Wednesday, February 1, 2017

The Boston Red Sox Were Almost The Buffalo Bisons

One of the least known facts about our Olde Towne Team is that they almost landed in Buffalo. That's right, Buffalo was almost home to a new AL franchise that eventually ended up in Boston. The Buffalo Bisons were already a thriving team in 1901, so American League founder Ban Johnson promised the locals one of the new clubs. But, there was a problem. Johnson also lusted after a team in more cosmopolitan Boston—where he could get more attention by going head-to-head with the National League Boston Braves. So, after Johnson got a report back from Connie Mack that the Huntington Avenue Grounds (now the site of Boston's Northeastern University) could host a team, Buffalo got screwed. Good thing! The thought of Babe Ruth, Ted WilliamsCarl Yastrzemski and David Ortiz being "Bisons" in Buffalo is horrifying. Thank goodness Johnson was a conniving jerk!