Clipping:The Metropolitans back out of the AA

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Date Sunday, November 6, 1881
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Messrs. Appleton and Mutrie, of the Metropolitans of New York, arrived in Chicago yesterday morning from St. Louis, and spent several hours in conference with President Hulbert, departing for New York on the 5:15 evening train. The result of this conference was, as might be expected, a decision that the Metropolitans will not enter the American Association, the new body organized on Friday last at Cincinnati. While in Cincinnati Mr. Appleton declined to take a seat in the convention as a member, or to count his club either for or against the new Association, preferring to wait and see what its relations would be toward the old league, with which he was determined the Metropolitan Club should be on friendly terms. The conference with President Hulbert settled the questions. It was evident that harmony and cooperation between the league and the new association were impossible in view of the action of the association in the case of Jones, and of the immediate engagement of that player by the Cincinnati Club. Jones stands expelled from the league, and, according to President Hulbert, that body will refuse to entertain any proposition looking to his reinstatement coming from a club which has already disregarded the league penalty by employing Jones. The long and short of it is that the league policy, as foreshadowed by President Hulbert, will be to altogether ignore the new association, or, if occasion shall require, to declare war to the knife. With this understanding, Mr. Appleton was not long in making up his mind to have nothing to do with the new association, but to continue the Metropolitan Club as a member of the existing League Alliance, which is to be strengthened and remodeled at the December meeting of the league so as to be prepared for all emergencies. Chicago Tribune November 6, 1881

[reporting on the AA meeting] Messrs. Appleton and Mutrie, representing the Metropolitans, did not enter the meeting, as they did not wish to bind themselves until they saw what would be the policy of the new organization. They thought the idea an excellent one, and supported it cordially. They say that they have $27,000 in the treasury, and that if they go in the Association they will also start a team in Newark, New Jersey. They are opposed to all belligerency to the League, and say that the country is large enough for both, and that they should live together quietly and peacefully. Cincinnati Enquirer November 3, 1881

Messrs. Appleton and Mutrie, of the Metropolitans, continued to keep out of the Association yesterday, assigning as their reason for so acting the fact that they would not enter until the policy of the body was fully defined and another constitution adopted. Mr. Appleton, who is of the firm of D. Appleton & Co., of New York, said that his Club could not afford to antagonize the League. They had derived a great deal of money from the contests with League Clubs, and they would not commit themselves to any opposition to the League. He did not believe in a great many regulations of the League, such as admission, &c., but the people placed more confidence in that body, and he could not unite with this new undertaking if it was to be warlike in its attitude. The Metropolitans were going to start a nine in Newark, N.J., and desired to put both in the Association, provided its action was satisfactory. Cincinnati Enquirer November 4, 1881

The delegates left for home last evening, Messrs. Appleton and Mutrie, of New York, going to St. Louis for a pleasure trip. Cincinnati Enquirer November 4, 1881

Messrs. Appleton and Mutrie, of the Metropolitans of New York, arrived here [Chicago] this morning [11/5] from St. Louis, and spent several hours in conference with President Hulbert, taking their departure for home on the 5:15 train this evening. The result of the conference is, as might be expected, a decision that the Metropolitans will not enter the new Association organized at Cincinnati. While at Cincinnati Mr. Appleton declined to commit his Club either for or against the Association, preferring to wait and see what its relations were to be toward the old League, with which he was determined the Metropolitan Club should be on friendly terms. The conference with President Hulbert settled the question. It was evident that harmonious co-operation between the League and the American Association was an impossibility after the action of the Association in the case of Jones, and the engagement of that player by the Cincinnati Club. Jones stands expelled from the League, and, according to Mr. Hulbert, that body will refuse to entertain any proposition looking to his reinstatement coming from a Club which has already disregarded the League penalty by employing him. The long and short of it is that the League policy, as foreshadowed by Mr. Hulbert, will be to ignore the American Association altogether, or, if necessary, to declare war to the knife.

With this understanding, Mr. Appleton was not long in making up his mind to have nothing to do with the new Association, but to continue the Metropolitans as members of the existing League Alliance, which is to be strengthened and remodeled at the December meeting of the League, so as to be prepared for all emergencies. Cincinnati Enquirer November 6, 1881

Mr. Day, of New York, says that there will be no nine in Newark, New Jersey, as reported, as sufficient players of good standing can not be secured to make a team. Cincinnati Enquirer December 7, 1881

Source Chicago Tribune
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Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

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