National Baseball Commission
{{Short description|Governing body of baseball (1903–1920)}}
{{distinguish|National Baseball Congress}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = National Baseball Commission
| image = National Baseball Commission, Jan. 1909-Left to right- Harry Pulliam, Aug. Herrmann, Ban Johnson, J.E. Bruce, Secy. LCCN96510166.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = Harry Pulliam (left), August Herrmann (center left), Ban Johnson (center right), and John E. Bruce (right) in 1909
| headquarters =
| formation = 1903
| dissolved = 1920
| predecessor = none
| successor = Commissioner of Baseball
| leader_title = Chairman
| leader_name = August Herrmann
| leader_title2 = {{nowrap|AL president}}
| leader_name2 = Ban Johnson
| leader_title3 = NL president
| leader_name3 = {{ubl|Harry Pulliam (1903–1909)|John Heydler (1909, 1918–1920)|Thomas Lynch (1910–1913)|John K. Tener (1913–1918)}}
| key_people = John E. Bruce, secretary
}}
The National Baseball Commission was the governing body of Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball from 1903 to 1920. It consisted of a chairman, the presidents of the National League (NL) and American League (AL), and a secretary. The commission was formed as part of the peace agreement between the AL and NL and abolished following the Black Sox Scandal. It was replaced with the commissioner of baseball.
Background and formation
File:Baseball Commission 4351636814 a858ca132c o.jpg]]
Prior to the 1900 season, the Western League, which had been a minor league located in the Midwestern United States, changed its name to the American League (AL) and moved several of its franchises to larger, strategic locations, including cities abandoned by the National League (NL).{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32203894/ban-johnson-makes-moves-towards/ |title=Ban Johnson makes moves towards establishing the American League |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |via=Newspapers.com |date= June 29, 1899|page=6 |accessdate=2022-04-17}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99940319/change-the-name-old-western-is-now-the/ |title=Change The Name: Old Western Is Now the New American League |newspaper=The Inter Ocean |via=Newspapers.com |date= October 12, 1899|page=8 |accessdate=2022-04-17}} In 1901, the American League declared its intent to operate as a major league, challenging the National League.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99939970/baseball-competition-ban-johnsons-amer/ |title=Baseball Competition: Ban Johnson's American League Breaks From The National |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |via=Newspapers.com |date= January 2, 1900|page=6 |accessdate=2022-04-17}}
A peace agreement between the NL and AL was ratified in January 1903.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94375912/peace-agreement-ratified-at-last/ |title=Peace Agreement Ratified At Last |newspaper=The News Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=January 22, 1903 |page=6 |accessdate=February 6, 2022}} The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the organization of minor baseball leagues, did not agree to the terms of the arrangement. In August 1903, the NL, AL, and minor leagues reached an agreement which established the National Baseball Commission as the governing body for Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball, commonly referred to as "Organized Baseball". August Herrmann, the owner of the Cincinnati Reds of the NL, served as chairman of the commission, while the presidents of the AL, Ban Johnson, and NL, Harry Pulliam, also had seats on the commission.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94376280/national-agreement-signed-and-submitted/ |title=National Agreement Signed And Submitted |newspaper=Buffalo Evening News |via=Newspapers.com |date=August 27, 1903 |page=22 |accessdate=February 6, 2022}} John E. Bruce, Johnson's personal attorney, was elected secretary and treasurer of the National Commission.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99712339/john-e-bruce-lawyer-dies-baseball-org/ |title=John E. Bruce, Lawyer Dies; Baseball Organizer Mourned; Sportsman Also Civic Leader |newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer |via=Newspapers.com |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99712964/obituary-for-john-e-bruce/ 2]|date=August 18, 1924 |accessdate=April 14, 2022}}
Challenges
The National Commission dealt with conflicts between teams and leagues. One of the most significant conflicts came in when the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Browns both had claims for George Sisler. Sisler had signed a minor league contract before deciding to attend the University of Michigan, and the Pirates had acquired the contractual rights while Sisler had successful college baseball career. Sisler signed a contract with the Browns after leaving college. In 1912, the commission declared the original contract void because Sisler was a minor without parental permission at the time it was signed, and awarded his rights to the Browns.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94383868/barney-dreyfuss-gives-out-statement-on-s/ |title=Barney Dreyfuss Gives Out Statement on Sisler Decision |newspaper=Pittsburgh Daily Post |publisher=Newspapers.com |date= July 2, 1916|page=21 |accessdate=2022-04-13}} Barney Dreyfuss, the owner of the Pirates, never forgave Herrmann for the decision{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94407089/sisler-like-ruth-was-too-valuable-at-b/ |title=Sisler, Like Ruth, Was Too Valuable At Bat and in Field to Be a Pitcher |newspaper=Sunday Times Signal |publisher=Newspapers.com |date= April 23, 1944|page=9 |accessdate=2022-04-13}} and began to work to have him ousted as chairman.{{cite web|url=https://sabr.org/research/article/baseballs-first-commissioner-the-hiring-of-judge-kenesaw-mountain-landis/|title=Baseball's First Commissioner: The Hiring of Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis |publisher=Society for American Baseball Research|accessdate=2022-04-13}}
After the 1912 season, Dave Fultz, an attorney and former major league player, attempted to unionize major league players in an organization called the Players Fraternity. He became president, with Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Ed Sweeney, and Red Dooin serving as vice presidents.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77707838/players-are-organized/ |title=Players Are Organized |newspaper=Chattanooga Daily Times |via=Newspapers.com |date=2021-05-14 |page=36 |accessdate=2022-04-14}} The group achieved concessions for the players from the National Commission before the 1914 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99672649/baseball-heads-agree-to-all-but-two/|title=Baseball Heads Agree To All But Two Requests Of Players; Fultz Satisfied With Result|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star |date=January 7, 1914|page=9|via=Newspapers.com}}
The Federal League declared itself to be a major league in 1914, challenging Organized Baseball. In January 1915, the league filed suit against the National Commission, accusing it and the National Agreement of violating federal antitrust law. The case was assigned to Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99689714/hits-at-baseball-heads/ |title=Hits At Baseball Heads |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=1915-01-05 |accessdate=2022-04-14}} Landis opted not to rule on the case, and the Federal League collapsed after the 1915 season. When the two sides returned to his court in February 1916 to have the suit dismissed, Landis said that he waited to see if they could forge a settlement, because he had feared that issuing an injunction would have been harmful to baseball.{{cite web|url=https://tht.fangraphs.com/judge-landis-the-federal-league-and-baseballs-first-antitrust-trial/|title=Judge Landis, the Federal League and Baseball's First Antitrust Trial|work=Fangraphs|date=February 2, 2015|accessdate=April 13, 2021}}
In July 1919, Carl Mays left the Boston Red Sox without permission. Johnson demanded that the Red Sox suspend him, but instead, the Red Sox traded Mays to the New York Yankees. Johnson suspended Mays for deserting the Red Sox.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76200094/carl-mays/|title=Yankees Pay Near-Record Price for Carl Mays, in Effort to Continue in Pennant Race|page=26|work=Evening Star|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 31, 1919|access-date=April 13, 2022}} Yankees owner Tillinghast Huston accused Johnson of having a financial interest in the Cleveland Indians,{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75896662/ban-no-longer-feared/|title=Ban No Longer Feared|first=C. Starr|last=Matthews|work=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|page=13|date=August 5, 1919|access-date=April 13, 2022}} Huston and co-owner Jacob Ruppert obtained a temporary injunction allowing Mays to play. New York Supreme Court Justice Robert F. Wagner ruled in favor of the Yankees, granting a permanent injunction. The owners of the Yankees, Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox began to collectively oppose Johnson, becoming known as the "Insurrectos". Though the Insurrectos were outnumbered by the five teams loyal to Johnson, they held three out of the four seats on the league's board of directors.{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/108096092/?terms=%22ban+johnson%22+insurrectos+comiskey&match=1|title=Baseball's earlier 'no-sale' fuss triggered AL president's fall|page=C11|first=Ron|last=Coons|work=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription|date=June 27, 1976|access-date=April 13, 2021}}
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File:Landis is hired.jpg, surrounded by the major league owners]]
After the 1918 season, Harry Frazee, the owner of the Red Sox, and Harry Hempstead, the owner of the New York Giants, approached William Howard Taft, the former president of the United States, with an offer to make him baseball's sole commissioner.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99859087/taft-baseball-dictator/ |title=Taft Baseball Dictator? |work=The Kansas City Star|page=1|location = Kansas City, Missouri|via=Newspapers.com |date=1918-11-24 |accessdate=2022-04-16}} With other NL owners looking to replace Herrmann as chair of the commission, the new owners of the Giants switched course, supporting Herrmann's reelection to the chairmanship for the 1919 season as revenge for various rules passed by the league that hurt the Giants.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99861997/herrmann-remains-head-of-baseball/ |title=Herrmann Remains Head Of Baseball |newspaper=New York Herald |via=Newspapers.com |date=1919-01-17 |page=13 |accessdate=2022-04-16}}
In January 1920, Herrmann resigned from the commission.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1920/01/09/archives/august-herrmann-resigns-as-chairman-of-the-national-baseball.html |title=AUGUST HERRMANN RESIGNS AS CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL BASEBALL COMMISSION; HERRMANN RESIGNS HIS CHAIRMANSHIP Head of Baseball's Supreme Court Wants Action Taken as Soon as Possible. SURPRISES HIS ASSOCIATES Annual Report to Johnson and Heydler Had Led Them to Expect He Would Defer Decision. Surprise to His Associates. Advocates Deferred Election|work=The New York Times|date=1920-01-09 |accessdate=2022-04-14}} Johnson and John Heydler, the NL president, were unable to agree on a new chairman.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99693686/no-chairman-yet-appointed-for-baseball-c/ |title=No Chairman Yet Appointed For Baseball Commish |newspaper=Edmonton Journal |via=Newspapers.com |date=1920-02-25 |page=21 |accessdate=2022-04-14}}
In September 1920, a grand jury was called in Cook County, Illinois, to address an allegation of match fixing of a game between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99689086/order-probe-of-scandal-charge/ |title=Order Probe Of Scandal Charge |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=1920-09-08 |page=12 |accessdate=2022-04-14}} After investigating corruption in baseball, the grand jury indicted eight members of the White Sox for conspiring to throw the 1919 World Series, known as the Black Sox Scandal.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99688573/eight-charged-with-crooked-work-in-1919/ |title=Eight Charged With Crooked Work In 1919 World Series Games |newspaper=The Long Beach Telegram and the Long Beach Daily News |via=Newspapers.com |date=1920-09-28 |page=1 |accessdate=2022-04-14}} By October 1920, Heydler called for the end of the commission.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99688230/scrap-the-national-commission/ |title=Scrap the National Commission! |newspaper=New-York Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=1920-10-02 |page=12 |accessdate=2022-04-14}} Albert Lasker proposed the idea of having three individuals with no financial ties to baseball serving on the commission.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99703411/superior-tribunal-of-wide-power-planne/ |title='Superior Tribunal' of Wide Power Planned To Cure Baseball Ills |newspaper=The Washington Herald |via=Newspapers.com |date=1920-10-03 |page=12 |accessdate=2022-04-14}}
All eight teams in the National League, along with the Insurrectos in the American League, threatened to break away from Organized Baseball to form their own 12-team league.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99704566/break-staggering-blow-to-baseball/ |title=Break Staggering Blow To Baseball |newspaper=The Boston Globe |via=Newspapers.com |date=1920-11-09 |page=7 |accessdate=2022-04-14}} They turned to Landis as their preferred choice for commissioner.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5016240/ |title=Clipping from New York Herald |newspaper=New York Herald |via=Newspapers.com |date=2016-04-21 |page=27 |accessdate=2022-04-14}} Landis agreed to serve as Commissioner of Baseball, if he could have sole authority and not share the role with other commissioners. The owners agreed and Landis accepted the position on November 12, 1920, ending the commission.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99703529/baseball-war-comes-to-an-end-with-league/ |title=Baseball War Comes To An End With Leagues Remaining Intact |newspaper=Star-Gazette |via=Newspapers.com |date=1920-11-13 |page=8 |accessdate=2022-04-14}}