287:, was renamed the Indians. Although Somers had kept the Federal League at bay, the new league still had its influence, forcing salaries higher. This, combined with poor attendance at League Park, along with other investments that did not work out, put Somers in a precarious financial position.
194:, a team which had no official nickname until 1908, but was initially sometimes called the "Somersets" in his honor. Residing in Cleveland and traveling to Boston, Somers was also the American League's vice-president during the trade war for independence of and equality with the
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In 1916, although the
Federal League had disbanded, it was too late to save Somers financially. He went broke with debts exceeding assets of $ 1.75 million, and at the insistence of his bank creditors, sold the Indians for $ 500,000 to a syndicate headed by
172:, in 1868 and moved with his family to Cleveland in 1884. He attended business school, then worked for his father's coal company. He started his own coal company, sold it, and rejoined his father's company. By age 31, Somers was worth $ 1 million.
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Somers was married twice. He had a daughter, Dorothy (Mrs. W. W. Clark) from his first marriage. His second wife, Mary Alice
Gilbert, survived him. Somers died in June 1934 at his summer house in
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president, Somers and Jack
Kilfoyl, who owned a popular Cleveland men's furnishings store, became the first owners of the franchise now known as the
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277:. This was done to keep the Federals out of Cleveland by ensuring there was already a ball game in Cleveland virtually every day of the season.
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After selling the
Indians, he successfully rebuilt his business investments. At his death in 1934, at the height of the
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Somers' money helped keep some
American League teams afloat in their first years, including the
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in 1901. In the early years of the
American League, Somers owned the teams now known as the
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In 1915, the
American League team in Cleveland previously called the Naps, in reference to
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Somers sold his interest in the Boston club in 1903 to
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Armour, Mark; Levitt, Daniel R. (December 13, 2017).
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which was won in 1903 with the playing of the first
375:. Kent State University Press reprint from Putnam.
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American coal industry executive and baseball owner
400:Pay Dirt: The Business of Professional Team Sports
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644:Principal owners of the Boston Red Sox franchise
404:. Princeton University Press. pp. 400–402.
426:"Charles Somers, Last of A. L. Founders, Dies"
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190:Somers was also the principal owner of the
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969:Burials at Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland
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342:Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
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273:to Cleveland to share
252:Waterbury, Connecticut
223:Philadelphia Athletics
954:Boston Red Sox owners
585:Franchise established
559:Franchise established
373:The Cleveland Indians
351:– via case.edu.
309:. He was interred at
175:At the insistence of
146:professional baseball
339:"Somers, Charles W."
260:New Orleans Pelicans
523:Sporting positions
185:Cleveland Guardians
168:Somers was born in
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311:Lake View Cemetery
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870:Nick Mileti
533:established
275:League Park
219:Connie Mack
177:Ban Johnson
82:Occupations
918:Categories
902:Paul Dolan
820:Ellis Ryan
813:Bill Veeck
714:Tom Yawkey
598:1901–1903
570:1901–1903
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317:References
285:Nap Lajoie
258:; and the
47:1868-10-13
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856:Gabe Paul
728:JRY Trust
707:Bob Quinn
594:President
164:Biography
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550:Jim Dunn
293:Jim Dunn
156:and the
131:in 1901
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