The American Association Almanac

Thought it was time to give a quick run-down on the American Association attendance project I have underway concerning the early years of the American Association. Cumulative team data reflecting paid attendance for the years 1902-1907 were missing in the published league report, and with the exception of 1902 (I found attendance records in the Reach American Association Guide for that year), the remainder of the records are missing. In order to obtain these records, a game-by-game listing of attendance figures must be collected and verified using comparative data from a variety of sources. This process has been rewarding, but it is laborious and time consuming. It promises to become even more so as time goes by. I am using microfilm at Wilson Library on the University of Minnesota campus. Last summer I created a book proposal on the topic of the rivalry between the Minneapolis Millers and St. Paul Saints. The proposal described the importance of attendance patterns of the two teams. I...