Clipping:Al Nichols on an amateur team

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Date Wednesday, August 28, 1889
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Outfielder Ben Cake and pitcher Hart, of the Rivertons, had quite an unusual experience a week ago. These two well-iknown and popular amateurs were invited to make up a team to represent Pennington, N.J., in a contest against the Flemington Club. When they arrived at the latter's ground, where the game was to be played, they recognized among the Flemington players the notorious Al Nichols, who was blacklisted years ago along with Devlin and Hall by the Louisville Club for selling games. He was down on the card as third baseman “Williams.” When they discovered Nichols' identity, which was not denied, Cake and hart promptly refused to contaminate themselves by playing a game agaisnt a man who was debarred even from the professional field, and therefore should be the last to be allowed to compete with amateurs. The Flemington people, though aware of Nichols' character and history, positively refused to play without him, and Hart and Cake thereupon left the grounds amid the hooting and abuse of the goodly crowd assembled, which was, however, ignorant of the real reason for the withdrawal of the Philadelphians. After Cake and Hart left the Flemington Club claimed the game by default, but the Penningtons afterwards with the aid of two local players played the game. It is said to be a fact that Nichols plays right along with the so-called “amateur” teams in the vicinity of New York, Brooklyn and in various parts of New Jersey, and is making a living out of it. Though he plays under the name of Williams, his identify is no secret, and yet our Philadelphia players are, we believe, to refuse to play with or against him. This is a fine commentary on the “amateurism” that prevails in and around the metropolis and of the moral tone of these misnamed amateur players.

Source Sporting Life
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Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

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