Comments on: Shamrocks and fleurs-de-lis: All-Irish St. Louis team http://www.fungoes.net/2010/03/17/shamrocks-and-fleurs-de-lis-all-irish-st-louis-team/ Official blog of the St. Louis chapter of SABR Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:37:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jeff Kittel http://www.fungoes.net/2010/03/17/shamrocks-and-fleurs-de-lis-all-irish-st-louis-team/comment-page-1/#comment-5695 Jeff Kittel Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:46:35 +0000 http://www.fungoes.net/?p=2612#comment-5695 You could have went with Patsy Tebeau, who was from the Kerry Patch neighborhood in StL, at shortstop. You can actually put together a decent team of St. Louisans of Irish decent from the Patch. We should also mention today that Joe Blong, a St. Louisan who played with the Red Stockings and Brown Stockings, was (along with Cap Anson) the first major league player who attended and played baseball at Notre Dame. One small nit to pick: the UA did not recognize the reserve clause and Mullane could have signed with the Maroons if he had choosen to do so. Mullane was a notorious contract jumper (playing with four clubs in his first four big league seasons), a prima donna, and a bit of a pain in the rear. After the 1884 season, he had an agreement to sign with the Browns but at the last minute got a better deal from Cincinnati. When everything was straightened out, Cincinnati got to keep Mullane but he was suspended for the year, basicly because everybody was tired of the guy jumping his contract. He was a piece of work, but a favorite of the female fans. In the end, the real reason Mullane didn't sign with the Maroons in 1884 was that he didn't think he would get all the money that Henry Lucas was offering him. The reserve clause never stood in the way of Tony Mullane doing what he wanted. You could have went with Patsy Tebeau, who was from the Kerry Patch neighborhood in StL, at shortstop. You can actually put together a decent team of St. Louisans of Irish decent from the Patch. We should also mention today that Joe Blong, a St. Louisan who played with the Red Stockings and Brown Stockings, was (along with Cap Anson) the first major league player who attended and played baseball at Notre Dame.

One small nit to pick: the UA did not recognize the reserve clause and Mullane could have signed with the Maroons if he had choosen to do so. Mullane was a notorious contract jumper (playing with four clubs in his first four big league seasons), a prima donna, and a bit of a pain in the rear. After the 1884 season, he had an agreement to sign with the Browns but at the last minute got a better deal from Cincinnati. When everything was straightened out, Cincinnati got to keep Mullane but he was suspended for the year, basicly because everybody was tired of the guy jumping his contract. He was a piece of work, but a favorite of the female fans.

In the end, the real reason Mullane didn’t sign with the Maroons in 1884 was that he didn’t think he would get all the money that Henry Lucas was offering him. The reserve clause never stood in the way of Tony Mullane doing what he wanted.

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