Clipping:The PL buys the Cincinnati Club; Cincinnati Club ownership
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| Date | Saturday, September 27, 1890 |
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| Text | The latest and biggest sensation of the season was the report that the Players' League had been negotiating with the Cincinnati League Club with a view to purchasing it, bag and baggage. It was a great scheme, entirely worthy of the men who are so skillfully guiding the destinies of the new Players' League, and would have proved a master stroke of policy, as it would have rounded out the Players' league circuit nicely, made a serious breach in the National League circuit, weakened the latter organization in the West, and correspondingly strengthened the new League in that section, and would undoubtedly have placed the Players League in position to dictate terms to its rival. But unfortunately for the Players' League the deal could not be completed, and at this writing does not seem likely to be, owing in the first place to premature publication, and in the second place to the characteristic acquisitiveness of the gentlemen who control the Cincinnati Club—Messrs. Aaron Stern and Harry Sterne—same name, but not related, thought hey stand each other off like real brothers when a deal for mutual advantage is concerned. Negotiations were commenced a good while back between the party of the first part—Messrs. Stern and Sterne—and the party of the second part—the Players' League. The Players' League first offered the Cincinnatians inducements to enter the Players' League next season. This was declined, as both men are League men in sentiment—Harry Sterne particularly so. Then a bluff was made about putting a rival club into Cincinnati and the field was looked over by a committee. The Cincinnati men, however, didn't scare worth a cent, but got right down to business by offering to sell if the Players' League wanted the club so very badly. After a good deal of backing and filling Mr. Stern Mr. Stern named a big price, but when the Players' League indicated a willingness to buy at the figures named the other partner, Mr. Sterne, put in his oar, presumably without a previous arrangement with Stern (our readers should not fail to bear in mind that one of the partners has a final e to his name, which constitutes the only difference between them), and the deal came to a halt. More correspondence then followed, and as fast as one partner was satisfied the other bobbed up with a new objection, until between them the worthy Cincinnatians managed to exactly double the price on the Players' League. The latter thought it needed the Cincinnati Club badly enough to meet even the last raise, and accordingly a meeting of the Players' League was held in New York a week and a half ago at which the mater was carefully considered and a definite price fixed beyond which the Players' League would absolutely decline to go. Messrs. Brunell and Johnson and Editor Dickinson, of the New York World, then wended their way to ST. Louis last Wednesday week to interview the elusive senior partner and clinch the bargain. They felt sure of success, but other people who realized better with whom the guileless Players' League men would have to deal, were not quite so sanguine. And the latter were correct in their surmises. Stern and Sterne had slept a night—several nights, in fact—over their last offer to the Players' League, and according to their notion their plant had certainly increased in value while they slept. Accordingly, when the Players' League delegates met Mr. Stern—without the final e—in St. Louis last Friday they were fairly paralyzed when the affable little Cincinnati man, in his usual courtly manner, explained to them that owing to his partner's unwillingness to sell, etc., etc., he was unable to deliver the goods, etc. etc., and that the only way to appease that perverse partner was to once more double the price—take it or leave it. Here was a poser that incontinently brought the deal to a halt, as the Players' League had made up its mind how far it would go and the committee had its limit, beyond which it could not go. There was, therefore, no alternative except to leave St. Louis without accomplishing anything and declare the deal off. Accordingly after frankly telling the newspapers just how the case stood the committee disbanded, Johnson going home to Cleveland, Dickinson to New York and Brunell to Buffalo, where he will reorganize the local club. The Sporting Life September 27, 1890 The hitch in the Cincinnati deal has been overcome, as the Players' League, in its anxiety to obtain control of the one city which they imagined they needed to round out their circuit and seriously cripple the League, finally acceded to the exorbitant demands of Stern and Sterne, and bought the club, bag and baggage, at the figures of the Cincinnati magnates. It was not to be given out what the price paid for the franchise, ground and players' contracts was, but Mr. Stern in his latest interview stated that he had demanded $46,000, of which $30,000 was to be paid down and $16,000 at a stipulated future time. When the Players' League committee went to St. Louis they were prepared to purchase at $40,000, and that is about the sum the deal cost the Players' League men. The Sporting Life October 4, 1890 According to agreement the representatives of the Players' league met Messrs. Stern and Sterne, of the Cincinnati Club, in Cincinnati, Oct. 4, and completed the deal whereby the Cincinnati Club was transferred to the Players' League syndicate. … It required the entire day to settle the various details of the transfer, and it was not until 8 o'clock in the evening that the deal was completed, the consideration being $40,000, $20,000 of which was paid in cash and $20,000 in five sequential notes, payable on the first day of June, July, August, September and October next. These notes bear the personal endorsement of Messrs. Johnson, Talcott, Col. McAlpin and other responsible people. The Sporting Life October 11, 1890 [See also a long account from Dickinson of the NY World on the events leading up to the deal.] |
| Source | Sporting Life |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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