User:Halvorsen brian/1903 Portland Browns season

Background
In 1903, Portland was represented by two baseball teams; the Browns of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Portland Greengages of the Pacific National League (PNL). The PCL was an independent league, which led the president of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues Patrick T. Powers, who classified leagues, to call for penalties towards players who played in the league. He wrote the president of the PNL in January 1903, "Whether I visit your country or not, you can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to help you win your fight and win your territory. For the information of those who insinuate that the National Association will take into its fold the California League and the Pacific Coast League, along with all the players that may jump from organized baseball this year, I want to go on the record now as saying I will positively oppose any such action by the National Association, and will insist [...] an extra penalty of one-year's suspension shall be imposed on each and every player that may jump the reserve or contact of a National Agreement club." In an attempt to handicap their opponent league, Pacific National League teams would sign players who were on the rosters of PCL clubs for a premium. This worked in short, but the PCL soon found players to fill their rosters. The PNL clubs on the other hand were strapped with the inflated contracts of the players they signed away from PCL teams.

Spring training
The Browns' manager Sammy Vigneaux, who was also the team's catcher, held spring training in San Jose, California from February to March 1903. The first game played by the Browns was an exhibition match against the San Jose California State League team. Portland lost 2–1. Their second exhibition game was against the Stanford Cardinal baseball team. Doc Andrews, Joe Kostal, Charlie Shaffer and Charlie Shields were known as the team's pranksters, with Carlos Smith and Deacon Van Buren being their favorite targets for shenanigans. Before the start of the season Pearce Chiles, who was an escaped prisoner from the Texas Department of Corrections, was released by the Browns after allegedly striking a woman several times in the face.

Regular season
The Browns first game of the PCL season was held on March 26 against the San Francisco Seals at Recreation Park in San Francisco. Ike Butler, Portland's pitcher, gave up seven runs to the Seals in a 7–3 loss. On July 20, 1903 Browns pitcher Bill Hogg was involved in a street fright in which he was stabbed. Manager Vigneaux suspended Hogg and he subsequently left the team without negotiating out of his contract, commonly known as "jumping ship". During a stockholders meeting on July 31, 1903 a new team executives were elected. Rudolph F. Prael was elected president, R. W. Schmeer was elected vice-president and treasurer and John F. Richards elected secretary.

By June the Portland Greengages were losing money. Dr. Emmett Drake, the Greengages president, announced that the team was re-locating to Salt Lake City, Utah. This left the Portland Browns as the only professional baseball team in the city.

The Oregonian wrote a scathing article about Vigneaux's tenure as Browns' manager on September 8, 1903. The article read, "[Vigneaux] is accused of favoritism, which if true, should be a reason for his release at once. His open hostility to [Tom] Hess is so patent, they say, that it is noticeable to the patrons. Admitting that Hess is something of a crab, he is a good player, and if Vigneaux, for personal reasons, places him under handicap, it's about time about time the officials of the club were taking a hand." Vigneaux resigned as the Browns' manager on September 21, 1903. Stocks of the team, which were given as a part of his contract, were forfeited back to the Browns executives. Frederick "Bones" Ely was hired to replace Vigneaux.

When the season ended on November 29 the Browns had 95 wins and 107 losses, placing them fifth of six teams in the Pacific Coast League. The Oregonian wrote that in "passing over the [season] of the Browns it is necessary to begin with management. [Sammy] Vigneaux did his best and failed utterly. His route was rough and difficult. It is true, but he fell down lamentably when it came to executive ability. He was strong when he should have been relenting, and relenting when he should have ruled with an iron hand. Because of his great kindness of heart, his desire not to hurt the feelings of his players, they took advantage of him, and when he attempted to bring them up with a sharp turn they simply ignored him and had no respect for his position."

Game log

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! colspan="3" | Legend ! bgcolor="ccffcc" | Browns Win ! bgcolor="ffbbbb" | Browns Loss ! bgcolor="bbbbbb" | Game Postponed
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Transactions

 * May 12, 1903 — Outfielder Frank Huelsman signed
 * July 29, 1903 — Pitcher Sammy Morris signed
 * September 21, 1903 — Sammy Vigneaux resigns as manager, Bones Ely is hired to replace him.
 * October 5, 1903 — First baseman Charles Elsey, catcher Tom Hess and pitcher Sammy Morris released; First baseman Jerry Freeman and catcher Arthur Anderson signed