Sunday, October 12, 2008

Steadily And Well Employed

It is said that Manager Cuthbert, of the Grand Avenue Park, intends organizing a team and visiting New Orleans this winter. The clubs of the Crescent City are willing to guarantee a team from this locality its expenses with the privilege of 60 per cent of the gross gate receipts. It would be a good thing for Neddy if he could get the full Brown Stocking team together, although it is doubtful whether or not the players of that team could spare the time to go. More than half the team are steadily and well employed. McCaffery and Oberbeck hold positions in the Post Office. Seward is with the Laclede Gas Company. The Gleasons are on the Fire Department, but it would be an easy matter for them to get off, for on other occasions Chief Sexton has let firemen go to New Orleans with ball clubs and stay there for weeks. He did this when the old Empire Club was in existence, and did it season after season. Of the team who are footloose may be mentioned Baker, McGinnis, Peters and Levis, who just now devote all their time to ball-playing.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 18, 1881


This is a great article loaded with information. First, we pretty much get a list of the roster of the 1881 Brown Stockings. Second, we have the reference to "when the old Empire Club was in existence" with the insinuation that they were no longer in existence. On top of that, you have one heck of an offer from the New Orleans club. Sixty percent of the gate and expenses paid-that's tough to pass up.

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