Finding Aid: 1915 Federal League lawsuit case files
THE FEDERAL LEAGUE OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL CLUBS vs. THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL CLUBS, et al.
DIGITAL ARCHIVE
Prepared by Tom Pardo, with generous assistance from Eve Mangurten, Kyle McCafferty, Glenn Longacre, and Scott Forsyth.
SOURCE NOTE
All of the files of the Federal League court case digital archive, with the exception of Documents 119-121, come from the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration, Great Lakes Region located in Chicago, Illinois. The specific reference to the Federal League case is Record Group 21, U.S. District Court, Chicago, Equity Case File 373. Documents 119-121 reside in the archival collections of the Giamatti Research Center located at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
- A comprehensive finding aid (116 pages) is available for download; click here to view the PDF
- To access the Federal League case files, go back to this page
01 Oakes Letter
Letter from Ennis “Rebel” Oakes to Claude Cooper, September 25, 1914, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1p., photocopy including image of envelope.
02 McCullough Letter
Letter from William T. McCullough to Wilbur Cooper, November 2, 1914, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1p., photocopy including image of envelope.
03 Cornelius McGillicuddy (Connie Mack) Affidavit
Signed January 14, 1915; filed January 16, 1915.
4pp., including a 3-page affidavit and the cover.
04 Reply Affidavit of Joseph Tinker
Signed January 20, 1915; filed January 20, 1915.
4pp., including 3-page affidavit and the cover.
05 Index to Complainants’ Affidavits and Exhibits
Filed January 11, 1915.
2pp., including 1 page of text and the cover.
Note: This index only applies to Documents 6-16.
06 Joseph B. Tinker Affidavit
Signed January 9, 1915; 34 total pages, including a 14-page affidavit and the following 8 exhibits:
Exhibit A – Transcribed copy of Regular Contract of Joseph B. Tinker with the Cincinnati Exhibition Company, 4pp.
Exhibit B – A typewritten copy of a letter from the Cincinnati Exhibition Company formulating a contract, 1p.
Exhibit C – Transcribed copy of a letter from Charles H. Ebbets to Joseph B. Tinker, December 14, 1913, Brooklyn, New York, 1p.
Exhibit D – Transcribed copy of a letter from Charles H. Ebbets to Joseph B. Tinker, December 23, 1914, Brooklyn, New York, 2pp.
Exhibit E – Transcribed letter from Wilbert Robinson to Joseph Tinker, December 27, 1913, Baltimore, Maryland, 1p.
Exhibit F – Transcribed copy of a letter from Charles H. Ebbets to Joseph B. Tinker, January 26, 1914, 2pp.
Exhibit G – Transcribed copy of a National League player’s contract from the Brooklyn Ball Club, January 1914, 4pp.
Exhibit H – Transcribed copy of a speech given by August Herrmann, chairman of the National Commission, to the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues entitled, “The Natonal Commission and its Helpful Relations to the National Game,” Columbus, Ohio, November 12, 1913, 5pp.
07 Leo Hoerschemeyer (sp.) Affidavit
Signed January 9, 1915; 20 total pages, including a 12-page affidavit and the following 3 exhibits:
Exhibit A – Transcribed copy of a National League player’s contract between the American Base Ball and Athletic Exhibition Company of St. Louis and Lee Magee, February 18, 1914, 5pp.
Exhibit B – Transcribed copy of a letter stating that a contract is terminated, author and recipient unknown, undated, 1p. (Note: This exhibit is not entitled “B.” The letter begins “Gentlemen.”)
Exhibit C – Unexecuted copy of a Federal League contract between Leo Magee and the Federal League Base Ball Club of Brooklyn, Inc., January 6, 1915, 3pp.
08 Otto Knabe Affidavit
Signed January 8, 1915.
6pp.
09 Mordecai Brown Affidavit
Signed January 8, 1915.
8pp.
10 Edward John Konetchy Affidavit
Signed January 7, 1915.
7pp.
11 William D. Perritt Affidavit
Signed January 7, 1915.
8pp.
12 Ennis T. Oakes Affidavit
Signed January 8, 1915.
9pp.
13 Lloyd H. Rickart Affidavit
Signed January 8, 1915; 7 total pages, including a 5-page affidavit and one exhibit:
Exhibit A – Transcribed copy of a petition submitted by the Baseball Players Fraternity to the National Commission and National Board, undated, 2pp.
14 Harry Goldman Affidavit
Signed January 8, 1915.
4pp.
15 Edward Hanlon Affidavit
Signed January 9, 1915.
2pp.
16 William H. Watkins Affidavit
Signed January 8, 1914; 10 pp.
Note: This year of the signed affidavit is most likely incorrect. The year should be 1915. All of the affidavits for Tinker, Magee, Knabe, Brown, Konetchy, Perritt, Oakes, Rickart, Goldman, Hanlon and Watkins were notarized by the same notary public, Mary V. Shrader. It is, therefore, logical to assume that the year stated on the Watkins affidavit should be 1915 since that is the year which appears on these other affidavits.
17 Cover for Affidavits of Tinker et al.
Filed January 11, 1915.
1p.
18 Bill of Complaint
Filed January 5, 1915.
Note: The Bill of Complaint was photographed in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration requirements.
97 printed pages including a 40-page Bill of Complaint, three blank front cover pages and one blank back cover page and the following five exhibits:
Plaintiff’s Exhibit A – National Agreement for the Government of Professional Base Ball, 18pp. (pp.43-60)
Plaintiff’s Exhibit B – Listing of Clubs Affiliated with the National Association of Professional Base Ball Clubs, 4pp. (pp. 61-64)
Plaintiff’s Exhibit C – Agreement Between National Agreement Leagues, Cubs and Players on the 6th Day of January, 1914, 6pp. (pp. 65-70)
Plaintiff’s Exhibit D -Rules and Regulations Governing The National Commission, as Revised and In Force, January 1, 1914, 16pp. (pp. 71-86)
Plaintiff’s Exhibit E – American League Player’s Contract between Walter Johnson and the Washington American League Club, 7pp. (pp. 87-93)
19 Separate Answer of the Cincinnati Exhibition Company
Filed February 8, 1915.
Note: This document was photographed in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration requirements.
43 printed pages including the front cover and four blank back cover pages.
20 Joint Answer of August Hermann, Byron Bancroft Johnson and John K. Tener
Filed February 8, 1915.
Note: This document was photographed in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration requirements.
61 printed pages including the front cover and three blank back cover pages.
Exhibit A – National League Player’s Contract (blank), 5pp.
Exhibit B – Federal League of Professional Baseball Clubs Player’s Contract (blank), 4pp.
Exhibit C – National Agreement for the Government of Professional Baseball, entered into between the National and American Leagues and the National Association, at Cincinnati, September 11, 1903, as Changed, Revised and in Force from July 20, 1912, 12pp.
Exhibit D – Rules and Regulations governing the National Commission, as Revised and in Force January 1, 1914, 11pp.
21 Harry N. Hempstead Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
37 total pages , including an 12-page affidavit (11+ in the sense that attached to page 11 is a 4 x 6” sheet verifying the Notary Public who deposed Mr. Hempstead) and the following exhibits:
Exhibit A – Transcribed copy of a Regular Contract of the New York Base Ball Club of the City of New York, affiliated with the National League, and Claude Cooper, May 23, 1913, 6pp.
Exhibit B – Unexecuted printed National League Player’s Contract – Regular Contract between the New York Base Ball Club of the National League and Claude Cooper, May 29, 1913, 5pp., including a typewritten copy of a certification of the contract by T.J. Lynch.
Exhibit C – Unexecuted copy of a Probationary Contract between the New York Base Ball Club and William H. Ritter, January 7, 1914, 2pp.
Exhibit D – Typewritten copy of a contract between the Federal League Base Ball Club of Brooklyn and William Ritter, September 18, 1914, 7pp.
Exhibit E – Typewritten copy of a contract between the National Exhibition Company and Richard W. Marquard, April 6, 1914, 1p.
Exhibit F – Unexecuted printed copy of a National League Player’s Contract between the New York Base Ball Club and Richard W. Marquard, July 27, 1914, 4pp.
22 Frank J. Navin Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
23 William F. Baker Supplemental Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
17 total pages, including the cover.
24 Charles W. Somers Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
25 John A. Heydler Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
26 Charles W. Somers Affidavit Respecting the Cleveland Baseball Club
Filed January 16, 1915.
9 total pages, including the cover.
27 Frank J. Farrell Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
8 total pages, including a 3-page affidavit, a filing stamp on the back of p. 7 and the following four schedules:
Schedule A – Typewritten copy of a letter from Frank J. Farrell to Leonard Cole, New York, December 13, 1913, 1p.
Schedule B – Typewritten copy of a letter from Leonard L. Cole to Frank Farrell, Chicago, December 23, 1913, 1p.
Schedule C – Typewritten copy of a telegram (?) from Frank J. Farrell to L. Cole, January 2, 1914, 1p.
Schedule D – Typewritten copy of a telegram (?) from C. L. Cole to Frank J. Farrell, January 3, 1914, 1p.
Note: At the end of the affidavit, Farrell states that an affidavit of Leonard Cole’s is designated as Schedule E in this affidavit. Schedule E is not included with the Farrell affidavit, but is a separate document in the case file (see Document 40).
28 Schuyler P. Britton Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
10 total pages, including the cover.
29 Barney Dreyfuss Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
18 total pages, including an 11-page affidavit, the cover and the following two exhibits:
Exhibit A – Unexecuted printed copy of a Regular Contract between the Pittsburgh Athletic Company and Edward J. Konetchy, January 12, 1914, 2pp.
Exhibit B – Unexecuted printed copy of a regular National League Player’s Contract between the Pittsburgh Athletic Company and Edward J. Konetchy, May 7, 1914, 4pp.
Cover, 1p.
30 Clark C. Griffith Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
31 August Hermann Affidavit Opposing Application of Plaintiff for a Preliminary Injunction
Filed January 16, 1915
53 total pages, including a 39-page affidavit, the cover and the following three exhibits:
Exhibit A – Typewritten copy of the Articles of Association of the Federal League of Professional Baseball Clubs, March 8, 1913, 8pp.
Note: The document is slightly illegible because of the way it was copied.
Exhibit B – Blank printed copy of a regular National League Player’s Contract, 4pp.
Exhibit C – Two printed pieces of “The Baseball Players’ Fraternity, A Monthly Department Devoted to the Activities of the Organized Ball Player” and “Contract Obligations Should Be Respected,” 1p.
Cover, 1p.
Note: The affidavit consists of three parts numbered separately, the first part being 13 pages, the second being 12 pages and the third part being 14 pages.
32 William F. Baker Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
7 total pages, including the cover.
33 Fielder Jones Affidavit In Reply
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
34 Byron Bancroft Johnson Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915
23 total pages, including a 16-page affidavit, the cover and two exhibits:
Exhibit 1 – Blank printed copy of a regular Player’s Contract for a team which is a member of the American League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, 2pp.
Exhibit 2 – Blank printed copy of a regular Player’s Contract for a team which is a member of the American League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, 4pp.
Cover, 1p.
35 Charles P. Taft Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
36 St. Louis Federal League Petition of Intervention
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover
37 Petition of St. Louis Federal League Base Ball Company for Leave to Intervene
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
38 Buffalo Federal League Petition of Intervention
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
39 Petition of Buffalo Federal League Base Ball Company, Incorporated for Leave to Intervene
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
40 Leonard L. Cole Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
41 Defendants’ Appearance Notice
Filed January 16, 1915.
2 total pages, including the cover.
42 Barney Dreyfuss and Fred C. Clarke Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
20 total pages, including the cover.
43 Defendants’ Appearance Notice
Filed January 20, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
44 Petition of Exposition Park Association, Incorporated (Operating Federal Base Ball Club of Pittsburgh) for Leave to Intervene
Filed January 21, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
45 Indianapolis Federal League Petition of Intervention
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
46 Petition of Federal Base Ball Club of Indianapolis for Leave to Intervene
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
47 Pittsburgh Federal League Petition of Intervention
Filed January 21, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
48 Kansas City Federal League Petition of Intervention
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
49 Chicago Federal League Petition of Intervention
Filed January 21, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
50 Petition of Chicago Federal League Base Ball Club for Leave to Intervene
Filed January 21, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
51 George J. Mullin Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
52 Petition of Federal Base Ball Company of Kansas City, Missouri for Leave to Intervene
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
53 Charles H. Weeghman Reply Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
5 total pages, including the cover.
54 Armando Marsans Petition of Intervention
Filed June 28, 1915.
13 total pages, including the cover.
55 Stephen P. Cusack Affidavit Regarding Cusack Exhibit No. 1
No filing date.
2pp.
56 Stephen P. Cusack Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
6 total pages, including the cover.
57 Roger P. Bresnahan Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
8 total pages, including the cover.
58 Brooklyn Federal League Petition of Intervention
Filed January 21, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
59 Petition of Federal Base Ball Club of Brooklyn, Incorporated for Leave to Intervene
Filed January 21, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
60 Stephen P. Cusack Exhibit No. 1 – “Rules and Regulations, Federal League of Professional Base Ball Clubs”
Filed January 20, 1915.
18 total pages, including 4 original pages, 13 transcribed pages of the originals and the cover.
61 Brief Statements of Motions
6 scanned images.
Dates cover the span of motions to the court during the course of the case from January 1915 to February 1916.
Note: The legibility of these motions is poor because the motions were handwritten in both pen and pencil.
62 Harry Swann Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
63 Affidavit of August Herrmann with Reference to the Allegations Contained in Affidavit of Mordecai Brown, Filed By the Plaintiff Herein
Filed January 16, 1915.
26 total pages, including a 17-page affidavit, the cover and the following exhibit:
Exhibit No. 1 – Typewritten copy of a regular contract between the Cincinnati Exhibition Company and Mordecai Brown, January 8, 1913, 8pp.
Cover, 1p.
Note: After the first 9 pages of the affidavit, the pagination changes to A1 – A8.
64 Affidavit of August Hermann with Reference to the Allegations of Paragraph Six of the Bill of Complaint, Entitled “Federal League Formed.”
Filed January 16, 1915.
16 total pages, including the cover.
65 Separate Answer of the Cleveland Base Ball Club Company
Filed February 10, 1915.
13 total pages, including an 10-page answer, the cover and the following exhibit:
Exhibit A – Printed blank copy of a Regular Player’s Contract from the American League, 2pp.
Cover, 1p.
66 Separate Answer of Boston National League Base Ball Company
Filed February 13, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
67 Separate Answer of the American Baseball Club of Philadelphia
Filed February 12, 1915.
9 total pages, including the cover.
68 Separate Answer of Boston American League Baseball Club
Filed February 13, 1915.
7 total pages, including the cover.
69 Separate Answer of the Brooklyn National League Baseball Club
Filed February 10, 1915
11 total pages, including the cover.
70 Separate Answer of the American League Baseball Club of New York
Filed February 8, 1915.
5 total pages, including the cover.
71 Several Answer of the Detroit Baseball Company
Filed February 8, 1915.
10 total pages, including the cover.
72 Separate Answer of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs
Filed February 8, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
73 Separate Answer of the American League Baseball Club of Chicago
Filed February 10, 1915.
11 total pages, including the cover.
74 Separate Answer of the National Exhibition Company (New York National League Baseball Club)
Filed February 13, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
75 Separate Answer of the Philadelphia National League Club
Filed February 10, 1915.
9 total pages, including the cover.
76 Separate Answer of the St. Louis American League Baseball Company
Filed February 10, 1915.
8 total pages, including the cover.
77 Separate Answer of the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs
Filed February 13, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
78 Separate Answer of the Defendant, Chicago League Ball Club
Filed February 8, 1915.
17 total pages, including the cover.
79 Separate Answer of the American Baseball & Athletic Exhibition Company of St. Louis, Missouri
Filed February 8, 1915.
6 total pages, including the cover.
80 Separate Answer of the Pittsburgh Athletic Company
Filed February 8, 1915.
11 total pages, including the cover.
81 Charles A. Comiskey Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
15 total pages, including the cover.
82 Robert W. Ward Affidavit In Reply
Filed January 20, 1915.
11 total pages, including the cover.
83 Court Order Requiring Defendant Affidavits Filed By January 16, 1915
Filed January 9, 1915.
2 total pages, including the cover.
Note: Full signature of Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis on the order.
84 Petition of St. Louis Federal League Base Ball Company
Filed June 28, 1915.
53 total pages, including a 6-page petition, the cover and the following two exhibits:
Exhibit A – Copy of Order for Preliminary Injunction in the Case of The Cincinnati Exhibition Company vs. Armando Marsans (Equity No. 4314 filed in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri), June 1914, 2pp.
Exhibit B – Copy of Depositions Taken In Case of The Cincinnati Exhibition Company vs. Armando Marsans (depositions taken from Frank C. Bancroft, Schuyler P. Britton, Harry K. Stephens, Charles L. Herzog and Miller J. Huggins), 44pp.
Cover, 1p.
85 Robert L. Hedges Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
25 total pages, including an 11-page affidavit, the cover and the following three exhibits:
Exhibit No. 1 – Typewritten copy of a player’s contract between the Federal Baseball Company of Kansas City and Earl Hamilton, 9pp.
Exhibit No. 2 – Typewritten copy of a supplemental contract between the Federal Baseball Company of Kansas City and Earl Hamilton, 4pp.
Exhibit No. 3 – Typewritten copy of a public statement made by Earl Hamilton, 1p.
Cover, 1p.
86 Amendment to Bill of Complaint
Filed January 12, 1915.
2 total pages, including the cover.
87 Charles H. Thomas Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
11 total pages, including the cover.
88 Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore Petition of Intervention
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
89 Petition of the Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore, Incorporated, for Leave to Intervene
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
90 Appearance as Solicitors
Filed February 4, 1916.
2 total pages, including the cover.
91 Michael E. Cantillon Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
8 total pages, including the cover.
92 Leo Hoernschemeyer Petition For Leave to Intervene
Filed January 15, 1915.
45 total pages, including an 8-page affidavit, a 25-page affidavit from another case, the cover and the following three exhibits:
Exhibit A – Typewritten copy of a regular National League player’s contract between the American Base Ball & Athletic Exhibition Company of St. Louis and Lee Magee, March 4, 1914, 7pp.
Exhibit B – Player’s contract between the Federal League Base Ball Club of Brooklyn and Lee Magee. January 6, 1915, 3pp.
Exhibit C – Typewritten copy of a certification of a player’s contract between the American Base Ball and Athletic Exhibition Company of St. Louis and Lee Magee, undated, 1p.
Affidavit of Leo Hoernschemeyer in the Case of American Baseball and Athletic Exhibition Company vs. Leo Hoernschemeyer (Equity Case No. 58, filed in United Stated District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Western Division), January 14, 1915, 25pp.
Cover, 1p.
93 Michael J. Doolan Affidavit
January 13, 1915.
4 total pages (no cover).
94 James J. Lillis Affidavit
January 13, 1915.
11 total pages, including a 5-page affidavit and the following exhibit (no cover):
Exhibit A – Typewritten copy of a “Uniform Agreement For Transfer Of A Player To Or By A Major League Club,” undated, 6pp.
95 Lloyd H. Rickart Affidavit
January 14, 1915.
3 total pages (no cover).
96 James Runt Walsh Affidavit
January 12, 1915.
9 total pages, including a 3-page affidavit and the following two exhibits (no cover):
Exhibit A – Letter from Sam E. Lichtenhein, President of Montreal Baseball Club, Limited, to James Runt Walsh, February 20, 1914, 5pp., including the envelope.
Exhibit B – Letter from Sam E. Lichtenhein to James Runt Walsh, April 9, 1914, 1p.
97 William A. Albaugh Affidavit
January 12, 1915.
3 total pages (no cover).
98 Edward L. Treulieb Affidavit
January 12, 1915.
4 total pages (no cover).
99 Guy Zinn Affidavit
January 12, 1915.
3 total pages (no cover).
100 Abe Marks Affidavit
January 12, 1915.
3 total pages (no cover).
101 Herbert V. Juul Affidavit
Filed January 14, 1915.
12 total pages, including a 5-page affidavit, the cover and the following three exhibits:
Exhibit A – Typewritten copy of a letter from Clark C. Griffith to August Herrmann, January 27, 1913, 1p.
Exhibit B – Typewritten copy of a letter from J.A. Robert Quinn to August Herrmann, January 29, 1913, with attachments of previous typewritten copies of letters to and from Herbert Juul and J.A. Quinn, 3pp.
Exhibit C – Typewritten copy of a statement from August Hermann, Bancroft B. Johnson and T.J. Lynch of the National Commission in regards to Herbert V. Juul, February 8, 1913, 1p.
Cover, 1p.
102 Separate Answer of the Washington American League Base Ball Club
Filed February 8, 1915.
13 total pages, including the cover.
103 Charles H. Ebbets Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
7 total pages, including the cover.
104 Clark C. Griffith Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
9 total pages, including the cover.
105 A.G. Mills Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
106 J.H. Farrell Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
2 total pages, including the cover.
107 Joseph J. Lannin Affidavit
Filed January 16, 1915.
4 total pages, including the cover.
108 James A. Gilmore Reply Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
108 pages, including a 56-page affidavit,the cover and the following six exhibits:
Exhibit A – Printed blank copy of a player’s contract with the Federal League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, undated, 2pp.
Exhibit B – Printed copy of the “Rules and Regulations, Federal League of Professional Base Ball Clubs,” undated, 4pp., and transcription of the rules and regulations, 13pp.
Exhibit C – Printed copy of the Opinion of Honorable Herbert P. Bissell granting a defendant’s application to dissolve a temporary injunction in the case of American League Baseball Club of Chicago v. Harold H. Chase, Supreme Court of Erie County, State of New York, July 21, 1914, 32pp.
Exhibit D – Typewritten copy of Armando Marsans affidavit submitted in the case of The Cincinnati Exhibition Company vs. Armando Marsans, United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division, undated, 12pp.
Exhibit E – Typewritten copy of a note signed by George P. Baumgardner and George T. Stovall agreeing to terms with George P. Baumgardner for playing with the Kansas City Federal League Baseball Club, November 4, 1913, 1p.
Exhibit F – Typewritten copy of a note signed by Gus A. Williams and George T. Stovall agreeing to terms with Gus A. Williams for playing with the Kansas City Federal Baseball Club, November 11, 1913, 1p.
Cover, 1p.
109 Leo Hoernschemeyer (Lee Magee) Affidavit to Intervene
Filed January 20, 1915.
66 total pages, including a 15-page affidavit, the cover and the following 6 exhibits:
Exhibit A – Typewritten copy of a Regular National League Player’s Contract between the American Base Ball & Athletic Exhibition Company of St. Louis and Lee Magee, March 4, 1914, 7pp.
Exhibit B – Typewritten copy of a letter notifying a baseball club and presumably Lee Magee that a contract is void and of no effect, undated and correspondents unidentified, 1pp.
Exhibit C – Player’s contract between the Federal Base Ball Club of Brooklyn and Lee Magee, January 6, 1915, 3pp.
Exhibit D – Typewritten copy of Bill of Complaint filed in the case of American Baseball and Athletic Exhibition Company v. Leo Hoernschemeyer, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Western Division, January 4, 1915, 13pp.
Exhibit E – Affidavit of Leo Hoernschemeyer (American Baseball and Athletic Exhibition Company vs. Leo Hoernschemeyer, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Western Division, Equity Case No. 58), January 14, 1915, 25pp.
Exhibit F – Typewritten and unexecuted copy of a certification page from the Regular National League Player’s Contract between the American Base Ball and Athletic Exhibition Company and Lee Magee, undated, 1p.
Cover, 1p.
110 Chancery Subpoenas and Service Writs
Filed between January 8 and January 25, 1915.
25pp.
These subpoenas were issued to the defendants in the case, requesting their answer within 20 days of the servicing of the subpoena.
111 Notice to Court
Filed January 5, 1915.
1p.
Notice filed by the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case, stating that they will appear in court on January 20, 1915 per instructions by the judge and request the granting of a preliminary injunction against the defendants.
112 Notice to Court
Filed June 28, 1915.
3 total pages, including the cover.
Notice filed by the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case, stating that they will appear in court on June 28, 1915 for the purpose of presenting a petition of Armando Marsans for leave to intervene in the case and for an order directing the defendants in the case of Cincinnati Exhibition Company v. Armando Marsans to dissolve an injunction and dismiss that case.
113 Legal Brief
41pp., undated and unidentified.
Analysis of the question: Does the business of professional baseball, conducted as alleged in the Bill, constitute interstate commerce? The unidentified author supports the argument that the modern game of baseball is a form of interstate commerce.
Note: There is a page combining both pages 14 and 15 into one page.
114 Hermann Affidavit Answering Juul Affidavit
Filed January 20, 1915.
4 total pages including the cover.
115 Equity Docket
14 total pages, including the actual Docket pages and a transcription of pages for Equity Case File 373.
The Docket is used by the U.S. District Court in Chicago to record all document filings and fees pertaining to equity cases coming before the court.
The pages were photographed in compliance with National Archives and Records Administration requirements. There are four pages of filings with each page being photographed in two halves (top and bottom) because of the oversized pages. There are seven total photographed images of the case filings.
116 Chancery Journal, Volume 68
6 photographed images.
The Chancery Journal of the U.S. District Court in Chicago at the time of the Federal League case was a record of the actions taken by the court in response to various requests made by either the plaintiff or defendant, i.e. hearings, motions.
The entries were photographed in compliance with National Archives and Records Administration requirements. Each action was photographed individually because of the oversized Chancery Journal pages. The images were photographed in numerical order by the following page citations: (Note: Some images show the page numbers if the entry appears at the top of the page. If the entry appeared in another location on the page, the page number will not show.)
p. 248 – Request for hearing on motion for a preliminary injunction.
p. 261 – Leave granted by plaintiff attorneys to amend the Bill of Complaint.
p. 276 – Leave granted all parties to file affidavits and petitions, and to continue hearing.
p. 278 – Continuation of hearing.
p. 279 – Continuation of hearing.
p. 280 – Court takes case under advisement and grants defendants twenty days to respond to the Bill of Complaint.
117 Chancery Journal, Volume 69
5 photographed images.
The document includes the five actions of the court presiding over the Federal League case that were recorded in Volume 69 of the Chancery Journal. As with Document 116, these entries were photographed in compliance with National Archives and Records Administration requirements.
The images were photographed in numerical order by the following page citations: (Note: Some images show the page numbers if the entry appears at the top of the page. If the entry appeared in another location on the page, the page number will not show.)
p. 50 – Leave granted for Armando Marsans to file petition to intervene.
p. 153 – Leave granted to withdraw intervening petition of Armando Marsans.
p. 458 – Leave granted to withdraw petition of Baltimore Federal League club for ten days.
p.459 – Motion to dismiss Bill of Complaint be entered for hearing.
p. 471 – Dismissal of case.
118 Final Record – Law and Chancery, Volume 393
96pp.
The Final Record of the Federal League case is a typewritten transcript of many, but not all, of the filings submitted to the court as well as the court’s final order. The record was photographed in compliance with the National Archives and Records Administration requirements.
Below is a listing of the documents comprising the Final Record:
1. Bill of Complaint, pp. 311-346.
2. Amendment to Bill of Complaint, pp. 346-347.
3. Summons, pp. 347-348.
4. Memorandum, pp. 348-349.
5. Separate Answer of the Philadelphia National League Club, et al., pp. 349-356.
6. Separate Answer of the Cleveland Ball Club Company, pp. 356-367.
7. Separate Answer of the American League Baseball Club of Chicago, pp. 367-374.
8. Separate Answer of the St. Louis American League Baseball Company, pp. 375-381.
9. Separate Answer of National Exhibition Company, pp. 382-383.
10. Separate Answer of Boston National League Baseball Company, pp. 383-385.
11. Separate Answer of the Brooklyn Ball Club, pp. 385-393.
12. Separate Answer of the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, pp. 393-394.
13. Separate Answers of the American Baseball Club of Philadelphia, pp. 394-400.
14. Separate Answer of Boston American League Baseball Club, pp. 401-406.
15. Order, p. 406.
119 Hearing Transcript
January 20-23, 1915.
533pp.
A transcript of the only hearing known to have taken place in the Federal League case until the case was dismissed in the winter of 1916. The transcript is included in the August (Garry) Herrmann Papers deposited in the Giamatti Research Center at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
The transcript was photographed in compliance with Giamatti Research Center requirements.
120 Cincinnati Peace Agreement
December 22, 1915.
6 pp.
Document pertaining to the Cincinnati Peace Agreement identifies the terms by which both parties ended their “war” of sorts and ensured various levels of compensation paid to the Federal League owners.
121 Dismissal Proceeding Transcript
February 7, 1916.
3 pp.
This is the final court document offering Judge Landis’ closing remarks in the case that was never heard in his courtroom. Essentially, Landis acknowledges that the Federal League had a convincing argument but he simply could not be the person who would be responsible for altering the professional game he loved so much.
To access the Federal League case files, go back to this page