Ringers

A base ball game was played [in Cairo, Illinois] this afternoon which proved to be of considerable interest, not by reason of the scores recorded, but rather for the personnel of the visiting club.  The Cairo amateur nine have established an enviable reputation, and, while not prepared to contest with professionals, are capable of good work when pitted against other clubs of like character.  The Charleston, Mo., nine were represented as amateurs, and were invited on the Cairo field to-day to try honors with the home nine.  five hundred people witnessed the contest, which resulted in the Cairos being defeated by a score of 15 to 2.  Then the fact became publicly known that the visiting club were sailing under false colors, being mainly composed of professionals from abroad, including John Davis, reserve pitcher of the St. Louis Browns, who sustained the same position to-day, Krehmeyer, catcher, also of the Browns, and two others, Magner and McCaffrey, well known in base-ball circles.  A rugged fight was made by the Cairo Braves, but the St. Louis experts were too ponderous, and they went under with flags nailed defiantly to the mast-head.  In conversation with the St. Louis gentlemen to-night it was learned they were induced to come here under the impression that they were to contest a club into which a quartet of Chicago professionals had been smuggled, but upon going into the field they saw that they had been deceived, and to-night were not in the best of humor with the Charleston management.  The party left by rail for St. Louis not at all satisfied with the settlement for their services tendered by the Missouri club.  The Cairos take their defeat with the utmost good nature, and promises to even up in the near future.  Not much money changed hands on the result, as the talent imported by the visitors became known early.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 9, 1884


This is an absolutely fascinating story.  An amateur club from Charleston signed up John Davis, Harry McCaffery, John Magner and Charlie Krehmeyer for a no-account match against a local amateur club in Cairo.  Now, the Globe says that not much money changed hands but I'm having serious doubts about that.  Why else would you grab four currant or former major leaguers to play in an amateur match in Cairo?  I'm thinking somebody made some serious money betting on that game.