Thursday, August 18, 2011

Dunlap And Shaffer Arrive In St. Louis

President Lucas, of the Unions, was all smiles yesterday, and the occasions of his happiness was the arrival of Fred Dunlap and George Shaffer, the great second baseman and right fielder. "They are here," said he, "just as I knew they would be when I signed them. I never had a doubt about them, notwithstanding all the reports that have been circulated by the enemies of our association. The very first dealings I had with them convinced me that they were honorable men, ,who would honor any contract they signed. Now that they are here I think I can safely boast that I have the best second baseman and the best right fielder in the country. And you may say that as they have acted squarely with me I am going to do the same by them. If Mullane had done right with me he would never have had occasion to regret it, but now that he has jumped his contract, I will endeavor to make him sorry that he did so. Recently I learned he was willing to come here if I would give him a two years' contract at $3,000 a year. I have a prior claim on him and will not break a contract by taking him away from Toledo, so I sent him word that I would agree to his terms. When I got in direct communication with him what do you suppose he wanted? Only $3,000 in advance. Well, I don't think he'll get $3,000 of my money in his hands until he straightens out his record for trustworthiness."

Dunlap and Shaffer arrived at 7:30 a.m. on the Vandalia train, having come direct from Philadelphia, which they left on Saturday at 9 p.m. Apartments have been engaged for them on Jefferson avenue, near the Union grounds, and after a brief sojourn down town they repaired to their home for the season. In the afternoon a Globe-Democrat reporter met them at the club-room at the park. In reply to questions Shaffer said, "I came here because I signed to. The reserve rule don't worry me at all. I like Mr. Lucas' ways of doing business, and I am glad to see that he has such good grounds. I hope we will all be able to play good ball here and think we will. There is one thing sure: no other nine has such a nice club-house as we have."

Dunlap said he was somewhat tired after his long ride, but was glad he was here. "Our accommodations here," said he, "are the best that any club in the country has and then we have fine grounds, larger than three-fourths of the League grounds, and our grand stand is the finest I have seen anywhere. If the Cleveland Club had treated me right, I wouldn't be here."

"What are the circumstances of your engagement?"

"All there was to it was I named my terms to Mr. Lucas and he accepted them. Then when he was East this last time he came to me and asked me how I felt about being blacklisted by the Cleveland Club. I told him that I expected they would do something with me, and because base ball was my business I would like to play as long as I could, and for that reason would like to make a two-years' engagement with him. He said 'All right, I'll do it,' and did so, and I am here to play. I would have been here anyway to keep my first contract."

"Did President Appleton, of the Metropolitans, offer you $5,000 to play in New York?"

"Yes, but I never agreed to go there, nor even encouraged the offer. He asked me if I would not play in New York if he could get my release. I answered, 'You can't get my release.' He then asked, 'Will you give me the first chance if I get your release?' I answered again: 'You can't get my release.' 'I'll give you $5,000 if you will play in New York if I get your release,' said he. I repeated: 'You can't get my release.' He sent Lew Simmons to Cleveland, and Simmons found out just what I told Appleton, that they would not release me. Al Reach afterwards went to Cleveland without consulting me, and tried to get my release. I didn't know anything about it until Charley Mason told me of it a few days ago. Reach got the same answer that Simmons did."

"Did you name terms to Cleveland?"

"Yes, I asked $2,800 and they offered me $2,100."
-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 1, 1884

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