You Knew Where You Stood With Kid Baldwin

The Cincinnati Enquirer of Saturday says "Kid" Baldwin, the clever young catcher of the Kansas City Unions, received a telegram from Manager Barnie, of the Baltimore Americans, yesterday, offering him $500 to play with them for the balance of the season.  "Kid" handed the message to Manager Sullivan, who answered in this wise: "Yours received.  Thank you very much for the interest you take in the welfare of our club and players."  Manager Ted was very angry over this attempt to steal Baldwin, who is very well satisfied with his present engagement.  The funny part of the whole business is that Sullivan is paying him more than Barnie offered to pay.  A report comes from Cincinnati to the Globe-Democrat saying that the St. Louis Club is also after Baldwin to fill Dolan's place.  There is a slight inconsistency in American Association managers offering Baldwin engagements, since he jumped his contract with the Quincy Club.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 31, 1884


I find Kid Baldwin rather fascinating.  Our old friend, David Ball, wrote about Baldwin for SABR's Bio-Project and summed him up nicely: "For all his flaws, the Kid had more positive qualities, as yet less evident to those who knew him only through the newspapers.  Baldwin could be impulsive and self-centered when under pressure, but for the most part he was an open and uncomplicated soul; you knew where you stood with Kid Baldwin, and if you weren't certain he would gladly tell you." 

A Jumbo McGinnis Rumor

Reports that Geo. McGinnis, of the Browns, had jumped his contract with the St. Louis Club and joined the Kansas City Unions, were in circulation last night.  They could not, however, be traced to any authentic source.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 24, 1884


Sullivan wished he could get a player of McGinnis' caliber.  He had been talking to the guys in the press about how he was going to upgrade the KC roster but all Sullivan ended up doing was signing a couple of guys from Evansville.   

The 1884 Maroons: The Scorpion And The Frog

Yesterday's game between St. Louis and Kansas City Unions, with the first inning left out, was one of the prettiest contests of the year.  The visitors presented Barney McLaughlin as their pitcher.  He had ridden all the way from Reading, Pa., and when he appeared on the field he was feeling stiff and tired.  When he began pitching he showed great speed and in and out-curves of no ordinary degree, but did not have good command of the ball.  In addition, he was harshly dealt with by Umpire Devinney, who called balls that were delivered directly over the plate.  McLaughlin protested at first and then good naturedly stood in the box and laughed at the deal he was getting.  At the same time the crowd hissed vehemently.  After the visitors had retired in the first inning without scoring Dunlap led off for the St. Louis with one of his patent drives to center.  A moment later he was clearly caught napping by McLaughlin's throw to Cudworth, but Devinney decided "not out."  The crowd hissed Devinney for declaring him safe.  This seemed to rattle Devinney, and he commenced calling balls rapidly.  Shafer was the first to go to his base on balls.  Then Rowe hit safe to right, filling the bases.  Gleason, who came next, stood up without attempting to strike, and Devinney called seven balls in succession, Gleason went to first, while Dunlap walked home, the crowd in the meanwhile hissing Devinney, and calling to him to step down and out.  Quinn, the next batsman, hit to Davis, who picked up the ball, 

Touched Third Base,

and then threw home to head Shafer off at the plate.  Devinney, to the surprise of all, declared Rowe safe at third and Shaffer out at home, when without doubt both men were retired.  Boyle then hit safe to center, and McLaughlin threw home to catch Rowe.  Baldwin jumped high and caught the ball, but Rowe scored.  Boyle then hit safe to center, and McLaughlin threw home to catch Rowe.  Baldwin jumped high and caught the ball, but Rowe scored.  Brennan, like Gleason, made no attempt to strike, and was sent to his base on balls, Gleason scoring on the decision, and the crowd hissing Devinney again.  Ryder, the next man, also stood still until sent to first on balls, and Quinn walked home.  Werder hit to Strief and was fielded out at first, while Boyle scored.  Dunlap hit safe to left and Brennan tallied, but Ryder, who tried to follow him home,

Slipped And Fell

after passing third and was caught between the plate and the bag.  Here were 6 runs, not one of which should have been scored.  The crowd, which had hissed Devinney all through the inning, called for his removal.  Manager Sullivan, getting excited, asked President Lucas to change Devinney at once and substitute Seward, who was in attendance, or he would take his men off the field.  The request was granted and Devinney retired without a word.  The 6 runs, however, took the life out of the game, and although the fielding was sharp on both sides during the balance of the contest, the visitors played with less spirit then they would otherwise have done.  But pretty plays on both sides partially made up for the one-sidedness of the contest...The play of the Kansas Citys warranted the good opinion already formed of them.  They play ball all the time, and, with a good pitcher like Black, whom they expect to-day, they will be able to make the pace warm for any club in the Union Association...

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 3, 1884


P.H. Devinney was as crooked as the day is long and I was surprised when I first saw that the UA had hired him to umpire games.  I'm surprised that anybody would give the guy a job in baseball after the 1877 scandals.  The folks in St. Louis were well aware of what Devinney had done in the past and, as their reaction in this game shows, they had little patience for his nonsense.

There are two great sentences in this piece.  The first: "Manager Sullivan, getting excited, asked President Lucas to change Devinney at once..."  I think that "getting excited" is a euphemism for "was really and completely pissed off."  The second sentence that I like is "...Devinney retired without a word."  Sure, why not?  His work was already done, the game was firmly decided for the Maroons in the first inning and the gamblers were assured of their money.

By the way, I think that, in what was a rather uninteresting season, this may be the most interesting game the Maroons played all season.  That's kind of sad because it wasn't interesting because of anything the players did on the field but, rather, the game stands out because of the crookedness of the umpire.

And if you didn't pick up on the reference in the post title, you might want to go back and reread Aesop.  Devinney is the scorpion and baseball is the frog.

Kid Baldwin Jumps To The Kansas City Unions

Ted Sullivan on yesterday signed Black and Baldwin, the "kid battery" of the Quincy Club, to play with the Kansas City Unions.  This jump will about break up the Quincy Club.  "Kid" Baldwin is one of the pluckiest catchers that ever stood behind a bat and will no doubt be valuable acquisition for the Kansas Citys.  Last Winter he signed with the St. Louis Unions and accepted $200 advance money, but afterwards signed a second contract with the Quincy Club, which had "reserved" him, and failed to return the advance money.  President Lucas says he is glad Sullivan has taken him away from the Quincy's, but Ted will have to settle that $200.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 25, 1884

While Baldwin was born in Kentucky, his family moved to St. Louis when he was still young.  He made a name for himself as a ballplayer while playing for various St. Louis amateur clubs, including one of the later incarnations of the Red Stockings.

Because I Can't Ever Get Enough Ted Sullivan

Ted Sullivan has been appointed Manager of the Kansas City Unions.  One of his first moves was to re-engage Harry Wheeler, who had been released, and to sign Gardner, lately suspended by the Baltimore Club.  Gardner is a good ball player, and Sullivan can come as near getting him to attend to business as any manager in the country.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 13, 1884


Just a week earlier, Sullivan, since he was no longer employed by the UA, was able to straighten out his situation as it related to the National Agreement and was no longer blacklisted by the established leagues.  And then he turns around and agrees to coach the Kansas City Unions.  Ted Sullivan was something else.

The Rehabilitation Of Ted Sullivan

For remaining in St. Louis to manage the Unions and failing to go to Richmond to fill a similar position for the Virginia club, Ted Sullivan was black-listed by the latter organization.  Since leaving the Unions he asked for and obtained reinstatement from the National Agreement Association, to which he is now eligible.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 7, 1884

The 1884 Maroons: Humiliation And Retaliation (And Joe Quinn Really Couldn't Hit)

Quinn, the promising young first-baseman of the St. Louis Unions, was approached yesterday with an offer to jump his contract and join the Washingtons, of the American Association.  It was reported that Ted Sullivan, the former manager of the Unions, had exerted his influence to induce Quinn to break his contract, but Sullivan denies the story most emphatically.  He says, on the contrary, he advised Quinn to stick to the Unions, and claims that Quinn will corroborate his statement.  Mr. Lucas is very indignant over the matter, and declares that, having stood the dishonorable attacks of the League and American Association without retaliating until he feels almost humiliated, he will, on the 1st of July, propose to the Union Association to go into the contract-breaking business.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 23, 1884


Given that he was going to get another job in the UA in the not to distant future, I actually believe Sullivan.  I don't think Lucas would have let him have the KC job if he was trying to poach Quinn for the AA.

And speaking of Quinn, he has rather odd career numbers.  It looks like he was a pretty good defensive second baseman and was better defensively at second than he was at first, which is kind of weird.  Also, for a guy who was a regular in the major leagues until he was thirty, the guy really didn't hit much.  He lead the NL in games played in 1893 and had an OPS of 50.  Fifty.  He had -2.1 WAR that season and played every game (which, I assume, is one of the reasons the Browns finished 57-75 that year).  For his career, over 1769 games and 7352 at bats, Quinn had 1.6 WAR and -1.1 oWAR.

I've been sitting here thinking about putting up a negative oWAR over seven thousand at bats and I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it.  Guys who hit like Quinn shouldn't get 1700 games in the big leagues.  If  I had to guess, I'd say that Joe Quinn was one of the twenty worst hitters in the history of baseball (minimum 5000 AB).  The numbers suggest that he was a very good, but not a great, fielder but he had to have better than that.  Right?  He had to have been just an outstanding defensive second baseman or his career doesn't make any sense.          

The 1884 Maroons: Driven Out

Dunlap, Dave Rowe and Shafer have driven Ted Sullivan out of the St. Louis Unions, and as he is on the black list his lot is not a happy one.

-Cleveland Herald, June 18, 1884


Well...

You kind of have to take anything the Herald says about the UA or Dunlap with a grain of salt.  But this is the best piece of evidence we have about what went down between Sullivan and his players.

Regardless, Sullivan would land on his feet and be back in baseball, with the Kansas City Unions, in July.  And thinking about that fact, that Sullivan would get another job in Lucas' UA, leads me to believe that it really was the players, rather than Sullivan, who instigated the whole thing.  

The 1884 Maroons: Manager With .903 Winning Percentage Gets Fired

Ted Sullivan was released from the management of the St. Louis Unions last night.  Ill-feeling between Sullivan and some of the players had existed for some time.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 14, 1884


And there it is, short and sweet.  I just missed it when looking at the Maroons' June 13th game against Cincinnati.  Anybody want to speculate about which players had "ill-feelings" towards Sullivan?

*Cough*  Dunlap  *Cough*

Not that Sullivan was a saint or anything, as we'll see later, but how does the manager get fired when the club is 28-3?  I have to image that it would have something to do with the highest paid player in all of baseball going to the owner and saying something along the lines of "It's him or me."  But thinking about it a little bit, I can also imagine Sullivan going to Lucas and saying something similar about Dunlap.  Those two guys were serious pieces of work and it's impossible to say who was the bigger a**hole.  At the moment, I'm leaning slightly towards the idea that Sullivan got himself fired but, really, it's a pick 'em.

Honestly, I feel kind of bad for Henry Lucas.  He was just a guy who loved the game and had the resources to start his own team and league.  That's a noble thing.  But he made some bad decisions and got saddled with these two j*rk-*ffs.            

The 1884 Maroons: The Beautiful Plays With Which The Game Abounded

By clever work with the bat and backing their batting up with brilliant fielding the St. Louis Unions gained another victory from the Chicago Unions yesterday.  Up to the eighth inning the game was one of the prettiest contests that has taken place upon the Union grounds.  The visitors were blanked until the eighth inning when they scored one run on a two-base hit by Daily and Gleason's low throw to first.  In the ninth they secured three earned runs, on a home run by Gross, who drove the ball over the fence, a two-base hit by Kreig and singles by McLaughlin and Leary.  For the home team in the third inning a single by Dunlap, aided by an error of Leary's, scored one run.  In the seventh a single by Whitehead, aided by a wild throw, let in another run.  In the eighth two-basers by Dunlap and Taylor, singles by Dickerson and Quinn increased their total to 4 runs.  Hodnett pitched a remarkable game for the home team, holding the giants down to four hits up till the eighth inning when they got on to his twirling so hard that in the middle of the inning Dunlap deemed it best to substitute Taylor.  His support by Brennan was excellent, not a passed ball being charged against him.  Daily and Krieg, who formed the visiting battery, played a creditable game.  The fielding honors were carried off by Dickerson and Rowe, each of whom made catches that electrified the spectators.  The attendance was about 2,500, and the crowd manifested keen enjoyment of the beautiful plays with which the game abounded.  Many of the spectators declared that it was the prettiest game they had ever witnessed.  Dunlap was fined $10 by Sullivan for failing to run back from second after he had been put out.  Dunlap was ordered to hurry up, but disregarded the order, whereupon the fine was imposed.  Dunlap, who is now manager and captain of the nine, should set a better example to his men.  His great ability as a ball player is conceded by all, but he must learn and impress upon his team that respect for umpires and gentlemanly deportment on the field are essential elements of success on St. Louis ball fields.  

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 22, 1884


I am, of course, amused by Dunlap's lack of gentlemanly deportment but this article raises a question I've been meaning to address for awhile.  The Globe writes that Dunlap was "now manager and captain of the nine" but I didn't see anything about Ted Sullivan leaving the club.  In fact, going through the season day by day, I haven't seen any mention of Sullivan at all.  There was plenty of talk about Sullivan during the off-season but once the season started, it was like he wasn't a part of the club.

We know that Sullivan was the manager of the club to start the season and Baseball Reference has him managing the club for the first thirty-one games.  The Maroons' thirty-first game was played on June 13th, a 16-11 win over Cincinnati at home.  They then left for a four game set against the Outlaw Reds in Cincinnati.  So it appears that Dunlap took over as manager starting with the trip to Cincinnati.  But the Globe doesn't mention this until June 22nd?

I think I obviously missed something and I'm going to go back and see if I can find any references to Sullivan leaving the club.  I'd like to know how and why all of this went down.              

The 1884 Maroons: The First Championship Game Of The Season

Notwithstanding the disagreeable temperature and dampening drizzle that prevailed yesterday afternoon, fully 10,000 persons attended the opening game in the Union Association championship schedule for this city, between the St. Louis Unions and the Chicago Unions.  This fact may appear quite incredible to those who sat all the afternoon in their homes and pitied people who were obliged to be out and exposed to the dreary elements, but it is nevertheless an astonishing yet positive fact.  What was most remarkable was that at least 6,000 occupied uncovered seats, and all sat through a six inning contest apparently cheerful if not grateful for having an opportunity to see the game.  It is doubtful if under similar circumstances any other city in the country could produce such a gathering.  considering the conditions under which it was played it was the most remarkable base ball event that ever occurred in the West, and, perhaps the most remarkable in the annals of the game.  To a man the spectators were base ball enthusiasts, if not absolute cranks.  But they were good-humored, and evidently appreciating the fact that brilliant playing should not be expected, laughed at errors and heartily applauded each good play.  As a matter of course, they were partial to the home club, but they were liberal to the visitors, and particularly so to Hugh Daily.  In fact the one-armed pitcher was the favorite of the occasion.  He caught the sympathy of the crowd in his preliminary practice, in which his catching with one hand and a stump was greatly admired.  When the first time at the bat, after two strikes, he knocked a grounder to left field, scoring a two-base hit, he became

The Hero Of The Hour, 

and was wildly cheered.  The field and diamond were both very slippery and the spikes of the fielders were of comparatively little value.  Dunlap suffered twice from this cause.  In one instance after securing first base on a hit, he sneaked away from the bag.  Daily threw to Schoenick to nip him.  He got back all right, but in sliding, passed the bag, and was put out before he could get back.  Then in the fifth inning he nearly fielded a grounder from Cady's bat, hit near second, but after getting could not steady himself, and in throwing to first sent the ball over Taylor's head.  In the outfield, owing to the peculiar atmosphere, the players experienced great difficulty in judging fly balls.  The home battery was Hodnett and Brennan, while Daily and Krieg were presented by the visitors.  Hodnett executed some remarkable curves, but was quite unsteady in his delivery.  Brennan fully sustained the high opinions that have been expressed concerning his ability, and there need be no hesitation in pronouncing him the most promising young catcher in the country.  Daily did not have his usual control of the ball, and besides being somewhat wild gave three men bases on balls.  The young players, Whitehead, Brennan and Hodnett, were his special victims, and were sorely puzzled by his delivery.  Krieg's support was excellent.  Indeed it was quite a surprise.

 The Game.

The game was called at 2:10, twenty minutes before the announced time.  There was, however, no reason for further delay as the crowd present was very large and impatient to have the contest begin.  The St. Louis team were first at the bat.  Dunlap led and was given his base on balls.  Shaffer followed with a hit to short that gave an opportunity for a double play.  Mathias made a clean pick up, but threw so high to second that Hengle had to get back from the bag to stop the ball.  Deing unable to return to the bag before Dunlap had reached it, Hengle threw to first and just managed to put out Shaffer.  Dunlap then stole third and came home on a passed ball.  Dickerson struck out and Gleason retired the side by hitting to third and going out on Foley's assist to Schoenick.  The visitors failed to score.  Ellick hit to Dunlap and went out at first.  Krieg hit a liner to left field that Dickerson misjudged, and it fell just beyond his reach.  A good stop and throw held the striker at first.  Heugle raised a foul fly to right and Shaffer attended to tit.  A passed ball gave Kreig second base, but he died on the very next ball.  Brennan fumbled it but recovering quickly threw to Gleason and cut short the runner in an attempt to gain third. 

In the second inning neither side scored.  Rowe started with a two-base hit to right and was finally left at third.  Taylor made

 A Stupid Play

hitting high to the right of Daly he stood and watched the one-armed man attempt to catch the ball, and did not leave the plate until Dunlap ran up, pushed him off and started him for first.  Daly muffed, but Kreig who was right under him, gathered the ball and threw Taylor out at first.  Rowe ran to third on the error.  Then Whitehead and Brennan struck out.  The Chicagos went out in quick succession.  Householder and Foley on Hodnett's assist to Taylor, while Schoenick hit direct to Taylor.  Both sides realized blanks from the third inning.  Dunlap scored first on a safe one to center, but was put out by Daly's throw to Schoenick.  Daly made a two-bagger for the visitors and then was left.

 In the fourth inning the local club scored two runs and the Chicagos one.  Gleason led off with a drive over the left fielder's head, the ball bounding against the fence, but had to be content with one base.  Rowe hit between second and first.  The ball was fielded by Schoenick and Daly covered first only to make a muff on which Gleason reached third.  After Rowe had taken second by sufferance he and Gleason were brought home by Taylor's slashing grounder to left.  The ball was fielded home and Taylor thereby gained second.  A passed ball gave him third where he was left, Whitehead, Brennan and Hodnett striking out.  Kreig opened for the Chicago team by getting first on called balls.  In attempting to steal second he was nipped by Brennan's brilliant throw to Dunlap.  Hengle, who also started with a base on balls, stole second, Brennan throwing a trifle wide to Dunlap, and came home on Householder's hit to short, which Whitehead fumbled and then threw wild to Taylor.  That was the only run scored by the visitors.  In the next two innings the game dragged and became slow and tedious.  The misty rain increased in density, the pitcher became unable to handle the ball with effectiveness, and the players slipped at almost every run on both turf and bare ground.  Two more innings each realized two runs for the St. Louis nine, while the Chicago contingent retired with zeros.  The game was then called.  The crowd would have been satisfied with a call at the end of the fifth inning, but in order to avoid possible dissatisfaction Dunlap had an additional inning played.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 21, 1884


A few thoughts on the Maroons first official game of the season:

-Gleason's hit in the fourth was interesting.  A ball to left field that went over the outfielder's head, it only resulted in a single.  Either Gleason was really, really slow or this is evidence of the Union Grounds being a small ballpark.  It's possible, I guess, that Gleason thought the ball was going to be caught and did run it out but a ball over the left fielder's head with no one on base should have been a double.

-I forgot that Joe Ellick played for the Chicago Unions.  Always nice to see an old Red Stocking.

-"It is doubtful if under similar circumstances any other city in the country could produce such a gathering."  You hear that a lot in St. Louis.  You'll be sitting at the ballpark on a Tuesday night against Colorado, there will be 40,000 people there and you'll hear somebody say something like "They probably have 2,000 people at the game in Florida."

-Again, I think it's necessary to point out that One Armed Daily actually had two arms.  Also, his middle name was Ignatius.

-No mention of Ted Sullivan.  Dunlap was the guy who made the decision to play or call the game and you would think that Sullivan, who was the manager, would have made that decision.  Dunlap was the field captain so maybe that fell to him.  It's just kind of odd that Sullivan isn't mentioned in the article at all, especially given his relationship with the press.    

-And that brings us to:

What Did Dunlap Do?

Teh Fred went two for two, with a walk, a stolen base and three runs.  A nice start to the season.  He also got picked off first and made a throwing error, but the Globe blamed those on the weather.  Even more interestingly, he probably really pissed off Bollicky Bill Taylor.  Taylor was a veteran and one of the older guys on the team so I doubt he appreciated Dunlap shoving him out of the box in the second inning, regardless of circumstances.  Teh Fred was not exactly known for his people skills and this is kind of an example of that.
       

    

Not This Again

The Richmond, Va., Club deny that Ted Sullivan has been released from his promise to manage the team. He has signed with the St. Louis Unions and all his protestations of square dealing are denied by his act.

-Cleveland Herald, March 31, 1884

Yep, this again. The first mention in the newspapers that I've seen regarding Sullivan and the Richmond situation was on October 29, 1883. That was five full months before this mention in the Herald. I thought even the Herald had given up on this story but I was wrong and while their attacks on the UA had decreased in March, they still hadn't fully given up their "wreckers" editorial stance. But that's what I love about the Herald. Their stanch anti-UA editorial policy is a wonderful contrast to the Globe's pro-UA policy. As we get into the 1884 season itself, I'm going to miss the back and forth between the two papers.

The Sullivan Situation

Ted Sullivan, after hanging on the verge for four months, has joined the wreckers and signed to manage the St. Louis Union.

-Cleveland Herald, March 16, 1884

I take this as confirmation that Sullivan had settled his contract situation with Richmond. To the best of my knowledge, Sullivan officially agreed to manage the Maroons in December of 1883 and had been working with the club since at least the end of October. However, he had previously agreed to manage a club in Richmond, Virginia and he had been seeking his release from this agreement. There had been some talk in the papers at the beginning of March 1884 that Sullivan was going to Richmond to take care of the situation.

Powers Extraordinary

Manager Ted Sullivan has gone East, and is armed with powers extraordinary. He will secure a pitcher and catcher for the Lucas team at any cost, and will get them where they can be got.-[St. Louis Post-Dispatch.]

-Cleveland Herald, February 8, 1884

The Maroons were still looking for a pitcher and catcher, as they had been for several months. Loosing Mullane, of course, didn't help but, even before then, they were still looking for a catcher and another pitcher.

Illigitimate Baseball Interests

Ted Sullivan, of St. Louis, has been hanging on the outskirts of the [Northwestern League] convention [in Chicago] to pick up men for the Union Association. He has signed two inferior players. During the past twenty-four hours the Union Association has lost six men. Their names are known to your correspondent. Four of them rank with the best players in the country. For obvious reasons I cannot make public these names, but evidence of the truth of the assertion has been furnished me in a shape that forces conviction. The Chicago Unions will lose one of their strongest men. He deserted when he found Corcoran had changed his mind. Legitimate base ball interests have been greatly strengthened by this convention.

-Cleveland Herald, January 12, 1884

Obviously, the two players signed by Sullivan were Scott and Roach. As always, I love the Herald's spin on the story. Sure, Sullivan signed two players but they weren't any good and, in the meantime, four of the best players in the country deserted the UA. Good stuff.

Also, it's of interest that the Herald states that Sullivan was signing players "for the Union Association" and not, specifically, for the Maroons. This is evidence that Sullivan was acting as an agent for the league as a whole and not just for the Maroons. While this isn't anything earth-shattering, it's not something that I've touched on before. So let it be dully noted that I've now mentioned it.

Sullivan Signs A Couple Of Players

Milton Scott, the first baseman of the Fort Waynes, and William Roach, shortstop of the Bay Citys of last season, were engaged in Chicago yesterday by T.P. Sullivan for the Lucas Club of St. Louis.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, January 11, 1884

Neither Mikado Milt Scott nor William Roach played for the Maroons in 1884. Scott played with Detroit and I have no idea who Roach played with. I'll have a little more on this tomorrow.

In A Quiet Condition

The local base ball situation is one of extreme quietude, neither of the rival organizations developing anything of public interest...

The Union Association Club is working quietly to perfect its organization, and while President Lucas has nothing specific to communicate he says that he is receiving numerous applications for positions on his nine from good ball players, and there need be no doubt that the vacancies in the team will be filled with first-class men. It is a quiet rumor that Bushong will be here to face Mullane when the club takes to the diamond. He is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Dentistry, and is now in Paris studying the French practice of the profession. It is said that in letters that have been received from him he states that if he played ball again he desires to do so in a place where he can devote himself remuneratively to dentistry in the winter months, and eventually retire from the diamond to a good practice. If this is true there is little doubt but President Lucas can offer him much better inducements to come to St. Louis than can be offered him by the Cleveland Club managers, and that he will become a citizen of this city is highly probable.

Ted Sullivan arrived home on Thursday. His trip extended through the Northwest, Milwaukee and Chicago.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, January 6, 1884

Let The Good Times Roll

I can't believe I'm going back to this but it's necessary.

The Lucas nine will be managed by Ted Sullivan, who closed an engagement with Mr. Lucas on yesterday afternoon. The success of the St. Louis Club while he handled it the past season is evidence of his capacity as a manager. He will not have an easy task in controlling the nine that he is about to take charge of and there appears to be but one thing for him to do, and that is, enforce strict discipline. Good ball playing and dissipation do not go hand-in-hand and as every member of the team will be paid a good salary to play ball, dissipation by any of them must not be tolerated. There is good material on the nine, and it is to be hoped that Sullivan will succeed with it.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, December 23, 1883

Timothy Paul Sullivan officially agreed to manage the Maroons on December 22, 1883. End of story. Res ipsa loquitur. Let the good times roll.

Really? Are We Absolutely Sure About This?

The paragraph that appeared in yesterday morning's Globe Democrat, stating that T.P. Sullivan had not been engaged by the Lucas nine as manager was an error. It should have referred to Tom Sullivan, the well-known catcher. Tom has not signed yet, notwithstanding the statement of a morning paper that he had. T.P. Sullivan, familiarly known as "Ted," has signed as manager of the Lucas nine.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, December 31, 1883

Frustrating. I've just spent about an hour of my life writing up these last few posts and running down information about "Ted" Sullivan. And it was all an error. Now I'm not going to pretend that I've never confused Ted Sullivan and Tom Sullivan because I do it all the time but this is making me a bit cranky.

And, just to complicate matters a bit more, Thomas Jefferson Sullivan (a.k.a. Tom Sullivan, a.k.a. Sleeper Sullivan, a.k.a. Old Iron Hands) did sign with the Maroons at some point. Unless I'm confusing this Tom Sullivan with another Tom Sullivan or, possibly, Tim Sullivan.

Sometimes You Just Throw Your Hands Up (or Difficulties in Historical Methodology, Part Two)

T.P. Sullivan, manager of the Lucas Union Base Ball Club of St. Louis, to-day, engaged Joe Quinn, formerly of the Dubuques, as a member of the reserve nine of the above club. Mr. Quinn is a remarkably active and ambitious player, and will undoubtedly fill his position with credit.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, December 30, 1883

Seriously.

This not only appeared in the same edition of the Globe in which it was reported that Sullivan denied that he had agreed to manage the Maroons but it actually appears in the paragraph directly above the one which reported the denial.

So in the same edition of the Globe, on the same page and in consecutive paragraphs, you have Sullivan signing players for the club and identified as the manager and then you have Sullivan stating that he was not the manager of the club.

Then again, if we parse his words, maybe Sullivan was only denying that he had signed a contract. I really don't know. Sullivan was a bit of a slippery fish and he had a way of getting his view of things into the papers. If I had to guess what was really going on here, I'd say that Sullivan still had some sort of contractual agreement with the Richmond club that had not been resolved but he had already decided, by the end of October, to manage the Maroons. He was acting in that capacity throughout the fall of 1883 but, because he had not been officially released from his committment to Richmond, had to deny that he was doing so.