His individual statistics in both sports assured him a regular position on the varsity teams the following year, but he left college to go into business.

[2] After leaving Harvard, Vila went to work on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as a brakeman and baggage smasher.

In 1902, Vila was instrumental in the Andrew Freedman's decision to sell the New York Giants National League club to John T.

[2] Besides this, he helped to establish a New York baseball team in the newborn American League, when he introduced Jacob Ruppert, by then owner of the New York Yankees, to Joe McCarthy,[2] who would become the Yankees all-time leader managerial wins with 1,460 from 1931 to 1946, including seven World Series titles spanning 1932–1943.

[2] Being sports editor also made him a columnist, while his daily column, entitled Setting the Pace, was to appear six days a week for over 20 years.