Brooklyn Tip-Tops

"In 1913, a new six team professional league in the midwest saw considerable success as the Columbia League. The league was so successful that its magnates, along with league president James Gilmore, decided to 'go major' in 1914, and the Federal League was formed. The Ward brothers, owners of a major bakery, jumped at the chance to be part of big time baseball, and formed a Brooklyn franchise to join the league. Although formally referred to as the Brookfeds, the team was much more commonly known as the Tip Tops, after the bread made in the Wards' bakery. In 1915 the team's jerseys even sported a prominent patch with the name of the bread. Washington Park, the Dodgers' recent home, was completely rebuilt in concrete and steel and set as home for the next decade. The Wards appointed baseball legend and Players League agitator Montgomery Ward to the post of business manager, which helped to give the new franchise credibility. Bill Bradley, fresh from a decade playing for Cleveland in the American League, was given the reins as manager. A number of big name signings appeared at various stages for the Tip Tops, since players were regularly jumping from the more established leagues throughout the season. Mordecai 'Three Finger' Brown, for instance, pitched in a few games."
Brooklyn Ball Parks

Brooklyn Tip-Tops 1915

"The Brooklyn Tip-Tops were a team in the short-lived Federal League of professional baseball from 1914 to 1915. The team was named by owner Robert Ward, who owned the Tip Top Bakery. They were sometimes informally called the Brooklyn Feds or BrookFeds due to being the Brooklyn team of the Federal League. The Tip Tops played in old Washington Park, which the Brooklyn Dodgers had abandoned after the 1912 season to move to Ebbets Field. The team finished a disappointing 4th in 1914. Federal League officials believed it was important to have a successful franchise in the New York area and when the Indianapolis Hoosiers were transitioned to Newark, New Jersey, the 'Federal League Ty Cobb', as 1914 FL batting champ Benny Kauff was known, was placed on the Brooklyn roster. In 1915, Kauff led the league with a .342 batting average and 55 stolen bases, but the Tip-Tops still finished in seventh place. The Newark and Brooklyn FL teams played three holiday doubleheaders during the 1915 season where one game was in Newark and the second was in Brooklyn."
Wikipedia

TIP TOPS DROP TWO. Double Victory Puts Indianapolis in Lead of Federal League Race. August 22, 1914
"The Brooklyn Tip Tops dropped a double header to the Hoosier Federals this afternoon, and incidentally boosted the home club into first place, as a result of Chicago losing its game. The first was a pretty struggle, both teams making all of their scores in one inning, the final count being 4 to 2, while the second was a slambang affair, going to a 9-to-4 score."
NY Times [PDF]

W - Brooklyn Tip-Tops all-time roster
W - 1914 Brooklyn Tip-Tops season
W - 1915 Brooklyn Tip-Tops season

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