Just Another Day At The Office

At the close of yesterday's game between the Baltimore and St. Louis clubs, President Von der Ahe of the St. Louis club wired President Young of the League, preferring charges of drinking against Umpire Gaffney and protesting the game. Von der Ahe also read the riot act to the members of the Browns, and, as a consequence, George Miller resigned as Captain. The players are dissatisfied at a system of petty fines which are inflicted for excusable errors, and but few of them play an earnest game.

-The New York Times, July 17, 1894

If Doggie Miller resigned in a huff, it appears that the situation quickly blew over and he finished the season as Browns' manager. This looks like one of those classic Von der Ahe moments from which his modern reputation is derived. He's protesting a game, calling the umpire a drunk, going off on his team, and driving his manager to distraction.

One of Von der Ahe's flaws was his inability to master his emotions. He was prone to outbursts, raging against the world around him for slights both real and imagined, returning to his senses only after the release gained by the outburst. To work for Von der Ahe and to be able to deal with him, one had to accept this and be able to handle it. Not many could.