William H. "Bill" McCarthy, PCL President - who was he?

[DTF955]

Weeks before Judge Landis was offered the job of baseball Commissioner, Grantland Rice had suggested that PCL President Bill McCarthy should run baseball. He only serviced in the PCL from 1920 to 1923, and unless he changed names it's like he disappeared, becasue I can't find any other info. (I mean, I know players used different names when moonlighting, but a league president? :-) )

McCarthy had already done a good job during 1920 of cleaning up some of the corruption in the PCL. Given that Ban Johnson insisted on a baseball man, as did the Loyal Five, he might have made a good compromise choice. Although it might take months of war and at least one offseason of player poaching before the two sides agree if the N.L. and the dissenting 3 don't get their way. (McCarthy could still work with each, trying to get them to agree.)

At any rate, why did he only serve till 1934? Did the presidents have 4 years and it was just 1/1/20 to 12/31/23? Did he just get into office already sick so he died soon after? Or maybe he rubbed some owners the wrong way by cracking down on them, too, so he was booted out.

Even the people at sports-reference.com don't have any more info on him.

[Chadwick]

McCarthy was a pitcher for the Beaneaters in 1906 (a single game). You can find his bio details at Baseball-Reference. He rooted out the gambling element in the PCL and his zero tolerance for it was the inspiration for Landis' action within the year. California passed anti-gambling laws because of McCarthy. McCarthy kicked Hal Chase out before MLB did. Rice, who once penned that the Black Sox were the "ultimate scum of the universe" unquestionably had all this in mind when making the recommendation. Honestly, McCarthy appears to have the positives of Landis without all the negatives. Too bad.

[DTF955]

Thanks! Though his stats page gives his middle name as Thomas, there's no reason he couldn't have 2 (or that could be a mistake.)

He's young for a Commissioner, but Frd Frick was probably just as young when he become NL President. And, his work with the PCL would certainly give him the credentials.

[Mongoose]

McCarthy was a pitcher for the Beaneaters in 1906 (a single game). You can find his bio details at Baseball-Reference. He rooted out the gambling element in the PCL and his zero tolerance for it was the inspiration for Landis' action within the year. California passed anti-gambling laws because of McCarthy. McCarthy kicked Hal Chase out before MLB did. Rice, who once penned that the Black Sox were the "ultimate scum of the universe" unquestionably had all this in mind when making the recommendation. Honestly, McCarthy appears to have the positives of Landis without all the negatives. Too bad.

I think Landis substantially advanced MLB's interests in the Federal League lawsuit against it. End result was the legal exemption to anti-trust laws that resulted in MLB's monopoly. That being the case, could be Landis's appointment was part of an "arrangement". It would certainly have the appearance of impropriety.

This would render consideration of better candidates a non-starter.

Here's a Fangraphs article about the case:

https://tht.fangraphs.com/judge-land...titrust-trial/