Clipping:The Metropolitans fined for the Keefe/Esterbrook trade
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
 |
| Add a Clipping |
| Date | Wednesday, May 6, 1885 |
|---|---|
| Text | [reporting on the AA special meeting] ...the first thing done was to overhaul the Metropolitan Club for the equivocal position it had of late occupied toward the Association for the transfer of Keefe and Esterbrookl to the National League, thus strengthening the League at the expense of the Association. This case provoked a two hours' discussion, which at times became very warm. Finally a motion was made to politely ask them to tender their resignation. This was carried, but almost immediately another motion was passed to reconsider the original one. It was then moved that the Metropolitans be ignominiously expelled at once, as they had flagrantly violated section 8, article 6 of the constitution. This was lost. A long discussion followed, and a definite charge was preferred against the club for violation of the rule mentioned and against its secretary, James Mutrie, for assisting in the transfer of the two players already named. The convention temporarily adjourned and the directors convened. They unanimously adopted the following resolution: “It appearing to this board that James Mutrie, secretary of the Metropolitan Ball Club, a member of this Association, has been a party to a direct violation of section 8, article 6, of the constitution, in being a party to negotiations made in the release of T. J. Keefe and T. J. Esterbrook from said club and their contraction with the New York League Club, it is hereby ordered that the Metropolitan Club, of which James Mutrie is a member, pay to the secretary of the American Association the sum of $500 as a fine for the violation of the constitution, said amount to be paid within thirty days.” … It was further resolved by the convention, “That the American Association will never recognize James Mutrie as an officer or a player of any club in the Association again.” The Sporting Life May 6, 1885 [from a letter from McKnight] I was asked to attend a special meeting of the League last January, and there complaints were made to me that the American Association was not adhering strictly to the rules of the National Agreement regarding bargaining with or for players before they were eligible. The League gentlemen claimed that they construed the rules more strictly than we. In order to conform to their ideas our Association, at its schedule meeting when Messrs. Rhoner and Mutrie were present, added to our constitution the present section 8, of article VI., which orders that “If any club, club officer, manager or player shall, during the ten days intervening between the date of a player's release and the date of his eligibility to contract as provided for in the National Agreement induce a player to sign any stipulation, agreement or contract, or to make or to pretend to make any oath, affirmation or affidavit to ta promise tending to evade the spirit of the letter of what is known as the ten-day rule of the National Agreement, said club, club officer, manager or player shall be fined in the sum of $--, said amount to be fixed by the board of directors.” Surely Mr. Mutrie's action in taking Keefe and Esterbrook out of the country and guarding them until they signed contracts with the New York Club was equivalent to inducing them to make affirmation to a promise. At least it was a serious violation of the rules in the manner complained of by the League. The Mets, while naturally protesting against the fine, must allow that it was deserved. … Fining a club is not without precedent, for the Cincinnati Club was fined three years ago for breaking our rules in playing a League club. The Sporting Life May 13, 1885 |
| Source | The Sporting Life |
| Tags | |
| Warning | |
| Comment | Edit with form to add a comment |
| Query | Edit with form to add a query |
| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
Comments
<comments voting="Plus" />