Monday, June 6, 2011

Too Brilliant

Fred Dunlap is said to have come to the conclusion that the Union Association is an unsafe one. He is sensible. The fact is that Dunlap is too brilliant a ball player to jeopardise his chances for the future in any wildcat scheme. Public opinion here is still with him. He is regarded as the best second-baseman in the land and will be welcomed back.
-Cleveland Herald, January 13, 1884


Setting aside the Herald's narrative of a Union Association in disarray, I feel it necessary to point out that they called Dunlap a brilliant ballplayer and the best second baseman in the game. And this was before his monster 1884 season. Remember: Never a legitimate star in a legitimate league.

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