A Baseball House Divided

[metsgeek]

Keep it going, Joe. I can't decide which team I want to follow.

[ifspuds]

Awww man. Portland almost pulled it off! Go 'Jacks!

[Malleus Dei]

Just stumbled on this. Shades of Harry Turtledove!

[legendsport]

Originally Posted by metsgeek

Keep it going, Joe. I can't decide which team I want to follow.

Just wait til the Confederate leagues get going - there'll be twice as many teams to choose from!

[legendsport]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

Awww man. Portland almost pulled it off! Go 'Jacks!

Yep, I was kind of pulling for them to make the miracle comeback.

[legendsport]

Originally Posted by Malleus Dei

Just stumbled on this. Shades of Harry Turtledove!

Definitely. I've read most of Turtledove's books (even the one he wrote as H.N. Turteltaub about the Roman emperor Justinian). He was an inspiration for this, though I'm taking the timeline in a slightly less confrontational direction.

[legendsport]

from the Richmond Courier, November 7, 1902:

WHO'S IT GOING TO BE? - Polling for tomorrow's Presidential election shows a neck-and-neck race between the Democratic candidate, Governor Ebe W. Tunnell of Delaware and his Whig opponent, Senator Jeter C. Pritchard of North Carolina.

Tunnell is well-known as a supporter of business and has posited a plan to more closely tie Confederate manufacturing and export firms with the large firms in the United States - a very controversial position. His opponent has referred to Tunnell's plan as "the most direct route to put the Southern nation back in the lap of the rich and decadent North," and that he would not have "the Confederacy be anyone's lap dog."

Pritchard is a much more militant candidate, with his main platform being one of increased military strength, a consolidation of Confederate power in the Caribbean, which he refers to as a "natural lake of the Confederacy." Tunnell points out that the government's budget can not support a large standing army and that the states would be forced to carry much of the burden - popular sentiment with his fellow denizens of statehouses across the country.

Tunnell also points out that relations with the United States, already unhappy with what has been termed "Confederate imperialism" in Latin America, would be further strained by following a policy of increasing Southern influence in the region.

The voters will decide which man's vision will guide our country for the next six years...

[legendsport]

from the personal diary of Calvin Griffith:

November 7, 1902:

Had a meeting with that old snake Spalding today in Chicago. The first thing I pointed out is that I had to get back to Mizzou first thing so that I can make sure to get my vote in.

Spalding claimed that he wanted to talk about mutual cooperation in growing the game in the Latin Americas. I pointed out that since the Confederacy was the governing nation in most of the area, it would probably not accept Northern "help" in educating the natives. His reply, which caught me off guard, was that despite our governments' differences, we're all in the business of baseball and that it would behoove everyone to co-exist and support one another.

I think I covered my surprise - having fully expected that he would claim some right to baseball on the islands as his touring team opened the area to baseball - but responded that, honestly, the Confederacy owns those islands and we will be the ones to administer them - both civilly and culturally, including sporting activities.

"Fine," he said and produced a baseball from his desk. "Look at this," he said, "this is a new ball, with an improved cork core that Al Reach is coming out with." I took the ball, which seemed very much an ordinary, hard, baseball. "Give it a bounce," said Spalding, so I did and found, to my surprise, that it bounced much livelier than any baseball I'd seen before.

"Calls it a rabbit ball," said Spalding. "Could revolutionize the game. I've recommended we sit on it. The fans are accustomed to the usual ebb and flow. I don't know how they'd take to a game played with a ball with this much life in it."

I agreed with him and said that the balls used by my teams, produced in the CSA, were similar in construction to the Spalding balls produced in the USA.

"I see no reason to change, either." I told him.

He asked one last time if I'd reconsider allowing the USA's baseball players tour the islands. I told him that it was doubtful that would be permitted by the government and wished him a good day.

[legendsport]

from the Richmond Courier, November 9, 1902:

PRITCHARD WINS BY SLIM MARGIN - Jeter Connelly Pritchard has been elected President of the Confederate States of America in the closest election in CS history. The victorious candidate appeared on the balcony of his home in Marshall, North Carolina, to make a brief statement:

"I wish to thank the people for entrusting me with the governance of our great nation. In the next six years, the Confederacy will continue to rise among the family of nations, and will take our rightful place in the sun."

..."one of the first orders of business is opening discussions with the government of Colombia on the question of building a canal across the isthmus of Panama....we will not let the feelings of the United States government determine our path - the Yankees lost the right to guide the citizens of Dixie when General Lee whipped their fannies at Gettysburg...The twentieth century will be the age of Southern ascendancy..."

Reports from our correspondents in Columbia indicate that the US government is "concerned" with the direction the Confederacy will be taken under the Pritchard administration...


CSA President Jeter C. Pritchard

[legendsport]

from the Sporting Life, December 13, 1902:

The list of amateur players reserved by the clubs of the US Professional Baseball Organization during their management meetings of December 8th:

Round 1:
Philadelphia pick: P Chief Bender. Signing Bonus: $732,600
Oakland pick: P Elmer Bliss. Signing Bonus: $393,600
San Francisco pick: 2B Johnny Evers. Signing Bonus: $380,000
Pittsburgh pick: P Mordecai Brown. Signing Bonus: $200,000
Los Angeles pick: P Fred Burchell. Signing Bonus: $136,350
Chicago pick: P Ambrose Puttmann. Signing Bonus: $247,000
Sacramento pick: P Chappie McFarland. Signing Bonus: $175,000
San Diego pick: P Jake Weimer. Signing Bonus: $158,400
Boston pick: P Barney Wolfe. Signing Bonus: $118,800
Columbia pick: 3B Dave Brain. Signing Bonus: $106,700
Portland pick: RF John Titus. Signing Bonus: $180,000
New York pick: P Grant Thatcher. Signing Bonus: $51,500
Round 2 :
Philadelphia pick: P Gus Thompson. Signing Bonus: $2,100,000
Oakland pick: P Norwood Gibson. Signing Bonus: $91,000
San Francisco pick: LF Davy Jones. Signing Bonus: $105,000
Pittsburgh pick: RF Jimmy Sebring. Signing Bonus: $35,000
Los Angeles pick: P Jimmy Wiggs. Signing Bonus: $35,000
Chicago pick: 2B Ed Abbaticchio. Signing Bonus: $91,000
Sacramento pick: CF Danny Hoffman. Signing Bonus: $35,000
San Diego pick: P Jack Dunleavy. Signing Bonus: $35,000
Boston pick: 2B Rabbit Robinson. Signing Bonus: $35,000
Columbia pick: SS Lee DeMontreville. Signing Bonus: $35,000
Portland pick: 3B Pep Clark. Signing Bonus: $35,000
New York pick: P Patsy Flaherty. Signing Bonus: $35,000
Round 3 :
Philadelphia pick: P Gus Dorner. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Oakland pick: 1B Charlie Carr. Signing Bonus: $50,000
San Francisco pick: P Kaiser Wilhelm. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Pittsburgh pick: P John Deering. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Los Angeles pick: SS Charlie Babb. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Chicago pick: C Ed Phelps. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Sacramento pick: P Jack Doscher. Signing Bonus: $25,000
San Diego pick: 3B Joe Yeager. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Boston pick: RF Walt McCredie. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Columbia pick: P Bucky Veil. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Portland pick: C Frank Roth. Signing Bonus: $25,000
New York pick: P Bill Bartley. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Round 4 :
Philadelphia pick: C Fred Carisch. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Oakland pick: 2B Dutch Jordan. Signing Bonus: $25,000
San Francisco pick: C Tommy Raub. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Pittsburgh pick: P Jim Fairbank. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Los Angeles pick: C Monte Beville. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Chicago pick: RF Joe Martin. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Sacramento pick: C Lew Ritter. Signing Bonus: $25,000
San Diego pick: C Fred Abbott. Signing Bonus: $25,000
Boston pick: RF Joe Marshall. Signing Bonus: $25,000

[canadiancreed]

I'm liking this writeup. I'm also quite jealous of how quick you're knocking these out with the historical tone to them,

The peace conference at Ottawa in Canada got underway today

For some reaosn this made me smile. Instead of Diefenbaker being known as the father of Canada's peacetime work, perhaps it will be The Right Hon. Sir John Sparrow David Thompson? (who was Prime Minister during this time, but died right before Xmas of heart failure)

Some questions. One, where is Columbia? Is this present day Washington DC?

Also do you have a map of what part of the US is under whose control now?

[legendsport]

from the log of HMS Victory, British battleship, January 11, 1903:

In conjunction with Admiral Hereford's task force, rendezvoused off Caracas with vessels of German Imperial Navy and Italian Navy in support of enforcement of debt held against Venezuelan government.

1349: smoke spotted, bearing 015.
1413: identification of CSS Alabama, Virginia-class battleship.
1418: identification of CSS Texas, Virginia-class battleship and CSS Kentucky, new Tennessee-class battleship
1448: signal received from CSS Alabama: Return to international waters. You are in violation of Monroe Doctrine.
1505: shot fired by CSS Alabama crosses bow. Order task force to move NNE into international waters. Signal naval station at Trinidad for further instructions.

from diplomatic dispates, Confederate Department of State, Richmond:

January 12, 1903 - CSA to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, German Reich and Italy:

Naval task force in Caribbean is violation of Monroe Doctrine. Aggression against government of Venezuela will be met with military force by CS armed forces. Suggest mediation of dispute, parties of Imperial German Kaiser, King of Italy, King of Great Britain on one side and the government of President Cipriano Castro of Venezuela, mediated by government of Confederate States of America.

[legendsport]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Some questions. One, where is Columbia? Is this present day Washington DC?

Columbia is what is known in our reality as Columbus, Ohio. Washington was annexed to Maryland and is a regular city in the alternate-reality (but one that will likely get a club in the upcoming Dixie League).

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Also do you have a map of what part of the US is under whose control now?

Yep - here you go:

[canadiancreed]

wow the North still won out nicely. Kinda surprised that the confeds would not have as many states as they could. Reality basis I assume?

Also would the border between the north and Canada still be the same (49th parrrellel)? I ask since I beleive that the NorthWest was still under British control until the 1870's along with Alaska. Wonder if that could have had an effect

[legendsport]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

wow the North still won out nicely. Kinda surprised that the confeds would not have as many states as they could. Reality basis I assume?

I figured that the South would have been very happy with independence. I ceded them the border states of Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri. I wavered on Kansas and ended up giving it to the North, but gave Indian Territory (Oklahoma) to the South. I also thought about giving the South New Mexico, but decided that, again, they'd probably have been satisfied to gain independence. I then figured that any Southern expansion would be directed into Latin America.

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Also would the border between the north and Canada still be the same (49th parrrellel)? I ask since I beleive that the NorthWest was still under British control until the 1870's along with Alaska. Wonder if that could have had an effect

Originally I had thought of having the relations between Britain and the US be bad, with battles along the US-Canadian border, but I felt that the British would probably, from a political-cultural standpoint, be closer to the North than the South (because of slavery which wouldn't end in the CS til the 1880s), so I decided to downplay (at least for now) the whole US-Canada border dispute angle, though I did decide that Alaska would become a part of British Canada, since Seward would be out as Sec. of State after the Democrats won the White House in 1864.

Of course when WWI rolls around things might just get interesting....

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by legendsport

I figured that the South would have been very happy with independence. I ceded them the border states of Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri. I wavered on Kansas and ended up giving it to the North, but gave Indian Territory (Oklahoma) to the South. I also thought about giving the South New Mexico, but decided that, again, they'd probably have been satisfied to gain independence. I then figured that any Southern expansion would be directed into Latin America.



Originally I had thought of having the relations between Britain and the US be bad, with battles along the US-Canadian border, but I felt that the British would probably, from a political-cultural standpoint, be closer to the North than the South (because of slavery which wouldn't end in the CS til the 1880s), so I decided to downplay (at least for now) the whole US-Canada border dispute angle, though I did decide that Alaska would become a part of British Canada, since Seward would be out as Sec. of State after the Democrats won the White House in 1864.

Of course when WWI rolls around things might just get interesting....

actually if I remmeber right (and that's all subject to interpretation) the British supported the South in the war as kind of a payback thing. Sadly I don't have referrences though.

I also wonder what was the states situation in 1865? Was the west largely settled and divided up into territories? if so I can see your point. if not I could see the SOuth wanting to expand it's reach to the pacific, at the very least grabbing southern california

[legendsport]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

actually if I remmeber right (and that's all subject to interpretation) the British supported the South in the war as kind of a payback thing. Sadly I don't have referrences though.

British (and French) support for the South was mainly economical in that they wanted the cheap and abundant cotton for their mills. Politically it would have been very difficult for the government of either nation to support a nation which openly endorsed slavery as popular sentiment in Europe was very much against slavery.

That said, they did build blockade runners for the Confederacy and supplied military stores. It was in their best interest for the US to be embroiled in a civil war and unable to respond to any moves they would make in the Western Hemisphere.

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

I also wonder what was the states situation in 1865? Was the west largely settled and divided up into territories? if so I can see your point. if not I could see the SOuth wanting to expand it's reach to the pacific, at the very least grabbing southern california

California was granted statehood in 1850, so it's unlikely the North would've conceded the war if ceding California was part of the bargain. Most of the West was not organized into states at that time, with New Mexico and Arizona being the last of the continental 48 to make statehood (in 1912), but I still felt that it was unlikely the Confederacy would make a land-grab when their stated goal was independence.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by legendsport

British (and French) support for the South was mainly economical in that they wanted the cheap and abundant cotton for their mills. Politically it would have been very difficult for the government of either nation to support a nation which openly endorsed slavery as popular sentiment in Europe was very much against slavery.

That said, they did build blockade runners for the Confederacy and supplied military stores. It was in their best interest for the US to be embroiled in a civil war and unable to respond to any moves they would make in the Western Hemisphere.



California was granted statehood in 1850, so it's unlikely the North would've conceded the war if ceding California was part of the bargain. Most of the West was not organized into states at that time, with New Mexico and Arizona being the last of the continental 48 to make statehood (in 1912), but I still felt that it was unlikely the Confederacy would make a land-grab when their stated goal was independence.

that makes sense now. I could have sworn that CA was later but it's all good. Thanks for the info

[legendsport]

from the Richmond Courier, January 20, 1903:

SCRUGGS-HERRAN TREATY RATIFIED BY SENATE - The Confederate Senate overwhelmingly approved the treaty agreement with Colombia for the building of a canal by the Confederacy across the isthmus of Panama.

The treaty authored by Secretary of State William L. Scruggs in cooperation with Colombian Foreign Minister Tomas Herran, grants the CSA a 99-year, renewable lease on a six-mile wide "canal zone" across the Panamian isthmus. The stated purpose of the canal zone is the construction of a CSA-built and operated canal connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean Sea.

"This is a great moment for our country," said President-elect Pritchard from his home in North Carolina. "It's but the first step towards pre-eminence for the Confederacy in the Western Hemisphere."

The measure passed the Senate by the margin of 37-2, with only the representatives of Sonora voting no.

[legendsport]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

that makes sense now. I could have sworn that CA was later but it's all good. Thanks for the info

No problem - it's great to see that you're enjoying this little jaunt into alternate reality...