Clipping:Why the League delayed reinstating the expelled players
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| Date | Sunday, April 19, 1885 |
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| Text | [reporting on the NL special meeting of 4/18] ...your correspondent learned the inside history of this remarkable change of base on the part of the league and the information comes from a source which is unquestionable. It appears that one of the reasons why the league refused to reinstate Mr. Lucas’ players at the league meeting in March was because the American association had passed a resolution at their meeting held in Baltimore a few days previous forbidding their clubs to play any games with league clubs if the league reinstated the blacklisted and expelled men. As many of the league clubs had already arranged games with American association clubs and would sustain a heavy pecuniary loss in case these games were declared off, it was decided to refuse Mr. Lucas his request. When, however, the league saw what a howl of indignation went up from the St. Louis public over the action of the league and began to realize what a short-sighted policy it had adopted, a change of sentiment began to show itself. Spalding of Chicago, who was particularly anxious to have close games with St. Louis, and who is one of the shrewdest business managers in the league, took the matter up and became the strongest advocate for St. Louis. He finally asked Mr. Lucas and Mr. Crane to meet him in New York to confer with other league representatives. That was really the secret of the mission of those gentlemen when they were here [New York] early this month. When the managers got together, which was on the 4 th of April, all of those in attendance were in favor of a general amnesty except Mr. Root of Providence. Mr. Allen, his associate, endeavored to persuade him to act in harmony with the other clubs but he obstinately refused to do so. Finally Spalding brought the matter to a head by declaring that he did not propose to have false sentiment stand in the way of good business judgment, and that no matter what Providence did, Chicago would play the St. Louis nine, including all its blacklisted men, on April 30, when it opened the season in St. Louis. Mr. Root left the conference, but Mr. Allen remained, and it was then agreed by all those present that the men under expulsion for any act in connection with the Union association should be reinstated, and that this should be done at the meeting held to-day [4/18], thus enabling the league clubs to play their games with the American association clubs. When asked whether this action would provoke a war your correspondent’s information said he was confident it would not. He said the American association would be too busy with its championship games to stop to parley or to fight, and that even if they were not there was no disposition on their part to fight. They had tried a big game of bluff, which had not worked, although they were beginning to flatter themselves that it would. (St. Louis) |
| Source | Missouri Republican |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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