The American League Invades New York
Ban Johnson, founder of the American League
Prior to the beginning of the twentieth century, the National League was the only successful professional baseball league in the country. Throughout the late 1800s, small leagues had been formed and challenged the National League, but few lasted long. However, in 1901, a new league, the American League, was formed by Ban Johnson. Johnson created new teams in many cities that the National League also had teams in, creating competition for fans. In addition, he created teams in cities that had been ignored by the National League.
1901 Major League Baseball Teams
| National League |
American League |
| Chicago Cubs |
Chicago White Stockings |
| Philadelphia Phillies |
Philadelphia Athletics |
| St. Louis Cardinals |
St. Louis Browns |
| Boston Beaneaters |
Boston Pilgrims |
| Brooklyn Superbas |
Cleveland Blues |
| Cincinnati Reds |
Washington Nationals |
| Pittsburgh Pirates |
Detroit Tigers |
| New York Giants |
Baltimore Orioles |
However, the one place where Johnson did not yet have a team, the one place that he wanted to have a team most of all, was the island of Manhattan. However, in doing so, he would be invading the territory of the New York Giants, owned by Andrew Freedman, and influential member of Tammany Hall.
Andrew Freedman, owner of the New York Giants
Even before Johnson had begun to try to move a team to New York, Freedman had tried to shut down his league, by stealing players from the American League teams, and by having National League owners by parts of American League teams, specifically Ban Johnson's own Baltimore Orioles. The new owners sold off all of the good players on the team to National League teams. However, Johnson managed to regain control of his team, by invoking a clause in the team's charter that allowed him to keep 51 percent of the franchise. He restocked the Orioles lineup, and in late 1902, he began to make plans to move them to New York City. Johnson moved his offices from Chicago to New York, into the Flatiron Building (then the largest in the world), and prepared for the move.
The Flatiron Building
Andrew Freedman, however, was ready to block Johnson's move. While by 1903, he no longer owned the New York Giants, he had promised John T. Brush, the new owner, that he would continue to use his political connection to protect the Giant's against competitors. He did this by buying leases on virtually all sites in Manhattan suitable for a ballpark, or by splitting suitable land in half by using his position on the board of directors of the Interborough Rapid Transit Committee to place transit lines right through the properties. The National League helped him as well, leasing Manhattan Field, which was adjacent to the Giant's Polo Grounds, for $15,000 a year simply to prevent any other team from using it.(1)
A race at Manhattan Field, adjacent to the Polo Grounds
Ban Johnson found a site at 142nd and Lenox that Freedman did not yet control. However, there were already plans for a subway to be going through the site. Johnson appealed to the IRTC for assistance, and was blocked by Freedman.
By this point, Ban Johnson was almost ready to give up. He didn't believe that it would be possible to get a stadium without the help of politicians who were strong enough to counter Freedman. However, in March of 1903, a business man named Joseph Gordon, who operated a coal business, fronted a syndicate of buyers who offered to buy the Baltimore franchise and build a ballpark at 165th street and Broadway. The site was owned by the New York Institute for the Blind, but Gordon had a lease agreement already. They leased it for 10 years, for $10,000 per year. It was one of the highest points in Manhattan, and The Sporting News described it as "the most picturesque and romantic spot the white man has ever selected for a battlefield between the baseball warriors." However, although it might have been a beautiful site, it was not the most practical site ever for a baseball field. The site was essentially a rock pile, and required expensive excavation. Excavation of the site cost $200,000, in addition to the $75,000 required in building contracts. These contracts were given to Thomas McAvoy, a local Tammany leader. The other problem with the site was that it was hard to get too. In 1903, there was only one train that stopped near the ballpark, and it took an hour to get there from downtown. The construction of the West Side Subway in 1904 did eventually help fans to reach the ballpark faster.
However, Andrew Freedman was not ready to give in that easily. He attempted to stir up opposition to the project in Washington Heights. He had petitions circulated throughout the neighborhood requesting the city to open streets through the site. Local property owners also claimed that the new ballpark would encourage saloons, and disorderly conduct. However, the Washington Heights Board of Improvements voted 3 to 2 to build the new park.
Yankees The Demise of Hilltop Park
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Reiss, p. 108.