Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - Prequel--An OOTP History

SelzShoes · 05-17-2005, 09:06 AM

Aside from expelling Zoellner, Bronneke and Mosholder for “an indefinite period,” James McCormick, much to his relief, did not have a very eventful off season. The minimum salary was raised to $600.00 to “help ward off the influence of money men seeking to control the outcome of the game.” He also encourages teams to reserve more players between seasons, “if a player is assured of employment, he is less likely to take dirty money.”

In the wake of the Brooklyn scandal, it becomes difficult to secure investors for two new clubs. The abundance of talent not getting playing time convinced the President McCormick two more clubs were needed. “Men who don’t play, don’t get paid—then they seed new leagues and bankrupt us.” The Empire settles for placing teams in Milwaukee and Indianapolis. Neither are seen as long term solutions, but adequate grounds in the most desired “western” cities (Saint Louis and Louisville most notably) are leased through the 1878 campaign. While the Empire had proven in Buffalo they could force out a lesser league, they did not want to fight that battle again so soon.

From the Buffalo News
ONYL Ceases Operation
Citing the losses from losing the Buffalo club, the backers of the Ontario New York League announced the circuit was dissolving. “Without the Buffalo franchise, there is little financial incentive to keep our arrangement alive,” said Toronto investor Trevor McGillpatrick. Mr. McGillpatrick noted most of the clubs intended to play elsewhere the upcoming summer.

05-17-2005, 09:06 AM	#82
SelzShoes High School Varsity Join Date: Apr 2005	1877-1878 Off Season: Odds and Ends Aside from expelling Zoellner, Bronneke and Mosholder for “an indefinite period,” James McCormick, much to his relief, did not have a very eventful off season. The minimum salary was raised to $600.00 to “help ward off the influence of money men seeking to control the outcome of the game.” He also encourages teams to reserve more players between seasons, “if a player is assured of employment, he is less likely to take dirty money.” In the wake of the Brooklyn scandal, it becomes difficult to secure investors for two new clubs. The abundance of talent not getting playing time convinced the President McCormick two more clubs were needed. “Men who don’t play, don’t get paid—then they seed new leagues and bankrupt us.” The Empire settles for placing teams in Milwaukee and Indianapolis. Neither are seen as long term solutions, but adequate grounds in the most desired “western” cities (Saint Louis and Louisville most notably) are leased through the 1878 campaign. While the Empire had proven in Buffalo they could force out a lesser league, they did not want to fight that battle again so soon. From the Buffalo News ONYL Ceases Operation Citing the losses from losing the Buffalo club, the backers of the Ontario New York League announced the circuit was dissolving. “Without the Buffalo franchise, there is little financial incentive to keep our arrangement alive,” said Toronto investor Trevor McGillpatrick. Mr. McGillpatrick noted most of the clubs intended to play elsewhere the upcoming summer.