Clipping:St. Louis Club blocked from selling its players
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| Date | Wednesday, February 2, 1887 |
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| Text | ...President Stromberg, of the St. Louis League Club, is very angry because of the interference of the League committee of three with his arrangements for selling his players, and he has sent to President Young the following letter: St. Louis, Jan. 27.--N. E. Young, Esq.:--Dear Sir: We understand that certain “disinterested friends” are endeavoring to make it appear that the Maroons are about to league the League, and for that reason they propose to prevent the company from selling the release of certain players. We write you to say that the company proposes to play the Maroons this season in the League and to play their club with a nine of their own selection, and that it will brook no interference on the part of the committee or set of men; that we will sell the release of any man we wish to sell, and if any person orpersons prevent or try to interfere with such sale they do so at their peril. These “friends” must understand that we propose to run our business in our own way, and if necessary to do so we shall invoke the law, both civil and criminal, to protect ourselves in this right. We have so far held our peace, but we think the time has come for us to speak, and we propose now to do it in terms that cannot be misunderstood. We trust that you will inform any inquiring friends of our determination in this matter. Very respectfully, William Stromberg, President, St. Louis Club. We readily sympathize with the afflicted president of the St. Louis Club, but Mr. Stromberg’s kick is injudicious and his position is untenable. Granted that he may sell his players when, where and to whom he pleases, who will he sell them to? He cannot, under the edict of the League committee, sell them to League clubs, as they are bound by the action of that committee, and no release will be accepted nor contract approved by President Young. Of course, if no League Club can touch these players no ohter National Agreement club can. It seems like harsh treatment of the St. Louis Club by its fellow members, and yet the League is but acting in self-defence and for self-protection. It has held hands off and has given the St. Louis Club every chance to prove that it meant to act in good faith. The course of the club, howe er, has not been such as to command the confidence of its League colleagues, and, of late, the purpose of the club’s officials has been quite evident. The League committee of three was appointed solely becuase the League mistrusted St. Louis, and with a view to preventing the barter and sale of the players, and consequent disbandment of the club to the serious detriment of the League. Had the League committee not stepped in to prevent the sale of any of the Maroon players, there is no doubt that the three most valuable players would have been auctioned off, and the rest, with the franchise, transferred to Indianapolis or any other city willing to buy. By this process the St. Louis stockholders might have gotten out whole, but the srong League clubs would have been still further strengthened, and the League would have been saddled with a new club yet weaker than the present St. Louis club. |
| Source | Sporting Life |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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