The Cleveland Green Sox were a

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

club based in

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. In 1913, the Green Sox were charter members of the

Federal League The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that played its first season as a minor league in 1913 and operated as a "third major league", in competition with the e ...

. The Cleveland Green Sox were managed by

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

member

Cy Young Denton True "Cy" Young (March 29, 1867 – November 4, 1955) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. Born in Gilmore, Ohio, he worked on his family's farm as a youth before starting his professional baseball career. Young entered th ...

and played just the 1913 season before the franchise was folded. Finishing in second place, the Green Sox hosted home games at

Luna Park Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks. They are named after, and partly based on, the first Luna Park, which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island parks. Luna parks are small-sc ...

. The Green Sox franchise was ultimately forced out in Cleveland when the major league

Cleveland Naps The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive ...

relocated the

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...

to Cleveland for the 1914 season.

History

In 1912, baseball promoter John T. Powers formed an independent professional league known as the Columbian League. However, the withdrawal of one of the organization's primary investors caused the league to fail before ever playing a game. Undaunted, Powers tried again the following year, creating a new league with teams in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, and

Covington, Kentucky Covington is a list of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, Kenton County, Kentucky, United States, located at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Licking River (Kentucky), Licking Rivers. Cincinnati, Ohio, ...

. He named the organization the Federal League, and served as its first president. Because it did not abide by the National Agreement on player payment in place in

organized baseball The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive officer of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the associated Minor League Baseball (MiLB) – a constellation of leagues and clubs known as "organized baseball". Under the direction of the Commiss ...

, the Federal League was called an "outlaw league" by its competitors. The Federal League's outlaw status allowed it to recruit players from established clubs, and it attracted many current and former players from the major as well as minor leagues. Powers initially served as president, but he was soon replaced by

James A. Gilmore James Alexander Gilmore (March 2, 1876 – March 19, 1947) was an American businessman who served as president of baseball's Federal League when it attempted to become a third major league, alongside the American League and National League, i ...

. The 1913 Federal League began play as a six–team

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...

. The Cleveland franchise was named the Green Sox. Cleveland joined the

Chicago Whales The Chicago Whales were a professional baseball team based in Chicago. They played in the Federal League, a short-lived "third Major League", in 1914 and 1915. They originally lacked a formal nickname, and were known simply as the "Chicago Feder ...

Covington Blue Sox The Covington Blue Sox were a Federal League baseball club in Covington, Kentucky, in 1913. The team was also referred to as the Covington Colonels or Covington Federals in contemporary newspaper reports. The team was moved to Kansas City in Jul ...

Indianapolis Hoosiers Indianapolis Hoosiers was the name of three major league and at least three minor league baseball clubs based in Indianapolis. * Indianapolis Hoosiers (American Association), which played in 1884 * Indianapolis Hoosiers (National League), which pla ...

Pittsburgh Filipinos The Pittsburgh Filipinos were a minor league baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team began play in 1912 in the United States Baseball League. The team played all of its home games at Exposition Park, located on Pittsburgh's No ...

and

St. Louis Terriers The St. Louis Terriers were a baseball club that played in the short-lived Federal League in and . They played their home games at Handlan's Park. The team was owned by ice magnate Phil Ball, who later was owner of the St. Louis Browns. In thei ...

in beginning Federal League play on May 4, 1913. The Cleveland Green Sox became the second baseball team in Cleveland, behind the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

's Cleveland Naps, today's

Cleveland Guardians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...

. The 1913 Green Sox were managed by the legendary

. The Cleveland owner was Matthew Bramley, who was president of the Cleveland Trinidad Paving Company, at the time the largest paving company in the world. The league played a 120-game inaugural season. The Cleveland Green Sox hosted the very first Federal League game. The Federal League opener was held at Cleveland's

against the

. In their only season of play, the 1913 Cleveland Green Sox finished in second place in the six–team Federal League standings. Cleveland ended the season with a 64–54 record, finishing 10.0 games behind the first place Indianapolis Hoosiers. The league held no playoffs. For the 46–year–old Cy Young, the 1913 season was his final managing position after a 511-win pitching career. During the 1913 Federal League season, Gilmore replaced Powers as league president. The Federal League franchises, Cleveland included, were struggling financially and there was consideration given to folding the league. Gilmore convinced the league owners to continue the 1913 league and to play again in 1914. Gilmore aligned the Federal League with wealthy owners in Chicago, St. Louis and Brooklyn, but Cleveland was struggling being in the same city with the major league Cleveland Naps. Three other original Federal League franchises (St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Chicago) were in the same position of having to share their market. The Green Sox ended 1913 with financial losses. Cleveland Green Sox owner Matthew Bramley had plans for the 1914 Cleveland Green Sox that never materialized. Bramley had an option for a piece of property on Euclid Avenue between East 47th and East 49th streets as a site for a new ballpark. But the financial obligations of building a new stadium, coupled with a Federal League franchise fee were major financial obstacles. After the 1913 season, Cleveland did not return for the Federal League's 1914 season. Besides finances, a final factor was another team coming to Cleveland for the 1914 season. On February 16, 1914, Cleveland Naps owner

Charles Somers Charles W. Somers (October 13, 1868 – June 29, 1934) was an American executive in the coal industry in Cleveland, Ohio, who also achieved prominence in professional baseball. The financial resources from his business interests allowed Somers to ...

formally announced that the minor league

of the

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

(owned by Somers) were relocating to Cleveland to share

League Park League Park was a baseball park located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was situated at the northeast corner of Dunham Street (now known as East 66th Street) and Lexington Avenue in the Hough, Cleveland, Hough neighborhood. It was built ...

with the Cleveland Naps. This move was made by Somers to compete with the Federal League potential presence in Cleveland. With the new

Cleveland Spiders The Cleveland Spiders were an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The team competed at the major league level from 1887 to 1899, first for two seasons as a member of the now-defunct American Association (AA), followed ...

being established as the second team in Cleveland, Bramley and the Federal League folded the 1914 Cleveland Green Sox franchise. The Green Sox were subsequently sold to Bernard Hepburn, who moved the franchise to

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

. There, the franchise became the Toronto Beavers playing in the 1914 Class B level

Canadian League The Canadian League was a minor league baseball league that operated in Canada in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The first version of the league operated in 1885, then from 1896–1899, becoming a Class-D league in 1899 and merging into the Int ...

. The Federal League played as an eight–team major league in 1914, before permanently folding after the 1915 season amidst an antitrust lawsuit that eventually went to the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

The ballpark

The 1913 Cleveland Green Sox reportedly played home games at

. Luna Park had been owned since 1908 by Green Sox owner Matthew Bramley. Luna Park was an amusement park and sports facility that was located on the east side of Cleveland in the Woodland Hills neighborhood. Luna Park in opened in 1904. There was a chain of Luna Park amusement parks throughout the country, all built and opened by

Frederick Ingersoll Frederick Ingersoll (1876 – October 23, 1927) was an American inventor, designer, builder and entrepreneur who created the world's first chain of amusement parks (known collectively as "Luna Parks" regardless of their actual name) and whose manu ...

, owner of the Ingersoll Construction Company. Bramley purchased Luna Park from Frederick Ingersoll. The Cleveland Luna Park grew to include a 20,000 seat football field called the "Luna Bowl" and a baseball field. After the Green Sox,

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

teams Cleveland Stars (1932),

Cleveland Giants The Cleveland Giants were a Negro league baseball team. The team played only one year, 1933. Their home games were contested at Cleveland's Luna Bowl in Luna Park. History In 1933, the struggling Columbus Blue Birds of the Negro National Le ...

(1933), and

Cleveland Red Sox The Cleveland Red Sox was a Negro league baseball team in the Negro National League, based in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1934. In their only season, they finished with a 4-25 record. References African-American history in Cleveland Negro league ...

(1934) also played at Luna Park. The short–lived 1912 Cleveland Forest City club of the

United States Baseball League The United States Baseball League was a short-lived hopeful third major-league that was established in New York City in 1912 and lasted only one partial season. History In March 1912, organizers of the proposed league – described by members of ...

had used Luna Park the year before the Green Sox. Luna Park was located on a 35-acre site bordered by Woodhill Road, East 110th Street, Woodland Avenue, and Ingersoll Avenue. Luna Park was greatly affected by the depression and prohibition, closing in 1938. Later, the site became home of the Woodhill Homes housing development, which was built in stages in the 1940's and still exists today.

Timeline

Year-by-year record

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
alumni

(1913, MGR) Inducted, 1937

Notable alumni

Bill Bartley William Jackson Bartley (January 8, 1885 – May 17, 1965) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Base ...

(1913) *

Gil Britton Stephen Gilbert Britton (September 21, 1891 – June 20, 1983) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played in three games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1913.

(1913) * Harry Juul (1913) *

Red Kleinow John Peter Kleinow (July 20, 1877 – October 9, 1929) was a reserve catcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1904 through 1911 for the New York Highlanders (1904–10), Boston Red Sox (1910–11) and Philadelphia Phillies (1911). Listed a ...

(1913) * John Potts (1913) * Frank Rooney (1913)

References

{{reflist, 2 Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Ohio Defunct baseball teams in Ohio Baseball teams established in 1913 Baseball teams disestablished in 1913 Federal League teams Green Sox 1913 disestablishments in Ohio

History

The ballpark

Timeline

Year-by-year record

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ... alumni

Notable alumni

See also

References

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
alumni