Federal League

Pittsburgh Rebels History

By Patrick Mondout

The Pittsburgh Rebels (also known as the Filipinos and Stogies) played in the short-lived Federal League from its inception as the United States League until it disbanded.

At a glance... PITTSBURGH REBELS Franchise Facts Established 1913 (minors) 1914 Disbanded 1915 Located Pittsburgh Owners William A. Kerr (1914) John B. Barbour (1914) Edward Gwinner (1915) Year by Year Results W L % 1914  64 86 .427 1915  86 67 .562 Affiliations Federal League (1913-1915) Postseason/Titles FL Titles (0) Nicknames Pittsburgh Filipinos (1913) Pittsburgh Stogies (1914) Pittsburgh Rebels (1914-1915) Ballparks Exposition Park (1914-1915) Top Performances Single-Season Career

The team played its games at the refurbished Exposition Park on Pittsburgh's Northside, which had been abandoned by the Pittsburgh Pirates when they left for Forbes Field in June of 1909.

The team was called the Filipinos during 1913 for their manager Deacon Phillippe. The team hired Doc Gessler to manage in 1914, but he was fired after a 3-8 start and replaced with Rebel Oakes, which gave the team a chance to once again name the team after their manager (the Rebels).

In 1914, the Rebels finished in seventh place with a 64-86 record. During the 1915 season, the team finished in third position with a 86-67 mark, 0.5 games behind first place. They lost the pennant on the final day of the season (as described here).

Federal League sources/bibliography:
The Federal League of 1914-1915 by Marc Okkonen.
The Formation, Sometimes Absorption and Mostly Inevitable Demise of 18 Professional Baseball Organizations, 1871 to Present by David Pietrusza.
May the Best Team Win: Baseball Economics and Public Policy by Andrew Zimbalist.
Total Baseball: The Ultimate Baseball Encyclopedia by John Thorn, et al.