The Metropolitans of this city are trying to obtain Dunlap's release from the Cleveland Club. At present Dunlap is under contract with the Union Club, of St. Louis, where he will remain throughout the season if the Metropolitans prove unsuccessful in their efforts with the Cleveland management.-[New York Herlald.] This is a frank admission, evidently coming from Mr. Appleton, of the Mets, who is the genius working at the scheme. It paves the way for some remarks we wish to make on the present condition of things in the base ball world. The American Association is taking on the spirit that was formerly with the National League-that of cooperative working for the common good. In the League, on the contrary, each club seems to be for itself, and with no thought for the welfare of the League. No less than five emissaries of Appleton and the Metropolitian Club have been heard from on the Dunlap matter, and all urging Cleveland to release him for the good of the Metropolitans, rather than let him go to St. Louis. All have met with a firm refusal, but still the solicitations continue. It is a good spirit to see influencing the American Association, but it would be better if the grab-for-self policy was not so evident in the League. Unless a change comes the League will cease to lead in base ball, and must retire because not possessing sufficient vitality and wisdom to sustain itself in the leading place. But the Mets and their agents will fail in this particular case. The reserve rule is one of the planks in the National agreement. Cleveland is a party to that agreement, and under it reserved Dunlap. He chose to defy the reserve rule, and for he and others the Day resolution has been agreed to. Cleveland holds to all the legislation and if Dunlap does not play here he must go to St. Louis and let the Day resolution do its work in his case. The Metropolitans will never have him by Cleveland consent.
-Cleveland Herald, February 22, 1884
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