Baseball: A Decade of Conflict

1. Baseball:A Decade of Conflict The ___________________ faced a renewed threat from rival professional circuit, the ___________________. Tensions quickly developed after the AA franchise from _______________ failed to submit their list to the national board, leaving their star players Harry Stover and Louis Bierbauer available as free agents. Acting quickly, the NL's Pittsburgh team swooped in to sign Bierbauer, much to the chagrin of the AA, who labeled the Pittsburgh team as “________,” a name that has stuck ever since. As the two leagues wrestled for control, the “__________ _______ _____” plunged professional baseball into a state of decline.

2. Baseball: A Decade of ConflictRule Changes • The National League _________________ between the pitcher's mound and home plate to an astounding ______,_______. • Pitchers were required to deliver the ball with their back foot fixed to a rubber slab, eradicating the “__________” like skip-step delivery that had beleaguered offenses in the past.

3. Baseball: A Decade of ConflictRule Changes • _______ ______ were witnessed, average team ______ increased, and 26 players hit a _________ __________ of .300 or above. • In fact, over the course of the entire decade _______ players hit a whooping ______or better average.

4. Baseball: A Decade of Conflict Baseball's Tarnished Image • Players _________ in an effort to inflict deep wounds against their opponents when sliding into bases. • Infielders __________________base runners. • Catchers __________________in front ofrunners to hinder their progress towardhome plate.

5. Baseball: A Decade of Conflict Baseball's Tarnished Image • Clearing of the dugout became a frequent occurrence as heated rivalries spilled over into full-blown fistfights, or what we call today ___________ _____________ _____________. • No other team captured this bellicose spirit better than the __________ _________. • The league produced a new set of guidelines under the title,____________________________________________________________________________________.”

6. Baseball: A Decade of Conflict The Rise of the American League • Apart from the power struggles and rule changes, baseball in the 1890s is perhaps best remembered for the enactment of a “______ ______” , that barred black players from the nation's favorite pastime up until Jackie Robinson's much-publicized entrance into the major leagues in ______. • Unofficial bans had prevented blacks from playing in the National League since _____. Yet as many as ____African Americans played professional baseball on integrated teams from _____ to _______. • Most professional baseball teams enforced a “___________ ___________________,” whereby they promised not to field any black players.

7. Baseball: A Decade of Conflict The Rise of the American League • As _________________________swept across the country, situations for black players rapidly deteriorated, culminating in the ________________________from white professional teams just prior to the turn of the century. • In response to their exclusion, _____________________________________and began touring throughout the country. • By calling themselves the “_______” and __________________on the field, black players attempted to mask their African American ethnicity. By 1900, 5 major black professional teams were competing throughout the United States, including the Cuban Giants, the Cuban X Giants, and the Columbia Giants.