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 Federals" (or "Chi-Feds") to distinguish them from the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox.
The team came in second in the Federal League rankings in 1914 and won the league championship in 1915. They came to an end when the Federal League came to a deal with the National and American Leagues that disbanded all its teams. The Whales are notable as the original occupants of the stadium now known as Wrigley Field, the current home of the Chicago Cubs[1] and the only Federal League stadium still in use.
The Chicago team played the 1913 initial season of the Federal League, as the new league was formed as an independent minor league. Without a formal nickname, the team was called the Chicago Keeleys in 1913, after manager Burt Keeley. The 1913 Chicago team ended the season in fourth place with a 57–62 record, finishing 17.5 games behind the first place Indianapolis Hoosiers (75–45). The Cleveland Green Sox (64–54), St. Louis Terriers (59–60) Covington Blue Sox/Kansas City Packers (32–45) and Pittsburgh Filipinos (49–71) were the other members of the 1913 six-team Federal League.
As the 1913 season was being played, the Federal League began talks of its future and decided to continue playing with the design of becoming a major league in 1914. Chicago businessman James A. Gilmore was appointed Federal League president, replacing John T. Powers. Gilmore initially secured Charles Weeghman, a wealthy Chicago restaurateur, to become the owner of the Chicago franchise in the Federal League. Gilmore further positioned the league by securing influential owners in Brooklyn, New York and St. Louis, Missouri.[2][3][4][5][6]
The 1914 Chicago club finished 1½ games behind the Indianapolis Hoosiers in the inaugural major league season for the league. The team lacked a formal nickname and was known simply as the Chicago Federals. Before the start of the season, Weeghman built a stadium for the team, called Weeghman Park, designed by Zachary Taylor Davis, who had previously designed Comiskey Park. He also leased the parcel on which the park stood for 99 years.
Chicago Federals playing at Weeghman Park in April 1914
In the league's second and final season, the Chicago Federals adopted the nickname "Whales". They included the logo of a whale inside a large "C" on their uniform shirts. The Whales won the league championship, finishing with 86 wins and 66 losses, percentage points ahead of the St. Louis Terriers' 87–67 record.
When Kenesaw Mountain Landis brokered a deal between the Federal League, American League and National League that ended the Federal League's existence, Weeghman was allowed to buy a controlling interest in the Cubs. He then merged the Whales with the Cubs and moved the Cubs from West Side Park into his new steel-and-concrete structure. While Weeghman himself was forced out within four years due to financial troubles, the Cubs still play in the park he built to this day, the only Federal League park still in use. It was renamed Cubs Park in 1920 and acquired its present name, Wrigley Field, in 1926.
As the Federals, they played the first game at Wrigley Field on April 23, 1914, and to mark the park's centennial on April 23, 2014, the Cubs wore the Federals' uniforms.[7]
chicago, whales, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, 201. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Chicago Whales news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 Federals or Chi Feds to distinguish them from the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox Chicago WhalesInformationLocationChicago IllinoisFounded1913Disbanded1915Nickname s Chicago Keeleys 1913 Chicago Federals 1914 Chicago Whales 1915 League championships1 1915 Former name s Chicago Federals 1914 Former league s Federal LeagueFormer ballparksWeeghman ParkColorsblue white OwnershipCharles WeeghmanManagerBurt Keeley 1913 Joe Tinker 1914 1915 The team came in second in the Federal League rankings in 1914 and won the league championship in 1915 They came to an end when the Federal League came to a deal with the National and American Leagues that disbanded all its teams The Whales are notable as the original occupants of the stadium now known as Wrigley Field the current home of the Chicago Cubs 1 and the only Federal League stadium still in use Contents 1 History 2 Baseball Hall of Famers 3 References 4 See alsoHistory editThe Chicago team played the 1913 initial season of the Federal League as the new league was formed as an independent minor league Without a formal nickname the team was called the Chicago Keeleys in 1913 after manager Burt Keeley The 1913 Chicago team ended the season in fourth place with a 57 62 record finishing 17 5 games behind the first place Indianapolis Hoosiers 75 45 The Cleveland Green Sox 64 54 St Louis Terriers 59 60 Covington Blue Sox Kansas City Packers 32 45 and Pittsburgh Filipinos 49 71 were the other members of the 1913 six team Federal League As the 1913 season was being played the Federal League began talks of its future and decided to continue playing with the design of becoming a major league in 1914 Chicago businessman James A Gilmore was appointed Federal League president replacing John T Powers Gilmore initially secured Charles Weeghman a wealthy Chicago restaurateur to become the owner of the Chicago franchise in the Federal League Gilmore further positioned the league by securing influential owners in Brooklyn New York and St Louis Missouri 2 3 4 5 6 The 1914 Chicago club finished 1 games behind the Indianapolis Hoosiers in the inaugural major league season for the league The team lacked a formal nickname and was known simply as the Chicago Federals Before the start of the season Weeghman built a stadium for the team called Weeghman Park designed by Zachary Taylor Davis who had previously designed Comiskey Park He also leased the parcel on which the park stood for 99 years nbsp Chicago Federals playing at Weeghman Park in April 1914In the league s second and final season the Chicago Federals adopted the nickname Whales They included the logo of a whale inside a large C on their uniform shirts The Whales won the league championship finishing with 86 wins and 66 losses percentage points ahead of the St Louis Terriers 87 67 record When Kenesaw Mountain Landis brokered a deal between the Federal League American League and National League that ended the Federal League s existence Weeghman was allowed to buy a controlling interest in the Cubs He then merged the Whales with the Cubs and moved the Cubs from West Side Park into his new steel and concrete structure While Weeghman himself was forced out within four years due to financial troubles the Cubs still play in the park he built to this day the only Federal League park still in use It was renamed Cubs Park in 1920 and acquired its present name Wrigley Field in 1926 Many Whales players had American and National League experience including manager Joe Tinker Dutch Zwilling Mordecai Brown and Rollie Zeider As the Federals they played the first game at Wrigley Field on April 23 1914 and to mark the park s centennial on April 23 2014 the Cubs wore the Federals uniforms 7 Baseball Hall of Famers editMain article National Baseball Hall of Fame Chicago Whales Hall of FamersAffiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumMordecai BrownJoe TinkerPlayers and managers listed in bold are depicted on their Hall of Fame plaques wearing a Whales cap insignia References edit Shapiro Michael The devil and Charlie Weeghman chicagotribune com Retrieved 16 March 2019 James Gilmore Society for American Baseball Research 1913 Chicago Keeleys Statistics Baseball Reference com Burt Keeley Society for American Baseball Research 1913 Federal League Baseball Reference com Was the Federal League a Major League research sabr org Cubs lose in dramatic fashion on Wrigley s 100th USA TODAY Retrieved 16 March 2019 See also editChicago Whales all time roster 1914 Chicago Federals season 1915 Chicago Whales season Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chicago Whales amp oldid 1181598143, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
