1900 American League Attendance

[Brian McKenna]

does anyone have AL attendance figures for 1900 - by team or for league?

[bluezebra]

They don't exist. The American League didn't come into existence until 1901.

Bob

[Brian McKenna]

They don't exist. The American League didn't come into existence until 1901.

Bob

wow - what an embarassing post for someone who has been around since jan 2000

[bluezebra]

wow - what an embarassing post for someone who has been around since jan 2000

I thought I had erased my post when I realized the American League was a Minor League in 1900. Unfortunately, I had to leave the 'net before double-checking.

And, I've been around since April, 1932.

Bob

[Brian McKenna]

yeah - sorry - ban johnson took over the dormant western league in november 1893 - that league changed its name to american league for the 1900 season and began raiding national league rosters on or about february 1901

i was interestd to see how much push that actually got at the gate between 1900-01 - i would think rather considerable - i was especially interested in chicago

[Dodger]

David Nemec's Great Encylopedia of 19th Century M.L.B. does provide the standings and statistics for the 1900 American League, but no attendance figures.

[Brian McKenna]

i'm an idiot - it was in front of me the whole time - in the encyclopedia of minor league baseball:

fyi (in 1,000s):
chicago 175
milwaukee 149
indianapolis 106
detroit 146
kansas city 118
cleveland 84
buffalo 78
minneapolis 71

total 927

[SWCBaseball]

American League Summary - 1900

	W	L	R	OR	Home Park	Attendance
Chicago White Stockings	82	53	678	531	South Side Park III	175,000
Milwaukee Brewers	79	58	640	524	Lloyd Street Grounds	149,000
Indianapolis Hoosiers	71	64	725	671	Washington Park I	106,000
Detroit Tigers	71	67	685	618	Bennett Park	146,000
Kansas City Blues	69	70	700	644	Exposition Park	118,000
Cleveland Lake Shores	63	73	663	685	League Park III	84,000
Buffalo Bisons	61	78	660	789	Olympic Park II	78,000
Minneapolis Millers	53	86	659	845	Nicollet Park	71,000

With the exception of the Indianapolis Hoosiers, it is interesting that the attendance lined up with the position of the teams in the standings. The top three teams in attendance; Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit were kept in the league as they went Major. The fourth team, Cleveland is interesting they stayed in the league with such a low gate receipts while Ban Johnson had promised Buffalo they would remain in the league. However, in late February 1900, because of many decisions due to the National League showing a lack of respect to the American League and difficulties in securing ball grounds in Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore, Ban Johnson at the last minute dropped Buffalo without warning in favor of Boston.

Minneapolis and Kansas City earlier in the fall of 1899 had been paid to leave the league. I found no mention to what arrangements had been given Indianapolis if any at all. Connie Mack had been awarded the Philadelphia Athletic franchise and Mack sold his share of the Brewers to his former partners. Interestingly, John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson were awarded the Baltimore franchise after playing the 1900 season for the St. Louis Cardinals. A side note: The 1900 Cardinals had a roster that included 5 future hall of famers; Jesse Burkett, John McGraw, Wilbert Robinson, Bobby Wallace and Cy Young.

[EdTarbusz]

American League Summary - 1900

	W	L	R	OR	Home Park	Attendance
Chicago White Stockings	82	53	678	531	South Side Park III	175,000
Milwaukee Brewers	79	58	640	524	Lloyd Street Grounds	149,000
Indianapolis Hoosiers	71	64	725	671	Washington Park I	106,000
Detroit Tigers	71	67	685	618	Bennett Park	146,000
Kansas City Blues	69	70	700	644	Exposition Park	118,000
Cleveland Lake Shores	63	73	663	685	League Park III	84,000
Buffalo Bisons	61	78	660	789	Olympic Park II	78,000
Minneapolis Millers	53	86	659	845	Nicollet Park	71,000

With the exception of the Indianapolis Hoosiers, it is interesting that the attendance lined up with the position of the teams in the standings. The top three teams in attendance; Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit were kept in the league as they went Major. The fourth team, Cleveland is interesting they stayed in the league with such a low gate receipts while Ban Johnson had promised Buffalo they would remain in the league. However, in late February 1900, because of many decisions due to the National League showing a lack of respect to the American League and difficulties in securing ball grounds in Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore, Ban Johnson at the last minute dropped Buffalo without warning in favor of Boston.

Minneapolis and Kansas City earlier in the fall of 1899 had been paid to leave the league. I found no mention to what arrangements had been given Indianapolis if any at all. Connie Mack had been awarded the Philadelphia Athletic franchise and Mack sold his share of the Brewers to his former partners. Interestingly, John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson were awarded the Baltimore franchise after playing the 1900 season for the St. Louis Cardinals. A side note: The 1900 Cardinals had a roster that included 5 future hall of famers; Jesse Burkett, John McGraw, Wilbert Robinson, Bobby Wallace and Cy Young.

Cleveland stayed in the league because their owner, Charles Somers, was spreading money around to other teams that were experiencing financial difficulties. Sommers continued doing this in the ALs first decade.

Cy Young, Jesse Burkett and Bobby Wallace were three of the Spiders players sent to the St Louis Perfectos just before the 1899 NL season started.

McGraw and Robinson after the Orioles were dropped by the NL after the 1899 season. The Orioles merged somewhat with Brooklyn (similar to how Cleveland and St Louis were and Louisville and Pittsburgh were), but McGraw and Robinson were sold to St Louis. They were both pretty much at the end of their playing careers at that point.

[SWCBaseball]

Cleveland stayed in the league because their owner, Charles Somers, was spreading money around to other teams that were experiencing financial difficulties. Sommers continued doing this in the ALs first decade.

Cy Young, Jesse Burkett and Bobby Wallace were two of the Spiders players sent to the St Louis Perfectos just before the 1899 NL season started.

Yes, the Robison brothers owned both teams and sent the best players to St. Louis while sending St. Louis' lesser players to Cleveland. That's why the 1899 season for the Spiders was recorded as one of the worst of all time at 20-134. Pittsburgh did a similar thing with Louisville, getting Honus Wagner. Clearly a good reason for the National League to contract before the 1900 season. Having owners owning multiple teams was not going to work fairly for the other teams in the NL. Stanley controlled the Spiders through the end of the 1899 season while Frank controlled the Perfectos (Cardinals). Once the league contracted, then Stanley joined his brother in St. Louis. Upon Stanley Robison's death, his niece Helene Britton (Frank's daughter) took control of the Cardinals until 1918 when the Robison assets were sold. She was the first female Major League owner.

[EdTarbusz]

Yes, the Robison brothers owned both teams and sent the best players to St. Louis while sending St. Louis' lesser players to Cleveland. That's why the 1899 season for the Spiders was recorded as one of the worst of all time at 20-134. Pittsburgh did a similar thing with Louisville, getting Honus Wagner. Clearly a good reason for the National League to contract before the 1900 season. Having owners owning multiple teams was not going to work fairly for the other teams in the NL. Stanley controlled the Spiders through the end of the 1899 season while Frank controlled the Perfectos (Cardinals). Once the league contracted, then Stanley joined his brother in St. Louis. Upon Stanley Robison's death, his niece Helene Britton (Frank's daughter) took control of the Cardinals until 1918 when the Robison assets were sold. She was the first female Major League owner.

Syndicate baseball was also a problem with Brooklyn/Baltimore and New York/Cincinnati. It's notable that Baltimore was contracted after the 1899 season, because they were one of the best NL teams of the 1890s. Ned Hanlon also controlled the Brooklyn franchise and apparently felt that Brooklyn was a better market to control.

I doubt if there are many fans in Cleveland who are aware of Cleveland's connection with the Cardinals.