The Federal League asked the court to declare the National Agreement, under which Organized Baseball operated, to be illegal and declare all contracts “null and void and of no effect.” In an addendum to the Federal League’s eleven-point complaint, the league maintained it should share in the major league’s World’s Series to determine the eventual champion.
Source: Robert Peyton Wiggins. “The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs: the history of an Outlaw Major League, 1914-1915”
Scope and Content This collection is primarily comprised of correspondence between the members of the National Commission, their attorneys and baseball club presidents. Correspondence subjects range from attorney fees, affidavits, player contracts and court proceeding preparations. Also included are the National Agreement with revisions, Cincinnati Peace Agreement and Major-Minor League Agreement. Court transcripts of 1919 of opening statements, direct and cross-examinations, Court of Appeals transcripts, individual affidavits of 1915.
This collection is organized as one series by subject matter and chronologically. Provenance was maintained. Items of interest are highlighted in the content list.
Controlled Access Terms These records are indexed under the following terms in the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Library catalog. Researchers wishing to find related materials may wish to search under these terms.
Corporate Names National League American League American Association Federal League National Commission Cincinnati Exhibition Company Pittsburgh Athletic Company Baltimore Federal League Club Baltimore Club of International League Newark Federal League Fidelity & Deposit Company United States Supreme Court District Court of Appeals
Personal Names Tener, John, 1863 - 1946 Heydler, John, 1869 - 1956 Herrmann, August, 1859 - 1931 Toole, John C. Barrow, Ed, 1868 - 1953 Dreyfuss, Barney, 1865 - 1932 Landis, Kenesaw Mountain, 1866 - 1944 Ward, Robert Killifer, Bill, 1887 - 1960 Gilmore, James A. Pepper, George, 1867 - 1961 Minor, Benjamin Sinclair, Harry F. Case, Harold H. Johnson, George H., 1886 - 1922 Croon, Hermann Weeghman, Charles
Subject Headings Agreements Cincinnati Peace Agreement National Agreement Major League Agreement Collective labor agreements Major-Minor League Agreement Correspondence Telegrams Finances Invoices Lawsuits Affidavit Transcripts Newspaper clippings Law, (documents) Sherman Antitrust Law
Content List
Box 1 Folder 1 Attorney correspondence, 1915
Folder 2 Attorney correspondence, 1916 – 1917 - Feb 9, 1916 Proceedings before Landis to dismiss suit
Folder 3 Attorney correspondence, 1914 - Kinkead & Galvin
Folder 4 Attorney correspondence, Jan 1915 - Kinkead & Galvin
Folder 5 Attorney correspondence, Feb – Nov 1915 - Kinkead & Galvin
Folder 6 Attorney correspondence, 1916 – 1917 - Kinkead & Galvin
Box 2 Folder 1 Correspondence, National Commission, 1913 Folder 2 Correspondence, National Commission, Jan – Mar 1914 Folder 3 Correspondence, National Commission, Apr – Sept 1914 Folder 4 Correspondence, National Commission, Oct – Dec 1914 Folder 5 Correspondence, National Commission, 1915 Folder 6 Correspondence, National Commission, Jan – Apr 1916
Box 3 Folder 1 Correspondence, 1913 – 1915 - re: Federal League, player contracts - Apr 13, 1914 – Arthur Soden, reserve rule
Folder 2 Correspondence, 1914 - Killifer case, re: reserve clause - Attorneys’ invoices
Folder 3 Correspondence, 1914 - Financial situation of - Baltimore Club of International League - American Association
Folder 4 Correspondence, to and from - John Tener, 1916 – 1918 - John Heydler, 1918 – 1919
Folder 5 Correspondence, Peace agreement -Attorney John C. Toule, 1913-1914; 1916-1918
Folder 6 Correspondence, Dec 1915 – Mar 1916 - National Commission, International League - National League - Dec 31, 1915 – Barrow resigns from Special Committee - Feb 3, 1916 – Signed agreement-NL borrow $35,000.00
Folder 7 Correspondence, Dec 1915 – Jul 1916 - Consolidating Chicago Nationals & Federals - Dec 22, 1915 Agreement to consolidate - Jan 14, 1916 NL financial condition
Folder 8 Correspondence, 1916 – 1917 - Newark Federal League park lease - Brooklyn lease - Peace agreement
Folder 9 Obligations to Federal League, Feb 26, 1917 - Brooklyn, Newark, Pittsburgh
Folder 10 Correspondence, Jul 30 – Aug 3, 1917 - Arrangements for a meeting with Federal League
Folder 11 Correspondence, Jul 1917 – Mar 1918 - Attorney Pepper’s fees
Folder 12 Correspondence, Mar 1917 – Jan 1918 - Attorneys Toole, Sinclair, Pepper
Folder 13 Correspondence, Nov 1917 – Jan 1918 - Beirne Kinney v Newark Federal League Club - Attorneys Murphy & Fultz
Folder 14 Correspondence, Jan – Mar 1918 - Night game corporation, George F. Cahill - Brooklyn Federal League grounds
Folder 15 Correspondence, 1916 – 1917 - Pittsburgh Federals settlement - NL authority to borrow $35000.00
Folder 16 Correspondence - Jun 1917 - Philadelphia trial - May – Jun 1919 – Attorney Hindman Suit v. Pittsburgh Trust Co. - Fees due
Folder 17 Correspondence, Dec 1915 – Feb 1922 - Brooklyn Federals - Feb 25, 1918 – letter detailing settlement
Box 4 Folder 1 Correspondence, Jul 1917 – Apr 1918 - Washington trial, Attorney George Pepper - prep notes, information
Folder 2 Correspondence, Jan – Apr 1919 - Washington Trial, George Pepper, attorney
Folder 3 Correspondence, Jul 1917 – Mar 1919 - Washington trial
Folder 4 Confidential minutes, Dec 17, 1915 - Federal League meeting
Folder 5 Correspondence, Mar – May 1919, Nov – Dec 1919 - Washington trial
Folder 6 Correspondence, Jan – Sept 1920 - Washington trial, George Pepper, attorney
Folder 7 Correspondence, 1915 - Fees, attorney Pepper
Folder 8 Correspondence, 1916 – 1917 - Fees, attorney Pepper
Folder 9 Correspondence, May – Jun 1918, Apr – Jul 1919, Jun – Sept 1921 - Attorney fees – Pepper, Clement, Minor
Folder 10 Correspondence, Jan 1925 - Heydler, Pres., NL - Barney Dreyfuss, Pres., Pittsburgh Athletic Co - re: debt to Robert Ward estate
Folder 11 Correspondence, Mar – Apr 1922, Oct 1922 - Appeal of Baltimore Federal League Club
Folder 12 Cost of Federal League war, 1916 – 1923 Proposed remarks for Joint Meeting, Dec 1923
Folder 13 Attorney bills & trial expenses, 1917 – 1923
Box 5 Folder 1 Correspondence, Sept 1920 – Jan 1921 - Washington trial, appeal - Copies of decision
Folder 2 Baltimore Federals appeal to U.S. Supreme Court - Apr – Jun 1922, Oct – Dec 1922 - Invoices, newspaper clippings
Folder 3 Correspondence, 1919 – 1925 - Fidelity & Deposit Co. of Maryland - Renewal premium on bond
Folder 4 New York Times index of Federal League was - 1914 – 1915
Folder 5 August Herrmann outline of testimony, no date Correspondence, Dec 1914 – Jan 1915 Watkins’ affidavit Criticism of “Bill of Complaint” filed by Federal League
Folder 6 Cincinnati Exhibition Co. v George H. Johnson - Appellate Court, brief & argument, Mar 1914 - Superior Court, opinion & decision, Jun 3, 1914 Hermann Croon v Charles Weeghman - Bill of Complaint, Apr 1914 American League v Harold H. Case - Plaintiff’s brief - Motion by defendant (Chase), Jul 1914
Folder 7 Court of Appeals, Dec 6, 1920 Supreme Court, Opinion of the Court, May 29, 1922 BL-1277.74 – this copy donated by Mrs. Wm E. Benswanger Tax on admissions, 1922 booklet Tax on Dues, 1922 booklet
Folder 8 National League Agreement, Sept 11, 1903 - Revisions Jul 20, 1912, Jan 15, 1918
Folder 9 Cincinnati Peace Agreement, Dec 22, 1915, copy Original in BA MSS 3, folder 9 Correspondence, Dec 25, 1915, Tener & Heydler 1903 Peace Agreement, National Agreement Rules & regulations Classification of National Association Baseball Leagues Peace Agreement, original, Aug 11, 1903
Folder 10 Agreement Jan 6, 1914 AL, NL, National Association, Baseball Players Fraternity
Folder 11 National Agreement, Nov 1, 1920 - Original and one copy
Folder 12 Major-Minor League Agreement, Jan 12, 1921 - Recognition of the Commissioner Major League Agreement, Dec 12, 1944, Feb 3, 1945
Folder 13 Newspaper Clippings, Mar 26, 1919 – Apr 14, 1919
Box 6 In the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia Federal Base Ball Club of Baltimore v. National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, et al.
Vol. 1 Mar 25, 1919 Opening statement for plaintiff Direct examination
Vol. 2 Mar 26, 1919 Direct and cross examinations
Vol. 3 Mar 27, 1919 Direct and cross examinations Redirect and re-cross Vol. 4 Mar 28, 1919 Examinations Vol. 5 Mar 31, 1919 Examinations Vol. 6 Apr 1, 1919 Examinations
Vol. 6 1/2 Apr 1, 1919 A – Aug 15, 1916, List of Major League players released to Minor League clubs B – Supplemental list C – List of players released for consideration to Major League clubs, after close of drafting season of 1915, prior to commencement of drafting period of 1916. D – Major League drafts of 1916 E – Statement showing money expended by Major League clubs for players, agreements for filed purchases and approved, 1916 F – Statement showing money expended by Major League clubs for drafted players, 1916 G – Notice to all National Agreement clubs pertaining to reservation of players - National Commission Chairman’s annual report, 1916 - Annual report of the secretary and treasurer, 1916
Vol. 7 Apr 2, 1919 Direct and cross examinations Opening statement for defendants
Vol. 8 Apr 3, 1919 Direct and cross examinations Redirect examinations
Box 7 Vol. 9 Apr 4, 1919 Examinations Vol. 10 Apr 7, 1919 Examinations
Vol. 11 Apr 8, 1919 Examinations Rebuttal Motion to direct a verdict in favor of plaintiff
Vol. 12 Apr 9, 1919 Court resumed the consideration of the case
Vol. 13 & 14 Apr 11, 1919 Opening argument for plaintiff Apr 12, 1919 Closing argument for defendants Closing argument for plaintiff Plaintiff prayers for instructions Defendants prayers for instructions
Box 8 John Tener and Ban Johnson’s copy of Court transcripts, June 1917 - Extra copy of June 15, 1917 testimony
Box 9 January 1920 Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia No. 3368 - Brief on behalf of Appellants, National League, et al - 220 pages
January 1920 Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia No. 3368j - Transcript of record - 503 pages
1915 U.S. District Court No. 373 - Petition for Leave to Intervene - 27 pages
1914 U.S. District Court - Affidavits filed by Defendants, National League, et al - 339 pages
1915 U.S. District Court - Bill of Complaint, Federal League - 92 pages
1915 U.S. District Court, No. 373 - Joint answer of Herrmann, Johnson, Tener - 57 pages
1915 U.S. District Court, No. 373 - Separate answer of the Cincinnati Exhibition Company - 38 pages
1915 U.S. District Court - Affidavits filed by Plaintiff, Federal League - 63 pages
1915 U.S. District Court, No. 373 - Additional affidavits filed by Plaintiff, Federal League - 47 pages
1915 U.S. District Court, No. 373 - Reply affidavits filed by Plaintiff, Federal League - 89 pages
Leaflets of individual affidavits, 1915 2 Clark C. Griffith, 2 Robert L. Hedges, President, St. Louis Baseball Club, AL 1 Stephen P. Cusack, umpire, Federal League 3 Charles W. Somers, President, Cleveland Baseball Club 1 John A. Heydler, Sec/Treasurer, NL 2 Barney Dreyfuss, President, Pittsburgh Athletic Co., NL 1 Ban Johnson, President, AL 1 Charles A. Comiskey, President, Chicago Baseball Club, AL 1 Charles H. Thomas, President/Director, Chicago League Ball Club, NL 1 Michael E. Cantillon, President, Minneapolis Baseball & Athletic Association, American Association 5 August Herrmann, President, Cincinnati Exhibition Co, NL 1 Frank J. Navin, President, Detroit Baseball Co, AL 1 Schuyler P. Britton, President, St. Louis Baseball Club, NL 1 W.G. Schofield, Secretary, St. Louis NL Baseball Club 1 Herman D. Seekamp, Manager/Treasurer, St. Louis NL Club 1 Charles H. Ebbets, President, Brooklyn Ball Club, NL 1 A.G. Mills, an interest and years of involvement in baseball 1 Leonard L. Cole, baseball player 1 J.H. Farrell, Secretary, National Association 1 Connie Mack, Manager, Philadelphia Baseball Club, AL 1 Harry Swann, baseball player 1 Joseph J. Lannin, President, Boston Baseball Club, AL 2 William F. Baker, President, Philadelphia Baseball Club, NL 1 Roger P. Bresnahan, baseball player