Ban Johnson
In the fall of 1899, Killilea and his younger brother, Matthew Killilea, were among the five men who founded baseball's American League, changing the name of the old Western League to the American League in 1900. The other members of the group were Connie Mack, Charles Comiskey, and the leader of the effort, Ban Johnson. Their first meeting was held in Killilea's home at 1616 Grand Avenue in Milwaukee. While Ban Johnson is regarded as the father of the American League, the "Sporting Life" in July 1904 dubbed Killilea "the godfather of the American League." Killilea's other significant efforts in the early years of the league include the following: