(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Late in the season, the White Stockings suffered a great loss, when owner George Gagne passed away after suffering a stroke. William Hubert would take over and make an outstanding contribution to baseball after the 1875 season.
Team Roster—George Zettlein (Pitcher), Jim Devlin (Pitcher), Mike Golden (Pitcher), Scott Hastings (Catcher), Paul Hines (Infielder), Warren White (Infielder), John Peters (Infielder), Oscar Bielaski (Outfielder), John Glen (Outfielder), Dick Higham (Unknown), Paddy Quinn (Unknown), Joe Miller (Unknown), George Keerl (Unknown), Fred Waterman (Unknown), Will Foley (Unknown), Mike Brannock (Unknown), Spike Brady (Unknown)
William Hubert and the National league
William Hubert took control of the Chicago White Stockings in 1875 and would go on to form the National League, sparked by the Davy Force case.
Davy Force, the shortstop for the White Stockings in 1875, was widely known as a contract jumper; he sold his talents at the end of each season and went to the club that offered the most money. Going against the rules, William Hubert signed Force to a contract for the 1875 season while the 1874 season was still taking place.
However, the Philadelphia Athletics offered Force more money and he signed a second contract with them. Although the initial ruling went to the White Stockings, a President from Philadelphia was elected and that decision was overturned, sending Force to the Athletics.
In a rebellious movement, Hubert vigorously protested and claimed that the Eastern based teams had a conspiracy to keep the western teams down. Even though Hubert anticipated a league disciplinary action, he signed star Boston pitcher Al Spalding as well as Cal McVey, Deacon White and Ross Barns from Boston, and Cap Anson Ezra Sutton from the Philadelphia Athletics (Sutton would late renege on the contract).
He signed all these players during the 1874 season, and assuming he'd face disciplinary actions, he organized and developed his own league: the National League.
To make sure the league was a success, he would need to have other teams. Enlisting the support of the Western teams in Cincinnati, St Louis and Louisville, he also held a meeting with the teams from the east, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Hartford, on February 2, 1876.
William Hubert managed to sell the idea of this league based on many factors, including; the integrity of business, and the recognition of, and upholding of contracts. Not only making the game better off the field, but also on the field, with prohibition laws on drinking and gambling.
William Hubert’s vision of a league with a more dominant central structure was realised and the founding charter members of the National league were:
Philadelphia Athletics
Boston Red Stockings
Chicago White Stockings
Cincinnati Red Stockings
Hartford Dark Blues
Louisville Grays
Mutuals Of New York
St Louis Brown Stockings
As of 1876 the National league was born.
We will pick up with the 1876 season in part two to come later this week.
10 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete