Clipping:Girding for war
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| Date | Saturday, January 17, 1885 |
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| Text | McKnight said to the Associated Press agent: “The objections to Lucas's admission are many and important. Last season the Union Association, of which Lucas was the President and ruling spirit, did incalculable injury to the cities of the League and the American Association, forcing the Cleveland Club to disband, getting players of various clubs to break their contracts, and forcing salaries up to preposterous figures. Many clubs of the National agreement allies were thus made to lose money, the unions, of course, lost money; and now comes Lucas and demands admission to the League, and the League seems willing to take him in, while it will strictly enforce the punishment of the poor players whom he deluded. “The American St. Louis Club suffered severely by last year's rivalry and by Dolan's desertion, and Von der Ahe therefore positively declines to agree to Lucas' admission. As the matter affects that club more than any other, several clubs had already notified me that their votes should be given in whichever way Mr. Von der Ahe would vote. Although the League proposes to admit Lucas strictly under rules of the national agreement and of the League, and that although they will insist on his dropping his disqualified players, yet the American Association can not prevent the League at its spring meeting from so amending its Constitution as to permit Lucas to play Sunday games and lower his admission price to twenty-five cents, all of which will seriously hurt Von der Ahe's club. Again, were this precedent established, in case another club dropped from the League that body would want to put a club in Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Brooklyn or Baltimore. If the American Association needed a club would the League consent to let them place one in Boston or Chicago? The National Agreement was made and adopted for the purpose of preventing either of its members from doing any thing which would injure others. This is a vital provision and must be observed or the agreement ceases.” Cincinnati Enquirer January 17, 1885 [See also SLPD 1/19/85 for a long statement by Von der Ahe and SLR 1/23/85 for a long statement by McKnight] [reporting on the NL special meeting] 1/21] A communication from Hon. J. O'Neill was read. He stated that hehad come to the meeting on behalf of Mr. Von der Ahe, with full authority to act for him, and that he would like to appear before the meeting. He was at once asked to come in. what passed between him and the delegates could not be learned, but it was hinted that there was a pretty hot time for about two hours. President McKnight, of the American Association, also appeared before the meeting, and told what he thought of the deal. What at two o'clock an adjournment was taken for lunch, it was said that nothing had been done toward a settlement. Four American clubs were represented at the hotel, and at least two, Byrne, of Brooklyn, and Barnie, of Baltimore, had on their war paint. They were decidedly against Mr. Lucas being admitted to the League, and said they preferred to see the National agreement broken, and that if the agreement was to be broken there was no better time than now. They were of the opinion that in such an event the League would get the worst of it. As the afternoon passed it could be easily seen that the trouble was settling down into a fight between the two association, as after the morning meeting it had ceased to be merely a question of whether Mr. Von der Ahe would consent to the St. Louis Unions being admitted to the League. Soon after the adjournment of the morning session Mr. McKnight said: “Both Mr. O'Neill and myself made long speeches in the meeting-room, both of which proved unsatisfactory, and we were given one hour and thirty minutes to communicate with Mr. Von der Ahe. We telegraphed to the latter gentleman and the answer came back: 'I will not change my answer sent to the last meeting.'” This was reported to the meeting as soon as the answer was received from Mr. Von der Ahe. A meeting of the representatives of the American Association clubs that were present was called by President McKnight, who stated the case to them and explained what had been done. The meeting lasted for nearly two hours, when they announced their decision to sink or swim together, and that if the League decided to break the National agreement, they would fight to the bitter end. It was then announced that a special meeting of the Arbitration Committee had been called directly after the adjournment of the League meeting. It was after five o'clock when the afternoon meeting was called. By this time more ball-players had gathered in and around the hotel than was ever seen before at one time in this city, and the excitement has become very great. After attending the morning session Mr. Lucas was excluded from the meeting the remainder of the day. But this was a sort of blind, as the League made no secret of the fact that they want to protect Mr. Lucas and his club. At the evening session a committee consisting of Messrs. Day, Soden and Root was appointed to confer with a committee from the American Association, to try to settle the question at issue. A resolution was passed giving full power to the members of the committee, and authorizing them to act as they see fit in the conference. There was a desire on the part of Boston, Providence, Chicago and Buffalo to break the national agreement and to admit the St. Louis and Cincinnati Union Clubs, but it was overruled. Cincinnati Enquirer January 22, 1885 The League meeting to-day proved another victory for H. V. Lucas. President McKnight, of the American Association, and J. J. O'Neill, appeared before the delegates and said Mr. Von der Ahe would not consent to have Lucas in the League. Lucas said he would go in anyway, and asked the League to sustain him. The league said it would break the national agreement. McKnight asked for a truce, and telegraphed Von der Ahe. Von der Ahe replied, “Be firm.” McKnight was afraid, and said while Mr. Von der Ahe could stand a fight, other clubs in the American Association could not. He then asked that before the League break the national agreement a committee be appointed to confer with the delegates at a special meeting of the American Association to be called for Monday in Pittsburg. The League appointed J. B. Day, A. H. Soden and H. T. Root with full power to act. They go prepared to break the national agreement unless Von der Ahe gives his consent or the American Association goes back on Von der Ahe. The association will probably do the crow-eating act. Lucas is satisfied with his triumph over the American Association and Von der Ahe. Cincinnati Enquirer January 22, 1885 The leaving of the matter to Messrs. Soden of Boston, Day of New York, and Root of Providence, virtually admits Lucas to the League, as all three of these gentlemen have already expressed themselves willing, if forced to, to break away from the national agreement. At the meeting of the American association at Pittsburg on Monday they will try to carry their point peaceably if possible, and failing in that there is not a doubt that they will report favorably to the Lucas club anyhow, and this will of course precipitate a war between the two associations. In the East the Baltimore, Brooklyn and Athletic clubs of the American association are without the capital to make such a fight successful, while the Metropolitans, controlled by the New York league team, will, in the event of such a complication, simply withdraw, and this will rob the American association at the very outset of its strongest and best Eastern representative. In the West the Pittsburg and Louisville clubs are without the financial backing necessary to make a warfare of the kind profitable. On the other hand, the league clubs of New York, Providence, Boston and Philadelphia are all well off financially, and are just waiting the chance to secure players the breaking away of the national agreement will offer. In the West the Chicago, Buffalo and St. Louis clubs of the league are all well backed and so equipped that not a single one of them will suffer, should it come to a fight for players. (St. Louis) Missouri Republican January 23, 1885 |
| Source | Cincinnati Enquirer |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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