[legendsport]

In December 1900, American League President Byron Standish was hedging on re-signing the National Agreement. The Agreement governed the manner in which the National League dealt with "minor" leagues, of which the NL considered all other leagues since the AA had folded back in '92.

With the NL becoming increasingly arrogant and heavy-handed in its dealings with the other leagues over the past few years, especially in 1900 when the contraction of four clubs had consolidated the cream of the crop of baseball talent among eight clubs, Standish had decided it was time to make his move. The American League, which as recently as 1899 had been a regional loop with a regional moniker (Western League) was going "major."

Standish announced that the American League would be moving clubs into Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington - two of them currently homes of NL clubs with the other being former homes to the big league. The four new clubs (essentially shifted) would join Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee from the minor league incarnation of 1900.

The AL czar also promised to honor any National League contracts which had already been signed for 1901. However, any player merely "reserved" (which was essentially ALL of them) would be considered fair game by the AL clubs. It amounted to a declaration of war and guaranteed that player salaries would skyrocket.

Initially, the NL took a "wait and see" attitude. That wouldn't last long.