The Afterthoughts

The Empires have not yet filled the vacancies in their nine, and have done no practising during the past week.  They will play a practice game among themselves to-day at Solari's park.  

-St. Louis Republican, April 4, 1875


It's amazing how quickly you can be forgotten.  The Empire Club dominated St. Louis baseball for fifteen years, dating back to before the Civil War.  They were perennial champions and those few times they didn't win the championship, they were still the team to beat.  And here they are, in 1875 - an afterthought.  The previous season, they had won the championship in a brilliant five game series against the Reds and the excitement that season and that series generated helped lay the groundwork for the introduction of National Association clubs in St. Louis.  They would win the championship again in 1875.  But their day was done; their era was over.