Trouble In Paradise

"There is talk of the amateur clubs of the city forming a combination for the purpose of establishing rates and guarantees in cases where they are asked to go out into the country and play the suburban clubs. It is believed that this is the only way to secure fair play at the hands of outside clubs. Heretofore the amateur teams have visited outside points on a guarantee barely sufficient to meet expenses. The majority of the suburban teams are composed largely of the best local players and could afford to give visiting teams a fair guarantee. Instead of doing this they only guarantee expenses and this leaves a big margin for themselves. They are thus enabled to engage all the good local players at a good salary, the latter naturally going with the team that makes the most money. As an example of this the Belliville Club last year engaged Peters, Oberbeck and a lot of other St. Louis players and paid them a good salary while the players of the teams visiting that point got nothing but their fare to Bellivelle and back. By combining it is believed this evil can be wiped out and St. Louis players who remain loyal to the local clubs will be enabled to earn as much money as those who play with the clubs in the adjacent towns."

-From The Sporting News, March 17, 1886