The Chicago Whales were a professional baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 team based in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

. They played in the Federal League

Federal League

The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...

, a short-lived "third Major League

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

", in 1914 and 1915. They originally lacked a formal nickname, and were known simply as the "Chicago Federals" (or "Chi-Feds") to distinguish them from the Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

 and Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

.

The team was founded by Charles Weeghman

Charles Weeghman

Charles H. Weeghman was one of the founders of the short-lived major league baseball organization called the Federal League . He had made a fortune in an early type of fast-food franchises in the Chicago area.Weeghman worked for Charlie King as a waiter for $10 a week...

. They came in second in the Federal League rankings in and won the league championship in . They came to an end when the Federal League came to a deal with the National

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 and American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

s that disbanded all its teams. As a result of the deal owner Weeghman was allowed to purchase a stake in the Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

. The Whales are notable as the original occupants of the stadium now known as Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

, the current home of the Cubs and the only Federal League stadium still in use.

History

Founded by Charles Weeghman

Charles Weeghman

Charles H. Weeghman was one of the founders of the short-lived major league baseball organization called the Federal League . He had made a fortune in an early type of fast-food franchises in the Chicago area.Weeghman worked for Charlie King as a waiter for $10 a week...

, the club finished 1½ games behind the Indianapolis Hoosiers

1914 Indianapolis Hoosiers season

The Indianapolis Hoosiers season was a season in American baseball. The Hoosiers won the inaugural Federal League championship, finishing 88-65, 1½ games ahead of the Chicago Federals.- Offseason :...

 in the inaugural season for the league, during which the team lacked a formal nickname and was known simply as the Chicago Federals . Prior to the start of the season, Weeghman built a stadium for the team, called Weeghman Park, designed by Zachary Taylor Davis

Zachary Taylor Davis

Zachary Taylor Davis was the architect of several major Chicago buildings, including St. Ambrose Old Comiskey Park , Wrigley Field , Mount Carmel High School , and St...

, who had previously designed Comiskey Park

Comiskey Park

Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...

. Now known as Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

 and used by the Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

, it is the only Federal League stadium still in use.

In the league's second and final season, the Chicago Federals adopted the nickname Whales, and included the logo of a whale inside a large "C" on their uniform shirts. The Whales won the league championship, finishing with 86 wins and 66 losses, percentage points ahead of the St. Louis Terriers

1915 St. Louis Terriers season

The St. Louis Terriers finished in 2nd place the Federal League, losing to the Chicago Whales by percentage points.- Roster :- Starters by position :...

' 87–67 record. When Kenesaw Mountain Landis

Kenesaw Mountain Landis

Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...

 brokered a deal between the Federal League, American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

 and National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 that ended the Federal League's existence, Weeghman was allowed to purchase the Cubs. Weeghman abandoned the wooden West Side Park

West Side Park

West Side Park was the name used for two different baseball parks that formerly stood in Chicago, Illinois. They were both home fields of the team now known as the Chicago Cubs of the National League. Both parks witnessed championship baseball...

 and moved his team into his new steel-and-concrete structure, where they remain today. Weeghman had purchased a 99-year lease on the property, which would presumably expire in the year 2013.

Many Whales players had American and National League experience, including manager Joe Tinker

Joe Tinker

Joseph Bert Tinker was a Major League Baseball player and manager. He is best known for his years with the Chicago Cubs dynasty which won four pennants between 1906 and 1910; and for his feud with double play partner Johnny Evers. Tinker was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in...

, Dutch Zwilling

Dutch Zwilling

Edward Harrison "Dutch" Zwilling , was a professional baseball player who played outfield in the major leagues from -...

, Mordecai Brown

Mordecai Brown

Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown , nicknamed "Three Finger" or "Miner", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher at the turn of the 20th century. Due to a farm-machinery accident in his youth, Brown lost parts of two fingers on his right hand and eventually acquired his nickname as a result...

, and Rollie Zeider

Rollie Zeider

Rollie Hubert Zeider was a Major League Baseball infielder for the Chicago White Sox , New York Yankees , Chicago Chi-Feds/Chicago Whales in the Federal League from -, and lastly the Chicago Cubs...

.

See also

• Chicago Whales all-time roster
  Chicago Whales all-time roster
  The Chicago Whales were a Major League Baseball franchise that played in the Federal League during its two years of existence, 1914 and 1915. The following is a list of players and who appeared in at least one game for the franchise during this time. This includes the Chicago Federals, the name of...
  
  
• 1914 Chicago Federals season
• 1915 Chicago Whales season
  1915 Chicago Whales season
  The 1915 Chicago Whales season was a season in American baseball. After not having an official nickname in 1914, the team officially became the Whales for the 1915 season. They finished the season with an 86-66 record, placing them in a statistical tie with the St. Louis Terriers for first place in...