Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-20

1884. but the American association had ex.
tended its territory and had an unvieldy
circuit as follows: Allegheny, Athletics,
Baltimore. brooklyn, Cincinnati, Colum-
bus. Louisville, Metropolitana. St Louis.
Toledo. Washington and virginias. That
arrangement lasted only a year. Kansas
City was in In 1855 with Buffalo out and
81. Louis in with Providence out. The
American association had cut to eight
cities in 1855, dropping Columbus, Indian
apolis, Toledo, Washington and Virginia.
The outlaw Union association Of 1884 was
represented varlously by Boston. Balu-
more, Philadelphia, Altoona, washington.
st. Louis. Cincinnati. Cleveland. Chicago
and Kansas City. II all but died a-bornin'.
In 1856 the National league and American
association were practically the same as
the year before. Buffalo and Syracuse
we're in the International league that
year, with Newark, Providence, Jersey and
Hartford, among others. In the Eastern
league. The Eastern league, therefore, lays
some claim to antiquity itself.
In 1887 the trsnsmississippi members Of
the National league, St. Louis and Kansas
City, had been topped off, Indianapolis aud
Pittsburg coming in. The American asso-
citation had parted company with the AL
leghenys and taken In Cleveland instead.
A year later the National league circuit
was intact, but Kansas City had found a
place in the American association in place
Of the Nets, Cleveland took Detroit's
place in the National league in 1883 and
also 1890, Detroit going to the Interna-
tional league. The American association
had Brooklyn in its circuit in 1SSs, 1889 and
1890 instead Of Cleveland.
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1891, together with New York, Boston, Phil
sdelphia. Cincinnati, Pittsburg, st. Louis
and Chicago. The American association
embraced Baltimore, Louisville, Boston, St
Louis, Milwaukee (which succeeded Gin
cinnatD. Philadelphia, Columbus and
Washington. The Players league was in
the arena that year with New York. Bos-
ton, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Chicago. Pitts
burg, Cleveland and Buffalo. That was one
year in which Pittsburg, a splendid ball
town, was in two leagues.
B~eginninE Of Present Map.
The National league became a twelve
club a in 1892 and the American assoc
citation went to Its last rest. The twelve
National leaguers were Boston, Brooklyn.
New York. Louisville, Pittsburg, Cleve-
land, Cincinnati, New York. Philadelphia,
Washington, Chicago. st. Louis and Balti-
more. Detroit had Joined hands with the
Western league and remained in Somewhat
obscure company until the American league
sprang into life a lusty infant. Until 1900
the National league retained It's twelve
club circuit. In that year It reduced to
fredericksburg, st. Louis, Cincinnati, Bos-
ton, Chicago, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and
New York-which has been the circuit ever
since.
The American leagues equipment in 1900
was: Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, De-
troit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minneapo-
lis and Milwaukee. Merely a stepping
stone, that layout, to broader things for
the Johnsonlan organization. Buffalo, In
dianapolis, Kansas City and Minneapolis
were put aside in 1901; Boston, Baltimore,
washington and Philadelphia we're taken
in. That was the circuit In 1902. except
that Milwaukee got the mitten and Balti-
more was wooed and won. Baltimore, how
ever, remained only a short while. In 1908
II was no longer an American Lacquer.
New York was taken into the fold that
year, and since then there have been no
changes. Yet the day may not be far off
when there will be further changes. For
instance, a war measure might find the
big leaguers branching out again.
After all first principles have been re-
turned to In the hsbitations that have come
to be the headquarters for big league base
ball to live. move and have its being. OF
the eleven cities now forming the major
circuit all Of nlne-New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, Washington,
Brooklyn, Cincinnati and st. Louis-were
centers of activity in the old National as
ISOLATION period Of over thirty years ago.
But In that time what changes as we'll as
ups and downs! Truly, when the full his
tory Of the game is written that part of it
that deals only with its development from
the standpoint OF the cities involved will
form q -volumfuops and pregnant chapter.