Clipping:Disputing Horace Phillips' claim to originating the AA; Phillips' reply

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Date Saturday, November 11, 1882
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[discussing a new poster design advertising upcoming games] By the way, we notice that Manager Phillips, of the Columbus Club, is already claiming the idea, as of growth from his original brain. Don’t do it, Horace. You no more originated that idea than you hatched out the principles of the American League. There are newspapers on file in this city which will prove, if necessary, that the plan of the American League originated in Cincinnati in the fall of 1880. If you will read up you will find that at that time Colonel L. A. Harris, of this city, went to New York to meet several other delegates, but adjourned without doing anything. The plan then remained dormant, till once more stirred up a year ago. Do sit down, H. P., and give the world a chance. First thing you know, Sir Isaac Newton, Professor Morse, Edison and the like will lose their supposed laurels. Cincinnati Commercial November 11, 1882

[Phillips responds] Messr. Pank, Sharsig, Von der Ahe and McKnight are well aware of the fact of what I did. I took the Athletic Club West last fall to Pittsburg, Louisville, St. Louis and Cincinnati, to see what could be done toward organizing an opposition to the League on a twenty-five cent basis. Mr. Harris may have gone to New York to organize an association, but he did not succeed in getting those interested that I did. The call at Pittsburg was originally made by me, but you know why I was left out at that time, but would not had my backer kept his word with me. In order to revive the game, I stopped over in Cincinnati and played to less that 250 people, in order that I might consult Mr. Mark Wallace and yourself in order to have Cincinnati represented.

If anybody wants to lay claim that they originated the American Association, let them do so. I have glory enough in knowing that there is such an association, and as successful as it has been. And now that I am connected with it I shall try to elevate its standing in any manner that is in my power. The name, “American,” I suggested to Mr. Christ Von der Ahe, and I believe was introduced at the meeting by him.

...

Mr. Phillps...is mastaken about Mr. Von der Ahe introducint the name “American.” The Association was christened at the Pittsburg meeting, and neither Mr. Phillips nor Von der Ahe was present. Cincinnati Commercial November 18, 1882

Source Cincinnati Commercial Tribune
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Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

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