| Newark Peppers | |
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| Information | |
| Location |
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| Ballpark |
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| Founded | 1913 |
| Disbanded | 1915 |
| League championships | 1 (1914) |
| Former name(s) |
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| Former league(s) | |
| Colors | Royal blue,white,red |
| Ownership | Harry Ford Sinclair |
| Manager | Bill Phillips |
TheNewark Peppers, originally known as theIndianapolis Hoosiers, were aFederal League baseball team from 1913–1915.[1][2] The Federal League (FL), founded in 1913, was a third major league in 1914 and 1915.
The Federal League began as an independent minor league in 1913. The franchise placed inIndianapolis,Indiana, was called the "Hoosier Feds" or just"Hoosiers", and won the 1913 league championship. Their ball field the first season was referred to as Riverside Beach or Riverside Park, and newspapers reported its location as "30th Street andRiverside Park".
When the Federal League declared itself a challenger to the two major leagues in 1914, it retained its franchise in Indianapolis, and built a new facility,Federal League Park. Primarily owned by oil magnateHarry F. Sinclair,[3] the Hoosiers again won the Federal League championshipthat year with an 88–65 record.
Although the FL had placed a team (theTip-Tops) inBrooklyn, from the outset Federal League officials felt they could more effectively compete commercially against the American and National leagues by placing a team inManhattan. All attempts were effectively blocked by principals of the two existing Manhattan teams (theNew York Giants and theNew York Yankees). Federal League executives decided to relocate the Indianapolis franchise to a major city in the New York metropolitan area, andNewark was chosen. Although the team was named theNewark Peppers[4] (called "The Peps" for short, and initially also "Newfeds"), the team actually played atHarrison Park, in the town ofHarrison, New Jersey, across thePassaic River from downtown Newark. (As part of the franchise transfer, IndianapolisoutfielderBenny Kauff, who was the Federal Leaguebatting champ in 1914, was placed with the Tip-Tops.)
The team finished in 5th place with a won–loss record of 80–72. The Peppers were disbanded when the Federal League went out of business after the 1915 season.
The Peppers were the only major league baseball franchise in New Jersey besides theElizabeth Resolutes, who played half of the 1873 season in theNational Association (the precursor to the National League). TheBrooklyn Dodgers played seven "home" games (one against each NL rival) in Jersey City in 1956 and 1957.
Neither Indianapolis or Newark have had a major league baseball team since 1915.
The team's roster included futureBaseball Hall of Fame membersEdd Roush andBill McKechnie. Other notable major leaguers on the Peppers included pitchersEd Reulbach andCy Falkenberg.
Team infielderRupert Mills "played" the non-existent 1916 "season." A clause in his 1915 contract guaranteed him a salary for the following year as long as he continued to show up at the park, suited and ready to play for the team. Mills fulfilled his contractual obligation, coming to the empty park each day and performing a physical workout to remain in playing condition. Mills, who was born in Newark, was also the only native Jerseyan on the team.
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