The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-08-15
FAMOUS BIG FOUR
BASEBALL DEALS
Barter and Sale of Players
Wins and Loses Pennant
Races.
! CHICAGO'S FIRST QUARTET
BOSTON HANDED LEMON AND
HAD TO TAKE IT.
~ SAM CRANE.N

New York, Aug. 14.-There have
been two big four" deals pulled off
in baseball both of which resulted in
the winning Of championships for the
club that had the nerve and pro-
| gressiveness to complete the deals
There have been individual players
purchased by one club from another
in late years that have been consid-
cred the limit OF prOdigality in ex-
penditure but from the important re-
! suits gained by the transactions none
have equaled the famous big four"
deals of s5 and rs years ago.
When the Boston club paid $4,000
for Mike Kelly to the Chicago club
that trade was the sensation in base
ball circles and the next year when
John ClarksOn was bought by the
Boston club from Chicago. there was
another gasp from fandom and peo-
pie wondered. But the Boston club
got back the $4,000 they paid ten
fold. and won several pennants by its
shreWd management and far-sighted-
ness.
The Chicago club not only lost
money by the deal, but both pen
nants and prestige as we'll and never
did regain its hold on the Chicago
baseball public until Frank Chance
and Charley Murphy organized the
present team.
The New York National league
club paid $1,000 in cash for 'Rube"
Marquard, and while the big south
paw was a star in the minor league
club from which he was purchased.
he has been a frost as a Giant.
Now the Athletics of Philadelphia
have bought Pitcher Lefty Russell
from the Baltimore club for $4,000
so tbs said. but when Connie Mack
or Uncle Ben Shibe go down into
their jeans for that amount Of
money for any ball player 1 want to
see the real cash paid over to De
convinced.
1t was during the winter of 1856
that the first big four" deal was
made and there was no money passed
either. The Boston club was the vic
tim this time and did not receive a
dollar for four of the best players in
the country at the time. They were
Al Spalding. Ross Barnes, Jim White
and Cal McVey, and everyone of that
quartet Of stars is alive today. They
were members of the Boston club
and just 'hurdled" TO the Chicago
club and both clubs were in the same
league at that. The players, although
they deserted, were not contract
jumpers. They were offered bigger
salaries by the Chicago club than the
Boston club was willing to pay, Slt
later the "trimmers," SOdOn, COnant
and Billings, owners of the latter
club, became wiser, as their purchase
of the two neutrality-suspicious.
beauties" Kelly and Clarkson shows.
With the first big four" the BOs-
ton club had won so many cOnseeu-
very mOnOtonOus TO the other clubs
of the league. and as at that time the
players were not under organized
baseball as il is now constituted,
they were. free TO accept engagements
with whatever clubs they pleased
after a season was finished.
But the very next year, 1876, the
present National league was organ |
ICED and the Chicago club. then !
owned by McHurlburt, was IN secure |
possession Of its prize. The conse- |
quence was that the Chicago club |
won the championship year after |
year until the big FOUR" retired |
from the game.
The second big four" deal was in |
the fall OF 1855, when MOnOQu Wat |
kins Of the Detroit club. bought Jim |
White (also OF the first big FOUR, !
Dan Brouthers. Hardy Richardson |
and Jack Rowe. The Detroit club /
thus strengthened. and having in its |
ranks Ned Hanlon, Sam Thompson, |
Charley Bennett. the writer and sew 1
eral others, finished a good second /
TO the Chicago White Stockings. with /
Arson, Kelly Williamson, Burns, |
Pfeffer and others. and in the next /
year, 1887, won the championship. |
But the great team Of sluggers, the
heaviest batting team ever organized. |
was sold and split up, the Boston /
club securing the cream Of the ag /
gregation. including the big four"
All the players of the second "big /
four" are also all alive at the present |
time.
Al Spalding. OF the original big |
four" is A. C. Spalding. the head of /
the great sporting goods firm. A. G. /
Spalding & Bros. and the wealth. /
Test ball player who ever lived, al 4
though Al Reach. Of the old Athlet-
les OF Philadelphia. runs him a close