The Washington herald., 1918-12-02
''STOLEN FOUR
BEGAN THINGS
Chicago Stunt Of 1875
Started the Ball Rolling
on Buying Players.

The custom of buying ball players
dates back to the early SOS. AL
though the dealS and prices paid
were not as at the present time, II
may interest some of the present
day fans to recall some of the IA
nous deals of early days as the old
time records show. They created
much interest then and the press of
that decade had much to say pro
and con. The sale custom followed
the scandal of 1870. and rules were
made that players should sign con-
tracts and could not jump from
team to team.
Chicago started something in 1876,
the opening year of the National
League, and stole Al Spalding.
pitcher; Jarves White. catcher; Ross
Barnes. second baseman. and Cal
McVey. first baseman, from the
champion Boston team OF 1875. They
were known as the stolen four"
This deal created such a row in
baseball that teams had to buy
players afterward.
The Detroit club paid a large sum
for the franchise and players of the
Buffalo team at the end of the sea-
Brouthers, Hardy Richardson. Jim
White and W. Rowe, were secured.
The Tigers, however. had to wait
League penant
The Boston club wanted to land
the National League pennant in 1887.
and startled the baseball world by
paying $4,000 to Chicago for Catch
er Mike Kelly, who helped the White
Stockings to win in 1855 and 1856.
This deal created as much of a
sensation at that time as some of
the present-day sales and trades.
Boston did not land the pennant
with King Kelly, the $4,000 beauty.
as he was called by the press. Bos-
ton wanted the pennant badly, and
as the club had plenty of money in
1883 $4,000 was paid for Pitcher
ClarksOn, of Chicago. Here was
another big sensation. Kelly and
Clarkson worked hard that season.
but BostOn go. no higher than
fourth place.
In lSSS the Detroit club paid Fred
Dunlap a bonus of 5000 for signing
with Pittsburgh. Dunlap had played
first base for the champion Tigers in
1851 Pittsburgh paid him $500. and
with 5000 bonus he was a top-priCe
player
Another big deal during the season
of 1887 was the purchase of the St
Louis Maroons for $1,000 by the In
/ dianapOlis team. which Joined the
National League that season.
Manager Chris Won der Abe of the
st Louis Browns sold five players Of
n NaF NTRfr II *
| 1887 for $1,000 at the close of the sea-
son Of 1857. Pitchers Foutz and Ca
ruthers with Catcher Bushong went
to Brooklyn in the American Associa-
! tion. Bill Gleason. shOrtstop. and
Curt WelCh. fielder. were sold to the
Athletics. This was the biggest sale
on record at this stage
In 1895 Manager Arthur Irwin of the
Giants gave 5000 and Harry Davis to
the Pittsburgh team for Beckley. Later
| he got 5000 and Scrappy Bill Joyce
OF the Washingtons for Pitcher Flynn
and Catcher Duke Farrell Pitcher
/ Meekin of the Giants was bought for
1900 in 1899 by the Boston team.
In 1890 Charles Ebbets. president of
! the Brooklyn team. paid $4,000. a large
sum. for the Baltimore Orioles and
consolidated the two teams. w. Rob-
/ inson and John MugGsy McGraw
would not play with Brooklyn. and
their release was sold to st. Louis for
Sl5.G0.
j. 1892 the National League and
Al u1n Association consolidated and
Uutl 1870 ran tweIve-club league. In
1907 the National League went back
to eight teams and paid $4,000 for the
Louisville Players. most of them 60
ing to Pittsburgh. Twenty-Five thou
sand dollers was paid for the Wash
ington team and $4,000 for the Balti-
more Orioles. The Cleveland franchise
and players cost $4,000