The
American League repudiates its minor status and competes with the
National League as a second major league. The AL abandons four western cities for Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Boston. It signs about 30 prominent NL players before the season begins.
The
National League violates its constitution in the summer and there will be no major-minor agreement until the
1903 season.
December – numerous minor leagues establish their own National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, commonly called
Minor League Baseball (1902 to date).
The vacant
World Bantamweight Championship is claimed first by
Harry Harris, who fails to defend it and increases his weight, so making himself ineligible. The title is then awarded to
Harry Forbes following his second-round knockout of Danny Dougherty
The Paris–Berlin Trail is run on 27–29 June over 1105 km and won by
Henri Fournier (France) driving a
Mors in a time of 15:33:06. The race is in retrospect sometimes referred to as the VI Grand Prix de l'ACF.[7]
Paris–Bordeaux Trail
The Paris–Bordeaux Trail is run on 29 May over 527.1 km and won by
Henri Fournier (France) driving a
Mors in a time of 6:10:44. The race incorporates the Gordon Bennett Cup (see below).[7]
Gordon Bennett Cup
The second
Gordon Bennett Cup is run from Paris to Bordeaux in conjunction with the Paris–Bordeaux Trail (see above) and won by Léonce Girardot (France) driving a
Panhard-Levassor.
Circuit du Sud-Ouest
The Circuit du Sud-Ouest was run in Pau. Some
anglophone sources wrongly call it the 'Pau Grand Prix'. This may stem from a mistranslation of the contemporary French sources such as the magazine La France Auto of March 1901.[8] It was run in four classes around the streets of Pau. The Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver was the name of the prizes awarded for the lesser classes ('Light cars' and 'Voiturettes'). The Grand Prix de Pau was the name of the prize awarded for the 'Heavy' (fastest) class. Thus
Maurice Farman was awarded the 'Grand Prix de Pau' for his overall victory in the Circuit du Sud-Ouest driving a
Panhard 24 hp. Additionally the Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver (400 à 650 kg 'Light car' class) was awarded to
Henri Farman (
Darracq); the second Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver for the under 400 kg Voiturettesclass was awarded to
Louis Renault (
Renault); the Prix du Béarn was awarded to Osmont in a '
De Dion' tricycle.[9]