Clipping:Rumored skullduggery in Day/Mutrie getting two franchises; railroad access to the Polo grounds
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| Date | Sunday, December 17, 1882 |
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| Text | [reporting on the AA convention] There was some wild talk in New York last Tuesday night of refusing admission to the New York Club because it was suspected that the same backers were running both New York clubs. That suspicion is undoubtedly correct. But if the Association had made the big mistake of refusing admission to the New York Club on this account the damage done to the other clubs would have been almost irretrievable. The Association can not afford to drop New York out of its circuit. The Club will draw second to no club but the champions. There is plenty of room in New York for the two clubs and the American club has the advantage, because it can charge cheap admission if it sees fit. Cincinnati Commercial December 17, 1882 It is a well known fact that the [Metropolitan] company argued long and earnestly to convince themselves into which camp [NL or AA] they should go. The bent was for the League camp, as that was a little the more aristocratic. But the gentlemen composing the company were sharp enough to see that if they were absorbed by the League there would be an opening for an American Association Club; also that such a club, playing to popular prices, and under the popular rules of the new corporation, would be likely to attract the popular favor. In this dilemma the fend Italian hand of Jimmie Mutrie makes its appearance. He resigns(?) the management of the Metroplitans. Several of the head men of the Exhibition Company also resign(?) and organize an opposition(?) club to be known as the New York Club, and to be a member of the American Association. This club applied and was admitted to the membership they sought. At the recent New York meeting it was hinted that such a pooling of New York interests had been made, and there was no out and out denial from either club. On the contrary, they asked, What if it be so? That was a poser that no one felt called upon to wrestle with, and the situation was tacitly settled. It was wisely admitted on all hands that in New York City there is plenty of room for two professional clubs, just as there is plenty of room and patronage for twenty-five theaters. It is not the question of two clubs, but rather of the two teams being first class. Both teams engaged are good ones. Thought it is here predicted that the League team, which is a very expensive one, will be apt to disappoint the public. Like all high priced articles it will be expected to show up proportionally superior to its cheaper kind. This it will not do. There are several teams, particularly the Chicago, Cleveland, and Providence teams, which promise to knock the concept out of the $20,000 nine. About the time this happens the Exhibition Company will find that their American Association team, with Mutrie's level head behind it, and popular prices to back it, will be the favorite. Now comes a rumor that, though unexpected, seems to smack of the truth. It is that the present Polo grounds, which are very large, are to be divided into two grounds, and occupied respectively by the two teams. Those who recollect Mutrie's reticence at the Columbus meeting as to the location of grounds for the new club, and recall his guarded words thereon, will not be surprised to hear that this rumor is correct. Mr. Mutrie said the new ground had been chosen, but his club didn't desire to disclose their location for good reasons. They would, however, be as large as the League Club's grounds, and as well fitted up. When asked whether they were nearer to or further from the down town district, he replied that they were a little nearer, being more convenient to the elevated railroad. The rumor is that the west half will be occupied by the American Club and the east half by the League club. The latter contains the present diamond and seats of the Metropolitan Club, while the former division contains the club-house. The west half is much nearer the Sixth Avenue Elevated Railroad station, and visitors to the grounds of either club would have to pass the American grounds to reach the League grounds, unless the Third avenue road erects a station opposite the Polo grounds, which they refused to do last year. Cincinnati Commercial Gazette January 7, 1883 |
| Source | Cincinnati Commercial Tribune |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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