To the Clipper's portrait gallery is added this week the picture of the well known and popular manager of the Cincinnati club, Gus H. Schmelz, who is a Western man, being born in Columbus, O., Sept. 26, 1850. Few men have done more to elevate or advance the best interests of the national game, or have made a better record or gained a wider reputation than the very popular and gentlemanly manager of the Cincinnati team. Mr. Schmelz is always in the front rank in legislative matters, as a financier and as a disciplinarian. In the latter capacity he is very firm, though kind. In his managerial career it is thought that he made only one mistake, and that was when he took charge of the ill fated St. Louis Maroons, better known professionally as the "Black Diamonds." His baseball career began at Columbus, O., in 1884, when he managed the famous team of that city, which was at that time a member of the American Association, and which finished second in the race for the championship, thirteen clubs in all taking part in the struggle. Under his direction Ed. Morris and Fred Carroll, now of the Pittsburgs, became the famous "battery" of the Columbus Club. In 1885 Mr. Schmelz went to Atlanta, Ga., and organized and managed the Atlanta Club of that city, and he guided that team safely through the season and won for the Gate City the Southern League pennant. by this time his reputation had reached its eminence in baseball circles, and quite a demand was made for his services. He finally signed with the St. Louis Maroons, and managed that team during the season of 1886. The "Black Diamonds" were not a brilliant success, however, and came in sixth in the National League race for the pennant, although no fault can be attached to Manager Schmelz for their failure. In 1887, he was engaged to manage the Cincinnati team, and he has met with success ever since he joined the club. Under his management the Cincinnatis came in second last year in the race for the pennant of the American Association. He was retained by the club to manage the team during the season of 1888, and, notwithstanding the fact that several of his strongest players were injured or sick during a greater part of the season, he landed the Cincinnati team in fourth place. Gus Schmelz, has been again engaged by the Cincinnati Club, and will manage its team for 1889. Undoubtedly this is a commendation well merited, and fully shows how well his services are appreciated by the officials of that club. He has already started in with his preparations for the season of 1889 in a way that gives assurance to the admirers of the club in the Queen City that nothing will be left undone to give it a most creditable representative professional team. His search for available material for next season's team has fully demonstrated his "hustling" abilities. A more shrewd and conservative manager cannot be found west of the Alleghenies, than the subject of our biographical sketch, and in the American Association councils he ranks as one of the leaders, and one who commands the respect of his fellow magnates as well as those of the whole profession.
-New York Clipper, December 15, 1888
Not a lot of information here about Gus Schmelz's time with the Maroons but I think this piece gives a good sense of the man's reputation.
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