The matter of expelled players was taken up at the adjourned session Nov. 3, when the League's enactments in regard thereto were adopted, with an understanding to the effect that while the American Association would always refuse to hire players expelled by the League for drunkenness, dishonesty or any venal offense, they would not recognize the League's right to hold or expel players because they were "reserved."  It was argued that nobody had the power, or should have it, to compel men to sign a contract when they did not wish to.  If a player has not hired with a League club, whether "reserved" or not, the American Association will support their clubs in hiring him.  The unanimous opinion of all, however, was to extend the right hand of fellowship to the League, and not to be antagonistic in any respect, while adopting a more liberal policy.  The two organizations can protect each other, and players under a contract to a club in the one cannot be spirited away by a club in the other, while the two organizations, playing in different cities, cannot be considered rivals.  The adoption of a ball for use in championship games was next considered, propositions having been received from Shibe of Philadelphia and Mahn of Boston, but the matter was laid over until the next meeting, as was also the contract for publishing the official book of the association.  A private contract was signed by the delegates by which the various clubs could play games on Sunday and other days as they desired.  This was done especially for the benefit of Cincinnati, St. Louis and Louisville, where a great source of revenue is derived from such contests.  The home club is required to pay the umpire.  The championship will be decided by the percentage of games won, and not by the number won.  Every club playing the season out will be entitled to have counted every schedule game it plays.  Thus, if a club be disbanded and another substituted during the progress of the season, no club will lose any of the games it has played with the defunct club.

The following officers for the ensuing years were elected: President, H.D. McKnight, Pittsburg; vice-president, J.H. Pank, Louisville; secretary and treasurer, Jas. A. Williams, Columbus; directors, Justus Thorner, Cincinnati; Charles Fulmer, Philadelphia; Wm. H. Barnie, Brooklyn; and C. Von der Ahe, St. Louis, with the president ex-officio.  The delegates' choice of officers augurs favorably for the success of the American Association.  H.D. McKnight is a wealthy young iron merchant of Pittsburg, and was one of the founders of the old International Association.  J.H. Pank is a secretary and treasurer of one of the largest commercial companies of Louisville, and is an enthusiastic supporter of baseball in that city.  James A. Williams, who was well known as the secretary of the old International and National Associations, holds a prominent position under the Ohio State Government.  Justus Thorner is an influential citizen of Cincinnati, and is prominently identified with baseball in that city, being one of its most liberal supporters.  Christian Von der Ahe is president of the Sportsman's Association of St. Louis, which controls the ball ground in that city.  He is a wealthy German, and takes great interest in the national game.  Charles Fulmer and William H. Barnie are well known and respected as professional players.  O.P. Caylor, of Cincinnati, and William H. Barnie were appointed a committee to prepare a draft of the playing-rules, and Secretary Williams was authorized to prepare a schedule of games, and report it at an adjourned meeting to be held the second Monday of next March in Philadelphia.  The secretary was also instructed to draw up a form for a player's contract, with the provise that some rights should be reserved therein to the player as well as to the club.  It was agreed to respect all contracts made with players by clubs up to date, and it was announed that some of the clubs had already signed players.  The meeting also decided to allow the managers of clubs to take a seat with the players in the ground.  In the case of Charles Jones the American Association decided to stand by him and recommended his reinstatement by the League.  If there are six clubs in the association each team will play sixteen games with the others; with eight in, the championship series will be twelve games to each club.  The opinion prevailed that at its next meeting the American Association should openly ask the League to join with them in all movements looking toward the popularizing and protection of the national game of baseball.  After tendering a vote of thanks to the proprietors of the Gibson House, the meeting was adjourned until the second Monday in March, 1882, at the Continental Hotel in Philadelphia, when the playing rules and schedule will be adopted and other business transacted.  Nothing could have been more harmonious than this first meeting of the American Association.

-New York Clipper, November 12, 1881

Christian Von der Ahe is president of the Sportsman's Association of St. Louis, which controls the ball ground in that city.  He is a wealthy German, and takes great interest in the national game.

One of the most important and influential meetings ever held of professional club-representatives was that which assembled Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the Gibson House in Cincinnati, O., and organized the American Baseball Association, composed of six clubs exhibiting a strong financial basis, and thereby establishing the fact that the new association is to be a success.  The following delegates were present:  J. Thorner, G.L. Herancourt and O.P. Caylor representing Cincinnati; C. Von der Ahe, David L. Reid and E.T. Goodfellow, St. Louis; J.H. Pank and J.W. Reccins, Louisville; H.D. McKnight, Pittsburg; Wm. H. Barnie, Brooklyn; Charles Fulmer and H.B. Phillips, Philadelphia; Louis H. Mahn, Boston; and James Mutrie and W.S. Appleton, New York.  The meeting was called to order by H. D. McKnight, who stated briefly the objects of the assemblage.  He referred to the revival that had taken place in baseball matters in several cities and said that these places, exhibiting a desire to form themselves into a protective baseball body, had gathered for that purpose.  On motion, H.D. McKnight was made temporary chairman, and James A. Williams of Columbus, O., was chosen temporary secretary.  Messrs. Pank, Caylor and Von der Ahe, with McKnight, ex-officio, were appointed a committee to examine the credentials, or rather the financial standing, of the clubs that desired to be admitted, and after due investigation they reported in favor of St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Louisville and Brooklyn.  Philadelphia was represented by two clubs, and both asserted that their financial support was excellent.  It was announced at the meeting that they would make an effort to consolidate, and Fulmer telegraphed to Philadelphia to ascertain if such a plan would be acceptable, and received an answer saying that consolidation could not be thought of  After due deliberation it was decided to admit Chas. Fulmer as the representative of the Athletics, of Philadelphia, and not recognize H. B. Phillips' club.  The delegates from the Metropolitan Club of New York City could not, without exceeding the authority given them, bind their club to the new association, but they say that it will be only a matter of time and form for them to officially apply for admission.  It is expected that they will bring with them into the association a strong professional club hailing from Newark, N.J.  This will make the whole number of clubs eight, equally divided between the East and the West.  This circuit is a splendid one, the cities represented being very large, among the best supporters of baseball in former days, and one and all have had a wonderful revival in interest during the present season, and bespeak an equally brilliant success for the campaign of 1882.  The constitution  of the League was taken as a basis, and the greater part of it was adopted.  The material modifications were made with a view of affording more liberal conditions to clubs and players and making the clubs self-supporting.  The organization agreed to adopt the name of "The American Association of Baseball Clubs," with the motto, "Liberty to all."  Its objects were defined as being to promote and protect the interests of the clubs and the players and to establish and regulate the baseball championship of America.  It was decided to elect the officers and directors by ballet, and the duties and responsibilities of the same were made identical with those of the League.  It was agreed that, when a club disbands before the end of the season, a new one shall be admitted to play out the schedule of its predecessor, and its games and those of the first club shall be counted as one.  The association did not deny the right of clubs to release players, either with or without cause, but held that when the management desire to let a man go they must give half a month's salary.  When a player, however, is released through indiscretions or violations, or at his own request, no portion of his salary is to be paid.  Released players are permitted join another club and participate in its games at once.  It was agreed to let anybody duly authorized represent a club, whether he is under contract or not, and the clubs belonging to the association were allowed to play with whom they wish.  Each club is to be assessed $50 to pay the various expenses of the association, including the purchase of a championship pennant.  Under this system there is no necessity for the arbitrary rule of the League which prohibits the home club from playing outside clubs on the home ground on off-days for fear of lessening the attendance upon League championship contests.  After some discussion the following rule was adopted with a view of making each club self-supporting, or, in other words, to let each reap the benefits of its own patronage:

Each club shall have exclusive control of its own grounds; shall be entitled to all receipts from admission or otherwise of schedule games played on its grounds; shall be permitted to play outside clubs, or exhibition games with association clubs on any days not reserved for schedule games, provided that said home club shall pay the visiting club in cash the sum of $65 on the day of such schedule game before leaving the grounds upon which said game is played, and in case the home club fail to pay said sum as herein provided, it may be reported to the Board of Directors by the visiting club, and, upon proof of such non-payment, said club shall be expelled.  These provisions shall not apply to schedule games played upon the Fourth of July, Decoration-day, or State holidays.  Upon the aforementioned days, the receipts for admission to schedule games shall be equally divided between the two contesting clubs, and the home club shall not be required to pay the sum herein before provided.

-New York Clipper, November 12, 1881

A new Baseball Association is talked of for next season, which shall have as one of its rules that the price of admission to all games shall be twenty-five cents.  The project is meeting with great favor in St. Louis, Pittsburg, Louisville and Cincinnati, and a meeting is to be held in Pittsburg Oct. 10 to consider the formation of the new association.  Philadelphia, Boston, and this city have been invited to co-operate in the plan, and the proposition it is believed will be favorably received.


-New York Clipper, September 17, 1881 

One September night in 1881 two men conspired into the small hours in a Philadelphia hotel room.  The one who did most of the talking was "Hustling" Horace Phillips, twenty-eight years old and the manager of the Philadelphias baseball club.  Phillips was galled that the City of Brotherly Love was without a major league team, as were Cincinnati, St. Louis and New York, and he had a plan for changing that.

His listener was Oliver Perry "Opie" Caylor, a thirty-one-year-old newspaperman with legal training who had quit his job with the Cincinnati Enquirer to practice law and write the baseball column for the Cincinnati Commercial...

Caylor was in Philadelphia on this late-summer night after a postcard from Phillips had fallen into his hands, inviting baseball-minded men in cities that were currently unrepresented by a major league team to attend a meeting.  He was disappointed but not overly surprised to discover that only Cincinnati had responded to Phillip's invitation...

The following morning, telegrams were sent to many of the same men who had ignored Phillip's initial summons, informing them that their city was the only one that had not been at the historic first meeting of the new major league, which was to be called the American Association under the slogan "Liberty for All," and offering them a chance to rectify their blunder.  The ruse worked.

-The Beer & Whiskey League

O.P. Caylor