[SelzShoes]

The cane shattered against the oak table sending splinters across the table; the bare wood falling as a grotesque snow. William Temple, crimson with rage barely restrained by Franklin and the portly Hessian from Cincinnati. Temple waved the remaining ash in his hand at the face of William Adams, unleashing a torrent of abuse and oaths never expected from this company of gentlemen.

Adams averted his eyes from the picture of rage to note Boston’s Mick Avery slumped in his chair, whispering to himself, “Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.” Only moments before Temple had been so cordial and welcoming to Adams, that such a simple phrase would reveal his Pecksniffian nature amazed the messenger.

“You would pile Pelion on Ossa and destroy us all,” shouted Temple who had now crossed into a maroon Adams had never seen on a man’s face.

“I am simply delivering the wishes of my employer to this esteemed council,” Adams said as stoically as one can be with a broken stick and enraged Manhattanite in your face. James McCormick and his brother started to pull the personal secretary to Thaddeus Hamilton away from the table, lest their hero be injured in the moment of triumph.

“Capaneus to Zeus, Temple—a lesson you should pay heed to,” McCormick taunted the powerless aggressor, not realizing the irony in his words. The brothers McCormick pulled their charge into the hallway, to a chorus of oaths and laments.

“Good Lord, is this true, tell me I am not dreaming,” the elder McCormick finally allowed himself to smile. “Get this man a brandy—no a cognac!”

“I am merely a messenger, sir.”

“Messengers are routinely shot for bad news, take reward when you deliver good, son.” The wait staff quickly delivered the warmed liqueur to the trio. “So I was wise to wire Mr. Hamilton last week.”

“Yes sir, he sends his regrets that his health precludes his attendance.”

“Damn shame, bright young man like . . .” McCormick bit off the remaining pity before he spoke.

“Mr. McCormick, there is a personal message Mr. Hamilton would like me to relay to you,” Adams caressed his glass nervously.

“By all means, speak lad.”

“He wants you to know while he supports your proposals, and has full confidence in you as his proxy, this is no endorsement of you personally. He finds you a vulgar, vile man who deserves whatever fate the good Lord has planned for you.”

McCormick bellowed a laugh that rung Adams to his feet. “Son, I would not trust a man I do business with who did not think the same.” The messenger felt his shoulders involuntarily relaxed; there was more tension about than he had allowed himself to feel.

“There is also a caveat to his support of you as league president.” The Chicagoan had now begun to puff a cigar as thick and black as Adams had ever seen, and simply motioned with his glass to continue the conversation. “He suggests, for propriety sake, that you divest your interest in the Chicago club.”

“Sound suggestion, I’d demand the same from Temple if our situations were reversed. But you know the difference between Temple and I?” Adams shook his head as the glass touched his lips. “I’ll actually do it!” McCormick turned to his shadow of a brother, “wire that chap in Pittsburgh who was interested in a club—offer to sell him your interest in Keokuk. You’re coming back to Chicago!”

The brother dutifully trudged off, leaving Adams to wonder how independent the Chicagos really would be.

“Do you know why I love the business of baseball, lad?”

“I could only guess, sir.”

“I am not like your Mr. Hamilton, I am not a self-made man. Truly to the manor born. Everything I achieve in Chicago is credited to the circumstances of my birth, rather than any ability I actually have. And even if credit is given within my home city, those New York and Boston bluebloods discount it because it is Chicago. As if location is the sole determinate of greatness. But in baseball, I’ve built the club from the ashes of the Great Fire—and when the line shows Chicago besting New York or Philadelphia, there is no questioning who the victor is, no discount because we are from Chicago. Everything in this business is so new, what I accomplish now cannot be ignored. I feel, for the first time I am receiving all the approval and accolades I have so desired my whole life.”

“Mr. Hamilton and you are not as different as you think, sir.”

“Well spoken lad; now let’s see if Temple’s fit of apoplexy has ended. We have business to attend to.”