Lamb, William, active 1750

George Davis played for the Cleveland Spiders of the National League (1890-1892), New York Giants (1893-1901, 1903, 1895, 1990-1901 as player-manager), and Chicago of the American League (1902, 1904-1909, known as White Stockings 1901-1903, then White Sox 1904- ). After his playing career, Davis managed in the minor leagues. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.

From the description of Disappointment in Des Moines : typescript, [2009] : George Davis' luckless year as a manager in the Western League / William F. Lamb. [2009]. (National Baseball Hall of Fame). WorldCat record id: 550631581

John T. Brush (1845-1912) was a successful department-store magnate who first became involved in baseball franchise ownership in Indianapolis in 1887 and later owned the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Giants. The Cincinnati owner since 1891, he also owned stock in the Giants, and traded rookie Christy Mathewson from the Reds to the Giants in advance of becoming the full owner of the New York team in 1903. From then until his death, the Giants were the most colorful team in the National League, winning four pennants and one World Series title. Among his accomplishments were bringing John McGraw to New York to manage the Giants, rebuilding the Polo Grounds after a disastrous 1911 fire, and putting together the formal rules for conducting the World Series.

Andrew Freedman (1860-1915) was the 1890s version of Charlie Finley or George Steinbrenner, an autocratic and capricious owner known for firing managers as much as for his team's success on the field. A Tammany Hall insider, he used his influence to amass a fortune through real estate and finance (his company bonded the construction of the New York City subway). He bought the New York Giants in 1895 and hired a dozen managers in the next eight years, antagonized sportswriters (including banning them from his ballpark), and so offended his best player, Amos Rusie, that Rusie sat out for a year before being traded away. Freedman sold the Giants in 1902 but continued to use his influence to keep the new American League from establishing a franchise in New York, which didn't happen until they found their own Tammany support in 1903.

From the description of A fearsome collaboration : typescript, [2009] : the alliance of Andrew Freedman and John T. Brush / William F. Lamb. [2009]. (National Baseball Hall of Fame). WorldCat record id: 575710272

John Ward played and pitched for the Providence Grays of the National League (1878-1882, 1880 as player-manager), New York of the National League (1883-1889, 1893-1894, 1884 as player-manager, known as Gothams 1883-1884, then Giants 1885- ), Brooklyn Wonders of the Players League (1890 as player-manager), and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the National League (1891-1892 as player-manager). Ward is credited with organizing the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players, the first baseball union formed in 1885. This led to the creation of the Players League, a rival major league that lasted for one season (1890). After his playing career, Ward served as an executive with Boston of the National League and with Brooklyn of the Federal League. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.

Ban Johnson was a key figure in the founding and organization of the American League and also served as league president (1901-1927). He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937.

From the description of The Ward v. Johnson libel case : typescript, [2008] : the last battle of the great baseball war / William F. Lamb. [2008]. (National Baseball Hall of Fame). WorldCat record id: 575710266