Clipping:The organization of the Chicago club
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| Date | Thursday, November 18, 1869 |
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| Text | Last November a call was issued to those interested in seeing Chicago armed with a first-class base ball club to assemble and organized for that purpose. The shares were first disposed of—600 at $25 each, $15,000 in all, on which 60 per cent was called in before the receipts began to tell against disbursements. Besides these 600 shares, which are held by forty-eight members, there are 150 honorary members, who pay $10 a year each and get a season ticket. A well-known sporting man was sent East to negotiate for a complement of ball players—to “woo the nine,” as one might say. He visited Philadelphia, and engaged one of the best fielders of the Athletic Club; he swooped down upon New York, and bore away four of the Eckford players, including their highly-prized pitcher; he descended upon Troy and Lansingburg, and captured from the famous Haymakers their great catcher and three other favorites. To secure these and entice them westward it became necessary to offer large salaries compared with those paid at the East. The catcher was to have $2,500 a season, as a consideration for keeping sober, refraining from ungentlemanly conduct, and catching the regulation ball two hours of an afternoon during the ball season; another man, for playing second base, maintaining a dignified demeanor, and setting as captain of the nine, was to receive $2,000 of the season; while the remainder were allowed $1,000 each, all necessary expenses while on the wing being, of course, paid from the company's funds. That is the “business” of base ball; plainly it has ceased to be a popular amusement, and has become a “show,” a rival of the horse race. The Chicago nine...the club proper, or company, [is] the only one founded in the manner described. The Cincinnati or Red Stocking club has now, I believe, a charter of incorporation; but it is much more of a club and less of a corporation. It devotes the profits of its starring tours to the adornment of the club rooms, &c., and does not declare dividends out and out, as the Chicago Club intends doing., quoting the Western Monthly |
| Source | New York World |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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