Publisher, Writer, Sports Organizer. Born in Quebec, Al and his brothers played cricket but after moving to Chicago following the United States Civil War they learned the game of baseball. The Spinks founded the Mutual Club on Chicago's west side in 1869, one of many amateur clubs in the Chicago area at the time. Al followed older brother Billy to Saint Louis. At the time Billy was sporting editor of the Saint Louis Globe-Democrat. With Billy's encouragement, Al became a sportswriter for the Saint Louis Republican. He covered the Saint Louis Browns until they folded in 1877. Both Al and Billy were determined to find a replacement professional baseball team for Saint Louis but it was Al who finally teamed up with Chris von der Ahe to pull it off. They bought and renovated the old Grand Avenue ballpark which they renamed 'Sportsman's Park'. Al organized a new 'Browns' team to play there and working with sportswriter O.P. Caylor booked games with other teams. Eventually the American Association was formed in 1882 with both Spink and Caylor as members. In 1886 Al founded The Sporting News. At the time all the leading sports newspapers were located on the east coast and he felt the midwest would support a newspaper of its own. He was correct. It soon surpassed all of them and by the time World War One came around The Sporting News dominated the field. Al gradually turned management of the paper over to his brother Charles and sold his shares in 1894. He continued writing and editing until 1899 when he moved back to Chicago. While in Chicago he wrote for the Evening Post for a while and published a history of baseball called 'The National Game'. He died in his Oak Park home.
Publisher, Writer, Sports Organizer. Born in Quebec, Al and his brothers played cricket but after moving to Chicago following the United States Civil War they learned the game of baseball. The Spinks founded the Mutual Club on Chicago's west side in 1869, one of many amateur clubs in the Chicago area at the time. Al followed older brother Billy to Saint Louis. At the time Billy was sporting editor of the Saint Louis Globe-Democrat. With Billy's encouragement, Al became a sportswriter for the Saint Louis Republican. He covered the Saint Louis Browns until they folded in 1877. Both Al and Billy were determined to find a replacement professional baseball team for Saint Louis but it was Al who finally teamed up with Chris von der Ahe to pull it off. They bought and renovated the old Grand Avenue ballpark which they renamed 'Sportsman's Park'. Al organized a new 'Browns' team to play there and working with sportswriter O.P. Caylor booked games with other teams. Eventually the American Association was formed in 1882 with both Spink and Caylor as members. In 1886 Al founded The Sporting News. At the time all the leading sports newspapers were located on the east coast and he felt the midwest would support a newspaper of its own. He was correct. It soon surpassed all of them and by the time World War One came around The Sporting News dominated the field. Al gradually turned management of the paper over to his brother Charles and sold his shares in 1894. He continued writing and editing until 1899 when he moved back to Chicago. While in Chicago he wrote for the Evening Post for a while and published a history of baseball called 'The National Game'. He died in his Oak Park home.
Bio by: Richard Blunk
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