Paul I Fagan and Realignment

Paul I Fagan purchased interest in the San Francisco Seals in the middle of the the 1944 season for the primary purpose of eventually making the Pacific Coast League a third major league. When you consider that the Seals had to sell George Metkovich (pictured at the right) an outfielder to the Boston Red Sox in the middle of the 1943 season for $25,000 just to pay the bills you can understand the need for new capital.

With the additional funds changes became very evident. In 1945 the Seals began wearing alternate uniforms for Sunday home games. Maroon replaced the normal blue color of the caps and lettering. New right field bleachers were build in 1946, spring training was held in Hawaii, the stadium was painted for the first time, and many were paid salaries comparable to the major leagues. Fagan wanted coast league teams to keep their talent instead of sending them to the majors. Most of these teams could not afford this type of luxury so the plan failed but lets review what has happened over the decades.

Most of the cities from the old Pacific Coast League are currently part of the major leagues.

San Francisco Seals are the Giants
Oakland Oaks are the Athletics
Los Angeles Angels are the Dodgers.
Hollywood Starts are LA Angels of Anaheim
San Diego Padres are still the Padres
The Seattle Rainiers are the Mariners.
Portland Beavers have become the Colorado Rockies
Sacramento Solons can consider Arizona their home

Would Bud Selig permit a third major league as part of realignment? All of his decisions are based on the almighty dollar. If it can make money Selig would be interested. This would leave baseball in an awkward position since both major leagues would have eleven teams. But wait a minute, how about moving one team from each of the two leagues to the coast league and presto we would have three 10 team major leagues just as Paul I Fagan had envisioned over sixty years ago. Who would move? The fight would be between the two teams located in Texas and the Missouri teams since all of them would want to be part of the gravy train.

The Leagues would have two divisions with the division champions playing each other for the league title. There would be a 164 game schedule with division rivals playing each other 12 times and other teams in the league 10. Each team would play three games against every team in the other leagues. The three champions would be part of four team playoff that would include the champions from the Japanese league to determine the World Champion.

Would it be approved? Well for one the Giants and Dodgers would never leave the National League. It's a lot easier to move the Astros to the American League and hope for improvement in the ridiculous baseball schedule that now exist. However, the idea is worth discussing if for no other reason then to remember Paul I Fagan a man ahead of his time.

Homer Sweeney