In 1913, an independent baseball league started up. There were six teams, including Pittsburgh, and they called themselves the Federal League.
In 1914, a couple of rich owners who had been turned down in attempts to buy major league clubs got involved. They decided the Federal League would be a major league, and started signing players from the National and American Leagues. There was litigation, of course, but ultimately the Federal League was able to proceed. The Pittsburgh Rebels, owned by a second-generation businessman named Edward Gwinner, played in Exposition Park.
The 1914 team finished seventh of eight teams, as did the Pirates. Among the players they signed for 1915 was a left-handed pitcher who had been with Brooklyn named Frank Allen.
On April 24, 1915, Allen started for Pittsburgh in St. Louis. He was opposed by righty Bob Groom, who had spent five years with the Senators.
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