Misplaced Pages

#220779

65-658: The Spire City Ghost Hounds are an inactive professional baseball team based in Frederick, Maryland , that played in 2023. The franchise competed in the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and played home games at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium , sharing the ballpark with the Frederick Keys . Following the 2023 season, the team has been on hiatus. The team's creation

130-743: A World Series game during the daytime hours would not have approached such a record number. Kuhn's vision in this instance has been fulfilled, as all the World Series games since 1988 have been played in prime time. On October 7, 1969 , the St. Louis Cardinals traded Curt Flood , catcher Tim McCarver , outfielder Byron Browne , and left-handed pitcher Joe Hoerner to the Philadelphia Phillies for first baseman Dick Allen , second baseman Cookie Rojas , and right-handed ace relief pitcher Jerry Johnson . However, Flood refused to report to

195-459: A big league field." Bill Veeck claimed Landis prevented him from purchasing the Phillies when Landis learned of Veeck's plan to integrate the team. The signing of the first black ballplayer in the modern era, Jackie Robinson , came less than a year after Landis's death on Chandler's watch and was engineered by one of Landis's old nemeses, Branch Rickey . Eleven weeks after Robinson's debut with

260-428: A boiling point. In particular, Chicago White Sox owner Charles Comiskey was piqued and incensed at what he perceived to be the indifference of the commission members (especially Johnson) to his suspicions that the 1919 World Series had been thrown to Herrmann's Reds. Meanwhile, the commission came under pressure to remove Herrmann from his post due to anti-German sentiment following U.S. entry into World War I . At

325-418: A bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing a game are discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball." Landis explained that even though the players had all been acquitted in court, there was no dispute that they had broken the rules of baseball. Therefore, he maintained that none of them could be allowed back in the game if its image

390-479: A car theft ring. Nonetheless, Landis was convinced Kauff was guilty and argued that players of "undesirable reputation and character" had no place in baseball. The owners had initially assumed that Landis would deal with the Black Sox Scandal and then settle into a comfortable retirement as the titular head of baseball. Instead, Landis ruled baseball with an iron hand for the next 25 years. He established

455-491: A commission chairman, whose primary responsibilities were to preside at meetings and to mediate disputes. Although Cincinnati Reds president August Herrmann served as commission chairman and as such was the nominal head of major league baseball, it was the American League president Ban Johnson who dominated the commission. The event that would eventually lead to the appointment of a single commissioner of baseball

520-408: A fiercely independent commissioner's office that would go on to often make both players and owners miserable with decisions that he argued were in the best interests of the game. He worked to clean up the hooliganism that was tarnishing the reputation of players in the 1920s. Without a union to represent them, the players had no meaningful recourse to challenge Landis' virtually unchecked authority. On

585-519: A fixed game in 1919, Landis told the American League owners to choose between him and Johnson. The owners promptly sent Johnson on a sabbatical from which he never really returned. Landis perpetuated the color line and prolonged the segregation of organized baseball. His successor, Happy Chandler , said, "For twenty-four years Judge Landis wouldn't let a black man play. I had his records, and I read them, and for twenty-four years Landis consistently blocked any attempts to put blacks and whites together on

650-538: A lot about our casualties during the war. Plenty of Negro boys were willing to go out and fight and die for this country. Is it right when they came back to tell them they can't play the national pastime? You know, Branch, I'm going to have to meet my Maker some day. And if He asks me why I didn't let this boy play, and I say it's because he's black, that might not be a satisfactory answer. If the Lord made some people black, and some white, and some red or yellow, he must have had

715-537: A player in the off-season draft, as in this occasion recorded in the book Dodger Daze and Knights : All the clubowners and managers, and Commissioner Landis, were assembled to conduct the draft. One team representative said he "claim[s] Player [Paul] Richards of Brooklyn". "You can't do that!" barked a surprised Wilbert Robinson , manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. "Why not?" asked Landis. "Because Brooklyn has him covered up", sputtered Robbie. Most of

SECTION 10

#1732802621221

780-506: A pretty good reason. It isn't my job to decide which colors can play big league baseball. It is my job to see that the game is fairly played and that everybody has an equal chance. I think if I do that, I can face my Maker with a clear conscience. In 1951 , National League president Ford Frick succeeded Happy Chandler as commissioner of baseball. Frick's critics accused him of favoring the National League in his rulings, such as how

845-405: A strong business background to deal with the problems that were confronting the game at the time. Retired US Army LTG William Eckert became a serious candidate for the commissionership only after fellow general officer Curtis LeMay gave Major League Baseball a recommendation for him. On November 17, 1965 , by a unanimous vote of the then, 20 major league club owners, William Eckert became

910-695: Is a title that is now applied to the heads of several other major sports leagues as well as baseball, derives from its predecessor office, the National Baseball Commission , the ruling body of professional baseball starting with the National Agreement of 1903, which created unity between both the National League and the American League . The agreement consisted of three members: the two league presidents and

975-466: Is now considered a classic. On October 13, 1971 , the World Series held a night game for the first time. Kuhn, who thought that baseball could attract a larger audience by featuring a prime time telecast (as opposed to a mid-afternoon broadcast, when most fans either worked or attended school), pitched the idea to NBC . An estimated 61 million people watched Game 4 on NBC; TV ratings for

1040-641: Is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of the Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since

1105-668: Is owned by Attain Sports and Entertainment, which also owns the Bowie Baysox and the Frederick Keys . Attain is led by Greg Baroni, CEO and Managing General Partner, and Richard Roberts, President and General Partner. The team's announced front office staff consists of Chuck Domino, Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations, and Mary Nixon, executive director of Baseball Operations. The team's announced coaching staff consists of manager Mark Minicozzi, hitting coach Aharon Eggleston, and pitching coach Elih Villanueva , who also pitches for

1170-454: The American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to

1235-490: The Brooklyn Dodgers , Veeck became the first American League owner to break the color line. Landis tried to curb the growth of minor league farm systems by innovators such as Rickey, in the name of protecting the lower levels of professional ball. Landis argued that because a parent club could unilaterally call up players from teams that were involved in pennant races, the organization was unfairly interfering with

1300-504: The China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with

1365-870: The Gastonia Honey Hunters . Their first home game was a 4–2 loss on May 2, 2023, to the Lexington Counter Clocks . In September 2023, the team announced they would go on hiatus for the 2024 season, sitting out one season until the Atlantic League expands to 12 teams. However, the Ghost Hounds were not listed on the 2025 season schedule. Pitchers Catchers Infielders Outfielders Manager Coaches [REDACTED] Disabled list ‡ Inactive list § Suspended list  updated April 18, 2024 Transactions The team

SECTION 20

#1732802621221

1430-700: The 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues,

1495-459: The 1960s expansion teams would be stocked. Frick's most well-known statement as commissioner was made in 1961 when several players were on a pace to break Babe Ruth 's single-season home run record. In a press conference, Frick stated that the single-season home run record should be separated into multiple lists, based on the length of a season. (Frick has at times been credited with the saying that there should be an asterisk to differentiate between

1560-515: The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees for $ 3.5 million, Kuhn blocked the deals on the grounds that they would be bad for the game. Some believe that Kuhn's actions were simply a revenge tactic, aimed at Finley, after Finley attempted to force an owners vote to remove Kuhn as commissioner in 1975 . After being in office for over ten years, Kuhn had grown a strong reputation for being particularly hard on players who abused drugs . Kuhn

1625-499: The Continental League to fold without ever playing a game. More than 150 names appeared on the original list of nominees for the commissionership following Ford Frick 's retirement. The club owners initially were unable to decide if the next commissioner should come from within the ranks of the game as Frick had, or from elsewhere like Frick's two predecessors had. They finally decided that the new commissioner should have

1690-580: The Hall formalizing its policy against inducting banned persons, and the Hall took no action as a result of Kuhn's decision. Both players were re-instated by Kuhn's successor in 1985. In 1980 , during the Iranian hostage crisis , Kuhn sat at a baseball game with Jeremiah Denton , a Navy admiral and former POW in Vietnam who would be elected U.S. senator later that year from the state of Alabama . Recalling

1755-708: The June assassination of Robert F. Kennedy , while also incurring team owners' disdain because he refused to deal forcefully with substantive business issues. Anticipating a players' strike and having no ownership confidence in his ability to handle the situation, Eckert was forced to resign at the end of the 1968 season, although he still had three years on his contract. In spite of his much-publicized failures and shortcomings, William Eckert also developed more effective committee actions, streamlined business methods, and helped stabilize franchises with bigger stadiums and long-term leases. In addition, Eckert worked hard toward promoting

1820-584: The end of the 1920 season, the National League, whose owners had never been on good terms with Johnson, agreed to invite the White Sox along with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees to join their league. The National League also unveiled plans to put a twelfth team in Cleveland or Detroit. With the American League's status as a major league (and possibly its very existence) suddenly in jeopardy,

1885-429: The event to The Washington Post , Kuhn believed that "that afternoon ... the idea of a lifetime baseball pass was discussed", and upon their return from Iran, each of the 52 hostages was given one of these unique passes. Kuhn was both praised and attacked for the firm stand that he levied against offenders. In 1982 , some of the owners organized a move to push him out of office. In 1983 , Kuhn and his supporters made

1950-521: The expiration of his first one in 1951 . Chandler was fully aware that he was jeopardizing his own commissionership by stewarding the integration process. Chandler's attitude was a simple one, which he conveyed to Branch Rickey, and later recounted in his autobiography: I've already done a lot of thinking about this whole racial situation in our country. As a member of the Senate Military Affairs Committee, I got to know

2015-560: The five American League owners loyal to Johnson sued for peace. Eventually, at the urging of Detroit Tigers owner and Johnson loyalist Frank Navin , a compromise was reached in late 1920 to reform the National Commission with a membership of non-baseball men. Having agreed to appoint only non-baseball men to the National Commission, the owners tapped federal judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis , an ardent baseball fan, to serve as

Spire City Ghost Hounds - Misplaced Pages Continue

2080-621: The fourth commissioner of Major League Baseball. When he became commissioner, Eckert had not seen a game in person in over 10 years. He was a compromise choice for the job, previously being so obscure that sportswriters nicknamed him "the Unknown Soldier". During the 1968 season, Eckert incurred the public's ire by refusing to cancel exhibition games after the April assassination of Martin Luther King nor regular-season games after

2145-983: The front window, waiting for Kuhn to approach, clutching billiard balls, and a shotgun. Ironically, when Porter was named the most valuable player of the 1982 World Series while playing for the Cardinals, Kuhn was on hand to congratulate him. In 1983 , four players from the Kansas City Royals – Willie Wilson , Jerry Martin , Willie Mays Aikens , and Vida Blue – were found guilty of cocaine use. In addition, such established stars as Ferguson Jenkins , Keith Hernandez , Dave Parker , and Dale Berra admitted to having problems with drugs. Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle were banned in 1980 and 1983 respectively after they were hired by casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey , as greeters and autograph signers. These bans were highly controversial at

2210-428: The game internationally, including a 1966 post-World Series tour of Japan by the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers . Bowie Kuhn 's tenure was marked by labor strikes (most notably in 1981 ), owner disenchantment, and the end of baseball's reserve clause , yet baseball enjoyed unprecedented attendance gains (from 23 million in 1968 to 45.5 million in 1983 ) and television contracts during

2275-433: The image of the game. Among the others he banned were New York Giants players Phil Douglas and Jimmy O'Connell , Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Gene Paulette , Giants coach Cozy Dolan , and (in 1943) Phillies owner William D. Cox . He also formalized the unofficial banishments of Hal Chase and Heinie Zimmerman . In 1921, he banned Giants center fielder Benny Kauff even though he had been acquitted of involvement in

2340-491: The initial steps toward integration of the major leagues, beginning with the debut of Jackie Robinson with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. This move was controversial with team owners, who voted 15–1 against integrating the sport in a secret January 1947 meeting. The Dodgers' Branch Rickey met with Chandler, who agreed to back the team's move. Chandler's stance was credited by many in the sports community with Chandler's failure to be selected for another term as commissioner after

2405-703: The major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in the United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ")

2470-700: The major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at a black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. Commissioner of Baseball The title "commissioner", which

2535-467: The minor competitions. His position was that the championship of each minor league was of no less importance than the championships of the major leagues and that minor league fans and supporters had the right to see their teams competing as best they could. On the other hand, the decisive factor resulting in the eventual entrenchment of the modern farm system was not Landis' demise but rather the growing presence of MLB on television, which caused attendances in

2600-412: The minor league or semi-professional level. One of the schemes Landis vigorously fought was the effort by major-league teams to "cover up" players they were hiding in their farm systems. The term, not used in formal communications by the league or team officials, referred to players clandestinely signed by a major-league team to a minor-league contract. Occasionally one team would serendipitously find such

2665-544: The minor leagues to collapse and left these clubs in a precarious financial position that would have made Landis' position untenable in any case. Moreover, Landis prevented the formation of a powerful third major league when he stopped Pants Rowland from upgrading the Pacific Coast League in the 1940s. Furthermore, (and despite the fact that, insofar as he was accountable at all, it was strictly to major league owners) Landis did not hesitate to aggressively use

Spire City Ghost Hounds - Misplaced Pages Continue

2730-457: The moribund Phillies, citing the team's poor record and the fact that they played in dilapidated Connie Mack Stadium before belligerent and, Flood believed, racist fans. Flood forfeited a relatively lucrative US$ 100,000 (equivalent to $ 830,853 in 2023) contract by his refusal to be traded to the Phillies. In a letter to Kuhn, Flood demanded that the commissioner declare him a free agent . Kuhn denied Flood's request to enter free agency, citing

2795-739: The most powerful man in the game before Landis's arrival. Johnson was as strong-willed as Landis, and a clash between the two was inevitable. It happened in the 1924 World Series . When several Giants were implicated in a plan to bribe players on the moribund Phillies late in the season, Johnson demanded that the Series be canceled, and loudly criticized Landis's handling of the affair, to which Landis responded by threatening to resign. The American League owners promised to throw Johnson out of office if he stepped out of line again. Two years later , when Johnson criticized Landis's decision to give Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker an amnesty after it surfaced they had bet on

2860-420: The other hand, Landis inserted his office into negotiations with players, where he deemed appropriate, to put an end to a few of the more egregious labor practices that had contributed to the players' discontent. He also personally approved broadcasters for the World Series. Landis's only significant rival in the early years was longtime American League founder and president Ban Johnson , who had been reckoned as

2925-443: The others broke down laughing. Even Landis smirked. Whether his decisions were praised or criticized, he was satisfied with being respected and feared. Dubbed "the baseball tyrant" by journalists of the day, his rule was absolute. In the context of ensuring the integrity of the game itself, baseball historians generally regard him as the right man at the right time when appointed, but also as a man who perhaps held office too long. He

2990-565: The post. Despite being the last candidate put forth in the April 1945 meetings, he was elected by a unanimous vote of the team owners, and resigned his Senate seat in October of that year. Chandler clashed with Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo "the Lip" Durocher over Durocher's association with gambling figures and his marriage to actress Laraine Day , which came amid allegations from Day's ex-husband that Durocher had stolen her away from him. Before

3055-583: The powers of his office to force the minor leagues and their clubs to submit to his authority in a number of ways. Most notably, he uncompromisingly held to a policy that dictated any minor league player who knowingly played with or against a player banned by Major League Baseball would himself be banned from MLB for life. This threat effectively compelled every minor league to rigidly honor and enforce suspensions handed down by Landis in their competitions as well. Nevertheless, some players banned by Landis are believed to have continued playing under assumed identities at

3120-416: The propriety of the reserve clause , which was language in contracts that essentially prevented a player from playing with another team even after his contract expired. In response, Flood filed a lawsuit against Kuhn and Major League Baseball on January 16, 1970 , alleging that Major League Baseball had violated federal antitrust laws. Even though Flood was making $ 90,000 (equivalent to $ 747,768 in 2023) at

3185-455: The reformed commission's chairman. Landis responded by declaring that he would only accept an appointment as sole commissioner, with nearly unlimited authority to act in the "best interests of baseball" – in essence, serving as an arbitrator whose decisions could not be appealed. Finally, Landis insisted on a lifetime contract. The owners, still reeling from the perception that the sport was crooked, readily agreed. Landis's first significant act

3250-732: The rest of the season for carrying a gun. Among his more controversial decisions was to bar both Willie Mays (in 1979 ) and Mickey Mantle (in 1983 ) from the sport due to their involvement in casino promotion. Neither was directly involved in gambling, moreover the casinos they worked for did not even offer sports betting , let alone betting on baseball (this was not legalized in New Jersey until 2012). Mays and Mantle were reinstated by Kuhn's successor Peter Ueberroth in 1985 . Also in 1970, Kuhn described Jim Bouton 's Ball Four as "detrimental to baseball" and demanded that Bouton retract it. The book has been republished several times and

3315-422: The same time frame. Kuhn suspended numerous players for involvement with drugs and gambling, and took a strong stance against any activity that he perceived to be "not in the best interests of baseball". In 1970 , he suspended star Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McLain indefinitely (the suspension was later set at 3 months) due to McLain's involvement in a bookmaking operation, and later suspended McLain for

SECTION 50

#1732802621221

3380-400: The start of the 1947 season, Chandler suspended Durocher for the entire season, citing "conduct detrimental to baseball". The Dodgers went on to win the pennant that season under replacement manager Burt Shotton . Chandler became known as "the players' commissioner" for his work on their behalf. During his service, he presided over the establishment of a pension fund for players and oversaw

3445-472: The team as a player-coach . Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and

3510-404: The time since both players were retired and both in no way involved in baseball at the time, and because neither player's duties were related in any way to sports betting, which was still illegal at the time in New Jersey in any case, let alone betting on baseball. Nevertheless, Kuhn stood firm and opined that a casino was "no place for a baseball hero and Hall of Famer." The bans took place prior to

3575-534: The time, he likened the reserve clause to slavery . It was certainly a controversial analogy, even among those who opposed the reserve clause. The case, Flood v. Kuhn (407 U.S. 258) eventually went to the Supreme Court . Flood's attorney, former Supreme Court justice Arthur Goldberg , asserted that the reserve clause was depressing wages, and it limited players to one team for life. Major League Baseball's counsel countered that Commissioner Kuhn acted under

3640-399: The two records, but this was actually first suggested by New York Daily News writer Dick Young ). However, as MLB did not publish an official record book at the time, Frick had no control over how publishers presented MLB records, and within a few years after Roger Maris broke Ruth's record, all record books gave Maris sole credit as the single-season home run record holder. Later, it

3705-483: The way he did "for the good of the game". Ultimately, the Supreme Court, acting on stare decisis "to stand by things decided", ruled 5–3 in favor of Major League Baseball, upholding a 1922 ruling in the case of Federal Baseball Club v. National League (259 U.S. 200). Though he had a reputation as an owners' commissioner, Kuhn did not avoid confronting owners when he deemed it necessary. For example, he

3770-637: Was a major adversary of Oakland Athletics owner Charles O. Finley . A major embarrassment for baseball resulted from Finley's actions during the 1973 World Series . Finley forced player Mike Andrews to sign a false affidavit saying he was injured after the reserve infielder committed two consecutive errors in the 12th inning of Oakland's Game 2 loss to the New York Mets . Andrews' teammates as well as manager Dick Williams rallied to his defense. Kuhn in return forced Finley to reinstate Andrews. In 1976 , when Finley attempted to sell several players to

3835-671: Was announced in November 2022. The team held a name-the-team contest in January and February 2023, with the name to be announced in June 2023 from the choices of Bone Shakers, Ghost Hounds, Rail Frogs, Sawbones, and Screaming Alpacas. Until then, the team's hats and jerseys featured question marks in place of a name. The team name was announced as Spire City Ghost Hounds on June 24. The team lost its inaugural game 10–4 on April 28, 2023, at CaroMont Health Park in Gastonia, North Carolina , to

3900-761: Was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1944 , in a special election held one month after his death, and the Most Valuable Player Award in each league was officially known as the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Award in his honor until 2020, following complaints from past MVP winners about Landis's role in stonewalling racial integration. When Judge Landis died in 1944, an official in the War Department began campaigning for Senator Happy Chandler 's election to

3965-478: Was quick to punish players who used drugs with heavy fines and big suspensions. Kansas City Royals catcher Darrell Porter told the Associated Press that during the winter of 1979 – 1980 he became paranoid , convinced that Kuhn knew about his drug abuse, was trying to sneak into his house, and planned to ban him from baseball for life. Porter found himself sitting up at night in the dark watching out

SECTION 60

#1732802621221

4030-508: Was revealed that Frick had served as a ghostwriter for Ruth earlier in his career. Although Frick did not initially express strong opposition to the establishment of the Continental League , a proposed third major league, he quietly encouraged the established Major League owners to offer franchises to several markets in which the proposed league planned to play through expansion and relocation. In doing so, he successfully caused

4095-487: Was the Black Sox Scandal – perhaps the worst of a series of incidents in the late 1910s that jeopardized the integrity of the game of baseball. However, the desire to rebuild public relations was not the only motivation behind the creation of the commissioner's office. The scandal had not only tarnished the image of baseball, but it had brought relations between team owners and American League president Johnson to

4160-546: Was to be restored with the public. Among those banned were Buck Weaver and superstar Shoeless Joe Jackson , who have generally been viewed to be far less culpable compared to the other six accused. Landis' position was that he had no doubt that Weaver and Jackson at the very least knew about the fix, and failed to report it, and that this alone was grounds for permanent banishment. Over the years, he dealt harshly with others proven to have thrown individual games, consorted with gamblers, or engaged in actions that he felt tarnished

4225-486: Was to deal with the Black Sox scandal . Following a trial, the eight players suspected of involvement in the fix were acquitted. Nevertheless, immediately following the players' acquittal, Landis banned them all from baseball for life. He famously declared, "Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ballgame, no player that undertakes or promises to throw a ballgame, no player that sits in conference with

#220779