Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-09-16
. AT LAST AT LAST!
THE WILMINGTON CLUB DIS.
BANDS AFTER A BRILLIANT
CAREER-NOTEs.

1
without n moments warning, (although
the action was predicted by some) the
Wilmington base ball club has passed
In It's checks and is now among the
things Of the past, they having disband-
ed yesterday afternoon, after checker
ed career of little over fiye months,
during which time they achieved both
success and disaster, as the people we'll
know. A few whispers were over
heard on the street yesterday morning,
TO the effect that there had been some
talk Of disbanding the club before the
afternoon game, but, after due considera-
tion. it WAS thought best to give the
people one more chance to show their
encoura &c ment Of base ball In this city.
Accordingly, the nine repaired to the
ball field in the afternoon, and were
soon Joined by the Kansas City club,
who were booked for four games here.
All the layers were in uniform, and
were engaged In the usual field practice
before the commencement Of the game,
while the seats within the inclos,lre be-
gan TO fill up very slowly. About ten
minutes before the time Of calling the
game only about'100 persons. including
those with season tickets and newspa-
per representatives, had arrived, and
the outlook was very discouraging, so
much 10 that Manager Simmons, after
consul'atio with the stockholders, de-
cided not to play the game without a
sufficient number Of people to pay the
guarantee money to the visiting club
The players were called in from the
field and made aware Of the situation,
after which proposition was made to
play an exhibition game and divide the
proceeds, This caused some dissatisfac-
ton, and the players were 10th to play
under such arrangements, whsreupon
Manager Simmons declared the club
disbanded without further words, ard
the crowd began to disperse.
The players donned their citizens
clothes, came into town and sOOD the
news Of the disbaDd dment was heralded
all over the city.
In tho evening Secretary Bryan paid
all the salaries due the players, at first
asking them TO make a reduction in the
amounts due them, on account of the
recent losses, but as only Snyder and
Cusick were disposed to make any re-
duction, the entire club was paid in
full. Originally the Wilmington club
started out with capital stock Of
81, 900, divided into four shares of $500
each, which were taken by John T.
West, James M. Bryan. Willard T.
Porter and the Front and Union street
Railway Company. The club entered
the Eastern League with the following
players:
Lynch, Cusick and McCloskey catch.
ers Dan. Casey, Miller and Nolan,
( pitchers Burns, 8. B., Snyder, lb.; Bas-
tian, %. Say. 3d.; Den. Casey, C. f.,
with Joseph Simmons as manager.
1 Tho Dltrh n ~ ,tf nndar "a VI h1 "A
auspices. and to the surprise of their
most ardent admirers, not only held
their own against their opponents of
the Eastern League but played great
ball and during their stay In the league
made an enviable record, which has
only been equalled by the st. Louis
Unions among professional teams. In
their games with American teams they
made good showing, and won high
praise, when they defeated the Metropo-
Titan and Brooklyn clubs. While q
member Of the Eastern League they
won 81 games and lost 10. From the
start, however, 1t was evident that the
club WAS not going to prove paying
, Investment, ~ only two or three OF the
Iopposing clubs succeeded In drawing q
}, paying audience, and despite the fact
that most of the games were interest
ing, the attendance began TO fall off,
|, while the stockholders soon began to
lose money and were assessed $lOe ad.
lditional TO meet losses. The capital
, ment, were swallow ed, and more money
advanced only to be lost in a similar
manner.
About one month ago, after 3,0Ot
had been sunk, the directors. after be-
ling beseiged by President Lucas and
,, Secret ary White of the Union Associa-
tion, decided to enter the Union In
rider, If possible, TO retrieve part Of
their recent losses. This was done In
, tho guarantee that President Lucas
, would pay the salaries of all the player,
: together with the board bills and
: travelling ex penses, while the club was
away from home, and In addition they
al would also get their $75 guarantee
1 This action, for the good of the direc
Q tors, WAS hailed by some with satisfac
= tion, but many persons not friendly J
towards the Union, shook their head
gravely, which boded no good to the veI
!, ture. Soon after entering the Uniol
= the trouble began by Burns, Casey
Nolan and Cusick jumping their con
tracts and leaving the club in the lurch
u which 40 demoralized it that they lost
one game after another IN quick sncces
sion.
As the manager has but little contro
lover a club i'll the Union Association Il
J, was hard to fight against fate, and tn
club was fast going to pieces, when thu
: di irectors took renewed in crest ant
8 soon induced Nolan and Cusick to re
a turn to the club. Efforts to secur
Burns and Casey failed, and in the two
i positions occupiedby these men, the clul
q was still weak, but in the course OF tim
8 -egained their former efficiency, bu
. seemed to be fated and hard luck follow
), ed them until sverybody lost all inter
est in tho former favorites. To add Il
u the difficulties the Union Asso clatioI
=, failed to keep their part OF the agree
ment and no money had been advances
u to meet the expenses. As result OF thl
..bout $500 has been lost in the Uniol
}. Association, but the directors have pal,
d all the losses and rather than sink an.
= more money it was decided TO disban'
u the club.
The salaries per month paid the play
q ers of the Wilmington club at the tim
~ Of the disbandment were
ri Lynch, sl75 Cusick, $50 McClos
key, $16O ; Nolan, 1925 Murphy ant
!Blakely, $3.50 each !; Meyers, Sl66
lSnytier, ,Sl2O Bastian, $175 Say, $50
n Cullen, $3.50 ; Fisher, $3.50. Dan Case,
20 received SS5 Dennis Casey, $3.50 Mil
d Ter, $40, and Burns, $50.
A.. The salary list of the players alon
" lamountei to between u 300 and ii 4W
is which, added to the managers salary
Sc the expense of hiring attendants an
Is keeping the grounds In order, made tn
il amount to be furnished monthly yer.
IN formidable. To show how salaries wer
n raised it would but be necessary to cit
m lNolan's case. He signed for Slz5 pc
.. Ynanth dauslnnAd into q good Ditche