In late 1913 the newly formed Federal League declared itself a Major League in competition with the established National and American Leagues. Backed by some of America's wealthiest merchants and industrialists, the new organization posed a real challenge to baseball's prevailing structure, although it struggled for profits. The established leagues fought to stop the newcomers, and the players organized baseball's first real union. The consequences of this battle would shape the business of baseball and American professional sports in general for many years to come in what PublishersWeekly has called "a richly detailed account."
In late 1913, the newly formed Federal League declared itself a major league in competition with the established National and American Leagues. Backed by some of America's wealthiest merchants and industrialists, the new organization posed a real challenge to baseball's prevailing structure. For the next two years the well-established leagues fought back furiously in the press, in the courts, and on the field. The story of this fascinating and complex historical battle centers on the machinations of both the owners and the players, as the Federals struggled for profits and status, and players organized baseball's first real union. Award-winning author Daniel R. Levitt gives the most authoritative account yet published of the short-lived Federal League, the last professional baseball league to challenge the National and American League monopoly.

This paperback edition was first printed in hardcover as The Battle That Forged Modern Baseball. An eBook edition is also available under the original title.