Preseason Deals
With the draft and enlistments taking a toll on rosters across baseball, and with some owners fearing that the war would stifle attendance, the winter before the 1918 season was extraordinarily busy. Baseball Magazine wrote: “More deals were made than were ever recorded during a similar period and the baseball map was considerably changed by the transfers. Some clubs were materially helped by the trades, some were almost wrecked, and one ambitious team … expected to buy a flag-winning outfit by the mere force of money.”
The ambitious team was the Cubs, who opened the offseason with an announcement that the team’s shareholders had given president Charley Weeghman a $250,000 bankroll to improve the team. Weeghman kicked off that wild winter with the headline-grabbing acquisition of Grover Cleveland Alexander and Bill Killefer from the Phillies for the scant price of pitcher Mike Prendergast, catcher Pickles Dilhoefer and what was at first reported as nearly $100,000 (though later reports knocked that down to as low as $50,000.)
The Cubs did not intend to stop there, though. Weeghman was also hot after the young star shortstop of the St. Louis Cardinals, Rogers Hornsby, who had been clamoring for a new salary—$10,000, an unheard-of amount for a young player—from the team. Weeghman and Cardinals executive Branch Rickey publicly 
Outfielder Dode Paskert was one of the Cubs’ key acquisitions in the winter before the 1918 season. (Photo courtesy of the Chicago History Museum.) dueled over Hornsby all winter. Without being quoted directly, Weeghman showed a letter to Daily News reporter Oscar Reichow in which he wrote, “What are you going to do about players? The offer for Rogers Hornsby still goes. There is $50,000 in the bank, you can take it or leave it.” The letter was addressed to Rickey. Two days later, Rickey blasted Weeghman, denying that any offer had been made and asserting that Hornsby could not be bought. Weeghman responded with feigned surprise. He was shocked—shocked!—by Rickey’s accusation, apparently forgetting the letter he’d showed Reichow. “In my talk about players needed I have not mentioned St. Louis or any other club by name,” he said. “As for Horsnby, I have not tried to get him.”
This is how the Hornsby negotiations went all winter. Reports routinely had the Cubs close to obtaining Hornsby, with the Cards keeping him just beyond Weeghman’s reach. The Cubs did make two other significant moves, trading for pitcher Lefty Tyler from the Boston Braves for infielder Larry Doyle, catcher Art Wilson and $15,000. They also got outfielder Dode Paskert for another outfielder, Cy Williams. But they weren’t able to secure Hornsby, and, in the end, Weeghman was lambasted by other owners for showing off his bankroll so publicly.
While the Cubs were buying up players in the N.L., the Red Sox were the most active American League club. On December 14, Boston took on pitcher Bullet Joe Bush, catcher Wally Schang and outfielder Amos Strunk for $60,000 and three players. They also agreed to acquire star first baseman Stuffy McInnis for three players, completely revamping a roster that was devastated by enlistments.
There was more. The Giants got pitcher Jess Barnes and Doyle from Boston for second baseman Buck Herzog. The Pirates and Dodgers put together a blockbuster, with shortstop Charley Ward, pitcher Al Mamaux and pitcher Burleigh Grimes going to Brooklyn for George Cutshaw and a talented young outfielder named Casey Stengel. The Yankees acquired Del Pratt and Eddie Plank for five players and $15,000. It was a busy offseason.
But, no doubt, it was the Cubs and Red Sox who made the biggest waves, throwing around money and putting themselves immediately in contender status. Both Weeghman and Red Sox owner Harry Frazee were heavily criticized. A New York Times editorial stated: “[Weeghman and Frazee] have stirred up no end of commotion in the two major leagues by starting out to monopolize the two pennants next season. Baseball club owners of the past never knew the methods in accord with which these two owners have started out to buy players who can land them a pennant at any cost.”
