March 2nd, Yankees Arrive and MGM Team is Sold

Two big items for March 2 in Montgomery baseball history...

March 2, 1905 YANKEES ARRIVE
Manager and star Pitcher Clarke Griffith starts along with part of his NY American team in a game vs Montgomery.

Shortly afterwards Hal Chase should arrive for spring training with the NY Highlanders - later to be known as the Yankees. It wouldn't be Hal Chase if it didn't come with some drama....

AL Prez Johnson looks the other way when Chase jumped a contract to join NY

Hal Chase

Except of course, being Hal, he doesn't arrive.
The Highlanders win their first four exhibition games in Montgomery without Chase and Kid Elberfield. Both stars are absent from spring training until the Highlanders head out for barnstorming games in New Orleans and Miss.

Chase would finally make it to Montgomery for spring training - in 1918, with the Cincinnati Reds.

Chase is a top player of the era, the best first baseman in the first twenty years of the 1900s and a figure of mythical proportion.

Hal's life is a font of dramatic heights and valleys, from being one of the premier players in baseball to challenging MLB's anti-trust exemption to being banned for throwing games. He would be a hall of famer, but instead is seen by some to be the "most evil man ever to play baseball".



MARCH 2, 1908 MONTGOMERY TEAM CHANGES HANDS
A stock company bought the Mgm Southern league franchise and players from the Montgomery Traction Company. The price was about $16,500. The new company is to be incorporated for $25000.

This allowed the Montgomery Climbers/Senators to bring in big-league quality players, it was a more serious effort to contend than Montgomery team owners had made before.

Segregated Streetcars not moving on Dexter Ave.

In a way, this is a part of the souring of the relationship between the city leaders and the teams previous owners, the Montgomery Traction Company.

In 1906 the City Council had passed an ordinance requiring segregated streetcars. The streetcar owners, The Montgomery Traction Company, knew it couldn't afford to comply, so they simply shut down.

For nearly two days there was no streetcar service and Montgomery came to a standstill until a judge ordered an injunction on the ordinance. Angry city officials arrested the streetcar company officials, 54 in total, and the rift was firmly ensconced on both sides.

BISCUITS NEWS

Former Biscuits outfielder Todd Glaesmann announced his retirement today, mystifying experts and kicking Arizona Diamondbacks fans in the gut, as the 23 year old was a big part of the trade the brought veteran reliever Heath Bell to Tampa.

Apparently Glaesmann didn't like the food.

Sadly, it means I wont get to use this photo anymore.

Todd will pursue a career in rain-turtle distribution