Primarily owned by oil magnate Harry F. Sinclair,[3] the Hoosiers again won the Federal League championship that year with an 88–65 record.

Federal League executives decided to relocate the Indianapolis franchise to a major city in the New York metropolitan area, and Newark was chosen.

(As part of the franchise transfer, Indianapolis outfielder Benny Kauff, who was the Federal League batting champ in 1914, was placed with the Tip-Tops.)

A clause in his 1915 contract guaranteed him a salary for the following year as long as he continued to show up at the park, suited and ready to play for the team.

Mills fulfilled his contractual obligation, coming to the empty park each day and performing a physical workout to remain in playing condition.