I thought I'd put this shorter one up separate fromt he Sports what-ifs becasue it has all kinds of interesting butterflies.
What if Andrew Freedman sells the Giants to Bill Devery and Frank Farrell in 1900 or 1901 in a fit of spite, instead of them getting the Orioles and moving them to New York in 1903 as in OTL..
It could have happened. Freedman didn't own all the shares, but enough to have a majority. While Boss Croder was an ally, Croker was always under investigation, and if he's forced out early, or Freedm and and ally John T. B rush have a falling out (very possible)he could decide to dump the team in spite, since it was never his favorite thing. Him selling the Giants to them almost seems more likely than what happened OTL where Ban Johnsonw as forced to accept them.
Would they still get John McGraw? Possibly; McGraw hung out with some people of ill rpute after all, but while McxGraw might have brought some of them on board, it wouldn't have been as many as OTl. And, if it's early enough, Brush might just return the siteful move by drafting the keeping Christy Mathewson in late 1900.
It probably means someone else going to New york - maybe a different Orioles owner moves them (the owners weren't doing well financially), or maybe the browns (who had just gone from Milwaukee in 1901 to St. Louis in 1902. It's just possible it could be the Senators after a truly putrid 1904. But, Ban Johnson wanted a team in New York.
It would mean the Giants don't have quite the dominance of the first third of the century, though if McGraw is allowed to have free reign to runt he franchise then perhaps they could get the early 1920s dynasty - maybe even with Babe Ruth if the duo sells to Huston and Rupper. They might even be good enough to win a couple pennants by 1911-1913.
On the other hand. the duo finds Hal Chase, and that could be a perfect storm that leads to a *huge* scandal.
Who owns the Yankees OTl then? I've heard George M. Cohen tossed about as an owner, and that's possible early on. I like the idea I had in my "Changing Sox" scenario where - after Hustona nd RUpper part ways - Huston buys the Yankees and wins a couple pennants.
But, even if a "Changing Sox" type of scenario happens, it really does change the landscape of the first quarter of the 20th century of baseball, if not a lot further.
What if Andrew Freedman sells the Giants to Bill Devery and Frank Farrell in 1900 or 1901 in a fit of spite, instead of them getting the Orioles and moving them to New York in 1903 as in OTL..
It could have happened. Freedman didn't own all the shares, but enough to have a majority. While Boss Croder was an ally, Croker was always under investigation, and if he's forced out early, or Freedm and and ally John T. B rush have a falling out (very possible)he could decide to dump the team in spite, since it was never his favorite thing. Him selling the Giants to them almost seems more likely than what happened OTL where Ban Johnsonw as forced to accept them.
Would they still get John McGraw? Possibly; McGraw hung out with some people of ill rpute after all, but while McxGraw might have brought some of them on board, it wouldn't have been as many as OTl. And, if it's early enough, Brush might just return the siteful move by drafting the keeping Christy Mathewson in late 1900.
It probably means someone else going to New york - maybe a different Orioles owner moves them (the owners weren't doing well financially), or maybe the browns (who had just gone from Milwaukee in 1901 to St. Louis in 1902. It's just possible it could be the Senators after a truly putrid 1904. But, Ban Johnson wanted a team in New York.
It would mean the Giants don't have quite the dominance of the first third of the century, though if McGraw is allowed to have free reign to runt he franchise then perhaps they could get the early 1920s dynasty - maybe even with Babe Ruth if the duo sells to Huston and Rupper. They might even be good enough to win a couple pennants by 1911-1913.
On the other hand. the duo finds Hal Chase, and that could be a perfect storm that leads to a *huge* scandal.
Who owns the Yankees OTl then? I've heard George M. Cohen tossed about as an owner, and that's possible early on. I like the idea I had in my "Changing Sox" scenario where - after Hustona nd RUpper part ways - Huston buys the Yankees and wins a couple pennants.
But, even if a "Changing Sox" type of scenario happens, it really does change the landscape of the first quarter of the 20th century of baseball, if not a lot further.