Clipping:The Athletics club meeting following Fitzgerald's resignation
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| Date | Saturday, June 9, 1866 |
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| Text | THE ATHLETICS.–There was great excitement and a number of surprises at the meeting of this splendid base ball organization on Monday evening, June 4th. During the day, a self-constituted committee from the club, numbering twenty, called on Mr. Fitzgerald, and requested him to attend and preside, as they had certain important measures which they wished pressed to a passage, and it was feared that all attempts at reform would fail, unless a full and patient hearing could be had. But, it was subsequently resolved not to present those reforms until a future day, as it was evident that an unbiased expression of opinion could not be had during the excitement of the moment. After the preliminary business of the club had been gone through with, Mr. Fitzgerald’s resignation of the Presidency was read, and accepted by a vote of 41 to 37. The Athletics then proceeded to ballot for a new President, and Col. D. W. C. Moore and Mr. E. H. Hayhurst were put in nomination. The result of the ballot was as follows: Hayhurst 43, Moore 41, scattering 3. Here was a surprise indeed! We regarded Moore with the deepest commiseration. He was astounded! “Could it be possible?” “Was there not some mistake?” Surely he had “the thing set up all right?” “Would the club go back on him?” Some ill-natured fellow (probably a friend of Jim Freeborn’s) remarked, when the result was announced–“there’s a stunner for the psalm-singing hypocrite!” We were sorry to hear a remark so ill-natured. Personalities are always in bad taste. A second ballot was ordered, with a nearly similar result–Hayhurst, to his astonishment, being one or two votes ahead of Moore. Here the discovery was made that there were only about eighty persons in the room, while eighty-four or eight-six ballots had been cast. Another ballot was then ordered. Mr. Hayhurst arose and said that he hoped his friends would not attempt to stuff the ballot box to serve him. Again the count showed Hayhurst to be three or four votes ahead of Moore; but, it was said, too many votes had again been cast, and another ballot was ordered. Now, the politicians of the club took the matter in hand. They went from member to member, in vehement expostulation, and said the club would “bust” if they persisted in electing Hayhurst. Vigorous electioneering gave Moore a majority of three or four on the next ballot, and he was declared duly elected, although the ill-natured fellow who called Moore a “psalm-singing hypocrite,” said he couldn’t see it. Immediately, Mr. Fitzgerald moved the vote be made unanimous. Mr. Fitzgerald then said, by a promotion of Moore, a vacancy existed among the Vice Presidents, and he moved that Mr. Hayhurst be elected by acclamation to said office. Carried enthusiastically. It may be well to remember, that when Moore was nominated for the Presidency, Mr. Fitzgerald moved that nominations close, but a gentleman in the lower end of the room nominated Hayhurst, and thus almost fatally jeopardised Moore’s chances, as none of his friends dreamt of opposition, much less defeat, so carefully had the matter been arranged. Before the club adjourned, Mr. Moulder offered the following resolution, which was unanimously passed– Resolved, That the thanks of this club be presented to our much respected retiring President, Thomas Fitzgerald, for his long, faithful, and invaluable serves as President of the Athletic Club. Philadelphia City Item June 9, 1866 Fitzgerald’s resignation as President of the Athletic Base Ball Club, was accepted at the meeting of the club held one evening last week. The G. L. was present, and made a speech, relating the great services he rendered the Athletic. He was under the impression that the boys would and could not get along without him. But the Athletics have got posted. They have inquired some, and have got the dots on the G. L. Philadelphia Sunday Mercury June 10, 1866 |
| Source | Philadelphia City Item |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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