alternatehistory.com

What if the American League did not develop? How would baseball have evolved? Well I believe one reason for the AL success is the NL contraction in 1899 in which it abandoned Detroit, Baltimore, Washington and Cleveland, the AL picked up each of these cities in 1901 {although Baltimore was later abandoned in short order}, out of the originial 8 AL teams in 1901 three of them shared a city with the NL {Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago}, with the eight team being in Milwaukee. Following its first season the Milwaukee team was moved to St Louis and after the next season the Baltimore team was moved to New York to give the AL a presence in the nations largest city.

But what if the NL doesn't contract, and any attempt to form the AL fails. In 1900 Major League Baseball appears like this

Baltimore Orioles
Boston Beaneaters {later the Braves}
Brooklyn Superbras {later the Dodgers}
Chicago Orphans {later the Cubs}
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Blues {later the Indians}
Detroit Wolverines
New York Giants
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
St Louis Cardinals
Washington Senators

The next attempt to create a second league comes in 1908 and called the American League (no relation to OTL AL) 12 cities are selected the following being
Boston Americans
Buffalo Buffs
Brooklyn Atlantics
Chicago White Stockings
Columbus Cannons
Indianapolis Hoosiers
Kansas City Packers
Louisville Colonels
Milwaukee Brewers
Minneapolis Millers
Philadelphia Quakers
Richmond Virginians

Philadelphia is the most successful of these 10 teams and when the AL folds after miserable performances at the gate in 1911 the owner of the Philadelphia Phillies purchases the Quakers and places the best players on the Phillies, and moves the team into Quaker Park (OTL Shibe Park). The NL scrambles to sign the all-stars of the other 9 teams to bolster their own rosters.

In 1915 the Pacifc Coast League declares itself to be the second Major League and begins signing players away from the NL, sparking a rivalry between the two Leagues. As the United States enters World War I in 1917, the two Leagues agreed to meet in the All-American Baseball Championship in a best three of five series to determine the best team in the United States.

The Twelve PCL teams are as follows
Denver Bears
Fresno Missions
Hollywood Stars
Los Angeles Angels
Oakland Oaks
Portland Beavers
Sacramenot Solons
Salt Lake Bees
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Seals
Seattle Rainiers
Tacoma Tigers

The 1917 championship is played between the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Angels with New York winning 3-1 in LA.

Due to the wide popularity of the All-American Baseball Championship, the two leagues agree to continue meeting annually at the end of each season. Thus baseball takes a very different path from OTL.

Whatcha think?
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