A Palpable Falsehood

As the contracts of the St. Louis Browns and the reserve men went into effect yesterday and there was a full gathering of the forces at Sportsmen's Park at 3 p.m. Billy Gleason was on hand with the rest and took more than usual interest in matters. As regards the silly story that Mr. Von der Ahe had forbidden his men to visit the Lucas Park he indignantly denies it, and it is a palpable falsehood, as the men all know. Little Nicol is unreserved in his denial of the statement attributed to him. The men will be in practice every day and will continue to work from this to the close of the season, so that the ball may be said to be in active motion.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 2, 1884

Some Final Thoughts On The Browns' 1887 Player Sales

The first thing I should mention is that I no longer know what to call the events that took place in the fall of 1887. I used to call it a fire sale but it really wasn't that. A fire sale implies that the seller is being forced to sell because of financial stress and that wasn't what these moves were about. So I've taken to generically calling it a players sale. That's esthetically unpleasing but more accurate. Regardless, what I want to do here is give a quick summary of what took place and then look at the reasons for why the sales happened.

By the time the 1887 world's championship series ended, it was clear that the Browns were going to make some changes to their roster for the 1888 season. There had been rumors going back to the summer that some players were unhappy and wanted out of St. Louis. The events surrounding the players' refusal to play the Cuban Giants damaged the relationship between players and management. Von der Ahe was disappointed in the performance of some of the players in the world's series loss. A few players complained about their world's series share and others felt unappreciated. Essentially, the relationship between management and some of the players had broken down. The egos of players who had won three consecutive championships and the egos of management were in conflict and it was evident by the time the season ended that some players were going to be sold.

On November 22, it was reported that Curt Welch and Bill Gleason had been sold to Philadelphia. On November 24, Charles Byrne stated that he had completed the purchase of Doc Bushong and, a day later, it was reported that St. Louis had sold Bob Caruthers to Brooklyn. On November 29, Dave Foutz was sold to Brooklyn. In eight days, Chris Von der Ahe had sold the rights to five of the core members of his championship club for approximately $21,000 and the rights to Fredd Mann, Chippy McGarr and Jocko Milligan.

I think that the conventional historical wisdom is that Von der Ahe made the moves for financial reasons and out of a general unhappiness with some of his players. Financially, the club had seen its profits decline from 1886 to 1887 and there were rumors that Von der Ahe was going to move the club to New York for the 1888 season. However, the club was profitable. Von der Ahe, himself, stated that his club never lost money except during the 1890 Players' Revolt. It's true that attendance had declined somewhat but the club had made money and there was no reason to believe that it wouldn't continue to do so in the future.

Money certainly played a role in the sales. But the reason the players were sold for cash is that that was the way players were moved from team to team during the era. The rights to players were sold, not traded for other players. Brooklyn could not obtain Caruthers, Foutz and Bushong without purchasing their rights from St. Louis. Money was the means by which player transactions were conducted. So if Von der Ahe wanted to move his players for reasons other than financial, he was still going to receive money for their rights.

I think that people saw the fact that the players were sold and the amount of money the Browns received and naturally believed that the transactions were financially motivated. I do believe that finances played a part in the sales. The Browns were a successful club with many star players and there was stress placed by the players on management to increase salaries. By moving many of his stars, Von der Ahe removed some of the financial stress on the club. By replacing those stars with younger and cheaper players, the Browns became more profitable. But I don't believe that the transactions were motivated specifically by the money the club was receiving in return for the players. There was a financial motive in moving the players but it's not the one that most people believe.

As to Von der Ahe's unhappiness with his players, that absolutely played a role in the transactions. He was not happy with the world's series loss and the play of some the players, specifically Gleason, during the series. He was not happy with the players' refusal to play the Cuban Giants. He was not happy with the constant complaints about salary. Von der Ahe was unhappy with some of the players and some of the players were unhappy with Von der Ahe. In the end, Von der Ahe owned the team and the players got shipped out. In this clash of egos, the owner won, as they tend to do.

However, there's another aspect of this which doesn't fit neatly into the story of Chris Von der Ahe the greedy and egomaniacal owner who dumped his stars for cash and that is the role of Charlie Comiskey in all of this. Comiskey, while a player, ran the club on the field and was, for all intents and purposes, a part of management. The extent to which Comiskey was involved in the management of the club as a whole has been overblown historically, as a slight to Von der Ahe, but he did play a role. He had, for the most part, a good relationship with Von der Ahe and the Browns' owner respected his captain as a person and a baseball man. So if club management was unhappy with some of the players and wanted to move them, I think a relevant question is to what extent was Comiskey, as a part of the management team, involved in the decision to the move the players?

The evidence is conflicting and doesn't lend itself to an easy answer. Contemporary accounts at the time the transactions were happening state that the moves came as a surprise to Comiskey and that he was unhappy with the moves. However, a few months later, it was reported that Comiskey had been unhappy with some of his players. He felt that their egos had gotten a bit too large, that they were no longer manageable and he wanted them gone. According to these accounts, Comiskey was the driving force behind the moves. While it's difficult to resolve the contradictions, I don't believe that the moves would have been made without Comiskey's knowledge and approval. There are reports that Von der Ahe had wanted to sell Latham in the fall of 1887 but Comiskey disapproved and the sale never went through. I believe that Comiskey's reported unhappiness in December of 1887 has to do with the sale of Foutz, specifically, rather than the sale of the players in general.

While there had been rumors that Foutz was going to be one of the players moved, after the Caruthers' sale, Von der Ahe stated that he was finished moving players. Less than a week later, Foutz was sold to Brooklyn. The reasons for the Foutz sale are, to me, obvious. After Caruthers was sold to Brooklyn, he refused to sign and presented the club with financial demands. When the club met those demands, Caruthers still refused to sign. At that point, the Foutz deal was made. I believe that Brooklyn went back to Von der Ahe and bought Foutz because it was not clear that they would be able to sign Caruthers. The Foutz deal was not part of the original plan and was made only after the Caruthers deal looked like it was falling through. I think this was the source of Comiskey's unhappiness. Losing Foutz left him with an unexpected hole in right field.

Regardless of Comiskey's specific role in the transactions and his level of approval for the moves, it's clear that the ego of management was one of the reasons for the sale of the players. But there are a couple of other reasons for the sales, one of which has been brought up by other historians and one which seems to always be overlooked.

One of the reasons for the sales which has been brought up in the past is that Von der Ahe was attempting to strengthen some of the other teams in the American Association and, by doing so, strengthen the league as a whole. As mentioned earlier, attendance in St. Louis was down in 1887. The reason for this, it appears, is due the uncompetitive nature of the AA race in 1887, when the Browns won the league by fourteen games. In 1885, the Browns won the league by sixteen games and, in 1886, they won by twelve games. The Browns were the class of the AA and had run away with the championship for three straight seasons. By 1887, a sense of boredom or inevitability may have set in among the St. Louis baseball fans and driven down attendance. By strengthening Brooklyn and Philadelphia, Von der Ahe may have hoped to create a more balanced league and a more exciting pennant race. Also, by strengthening those two specific clubs, he was making the league stronger in two of the most important baseball markets in the country. If this was one of the goals of the sales, and Byrnes stated that it was, Von der Ahe succeeded to a certain extent. In 1888, the Browns still won the pennant but by only six and a half games. Brooklyn and Philadelphia finished second and third, respectively. In 1889, the AA experienced one of the great pennant races in baseball history with Brooklyn winning the pennant by two games over St. Louis and Philadelphia finishing a distant third. Von der Ahe, through his moves, strengthened the league in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, got a more competitive league and his club remained profitable. If these were indeed the motivating factors for the sales then Von der Ahe's moves succeeded.

The one thing that always gets overlooked when the sales are discussed is the possibility that the moves were made for pure baseball reasons. Doc Bushong was being phased out as the starting catcher in 1887 and the club had Jack Boyle to replace him. Bill Gleason had his worst year as a professional in 1887 and was in permanent decline. Curt Welch had a poor year at the plate that season and was a drunk. Both he and Gleason had been involved in altercations with their teammates, effecting the chemistry of the club. Dave Foutz had suffered a thumb injury to his throwing hand and it was unknown if he would ever be an effective pitcher again. Comiskey held to a theory of pitching that believed that pitchers, after a few years of hard use, quickly lost their effectiveness. He had ridden Caruthers and Foutz hard for several seasons and the club had good, young pitching in reserve so the Browns' two star pitchers were replaceable.

The Browns had an abundance of young talent and Von der Ahe, in the fall of 1887, was gathering more. They had Silver King and Nat Hudson on the mound and bought Icebox Chamberlain, giving Comiskey three pitchers who were twenty years old or younger. They had Jack Boyle, who was 22. They picked up the young Tommy McCarthy and had the players they obtained from Philadelphia. On top of that, Von der Ahe was putting together the St. Louis Whites and stocking the club with guys like Jake Beckley, Jack Crooks, Jim Devlin, Harry Staley and Joseph Herr. If you consider the Whites to be a farm club for the Browns, Von der Ahe's AA team was loaded with young talent and could afford to cycle out older stars. By selling some of the older guys, the Browns got younger and the payroll got smaller, without much of a loss in quality. By making these moves, the Browns remained a competitive club through the 1891 season. It's not certain that if they had kept Caruthers, Foutz, Welch, Bushong and Gleason, the club would have been anymore successful. That has to be the bottom line. The Browns, through these sales, got younger and cheaper and remained successful for four more seasons.

One could make the argument that if Von der Ahe had continued his experiment in farming players with the Whites, the club would have remained competitive throughout the 1890s. For some reason, it appears that, within a historical context, the player sales and the collapse of the club in the 1890s are linked, the common thread being Von der Ahe's suppossed mismangement of the team. Obviously, the two events have nothing to do with each other and it's interesting to consider how Von der Ahe's legacy would be different if he had continued operating the Whites and phased in their young players in the early 1890s.

In the end, there is no one reason for why the sales took place. It was a complicated series of transactions that involved multiple motives and I don't think it's possible to explain them in one simple sentance. It's wrong to say that Von der Ahe sold off his players for the money but money was one of the motivating factors. The players were also sold because Von der Ahe was attempting to manage not only his own club but also because he was involved in the management of the American Association as a whole. Where there altruistic reasons behind the sale? Sure. Von der Ahe was trying to strengthen the league so that it could succeed but, at the same time, it was selfish in that by strengthening the league, Von der Ahe strengthened his own position. The club, on the field, was strengthened in the long term by these moves and, in the short term, they rid themselves of some of the more egotistical, problem players. All of these motives came together in the fall of 1887 and led to the sales.

One point that I think is important to make is that if you look at all the things motivating Von der Ahe in the fall of 1887, the player sales were a success. The club won the championship in 1888. They continued to be profitable. There were more competitive pennant races. The club got younger. The payroll went down. They shipped out some, if not all, of the problem players. The AA was strengthened by having two good clubs in Brooklyn and Philadelphia. These transactions have historically been portrayed negatively and Von der Ahe criticized for them. But the club was successful until they moved to the National League in 1892, which probably says more about the comparative quality of the AA and the NL than it does about Von der Ahe's management of the club in the late 1880s and early 1890s. The sales were a bold move and I think they worked. I think they achieved every imaginable thing that you could possibly have wanted them to achieve. Instead of viewing them as a negative product of Von der Ahe's baseball management, they should be seen as a daring, unconventional and successful move by one of the great figures of 19th century baseball.

Brother Bill Felt Unappreciated

The reports lately telegraphed from the East that Bill Gleason had signed with the Athletics was premature. Bill was seen by a Globe-Democrat reporter yesterday, and stated that he had not signed with the Athletics. He had received a letter from Sharsig, asking for his terms. These Bill sent on, and since has heard nothing. When asked as to his preference for clubs, he stated that he would play any place except with the Browns, but was determined not to play under Von der Ahe another season. Bill has a long string of complaints. He states that he was continually talked at, and his good work was not appreciated. He would be glad to get away.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 26, 1887

The Big Deal In Progress

A portion, at least, of the big base ball deal foreshadowed in Saturday night's dispatches to the Globe-Democrat was effected to-day, and two members of the present St. Louis Brown Stocking team will positively be found with the Athletics next season. President Von der Ahe got here this afternoon and had a long conference with the Athletic Directors. It is known that this deal is to involve five of the leading clubs of the American Association and was the subject under consideration. Manager Sharsig, of the Athletics, was inclined to be reticent when questioned by the Globe-Democrat reporter as to the outcome of the conference, but finally admitted that arrangements for the transfers of two of the St. Louis players to this city had been definitely concluded.

"Yes," said Mr. Sharsig, "we will have two of Mr. Von der Ahe's men next year, and they will be Gleason, the short-stop, Welch, the center-fielder. Both are good men and will greatly strengthen our team."

Mr. Sharsig refused to divulge the terms on which the deal was made. But it may be set down as a certainty that McGarr and one of the Athletic's catchers will go to St. Louis, and the Athletics will, besides, pay to Mr. Von der Ahe a handsome cash bonus. Mr. Von der Ahe was not very talkative.

"There had been a good deal of gossip about my team for next season," said he. "Oh, yes," he added, laughing, "I'll have to admit your paper has succeeded in getting the news pretty straight. There is a big deal in progress at present, but I can not divulge its exact nature until it's consummated."

Mr. Von der Ahe will go to New York to-morrow to complete the arrangements for the transfer of certain players to the Brooklyn club.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 22, 1887

A Deal In Progress

A big base ball deal is in progress of materialization at the present time, but all information pertaining to it is being carefully suppressed by those interested. The deal is said to be the largest ever made from a financial standpoint, and will involve between $30,000 and $40,000. Five clubs are interested in it, and there will probably be an interchange of players and money between them during the coming week. The clubs are the Athletic, St. Louis, Brooklyn, Baltimore and Louisville. President Christ Von der Ahe, of St. Louis, and Charles H. Byrne, of Brooklyn, are engineering the trade, which is expected to startle the base ball world. The Athletics are after at least six new men, and Manager Wm. Sharsig's trip to New York this week was made on behalf of his club. Mr. Sharsig returned from New York today. To a reporter of the Globe-Democrat he said:

"Yes, I have been trying to make a deal for some new men, but until I secure their names to contracts I will not make their names public."

While in New York Mr. Sharsig had several long talks with Mr. Byrne, and there is no doubt but that arrangements were made for the transfer of one or more of the Brooklyn and Metropolitan players to this city. The Athletic Directors held a secret meeting this afternoon and listened to Manager Sharsig's report, but action was deferred until the arrival of Mr. Von der Ahe in [Philadelphia] on Monday.

Changes in the St. Louis Team.

It is known that President Von der Ahe intends to make a number of changes in his champion team next season, and that he will dispose of a number of his crack players. The arrangements for the transfer of these men were partially made when Von der Ahe was in the East a week ago, and he is now on his way East again and is expected in [Philadelphia] Monday. Rumor has it that the Browns' best battery, Caruthers and Bushong, are among the players to be disposed of. Bushong will go to Brooklyn, that much is certain, as Mr. Byrne has made a standing offer of $5000 for the great catcher. It is probable that Byrne will also bag Caruthers, as he has made an offer of $10,000 for him, as much as Boston paid for Mike Kelly. The Athletics started the bidding on Caruthers at $5000, Baltimore offered $8000, and Brooklyn wound up with a bid of $10,000 for the great battery. Bushong is a native of [Philadelphia]. where he graduated from the famous Archer club. Curtis Welsh, Foutz, "Yank" Robinson and "Brudder Bill" Gleason are the other St. Louis players that are reported as anxious to get away.

"Robinson will not be sold or released to any club," said Von der Ahe, when in this city. The Athletics are after Welch and Gleason. Manager Sharsig is particularly anxious to secure the great centerfielder, and speaks hopefully of doing so. Von der Ahe likes McGarr, and is also said to be after one of the Athletic catchers. It is probable that Welch will play in [Philadelphia], and that the Athletics will trade two of their men for him.

The Purchase Of Gleason.

In reference to Gleason, Manager Sharsig said: "I think Bill Gleason is as good as he ever was. I would like to have him to play short-stop and captain the team." Gleason's release will cost the Athletic club at least $3000. Dave Foutz, the Bay City pitcher, who cost Von der Ahe $8000, will probably play in Baltimore. He has many friends in the Monumental City, and Vonderhost and Barnie are reported to have offered $4000 for his release. Louisville will also have a finger in the big deal and it is reported that Guy Hecker, their best pitcher, will be sold to the Brooklyn club for $8000. Kerins, the first baseman and catcher, would like to get away from Louisville and the Athletic and Brooklyn clubs have bid as high as $4000 for him, but he will probably remain where he is. McTamany, of the Brooklyn club, is another player who is likely to wear the blue stockings of the Athletic club next season, and one of the Brooklyn or Metropolitan pitchers may come along with him. President Von der Ahe is rapidly adding to his already long list of new players. Following up his engagement of James McCormick, the agent of the St. Louis President in [Philadelphia] to-day signed Bart Cantz, one of the Newark club catchers. Cantz is a good general player and hard hitter, a strong thrower to bases, and formerly caught for Knouff, who is now with the St. Louis club. Cantz's contract calls for $1700, of which $300 is in advance.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 20, 1887

Gleason Is Quietly Resting

The Associated Press yesterday was authority for the statement that Bill Gleason had been signed by the Philadelphia League Club. In order for Bill to sign with a League club it would require the consent of all the Association managers to his transfer, and it is safe to say that even if Mr. Von der Ahe wished to release him some Association club would gobble him up rather than let him go to the League. Besides, Bill is quietly resting at his home on St. Louis avenue, and is not bothering his head about ball matters. He is reserved by the St. Louis club and will play short-stop for either the Association or Western League team. The Gleason signed by Philadelphia is a pitcher.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 19, 1887

I don't think this is significant but it is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, it appears to be common knowledge that Von der Ahe is shopping players and wanting to make some moves. This is the first time that Gleason's name has come up but his play in 1887 was found wanting and I don't think it was a secret that St. Louis wanted to upgrade his position. Second, I think it's really interesting how the Globe is almost treating the Browns and the Whites as one entity. There had been a bunch of stuff in the papers about Von der Ahe not treating or running the Whites as an extension of the Browns. It was basically part of the deal Von der Ahe made to get a Western League club. That stuff obviously went by the wayside rather quickly.

The 1887 World Series: A Game Ten Post Full Of Luck, Nerve And Vim

On October 20th, St. Louis and Detroit played a world series doubleheader, with the first game in Washington, D.C., and the second in Baltimore. This is, to the best of my knowledge, the only World Series doubleheader in the history of baseball.

The Browns won a game from Detroit this morning. It was a long and weary wait for victory, but it came at last and was appreciated beyond measure by the admirers of the world's champions. The Browns played ball as of yore, and put up a game which could have beaten any club in the country. They knocked Getzein all over the field and practically knocked his pretzels out of the box. The game was full of incidents. Bennett's sore hand at last became so painful that he retired in favor of Ganzel. Dunlap was run into by Robinson and his broken leg again was hurt. The lively batting and sharp fielding dept up the interest to the close. Latham, Welch and Richardson made home runs and Foutz a three-bagger. Gleason's triple play was a magnificent piece of work, while his batting was a feature of the game. Brother Bill seems to have recovered his nerve, and much may now be expected of him. Caruthers, although suffering from a very sore arm, kept the Wolverines down in good shape. It looked as though they were going to knock him out of the box in the first inning, when they opened with a home run and a single, but after that they could do but little with him. The Detroits did not play with the same vim that has characterized their work on the trip, and seemed badly rattled by the Browns' new showing. Kelly called the balls and strikes and Gaffney took care of the field. Owing to the fact that the game took place in the morning, only about 3000 people attended. The grounds were soft from last night's rain and many of the errors were caused on this account.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 22, 1887

Only good things happen when a ball club recovers its luck and nerve and their opponent loses its vim. A couple of home runs and a triple doesn't hurt either. Where's Ken Tremendous and the boys when you need them?

Here's the Globe's description of the triple play, which occurred in the top of the third:

Richardson hit a high fly, which dropped between O'Neill and Gleason. Ganzel drove a corker to right for a base, Richardson going to second. Rowe also popped up a high fly and once more did the ball fall on vacant ground, this time between Foutz and Comiskey. The bases were full, and with Thompson at the bat the prospect looked blue for the Browns, but the St. Louis lads completed a play which happens but seldom on a ball field. Thompson drove a terrific liner at Gleason, who caught the ball. Richardson had started for home and Rowe for third, and the ball flew to Latham and then to Robinson and a triple play was the result. The crowd applauded vociferously.

Besides starting a triple play, Gleason, all full of newly recovered nerve, also had three hits.

Yank Robinson also had an interesting game. In the first, he took a ground ball to the mouth, off the bat of Thompson. Then in the fourth, he tried to advance from first to second on a passed ball and took out Dunlap, who had to retire from the game and was unable to recover for the afternoon game.

Dunlap, of course, suffered a series of leg injuries throughout his career and they eventually forced him to retire. I bring this up because I just noticed that Dunlap's number one comp at B-Ref is Fernando Vina, who also suffered numerous leg injuries throughout his career. With this being the dead of winter, I really have nothing else to do but wonder what Freddy Vina would have hit if he had played for the 1884 Maroons.

I guess I should also mention the home runs by Welch and Latham. Welch's was in the fifth and cleared the fence. Latham's was in the sixth and was an inside-the-parker. Welch hit three home runs in the regular season for the Browns in 1887 and Latham hit two so I guess you could say that both home runs were a pleasant surprise.

A quick bit of trivia: Who hit more home runs in their career, Welch or Latham? Don't cheat and go to B-Ref because I'll give you the answer in a second. But I was surprised by the answer. Welch hit 16 home runs in 1107 games over his career. Latham hit 27 in 1629 games. Latham also had more career doubles and triples than Welch, although Welch had a higher career slugging percentage.

It's always been my perception that Welch was a vastly better player than Latham but now I'm not certain that it's true. Over their careers, they created about the same number of runs (77 for Latham and 73 for Welch) and both averaged 4.0 runs created per game. Now RC is hardly the end-all and be-all of baseball analysis but it certainly gives us a good idea of the general value of a player and it has Welch and Latham as being equally valuable. If you measure them by WAR, I think Latham might come out a bit ahead.

I really am having a difficult time getting my head around the idea that Latham was measurably as good or better than Welch. There's a lot of ways to slice the pie and I can see both sides of an interesting argument here. I think I'm going to have to write up a post in the near future taking a closer look at this. While I'm at it, I should also do a Caruthers vs. Foutz post because I really don't see much difference between the two even though the general wisdom insists that Caruthers was the better player.

Handle The Men

This morning Manager Von der Ahe held a private consultation with Gleason, the short stop of the team, and informed him that he was going to New York, and that he should handle the men. Von der Ahe's visit to the metropolis is understood to be for the purpose of settling the Cuban Giant affair. The club was to have played this aggregation at West Farm on Sunday, but failed to fulfill their engagement because the players entered a protest against playing with colored people and declined to visit West Farm. Von der Ahe, from all accounts, does not favor a suit, which is threatened, and wants to amicably adjust matters.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 14, 1887

Just one more thing and I'm going to let this go and get back to the 1887 series.

I think the Globe did a poor job of covering "the Cuban Giant affair." When compared to their coverage of the fixing scandals of 1877, they were rather lax in covering what, in retrospect, turned out to be a rather significant event in the history of baseball. I think they did a decent job in reporting the event itself but, once that was done, they basically let the matter drop. The event was only mentioned in passing a few times after that. There was no follow-through and they basically gave the players a free pass on their actions. I would very much liked to have heard from the players themselves. But we didn't get that from the Globe. They mentioned the International League and a few individual black players but I would have liked to have seen the Browns' decision put into a contemporary context.

I know this is unfair but imagine if this had happened today. Pick a team. Pick a group of people that they refuse to play against for racial or political reasons. Add the instantaneous media. Stir. How long would we be hearing about it? That story would get covered from every angle possible until we were sick of it. But this is a different day and age and you can't hold the 1887 Globe to the standards of the modern media.

My point, I guess, is that there are a lot of unanswered questions pertaining to this story and the Globe was remiss in not pressing those questions.

The 1886 World Series: Game Four

At least 12,000 people were at Sportsman's Park yesterday afternoon to witness the fourth game between the Browns and the Chicagos for the championship of the world. It was the most exciting game of the series played thus far. It was also one of unusual interest and import for capt, had the Chicagos won it, their chances for capturing the championship and the gate receipts would have been decidedly favorable. On the other hand, had the Browns not won they would have lost heart and confidence, and with such a big lead staring them in the face would have undoubtedly succumbed to their opponents without resistance. The result of yesterday's game was not altogether a surprise. The Browns were seen to have a slight advantage over the Chicagos, and the betting was accordingly regulated that way; $20 to $15 being the latest odds before the game. The Chicago management announced Wednesday that they would pitch Flynn yesterday. Probably because they thought that his curves might be batted rather freely, but possibly for the reason that Clarkson, like Caruthers, was anxious to have his name heralded through the country as having pitched two winning games on two succeeding days, the position in the box was, therefore, filled by Clarkson. The latter's work yesterday, or Caruthers' on Wednesday, plainly demonstrated that no pitcher can appear against a team that is equally matched with his own, two successive games, with any satisfactory results.

But one more hit was made off Clarkson yesterday than the Chicagos made off Foutz, but the latter's wildness and inability to control the ball properly at the most critical times lost the game for his club. The long hits were also equally divided. Three-baggers were made by O'Neil and Dalrymple, and doubles by Foutz and Burns. O'Neil's hit should have been a home run, but by a poor decision on the part of Umpire Quest he was put out at the plate. Foutz started out to pitch in precisely the same manner as Caruthers did Wednesday, and the chances for the home club's winning were decidedly blue. When the Chicagos had got three men in and Browns were unable to score a single run, the League club, of course, was the favorite in the betting and the Browns' backers hedged out all they possibly could at odds of 2 to 1. When the Browns were just two runs behind, however, at the end of the third inning the home club's stock took a decided rise, and even money was obtainable. When the Browns, in the fifth inning, took the lead by two runs there was a scene at the park that has never been equaled on similar occasions in the past. The yelling, hand-clapping and cheering, which made a deafening roar of applause, lasted for fully five minutes. Hats, canes and umbrellas were thrown in the air, men shook hands and embraced each other and the ladies showed their delight by waving their handkerchiefs. The game was stopped until the demonstration was over. When in the sixth inning, however, the Chicagos tied the score there was scarcely a ripple of applause, which showed very plainly that the visitors had but few admirers in the vast audience. In the same inning, though, when the Browns run three men across the plate, and made it a sure victory, there was a scene similar to that which marked the fifth. Both teams fielded in a remarkably fine style, brilliant catches being made by Ryan and Gore for the Chicagos, and Welch, O'Neil and Caruthers for the Browns. Four errors were made on each side.

It was 3:15 before the game was called. Under American Association rules Capt. Comiskey had the choice about taking ins or outs. He chose the field. Joe Quest, of the League staff, was drawn as the umpire. Foutz's work in the opening inning was anything but encouraging. Gore was the first batter, and after two strikes and four balls had been called on him, he made a safe ground hit to right good for only a single. Kelly then stepped into the batter's box. Foutz was unable to get the ball over the plate, and Mike was sent to his base on balls. Capt. Anson was the next man to handle the stick. After two strikes had been called he knocked the ball with great force between short and third. Gleason made a dive for it, and succeeded in getting it up, but could not throw to first in time to put Anson out, the ball reaching there but an instant later. This filled the bases, and with no one out the crowd and the Browns knew that it would be impossible to prevent scoring, but did not expect to see Foutz, who is usually so reliable, send Pfeffer to base on balls and force Gore across the plate with a run, as he did in this case. Dave worked hard to get them in over the plate, but could not do so. He sent in an easy one to Williamson, the next batter, who knocked a long high fly to right. Caruthers caught it safely, but Kelly, who was on third, scored before it could be thrown in to cut him off. Pfeffer started to steal down to second and Bushong threw down to Robinson to catch him, while Anson, who was on third, started for home. Robinson, in attempt to make a quick return of the ball to the plate, threw wildly, Anson scoring in safety and Pfeffer reaching third on the error. The latter was left, however, by Burns' foul fly to Comiskey and Ryan's out from short to first.

For the Browns Latham, after bunting the ball several times, finally struck out. Caruthers knocked a long fly to right which was captured by Ryan after a long run. O'Neil went out from short to first. Dalrymple opened the second with a fly to Caruthers and Clarkson went out from short to first. Gore got to first on Latham's fumble of his grounder to third, but Kelly's out from Foutz to Comiskey retired the side. The Browns secured their first run in this inning. Gleason led off with a slow grounder to second. Pfeffer fumbled it and Gleason got safe. Comiskey reached first in precisely the same manner, and, but for Pfeffer's blunder, a double play might have been made. Welch's grounder to Williamson forced Comiskey out at second, but sent Gleason along to third. Foutz then came to the bat, and about the third ball that Clarkson delivered the tall pitcher was sent whizzing out to the left field for two bases, Gleason of course scoring on the hit. Robinson succeeded in getting his base on balls, but Bushong's fly to Yore left him. The Chicagos were unable to score in the third. Anson was retired from second to first. Pfeffer went out on a foul tip to Bushong, and Williamson was sent to first on balls. Burns followed with a neat two-bagger. Neither base-runner, however, could get in, as Ryan's out from Foutz to first made the third one. The Browns got in another run in their half of the inning, Latham was the first batter. He successfully fouled no less than ten balls, had five balls called and but one strike, when a scarcely audible foul tip to Kelly retired him. Williamson fumbled Caruthers' grounder to short, letting Bobby to first safely. O'Neil, the heavy slugger, was the next man to face the pitcher. He knocked the ball with tremendous force to right. He started to make the circuit of the bases. He passed third in safety, and started on home and reached there certainly as quick as, if not before, the ball did, but Quest declared him out. Caruthers, of course, had come in. Gleason went out from pitcher to first, ending the inning.

Foutz struck out Dalrymple, the first man to bat in the fourth inning. Clarkson knocked a short high fly to Robinson at second. Gore was retired on a fly to O'Neil. The Browns also went out in quick order. Comiskey was thrown out at first on his grounder to Pfeffer, Welch fouled out to the catcher, and Foutz knocked a long fly to Ryan. The next inning, the [fifth], the Chicagos were again retired on easy plays. Kelly struck out. Anson got his base on balls and stole second. He got no further, though, as Pfeffer's fly to Caruthers and Williamson's grounder Comiskey made the three outs. The home club came to the bat and secured their three runs. Robinson was the first batter. His hot grounder to third was stopped in fine style by Burns and thrown to first in plenty of time to put Robby out. Bushong got first on bad balls and Latham hit safely. Bushong was advanced to third on Caruthers' sacrifice to Ryan. Then followed a most insignificant and contemptible play on the part of the Chicagos. As O'Neil came up to bat kelly walked up to Clarkson and whispered something in the latter's ear. As soon as Clarkson pitched the first ball Kelly's secret became known. He had instructed Clarkson not to give O'Neil a chance to hit the ball, but to give him his base, and it was speedily done. Kelly stepped at least five feet to the right from his regular position, and Clarkson commenced to toss the ball to him. The sphere, of course, didn't come near O'Neil, and the batter trotted to first after the six balls had been thrown in. This filled the bases. Two men were already out, and nothing but a hit or an error would bring in a run. Gleason was the batter upon whom so much depended. The game was to be won or lost right here.

As Gleason stepped up to the plate there was a marked stillness, both on the part of the spectators and the players. Even Latham became silent. Gleason struck at two balls, but without success, and all hopes of getting in any runs were abandoned. The next ball that was pitched Gleason hit squarely and drove it between second short to a safe place in the field. Bushong and Latham scored, and O'Neil got around to third base. Comiskey, the next man, knocked the ball to almost exactly the same territory as Gleason. The hit brought O'Neil in. The side was finally retired by Welch, who fouled out to Kelly. Gleason, for his good work, received a great ovation. Several pool tickets, amounting to over $100, were thrown at him from admiring spectators. Bushong also was presented with some. When the Chicagos retired in the sixth the score was tied. Burns led off with a hit to left, but he was forced out at second by Ryan. The latter scored on Dalrymple's drive to the right field seats for three bases. A safe hit to the right by Clarkson brought Dalrymple in. Gore went out on a fly to Welch, and Kelly from third to first. It was in this inning that the Browns won the game. Foutz made a rather bad opening by striking out, Robinson got his base on balls, and was advanced to second on a safe hit by Bushong. Robinson successfully stole third. Latham also was given first on six balls, filling the bases. Caruthers knocked a short fly to Pfeffer, which the latter purposely muffed, forcing everybody to run. Robinson and Bushong got in safely. Latham, however was thrown out at third. O'Neil again got his base on balls, but Clarkson this time tried hard to pitch them over the plate. Gleason again was the batsman at a critical time, and again he showed his reliability by knocking the sphere safely to center, sending Caruthers safely across the plate. Comiskey's fly to Burns finished the inning. It was now quite dark, but the Chicagos insisted on playing, and opened the seventh inning. They were retired in order on easy plays. As the Browns were making their way to the dressing-rooms a large crowd gathered around them and carried a number of the players on their backs off the ground.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 22, 1886

Where to begin?

-This was a rather poorly edited article and is a bit difficult to follow in places but I pretty much left everything as is except for one edit, fixing the confusion about whether the writer was talking about the fifth or sixth inning.

-The Globe contends that there were 12,000 people at the game and that seems a bit high. The Tribune, who's account of the game I'll post tomorrow, has the crowd at 8,000. Regardless of the exact number, it was a big crowd.

-The use of the intentional walk is reasonably rare in this era. It wasn't something new or unique but this was probably the first big moment when the strategy was employed. Peter Morris wrote in A Game of Inches that O'Neil was intentionally walked twice in this game but I don't see any evidence of a second intentional walk. Morris has the Globe's account of the game so there may be another source out there that mentions the second walk as being intentional. I don't know.

-I loved the Globe's description of the reaction of the crowd and I particularly loved the crowd throwing pool tickets at the players. Very nice. The Trib has a different take on the behavior of the crowd, as you'll see tomorrow.

-Best line in the article: "Even Latham became silent."

The Empire Club Defeated

The Atlantics, State Champions.

The veteran Empires were taken into camp for the second time this season by the Atlantics, at the Stocks' Park on Sunday. The Atlantics outfielded and outbatted their opponents. After a long delay on the part of the Empires, who were short one man, they substituted Gleason, formerly of the professional Stocks. A. Blong umpired the game to the satisfaction of all. With the stick, Gleason, of the Empires, made three of the seven base hits, and Levis, Jones and Rippey, of the Atlantics, also did excellent work. The former made a trio of two-base hits and two singles. The fielding of the Atlantics was excellent throughout. The pitching of Levis was effective, while Rippey supported him in his old style, and Duke at short distinguished himself by his many fine stops and excellent throws to first. On the whole, the fielding of the Atlantics was as good as has been seen on any field this season, while the Empires did poorly, and still worse at the bat.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 11, 1876

My assumption is that this victory over the Empires gave the Atlantics the championship (hence the headline). If this is true than the amateurs had changed their championship series from a best of five back to a best of three, as it had been in the 1860s.

A couple of more thoughts:

-The Atlantics were the first club other than the Empires and Unions to win the Missouri state amateur baseball championship. They were also the first club to wrest the championship from the Empires since the Unions in 1868. The Empires had held the championship for seven years and nine of the previous eleven years.

-Adam Wirth was the last of the old guard. Wirth had been a mainstay of the Empires' first nine for their entire championship run and it's a bit sad to see him playing on losing club. I've written elsewhere that I believe Wirth was the best St. Louis baseball player of his generation.

-It's impossible to say which Gleason we have here, Bill or Jack, because I have no record of either of them playing for the Stocks or the Empires. I'm inclined to say Bill because he worked (at some unknown point) for the St. Louis Fire Department and the Empires had deep ties to the StLFD. But I'd really like it to be Jack. Jack Gleason, in the course of his career, played for NL Brown Stockings, the AA Browns, the UA Maroons, the post-NA Reds, the NL Maroons, and Ted Sullivan's Dubuque club. It would be nice to add the Empire Club to that list.

St. Louis Players Rabbit To Dubuque

Jack Gleason, Billy Gleason and Tom Sullivan, three of the best players St. Louis ever turned out, left for Dubuque on Friday evening.  Tom Loftus, who is to Captain the team, having preceded them.  Sullivan, who caught so well for the old Red Stockings and Live Oaks, of Lynn, is to fill the same position in the Hawkeye team.  

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 13, 1879

Some interesting questions: Would Dubuque have come to St. Louis and played if there weren't several St. Louis players on the team?  Would Ted Sullivan and Charles Comiskey have been brought in if the Rabbits hadn't played in St. Louis?  Would the Browns have been a success without Sullivan and Comiskey?  Would professional baseball in St. Louis have suceeded without the success of the Browns?  Was Loftus, Sullivan, and the Gleason's signing with Dubuque one of the more pivotal moments in the history of St. Louis baseball? 

St. Louis Players Wanted At Ludlow, Kentucky

Mr. J.H. Gifford, manager of the Ludlow club, which is being reorganized, writes that he is anxious to engage first-class players. He says that the club will not pay any fancy salaries, but that the men will be sure of their money as fast as it falls due. The organization is in need of a catcher, change pitcher, short-stop and third baseman. Manager Gifford would like to hear from Seward, Pearce, Redmond, Gleason, McCaffrey and other players now in St. Louis. If they will write, stating their lowest terms, an agreement may be arrived at. Out of the material mentioned above a very strong team could be placed in the field.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 5, 1877

At first glance, I was rather dismissive of Gifford's attempt to land the mentioned players for the Ludlows. I particularly liked the part about how he wanted the players to mail him their lowest terms and thought it was funny. But if you look at it, the players that Gifford was targeting were certainly attainable. Dickey Pearce was 41 years old and at the end of the line. George Seward and Billy Redmon weren't big stars and neither played more than seventy big league games. The Gleasons and Harry McCaffrey were youngsters. There was no reason, given enough money, that Gifford couldn't have signed all five.

Bill Gleason, the Grand Avenue Club, and Player Compensation

William Gleason, the short-stop, is a native of (St. Louis), 27 years old, and was formerly connected with the Fire Department, where he was considered second to none in point of bravery and dash. In 1872 he left the department to join the Peoria Club, having been previously a member of the Co-operative Grand Avenue Club, in which he had earned a good reputation. Gleason is one of the luckiest batters of the season, having been fortunate in hitting the ball on several occasions just where it counted.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 8, 1885


This is an interesting reference to the Grand Avenue Club. The best evidence I have is that the club was founded in 1876 and Tobias, writing in 1895, stated that the club was founded in 1875. The possibility exists that this is a different club than August Solari's Grand Avenue Club but most likely the Globe just got the date wrong.

If this source is correct, and I have serious reservations about that, then this is rather significant. While I assume that players in St. Louis were being compensated to one degree or another by the late 1860's, there is no source that explicitly states this. If accurate, this would be the first source to identify a club that was compensating its players prior to 1875.

Checking The National Game, Al Spink wrote that Gleason started playing baseball with the Stocks in the 1870's, played with the Reds, and then in 1881 was playing with the independent Brown Stockings. No mention of Peoria or the Grand Avenues.

This source, naming the Grand Avenues as a co-op club in 1872, conflicts with too many other sources to be taken seriously at this time.

The 1880 Brown Stockings Take The Field (And A Packy Dillon Sighting)

The faithful were on hand at the base ball park on Compton avenue, yesterday afternoon, to witness the opening of the season between the St. Louis Brown Stockings of last season, and the strongest picked nine that could be got together. All of Cuthbert's men were on hand but the best batsman of the lot, Croft, did not show up in time to participate. Cotton manned first in his stead. Dan Morgan, who is always equal to any emergency, cared for short field, and Jack Gleason, the best third baseman that St. Louis ever produced, filled that position. The picked men were of the best, including Trick McSorley, Billy Gleason, Redmond, Geer of the Cincinnatis, McCaffrey, and others who have made their mark in the professional arena. The contest was a beauty in every respect, but seven errors being indulged in during its progress. The batting of the Browns was very light, denoting their lack of practice, but their opponents, especially Redmond, made a very creditable display against the tricky McGinnes. Poor base-running cost the Browns a victory, several runs being sacrificed by bad judgement. Cunningham's batting was a feature of the game...

Packie Dillon showed up (at the game) yesterday. There was a time when Packie was regarded as the most graceful catcher in the country.

The Brown Stockings will be reorganized during the present week. Arthur Croft promises to be one of the number. such a team as McGinnes, Decker, Croft, McDonald, J. Gleason, Morgan, Cunningham, Cuthbert, Schenck, W. Gleason, Bowles and McSorley would be well-nigh invincible.

-The St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 19, 1880

A First-Class Police Officer

Long John Healey makes a first-class police officer. Captain O'Malley shows his confidence in him by keeping him on the toughest beat in the city and the Egyptian makes the evil-doers keep in line, or treats them to a ride in the patrol wagon. John is in splendid condition physically. He says that he is satisfied with his position, but his friends declare that he is growing restive as reporting time approaches and that they will be surprised if he does not return to the game. He spends an hour or more each day in the gymnasium at the Four Courts and he is considered one of the best athletes on the force. His arm is all right and in two weeks preparation he could pitch as good ball as he ever did. Jack Kirby, another old Maroon pitcher, is walking a West End beat. Sergeant Cal Watson, who has charge of the district in which Healey is stationed, was once a professional ball player. It is announced that there will be a game in the spring between teams representing the police and fire departments. Tom Dolan, Jack and Bill Gleason and other retired ball players are firemen, and good ones too. The proceeds of the game will be devoted to charity.

-From Sporting Life, February 6, 1897

Person Tom Dolan

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Bill Gleason

According to Baseball Reference, Bill Gleason was traded with Curt Welch to the Philadelphia Athletics on November 21, 1887 for Fred Mann, Chippy McGarr, Jocko Milligan, and $3,000. This, of course, was part of the Browns' big fire sale. The image above is Gleason's Old Judge Card from 1888, the only season he played with Philadelphia.

The Browns Of The Interregnum

(The) original Brown Stocking Club which first represented St. Louis in the National League...died in 1878 when the news came that Hall, Devlin, Nicholls, and Craver had been expelled from the Louisville Club for crookedness. This announcement was a death blow to the St. Louis Brown Stockings Club of that year by reason of the fact that Devlin and Hall, two of the expelled players, had signed with St. Louis for the following season. In 1879 St. Louis had no baseball to speak of. In 1880 a nine called the St. Louis Browns, under the management of the veteran Cuthbert, played games on the co-operative plan and furnished patrons with the only base ball that was going that year. That nine included Cuthbert, Shenck, Decker, McDonald, Croft, McGinnis, Pearce, Bowles, Cunningham and Morgan. This team played twenty-one games, losing but one, and that to the Louisville Reds, a semi-professional organization, by a score of 14 to 8. Its success in fact led to the organization of what is now known as the Sportsman's Park and Club Association, a company which was really organized for the purpose of refitting the present Sportsman's Park for baseball purposes. After the park had been fully equipped the Brown Stockings of the previous year were asked to reorganize and take possession of it. This they did with a nine which included the Gleason brothers, Baker, Seward, McCaffory, McSorley, McGinnis, Magner, McDonald, Gault and Cuthbert. This nine, like that of the previous year, played great ball, and the famous Akron team was the only nine it met that year that proved too much for it. It was so successful, in fact, that in the fall of 1881 steps were taken to put a professional team in the then talked of American Association.

-From The Sporting News, October 11, 1886


Al Spink had much to do with the Interregnum Browns and wrote the following in The National Game:

At this time my brother William Spink was the sporting editor of the Globe-Democrat and I held that sort of position on the then Missouri Republican, now the St. Louis Republic. After the failure to land a professional team in St. Louis in 1878 we did our best and worked together to replace the game here on a substantial footing.

But the baseball-loving public, disgusted at the way they had lost the splendid team they had hoped for, would have none of it.

Out of the remnant of the old St. Louis professional team we organized a nine that included holdover veterans like Dickey Pearce, Edgar Cuthbert, Lipman Pike, Mike McGeary, Joe Blong, Arthur Croft, Charles Houtz, Tom Sullivan, Packie Dillon, Danny Morgan and others.

This team played games on Sundays sometimes at Grand Avenue Park, now Sportsman's, and sometimes at the Reds' Park on Compton avenue, to which Shakespeare would have termed a beggardly array of empty benches. One day in the summer of 1878 we went to the pains of bringing the Indianapolis Browns here, a team that had won the championship of the International Association and that included in its ranks such famous players as the "only" Flint and the "only" Nolan.

But this team and our picked nine of professionals did not take in enough money at the gate at its initial game to pay the street car fares of the twelve players on the Mound City bob-tailed cars from the park back to their hotel quarters downtown.

The season of 1879 was as unfruitful of results as that of the season which preceded it. A picked up team of left-over professionals was again organized, called the St. Louis Browns and it stood ready to play any team of players that happened on Sundays to drop into Grand Avenue Park. During the close of the season of 1879 the game showed signs of returning to life, and with my brother William, I again set out to reconstruct the old edifice and bring it back to its own.

Together we brought about the meeting which at the close of the season of 1880 led to the organization of the Sportsman's Park and Club Association, an organization effected for the purpose of fitting up Grand Avenue Park for baseball purposes. This organization included Chris Von der Ahe, president; John W. Peckington, vice president; W. W. Judy, treasurer; and A. H. Spink, secretary.

The Grand Avenue Park, which at this time contained a weather beaten grandstand and a lot of rotten benches, was torn away and in its place was erected a new covered stand and an open "bleachers."

Sitting out in the field early in the spring of 1881 before the new grandstand was completed, I organized the St. Louis Browns of that year, Edgar Cuthbert, the only one of the old professionals still remaining in the city assisting me in the selection of a nine which included George Baker and George Seward, catchers; George McGinnis, pitcher; Edward Gault, first base; Hugh McDonald and Dan Morgan, second base; Jack Gleason, third base; William Gleason, short field; Harry McCaffrey, center field; Edgar Cuthbert, left field; and John T. Magner, right field.

It was agreed as we all sat there on the green sward that we would work together to build up the sport and each player promised to be prompt at each game, to do his level best at all times and to take for his pay just as small a percentage of the gate receipts as the general welfare of the park and its owners would allow.

On Sunday, May 22, 1882, these grounds were really opened with an exhibition game between the newly organized St. Louis Browns and the St. Louis Reds. The Reds won by 2 to 1...

Despite the good attendance at this opening game between the Reds and Browns the outlook seemed cold and bleak, for St. Louis stood badly then in the eyes of the outside world.

The Other Series

During late September and early October of 1886, the Browns and the White Stockings were, according to The Sporting News, "at work arranging for their series of games for the championship of the world." The result of the negotiation was a seven game series with the first three games played in Chicago on October 18, 19, and 20 and then three games in St. Louis on October 21, 22, and 23. If the series was tied after six games, a deciding seventh game would be played "on some neutral ground."

While all the details had been worked out with the Chicagos, there was one small problem. "This arrangement of the world's series interfered somewhat with the local series between the Browns and Maroons." It appears that the Browns had an agreement to play a nine game series with the Maroons in mid-October and that series now was in conflict with the Browns' commitment to the World Series. As a result, Von der Ahe was forced to go back to the Maroons and negotiate a new arrangement. A deal was struck, after a bit of "friendly controversy," to play five games at Union Park on October 14, 15, 17, 26, and 31 and four games at Sportsman's Park on October 16, 24, 28, and 30.

With all the business arrangements taken care of, the first game of the local series was played at Union Park on the 14th and resulted in a 3-0 win for the Browns, led by the pitching of Dave Foutz. The Browns suffered a big scare in the seventh when Bob Caruthers, playing right field and batting third, "injured himself while running from first to second. He wrenched his knee and now says he will not be able to play against the Chicagos in the world's series. He was carried from the ground to a bus and taken to his home." The injury proved not to be as serious as originally thought and Caruthers ended up playing a large role in the Browns' series victory over the White Stockings.

An interesting view of the goings on at Sportsman's Park was offered by a Maroons' fan in the October 25th issue of The Sporting News:

I am a Maroons crank and so far gone that while last Sunday's game was in progress I shouted "Rats" at a Browns crank who was howling at the umpire for doing what appeared to me to be his duty.

I acknowledge that I was ashamed of myself afterwards. Perhaps the other fellow was too.

I never in all my experience saw a crowd in which the various passions were better depicted than at last Sunday's game.

In one corner there was an old Irishman, a Maroon crank like myself. The shouting of Latham made him red in the face with rage and when Arlie called: "Go down now, Robbie. Hit her out Bush," the old fellow would try to drown his voice by shouting: "Yow, yow, yow, now, now, now," to the intense delight of every Maroon crank within hearing.

Once a Brown crank got so excited over this fusillade that he called on Latham to put the old fellow out, a proceeding that Arlie very wisely refrained from indulging in.

In another corner was a lot of youngsters from Frenchtown every one of whom was a rampant sympathizer of the Browns...The gang...howled, stamped and pounded their hands until they were tired.

In another corner around first base there was a gang of Maroon sympathizers: "Patsy, ye divil," said one of them after Cahill had reached first on a pretty hit, "stale second and I'll give ye my hat."

"He doesn't want yer hat, ye monkey," shouted a comrade.

"Thin I'll give him me coat," responded the first speaker.

...(At) that moment Patsy tried to steal second and was caught in the act. As he came back shaking his head at the umpire his Irish friend shouted "Give him the divil, Patsy" and Patsy in response "gave him the divil."

In another corner was a party of dudes. They were awfully excited. One of them bit his finger nails with suppressed excitement. Another smoked a cigarette a minute. Another covered his vinaigrette with his handkerchief and took great whiffs from it to keep from fainting. They were all Maroon cranks.

"Aw," said one, "it's true the Browns are winning but they cannot be classed with the Maroons. The League, you know, is much stronger than the Association. Haven't you heard that yet? Why, I thought everyone knew it. Will the Chicagos beat the Browns? Oh dear, what a silly question. Why I don't imagine that they will allow the Browns to make a single run. Do you? How foolish of you to think so. Why don't I bet then? Why, I never bet. I really cawn't afford it."

...The Browns and Maroons were as excited as the rest of the ten thousand persons in the enclosure.

...The Browns play like a company of military. There is a system to their every movement. Their leaders have learned the tricks that made the Chicago White Stockings invincible and famous. They know how to pour a broadside into the enemy and rattle the life out of him. The Maroons are lacking these elements.

The Browns have three great coachers in Latham, Comiskey, and Gleason. The Maroons have none.

But in the ranks of the latter there are some grand individual players and under equal conditions they will always make the pace warm for the Browns.

On October 24, the Browns won a 6-5 come from behind victory over the Maroons at Sportsman's Park. It was the Browns fifth straight victory over the Maroons and clinched the best of nine city series. The win gave the Browns their second series win over a League team in as many days.

The 1886 baseball season came to a close on October 31 with the final game in the city series being played at Union Park. With the series already long decided and the Browns basking in their world's championship, the Maroons won the final game 2-1 on a "warm and pleasant" Halloween Sunday before a crowd of "several thousand." Not surprisingly, "(errors) were a little more frequent than usual..." and the Browns had Nat Hudson, their third pitcher, on the mound.

The most interesting thing about this game is that it marks the last time that the Black Diamonds took the field in St. Louis. By February of 1887, the Maroons would be no more and their players would be scattered across the League, with most joining Indianapolis.

What I Actually Meant To Say

I've had a long week that involved too much work, too little sleep, and probably one too many trips to the local pub. When I sat down to post yesterday, I had no clue what I was going to write about and ended up posting what seems in retrospect a relatively incoherent piece on Chippy McGarr. Oh well, not every post can be a Light In August. So let's see if I can pull it together long enough to make some sense out of all of this.

The Browns juggernaut had another successful season on the field in 1887, cruising to their third straight pennant. They were led by the outstanding pitching of Bob Caruthers, Dave Foutz, and Silver King. At the plate, Tip O'Neil had his best season, winning the triple crown and leading the AA in just about every major offensive category. Caruthers and Foutz, who played 61 and 65 games in the field respectively, were the second and third best hitters on the team.

While the Browns cruised to the pennant, their on-field success did not translate into financial success for Chris Von der Ahe. With the loss of the Pittsburgh club to the National League after the 1886 season, attendance (and revenue) was down across the AA in 1887. The lack of a competitive pennant race also had a depressing effect on attendance in St. Louis. The profitable Sunday games were threatened due to the activities of Sabbatarians who controlled the State Legislature in Missouri. The World Series versus Detroit did not generate the revenues anticipated. And as revenue was declining, Von der Ahe's expenses, in the form of player salaries, were increasing. While the Browns were certainly still a profitable operation, Von der Ahe, who relied on his baseball profits to fund his other business interests, was feeling the squeeze.

As a result of this downturn in his economic situation, Von der Ahe explored numerous options. Speculation was ripe that the Browns would follow the Alleganhys into the League (in exchange for a $25,000 bonus). Other rumours making the rounds in 1887 were that Von der Ahe would sell the Browns to Joseph Pulitzer for $100,000, move the club to New York, or buy a controlling interest in the Philadelphia Association club and transfer some of the abundant talent on the Browns to his new team in order to make the AA a more competitive venture.

While Von der Ahe certainly explored all of these options, in the end rather than take any radical steps he simply chose to cut expenses and raise revenue the "old fashioned" way-by selling his players. According to Jon David Cash, Von der Ahe "traveled to the East and traded away the rights to five valuable players from his championship team. For a total of $18,750, he sold to the Brooklyn Trolley-Dodgers the services of Albert 'Doc' Bushong and the two men who had served as a pitcher-right fielder tandem for the Browns, Dave Foutz and Bob Caruthers. In Philadelphia, Von der Ahe arranged another transaction, sending shortstop Bill Gleason and center fielder Curt Welch to the Athletics for catcher John 'Jocko' Milligan, shortstop James 'Chippy' McGarr, center fielder Fred Mann, and an additional eight thousand dollars." These transactions not only helped to address Von der Ahe's financial situation but it also strengthened Philadelphia and Brooklyn, making for a (theoretically) more competitive league.

As to Chippy McGarr and Lou Sockalexis, McGarr was born, raised, and lived in Worchester, Massachusetts, home of the College of Holy Cross. It seems that in the offseasons while McGarr was playing with Cleveland, he helped coach the Holy Cross baseball team. Sockalexis was the star athlete at Holy Cross and McGarr, recognizing his talent, pressed Cleveland manager Patsy Tebeau to sign Sockalexis. Tebeau had Jesse Burkett, another Cleveland player and Worchester native, confirm McGarr's scouting report. After Burkett also told Tebeau to sign Sockalexis, Tebeau spent almost a year trying to sign the player to a contract. After a complicated courtship that involved Sockalexis disappearing for a time and then enrolling at Notre Dame, Cleveland finally signed Sockalexis for the 1897 season.

Chippy McGarr

In 1887, the Browns held what David Nemec described as "the biggest fire sale in major league history." While fans of the Florida Marlins might want to argue that point, Chris Von der Ahe did move Bob Caruthers, Curt Welch, Doc Bushong, and Bill Gleason in November of 1887 to various teams for a combination of cash and players. The reasons for the fire sale included the need to reduce payroll, a desire to recoup declining profits, Comisky's unhappiness with the attitudes of some of his stars, and possibly an attempt to strengthen other teams in the AA. One of the players that the Browns received in the fire sale was James McGarr.

There is an argument to be made that Chippy McGarr was one of the worst everyday players in the history of baseball and should be on the list of the all-time worst third basemen. From 1894 to 1896, McGarr, playing everyday for Cleveland, never had an OPS+ higher than 62. At the same time that he wasn't hitting, McGarr committed 125 errors over those three seasons.

McGarr, who lived in Worchester, Massachusetts and helped coach the Holy Cross baseball team, was instrumental in Cleveland signing Lou Sockalexis in 1897. McGarr had been telling Cleveland manager Patsy Tebeau about the Holy Cross star for several years and recommended that the team sign him.