Saturday, July 16, 2011

The Tempation of Fred Dunlap

The St. Louis Republican, a Union organ, says: "Within a few days past Mr. Lucas has received a letter from Dunlap in which the latter says that, notwithstanding he has been offered more by the Cleveland than he will receive under his present contract with Mr. Lucas, he will play in St. Louis, and requests that quarters in a private boarding house be engaged for him and for Shaffer. In order that it may be known what temptations have been put before players who have contracted with Union association clubs by the pool of League and Association club managers who are trying to break up the Union association, it may be stated, on competent authority, that in Dunlap's case the New York League club offered the Clevelands Troy, the New York second baseman, and $1,000 in cash for Dunlap's release, and stated that if this was granted they would pay $3,500 to Dunlap for his signature to a contract. The Cleveland management wisely concluded that if they could not have Dunlap under their reserve rules they would not go into any dishonest bickerings to trade him off to another organization."

The facts are that Dunlap was said to be wanted for the Mets, but was really to have been used in the New York team. Both are virtually under one management.
-Cleveland Herald, February 26, 1884

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