The 1884 Maroons: Ted Sullivan

T.P. Sullivan, the former Manager of the St. Louis Club, has been in the city for three days, having been called here on business connected with the new ball club, the management of which has been offered to him. Whether he will accept or not depends upon the officers of the Virginia Club, of Richmond, Va. Some time ago he promised those parties that he would look after their nine next season, and if they insist upon holding him to his word he will not break faith with them. He has had a much more liberal offer to take hold of the new club to be formed in this city than the Richmond Club can afford to pay, and because he wishes to do the best he can for himself, and also has great confidence in the future of the projected organization, he is anxious to obtain a release from his Richmond engagement and locate here. When asked about the probable action of the new club in securing players, he said:

"It will have a first-class nine. There is no doubt about that. Plenty of good talent has already expressed a desire to join it. I expect it will be a member of the Union Association. If Sunday games here will be allowed by that association, the new club will certainly be a member of it. The Union Association will be independent of the League and American Associations, and will have its own championship, just as they do. Contracts with them will be respected by it, but their eleven men reserve rule will not. That rule is a dead letter and can not be enforced. It will not hold in law, and any club that would attempt to injure a player by enforcing it would be liable for damages. Restrictive contracts have regularly been decided against the policy of the law, and therefore null and void, and the reserve rule, which endeavors to prevent players from commanding their full value in open market, is so much in excess of a restrictive contract, and so unjust and oppressive it its intent, that no court in America would permit its operation. The talk about enforcing it is pure bluffing, that will cease as soon as it is discovered that ball players understand their legal rights."

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 29, 1883