The First Base Ball Grounds

The first base ball grounds of any permanency was known as Gamble Lawn and was situated just south of Gamble avenue and West Twentieth street. it was a large vacant piece of property admirably suited for the purpose...It had long been used as a cricket ground and upon it the Empire Club laid the first claims, being shortly followed by several others. Upon this ground was played most all of the earliest match games. Each of several organizations had its own allotted time by mutual agreement for using the grounds and every hour of almost every pleasant day, not excepting Sunday, witnessed a game...There was always a goodly crowd of spectators at the practice games and match games never failed of finding enough in attendance to form a deep line around the whole circumference of the grounds...

...Carr Place was early used by the Morning Star Club and the next ground to become known as a base ball resort was nearly two blocks in extent on the west side of Ham Street, just south of Chouteau Avenue...Here played the Union and Commercial Clubs in their first start out, but being small in dimension the ground was used almost solely for practice and it was put a short time until these two clubs obtained permission from the city council to use a certain portion of Lafayette Park providing they would arrange and maintain the grounds at their own expense. This was done at an outlay of several hundred dollars by each club, but they enjoyed the benefit of the grounds for only a brief period as the war of Rebellion ad broken out, soldiers were being recruited and the military powers seized upon it as a fitting spot for an encampment. The ball players of course looked upon it as a very great hardship to lose the grounds and their money too, but there was "no kick coming" in that case, so the boys went hunting for a new location and succeeded in finding one on Mississippi Avenue, south of Lafayette Park, on a large commons owned by Hon. Thos. Allen who granted permission for the clubs to use the grounds free of all charges. Many "interesting and exciting" games were played upon this ground, the most notable ones being a series between Union and Empire Clubs...

-E. H. Tobias, writing in The Sporting News, October 26, 1895


Leonard Matthews, in A Long Life In Review, mentions that the Cyclone Club also played at Lafayette Park. He wrote that "(we) spent $600 to put the grounds in shape." It appears, base on what Tobias wrote, that this expense was shared between several clubs.

In The National Game, Al Spink also wrote about some of the earliest baseball grounds in St. Louis. He specifically mentions that "(the) Rowenas and Vanities played in an open field south of Lafayette Park." This appears most likely to be Allen's commons.

The Morning Star Club

One of the earliest match games played was between the Cyclone and Morning Star Clubs on grounds just back of where now stands the amphiteatre in the Fair Grounds and resulted in the Morning Stars winning the game, by a score of 36-21. The players on the Morning Star nine were: Wm. Henry, 1b; Robt. Henry, c. and captain; Jno. Henry, lf; David Naylor, rf; Dolf, 3b; Chas. Scudder, 2b; Richard Perry, ss; Martin Burke, p; H. H. Franklin, cf...Capt. Martin Burke, pitcher of the Morning Star Club, went into the war of the Rebellion on the Confederate side and in a short time was brought home severely wounded. He did not long survive and was buried here. The ball won by the Stars on this occasion was sent East to be gilded and inscribed and on its return the defeated gave a supper to the victors at the Planter's House. A legend is extant that a few years after Jerry Fruin borrowed the ball and forgot to return it. Both (the Morning Star and Cyclone Clubs) were disorganized by the war, most of the Stars going into the Union Army under Maj. Zagonyi, in command of Gen. Fremont's Body Guard...

-E. H. Tobias, writing in The Sporting News, November 2, 1895

Tobias' account of what happened to the trophy ball from the first match game played in St. Louis appears to be supported by Merritt Griswold. In his letter to Al Spink, Griswold wrote that "the ball used in that first match game was for years used as the championship trophy, it going from one club to the other, and the last the writer ever heard of it, it was in the possession of the Empire Club." Fruin, of course, was a long-time member and captain of the Empire Club. Griswold also wrote that he was the person who sent the ball East to be gilded and engraved.

The Morning Star Club was a town ball team that played at Carr's Park and were convinced by Griswold to try baseball. After a bit of coaching, the Morning Star Club "never played town ball" again.

John W. O'Connell

I was browsing through a copy of Irish St. Louis by David Lossos late last night and found a brief note on John W. O'Connell, who according to Al Spink was at the first meeting of the Empire Club on April 16, 1860. Lossos, who runs the fantastic Genealogy in St. Louis website, quotes St. Louis: History of the Fourth City, 1764-1909:

John W. O'Connell was born in the city of Shangarry in County Cork, Ireland, Octoer 7, 1843. His father, William O'Connell, was a farmer's son but, though reared to the occupation of the fields, became a contractor. The year 1848 witnessed his arrival in America, at which time he settled in St. Louis and turned his attention to railroad construction, building a large part of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. At the time of the Civil war Mr. O'Connell responded to the call for aid issued by the Confederacy and for seven months did active military duty with the southern army. In 1872 he became one of the organizers of the Knights of Father Matthew. In 1860 he helped to organize the first baseball club west of the Mississippi river, known as the Empire Baseball Club, and the first match game played in St. Louis was on the 27th of July, 1860

Now, as we know, the Empire Club was not the first baseball club in St. Louis and therefore not the first club west of the Mississippi. Certainly, it was one of the first but not the very first. Also, the first match game in St. Louis, to the best of our knowledge, was played on July 8 or 9, 1860 between the Cyclone Club and the Morning Stars (although E. H. Tobias mentions a game between the Empires and the Union on New Years Day, 1860; based on what we know about the two clubs and the development of the game in St. Louis, I find this to be unlikely).

The Knights of Father Matthew, you may be interested to know, was a Catholic temperance organization that was founded in Ireland in the 1830's. The first American chapter of the group was established in St. Louis in 1872. As a German-Irish Catholic, all I can say is that "Catholic temperance" is an oxymoron and the idea of a Catholic temperance organization is the silliest thing I've ever heard of. I'll be sure to lift my next pint to John O'Connell and Father Matthews (whose statue is pictured above).

E. H. Tobias' Series on Early Baseball in St. Louis

In 1895, The Sporting News began publishing a series of articles on the early history of baseball in St. Louis written by E. H. Tobias, a former member of the Empire Club. Tobias' series, which first appeared in the October 26, 1895 issue of TSN, began with the origins of the game in the city and continued through the 1875 season, essentially covering the history of the game in St. Louis from its beginnings until the advent of championship play. The series ran in seventeen parts with the last article appearing in the February 15, 1896 issue of TSN.

For those who are interested, the archives of TSN are online at Paper of Record and a general guide to the series appears below. All articles in the series appears on page five of the issue cited.

-Pt. 1 (October 26, 1895) and Pt. 2 (November 2, 1895): the origins of baseball in St. Louis and the first clubs; baseball in St. Louis during the Civil War
-Pt. 3 (November 9, 1895): the 1865 season
-Pt. 4 (November 16, 1895): 1866
-Pt. 5 (November 23, 1895): 1867/1868
-Pt. 6 (November 30, 1895): 1868/1869
-Pt. 7 (December 7, 1895): 1869
-Pt. 8 (December 14, 1895): 1869/1870
-Pt. 9 (December 21, 1895): 1870/1871
-Pt. 10 (December 28, 1895: 1871/1872
-Pt. 11 (January 4, 1896): 1872/1873
-Pt. 12 (January 11, 1896): 1873
-Pt. 13 (January 18, 1896): 1874
-Pt. 14 (January 25, 1896): 1874
-Pt. 15 (February 1, 1896): 1874
-Pt. 16 (February 8, 1896): 1874/1875

It goes without saying that this is an incredible source for information about 19th century baseball in St. Louis. Tobias, an eyewitness and participant in the events he describes, provides a wealth of material and I'm only now beginning to mine the source. It's obvious to me, after spending a week reading through the Tobias series, that the history of the game in St. Louis cannot be understood properly without taking Tobias into account. So I think I should offer this warning to all of my loyal readers out there: Be prepared to hear a lot from Mr. Tobias over the next month or so.

The Empire Club Celebrates Their Anniversary

Illustrative of the discipline maintained (by Jeremiah Fruin) is an incident that occurred soon after the Home Guards were put into service throughout the city. The Empire Club was celebrating the anniversary of its organization by a match game between the married and single men on Gamble Lawn, and as usual had erected their tent at a convenient spot for the safe keeping and change of clothing, ice water, and other refreshments. From the tent pole was suspended a blue and gilt banner that originally had been presented by Col. John McNeil to one of the old volunteer fire companies from whom it was inherited by the Empire Club. About the middle of the game when the large attendance, composed mostly of ladies and children, was getting at fever heat interest, it was suddenly discovered that the grounds were almost completely surrounded by detachments of Home Guards, a squad of whom marched straight to the middle of the field surprising the players and causing such consternation among the audience that it quickly dispersed amid the shrieks and cries of the terrorized women and children, and to the deep indignation of the members of the club, some few of whom giving way to their anger, seized on bats, bases (they were movable in those days) and anything with which they could make a fight. Fruin sprung to the front of the soldiers, ordered the ball players back and caused a suspension of hostilities. Among the players, as an invited guest, was Capt. Griswold, an officer in the Home Guards and a member of the Cyclone Club, who accounded Fruin's peace-preserving efforts by addressing himself to the officer of the intruders, a somewhat fresh importation, from whom it was soon learned that they had been informed and so believed that the banner was a secession flag and the gathering was one of rebels. It was impossible to make the officer understand the truth of the situation. His "Dutch was up" owing to the imprecations and jeers that had been hurled upon him and his men and he would not be appeased without taking several players prisoners to headquarters at Turner Hall on Tenth street just South of Market. As further proof of his prowess the officer also took along that much despised and tear provoking "Secesh" banner. At Turner Hall, Col. John McNeil was in command. He quickly recognized his own old banner and understood the situation by at once liberating the prisoners. It was owing mainly to Fruin's ready action and control of his men that no actual conflict took place on the ball field, for one over-act on the part of a ball player would have doubtless caused an indiscriminate firing from the Home Guards, wherein the women and children would have suffered and perhaps another chapter of the "Slaughter of the Innocents" added to the history of those dark and troubled days.

-E. H. Tobias, writing in The Sporting News, November 2, 1895




While Tobias doesn't give a date for this game, the implication is that it took place in 1861. Al Spink writes in The National Game that the Empire Club was founded on April 16, 1860 so this game was marking the first anniversary of the club's founding and most likely took place during one of the most chaotic periods in the history of St. Louis. If the game was being played in the middle to late April of 1861, it takes place as the struggle for control of the city between Union and Secessionist forces is coming to a head.

In March of 1861, the Missouri Constitutional Convention votes to stay in the Union but not to supply military aid to the Federal government. On April 12, Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter. On April 20, pro-Confederate forces seize the arsenal at Liberty, Missouri. On April 29, Nathaniel Lyons seizes the arsenal at St. Louis for the Union. On May 1, Gov. Jackson calls out the Missouri Militia. And on May 10, Lyon seizes Camp Jackson.

In the middle of all of this, the Empire Base Ball Club celebrated their anniversary by playing a game.

Note: The picture at the top of the post is of the St. Louis arsenal. The second photo is of the Nathaniel Lyons monument in St. Louis. The arsenal can be seen in the background.

Known Members Of The Cyclone Club

As I mentioned earlier today, I've compiled a list of known members of the Cyclone Club based on the writings of Merritt Griswold, Leonard Matthews, and E. H. Tobias. I'm posting the list below, along with the source that identified the person as a club member.

M. W. Alexander +
Fredrick Benteen *
Alfred Bernoudy *+
Edward Bernoudy *+
Edward Bredell *#+
Jonathan P. Collier #+
William Collier #
Alex Crosman #
Jonathan T. Davis +
Basil Duke +
Edward Farish #+
Joseph S. Fullerton *+
Joseph Gamble +
Rufus Gamble +
Ferdinand Garesche *#+
Merritt Griswold *+
Alex Grossman +
Louis Hutchinson #
Charles Kearney *
John Lapsley +
Leonard Matthews #+
Orville Matthews *#+
William Matthews *#+
Dr. Gratz Moses +
John Griffith Prather *+
Paul Prewett #
John Riggin *#
John Stetinius #
Willis C. Walker +
John Waddell +
Robert S. Whitney *

* identified as a member by Merritt Griswold
# identified as a member by Leonard Matthews
+ identified as a member by E. H. Tobias

Continuity

I had an interesting thought the other day (I know that's rare but it does happen occasionally).

No one, while writing about the history of St. Louis baseball, has ever explored the idea of there being continuity between the 1875-1877 Brown Stockings and the 1882-present Browns/Perfectos/Cardinals. And in all honesty, the link is rather obvious and just sitting there.

In the fall of 1877, the NL Brown Stocking club collapses for various reasons-the gambling scandals, financial difficulty, the resignation of J.B.C. Lucas as president of the club, etc. A team is formed in 1878, also called the Brown Stockings, made up of a remnant of the Brown Stocking League club and playing their home games at the Grand Avenue Grounds. Organized by the Spink brothers and Ned Cuthbert (who had played with the Brown Stockings in 1875 and 1876), this club included Dickey Pearce, Lip Pike, Mike McGeary, Art Croft and Joe Blong, all members of the 1877 Brown Stockings. Same name, same park, most of the same players-the only difference between the 1877 Brown Stockings and the 1878 Brown Stockings was league affiliation and club officers.

This club, although not affiliated with any league, was a professional team that made road trips and attempted to compete on a national level. While almost certainly most of their competition was local, they did play clubs from Indianapolis, Louisville, and Akron. These Brown Stockings were also remarkably successful on the field. In 1880, they finished 20-1. In 1881, they also lost only one game. The 1881 team included Cuthbert, the Gleason brothers, George Seward, and Jumbo McGinnis, all members of the 1882 AA Brown Stockings.

It was the success of this club, combined with the relationship between Cuthbert and Chris Von der Ahe, that prompted the establishment of the Sportsmans Park & Club Association and the entry of the Brown Stockings into the American Association. Von der Ahe's Association club, then, was nothing more than the "semi-pro" Brown Stockings of 1878-1881.

So if the Interregnum Brown Stockings were nothing more than the remnants of the NA/NL Brown Stockings and the AA Browns were the Interregnum Browns placed in a new league then it's possible to say that rather than there being three distinct Brown Stockings/Browns teams in the 19th century, there was in fact only one team. League affiliation changed, club officials changed, players changed, the nickname changed but there is a continuity that extends from the 1875 Brown Stockings to Von der Ahe's Browns and therefore to the St. Louis Cardinals of today.

While the Cardinals celebrated there centennial in 1992 and most historians mark their beginnings in 1882, I think it's possible to argue that the history of the St. Louis Cardinals actually begins in 1875.

Life In The Empire Club In The 1860's

The club uniform consisted of blue cap and pants, white shirt and leather belt with spiked shoes. The monthly and special meetings were held in a hall on the West side of Third street nearly opposite the old City Hotel which stood where is now located the Murphy trunk manufactory. This hall was neatly furnished and adorned with flags and pictures as well as trophies won by the club or some of its players. The custom prevailed of presenting the winning club of a match with the ball used in the game which was afterwards gilded and the date and score of the game painted theron in black letters. The bat was usually given as an individual prize for catching, running of bases, long distance throwing and other meritorious feats.

It will be readily seen that in those days, membership in a club instead of being a source of income was one of no inconsiderable expense. Uniforms would wear out, monthly dues had to be paid the club treasurer, fines were imposed for non-attendance, rude or unbecoming conduct, use of profane or vulgar language on the field and disputing the umpire entailed personal disgrace if not financial bankruptcy. These rules and regulations being made by the votes of the members themselves were the more readily observed and consequently lightened the labors of Captain Fruin in whom they found a strict disciplinarian on the field and a jolly good fellow off it. So well trained did the players become that from this commanding position at second base Fruin would convey his orders by a motion or slap of the hands or by a single world and his admonitions and instructions given prior to the opening of a game were closely heeded.

-E. H. Tobias, writing in The Sporting News, November 2, 1895

Tobias On The Cyclone Club

The Cyclone Club came into existence in 1859 and included in its membership some of the brightest young men of St. Louis, among them a number of whom have left the impress of their handiwork in almost every honorable calling. The founders of this club were Ed Bredell, a St. Louisan, and M. W. Griswold, a former resident of Brooklyn, N. Y. and a captain in the U. S. Army. Through the exertions of these base ball enthusiasts and organization was perfected embracing eventually with others the following: M. W. Alexander, the well-known druggist; Ed. T. Farish, lawyer; Jno. P. Collier; Ferd. L. Garesche; Joseph Gamble, now a clergyman in one of the Eastern States; Basil Duke, lawyer and later a brigadier-general in the Confederate Army; Dr. Gratz Moses, John Lapsley, Rufus Gamble, Jno. T. Davis, son and successor in business of Sam'l C. Davis; Alfred Bernoudy, Recorder of Deeds; Ed Bernoudy; Edward Bredell, afterward one of Mosby's men in Virginia; John S. Fullerton, lawyer, Brigadier-General in the Union Army and after the war postmaster in this city; Leonard and W.H. Matthews, druggists, and E. O. Matthews, now a commodore in the U. S. Navy; Alex Grossman, a son of a captain in the U. S. Army; John Waddell, nephew of Gen. D. M. Frost, a confederate soldier and later a state officer; Col. J. Griff Prather, the Democratic statesman, and Willis C. Walker, merchant.

-E. H. Tobias, writing in The Sporting News, November 2, 1895


Based on the writings of Tobias, Griswold, and Leonard Matthews, I now have a list of thirty-one men who have been mentioned as members of the Cyclone Club. While I have no confidence that this is a complete list, I'm comfortable saying that most of the members of the club have been identified.

The 1867 Empire Base Ball Club

This image of the Empires came from the November 2, 1895 issue of The Sporting News. In the back row is J. D. Fitzgibbons, pitcher; J. J. Spaulding, catcher; Adam Worth, first base; Thomas Murray, second base; David Duffy, catcher; and J. W. O'Connell, left field. In the front row is John Heep, center field; John Shockey, right field; Jas. Barron, shortstop; and Chas. Stevens, sub.

A New Claimant For Popular Favor

The new club about which so much speculation had been indulged threw down the gauntlet at this time and defied the best clubs in the city, its first game being with the Champion Empires on May 25 (1873). This new claimant for popular favor and the State championship was composed entirely of St. Louis boys with perhaps a solitary exception. Its playing nine was composed of some ambitious and brilliant players whose careers in other clubs...had been successful enough to attract the favorable commendation of competent judges and also that of Mr. Thomas McNeary, the organizer of the Red Stocking Club, and he certainly succeded in launching a very strong aggregation, one that was destined to become an important factor not only in local but in outside baseball, for in the course of time a number of these players were drafted from this club by out and out professional organizations where they distinguished themselves in no unworthy manner.

The playing of the Reds (in their first game) gave plenty of evidence that there was no lack of good material in the nine but as yet it suffered for want of practice and when it had that and the players had become more familiar with each other's play there was great promise of a superior club. Dillon showed the elements of a great catcher. He faced hot ones unflinchingly, was adept at taking fly tips, but was weak on passing balls. "Pidge" Morgan proved a general utility man, besides holding down third base at the opening of the game he then went into short field and also pitched for two innings. Dean at first acquitted himself well up to the fifth inning when he was sorely troubled by the sun shining on his face. The others did good and creditable work.

-E. H. Tobias, writing in The Sporting News, January 4, 1896


Tobias' claim that the Reds first took the field in 1873 is contradicted by Al Spink in The National Game. Spink wrote that "(early) in the sixties Thomas McNeary leased a piece of ground at Compton avenue and the Missouri Pacific Railway tracks. He fitted it up for baseball purposes...Upon this field he placed a team which he called the St. Louis Reds..."

Schmelz Gets Fired

Last night the board of directors of the St. Louis League Club released manager Gus Schmelz, and that gentleman will return to Columbus. From this time forward Jack Glasscock will have charge of the team both on and off the field, President Stromberg attending to the business interests. Mr. Schmelz carries with him the good will of all with whom he has come in contact. He will probably manage the Cincinnati Club next year, although he has made no contact with any club so far.

-From The Sporting News, October 18, 1886


David Nemec writes in The Beer & Whiskey League that Schmelz full name was Gustavus Heinrich Schmelz and that his only credentials for taking over the Columbus Association team, Schmelz' first managerial job, "was his flaming red beard, which gave him a rather fierce look." Interestingly, the only reason Schmelz got the job in Columbus was that, according to James Tottle in Baseball in Columbus, "(local) favorite Jimmy Williams had already taken the job as manager in St. Louis, so ownership hired Gus Schmelz of Columbus to manage the Buckeyes in 1884."

He never won a pennant, but Schmelz was a highly respected manager. He believed the most important factor in success was the players' confidence, in themselves, one another, and the manager. He had a big, thick beard and supposedly gave signals by pointing with it. An opponent of the Brotherhood League, he advocated banning for life all who played in it. Schmelz gave John Heydler his start in baseball. When an assigned umpire failed to appear for a game, Schmelz called Heydler out of the stands to substitute. Heydler went on to become a regular umpire and eventually rose to NL president.

-From Baseball Library.com


There are much better photos of Schmelz then the one I posted above but they're mostly team photos, like this picture of the 1886 Maroons. I had never seen Schmelz' Old Judge card before I found it today and, even though it's pretty rough, I like it.

Yank Robinson

William Robinson, the second baseman of the four-time winner St. Louis Browns, was one of the most brilliant second base players of his day.

Robinson was one of the old "Stonewall Infield," the infield that included Comiskey at first, Robinson at second, Latham at third, and W. Gleason at short field.

Robinson covered a fine lot of ground. He was especially good at backing up quickly and grabbing the short flies that were hit just over second base. He was a fine fielder and thrower and a fine emergency batsman.

-From The National Game

Cliff Carroll Is The Reason

Among the abnormal incidents that figured in the earlier history of the national game, perhaps none is as well known to old-timers as the one which happened to Cliff Carroll, on the St. Louis grounds, when he was a member of the famous "Browns." Perhaps you have wondered why baseball players have plain shirt fronts, and why so few players have breast pockets. Cliff Carroll is the reason. He was running forward to take a base hit on the first bound. The ball bounced crooked and hit him on the chest. He grabbed at the ball hastily and, as he clutched it, he shoved it down into the handkerchief pocket on his shirt front. The runner saw Carroll tugging and straining to tear the ball out of the pocket and instead of stopping at first, he sprinted on to second while Carroll, still trying to dislodge the ball, ran to second. The batter passed the fielder and turned for third with Carroll in pursuit. At third Carroll stopped and tried in vain to release he ball, and the runner kept on across the plate and scored the winning run. Chris Von der Ahe, who at the time was at the head of the euphonic trio, Von der Ahe, Muckenfuss, and Diddlebock, which operated the club, was furious and ordered all pockets removed from baseball shirts. Other teams followed and the pockets never have been restored, except by a few players who are willing to risk the repetition of the accident.

-From Freak Plays That Decide Baseball Championships by Hugh Fullerton

Fullerton's article appeared in Volume LXXIV of The American Magazine in 1912. Al Spink, in The National Game, tells much the same story under the heading Why Von Der Ahe Would Not Allow His Players To Wear Pockets in Uniforms:

Way back in '89 Cincinnati was playing one afternoon with Chris Von Der Ahe's aggregation on the St. Louis grounds.

Cincinnati had a man on first base and two out, and needed two runs to win.

Cliff Carroll was playing center field for the St. Louis nine.

The Cincinnati batter hit a slow grounder to center and Carroll ran up to gather it in.

The situation was ticklish and Carroll prepared to field the ball carefully. He squatted down to meet it and got his hands in position. Just before it reached him the ball hit a clump of dirt and bounded high.

Carroll grabbed for it with both hands, just as it hit him in the chest.

Somehow in the struggle the ball was wedged into the pocket of Carroll's uniform shirt. It got in there, and Cliff had a terrible time trying to get it out.

The runner stopped at second long enough to see that something was the matter. Then he started for third, with Carroll running fast after him still digging away at his shirt pocket.

From third the runner started home, Carroll still close behind him and still unable to seperate himself from the ball.

The result was that the runner got home safely and Cincinnati won the game.

Von Der Ahe almost had a fit. He fined Carroll fifty for putting the ball in his pocket and made a rule that thereafter no pockets of any kind should be allowed in the uniforms of his team.

Cliff Carroll is probably best remembered for two things. First, he was a switch hitter at a time when switch hitting was still fairly rare (although becoming more common). Second, Carroll, along with Paul Hines, was one of the two men that Tim Keefe hit to start the 1884 "World Series" between Providence and New York. I guess he's also remembered as a member of the Providence championship club of 1884 and as the guy who got a ball stuck in his pocket. So Cliff Carroll is probably best remembered for four things.

If the "ball stuck in the pocket" story is true (and I have no reason to doubt it other than it smacks of the tall tale), it couldn't have happened in 1889 as Spink stated. In 1889, Carroll was not actually in the major leagues. His only season with the Browns was in 1892.

Sportsmans Park & Club Letterhead

I found a picture of the letterhead used by the Sportsmans Park & Club Association at the CollectSportsOnline Sportsman's Park Web Site. The site has a couple of interesting articles by Richard Leetch about the evolution of baseball in St. Louis and the 1886 Championship.

It appears that the letter this image was taken from was dated May 26, 1896. The offices of the Association is listed on the letterhead as being located at Vandeventer and Natural Bridge. This, of course, was the location of New Sportsmans Park, Von der Ahe's great sports complex that was built in 1892 and burned to the ground on April 15, 1898.

The Maroons Visit Little Rock

After the Maroons finished the city series with the Browns in October of 1886, the team traveled to Arkansas in early November for a series against the Little Rock club. It was a hodge-podge group of players that made the trip. Jack Glasscock, who ran the team after manager Gus Schmelz was fired in October, did not travel with the team. The only regulars who went to Little Rock were Emmett Seery, John Healy, and Joe Quinn. Henry Boyle (the team's third pitcher) and Joe Murphy (a nineteen year old pitcher who had appeared in four games) also made the trip.

This motley group of Maroons had their hands full with the Little Rock nine. In the first game, played on November 2, the Little Rocks got two runs in the ninth to upset the visitors by a score of 3-2. The next day, the Maroons jumped out to a 5-1 lead and won 5-2. On November 5, the series concluded as the Maroons were able to hold on for a 3-2 victory.

As far as I can tell, these were the last games ever played by the St. Louis Maroons.

Whether I Play Or Not I Will Receive The Amount Called For

Fred Dunlap, the great second baseman of the Detroit Club says that if he has his way he will not play in Pittsburg next year. Talking of the scheme to force him to play with Pittsburg he says: "The directors of the Detroit Club are probably unaware of the fact that I am in possession of a contract with the club for 1888. If they release me I will not join any other club, but report at Detroit for duty. It is pay or play with me. I will do the playing and the Detroits the paying. My contract will hold good, and whether I play or not I will receive the amount called for in my contract, $4,000...

-From The Sporting News, January 7, 1888

For more on Dunlap's contract difficulties, I refer you to this post.

And The Maroons Are No More

The agony is over. The National League has met and to-day Indianapolis is a member of that body. Kansas City has been paid $6,000 for her club and franchise. The St. Louis League club has been paid $12,000 for her players and franchise and now all things are lovely. The clans gathered at the Fifth Avenue Hotel on Monday last...

The Indianapolis delegates offered the committee (of John Day, Nick Young, and Al Spalding who were meeting to select an eighth club for the NL) $12,000 for a franchise, and the League then offered the St. Louis club the same sum for its resignation. The St. Louis delegate (W.S. Stromberg) thought the amount too small, but said he would consider it and give an answer on Tuesday at the 10 o'clock session. On Tuesday morning as soon as the meeting was called to order Mr. Stromberg, on behalf of the St. Louis Maroons, accepted the offer of $12,000 made by the Indianapolis men, and arrangements were at once made to transfer the players. It was thought that his price would not suit the St. Louis men, and the delegates were somewhat surprised when, after the articles had been signed Mr. Stomberg remarked: "Why, I would have taken $6,000 for the players. I am perfectly satisfied...

The Maroons have sold their players, but still hold their franchise...

-From The Sporting News, March 12, 1887

A couple of notes:

-It appears that the death of the Maroons was not foreordained. Prior to accepting the League offer, the Maroons had been planning for the 1887 season. They had been fighting in League meetings for the right to play games on Sundays and a compromise had been reached were they would be able to play Sunday games against non-League teams. This was a big victory for the Maroons who were at a competitive disadvantage in St. Louis due to the ban on Sunday games (as well as because of the higher ticket prices they were forced to charge). The team had lost money in 1885 and most likely in 1886 as well (although the sale of Fred Dunlap to Detroit in 1886 probably had them close to breaking even). The team had been arguing for some time that it needed Sunday games and 25 cent ticket prices to compete against the Browns and it appears that the League was beginning to heed their call and offer some relief. In the end, the Maroons were offered a deal that they couldn't refuse. "I would have taken $6,000 for the players," Stromberg said after accepting twice that amount.

-The statement at the end of the article about the Maroons still holding their franchise is interesting. With the acceptance of the League offer, the Maroons were no longer part of the National League. However, at this time, Al Spink was involved in the reorganization of the Western League and The Sporting News was full of news about the WL and the possibilities of placing a team in St. Louis. In later issues of the paper, it was mentioned that the Maroons would likely join the WL. With the end of the St. Louis League club, Spink most likely saw an opportunity to place a WL team in the city under the Maroons name and have them play at the Union Grounds. In the end this never happened and Spink identifies Chris Von der Ahe as the reason. It's ironic that Von der Ahe blocked a St. Louis WL team in 1887 because of his involvement with the Whites the following season. It's unknown if Von der Ahe already had plans to place a "minor league" club in St. Louis or was inspired by Spink to do so. Either way, the city would be a part of the Western League in 1888.

-The transfer of the club's players was a little more complicated than it would appear. While nominally it was a simple transfer from St. Louis to Indianapolis (or Washington, in the case of Billy O'Brien), there were several issues that muddied the waters. The players themselves had some say in the matter. "During the progress of the meeting," The Sporting News wrote, "communication was received from (Jack) Glasscock, (Jerry) Denny, and (Henry) Boyle, who insisted that the Indianapolis club give them a guarantee that they shall receive their salary for one year before they will sign a contract. Indianapolis has a bad reputation among ballplayers. Mr. Newberger said that he did not propose to pay any of his men over $2,000. Glasscock got $3,000 last season, and there are reasons to believe that he, Denny, and Boyle would not sign for the amount stated." The Sporting News also reported a rumor "that the brotherhood of professional base-ball players would take some action in the matter if the demands of the men are not complied with." To further complicate matters, it appears that the League clubs were fighting among themselves for the rights to some of the Maroons. The services of Glasscock and Denny were specifically valued. Washington wanted Glasscock and other teams were making bids for the players that "went up as high as $16,000, but no one was able to secure their services as the league had given them to Indianapolis with the understanding that they must not be sold." Some of the players, while not assigned to League clubs, were "reserved by the league in case some of the other clubs (needed) their services." To top it off, Von der Ahe stepped in and offered $500 for Joe Quinn.

The Reaper Comes For The 1888 Browns

Another VEB All-Time Sim Tournament Update With Video!

Bads news first: the reaper came for the 1888 Browns in the form of Steve Frackin' Carlton and the 1968 Cardinals. Game seven wasn't even close with El Birdos jumping out to a 6-1 lead and winning 6-3. Wait a minute! El Birdos! Viva El Birdos! Oh, okay-I think I'm starting to understand some things now. Like we don't know who's going to win this little tourney now. The fix is obviously in. Shenanigans! Shenanigans! El Birdos even wasted Bob Gibson by using him in relief in extra innings in game six and they still won game seven. Shenanigans, I say! How in the world did the '67 Cards lose a game in this tourney, let alone get eliminated?

And after that little rant, we have the good news: Silver King (v. 1888) finished the tournament 7-4 with a 1.66 ERA and a WHIP of .983 in 97.2 innings pitched. If the Browns hadn't been booting the ball around behind him (and, of course, if the fix hadn't obviously been in), the 1888's would have won this series. Four unearned runs in game seven sealed the deal. But in all seriousness, I think King and the Browns have made an impression in this tournament and you have to tip your hat to everybody involved over at VEB for including the Four Time Champions and exposing them to a new generation of baseball fans. Good job, fixers.

So all we have left is the 1886 Champions of the World. If they go out, I guess I start rooting for Whitey's Boys or maybe the 2006 Evil Mojo Cards.

Anyway, what this craptastic post needs is more cowbell. Don't fear the reaper, baby!





And I really should give the old hat tip to Hot Air for stealing their reaper thing. Every time Hillary losses a primary to the Divine Avatar of Hope and Change they post the Blue Oyster Cult video. Funny stuff.

The First Trade

While the Shomberg/McKinnon deal was the first trade between NL teams, it wasn't the first trade between major league clubs. Looking at David Ball's work on 19th century player transactions, I noticed that the first trade between two major league teams most likely took place on November 12, 1886.

Ball wrote that on that date "(the) St. Louis Browns traded Hugh Nicol to Cincinnati for catcher Jack Boyle and $350. This was the first trade between major league teams, unless the transfer of Tim Keefe and Tom Esterbrook in exchange for two Metropolitans players is considered as such." Since the Keefe and Esterbrook transaction took place between two teams that had the same ownership, at the very least the St. Louis/Cincinnati deal was the first trade between two major league teams with independent management.