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SelzShoes · 07-05-2005, 04:43 PM

From “True Sport: William Temple and the Columbia Association (1987)”

The defection of Indianapolis and Columbus could not have come at a better time for Temple. Reciepts from the four cities the two circuits were head to head showed an economic disaster. Chicago, while winning the Columbia pennant, drew one quarter of the Browns attendance; Buffalo was unable to attract 1,000 per game; and in Cincinnati the Association underestimated the hostility towards Helmuth for dismantling the champion Kings of 1876. Even in New York, Temple’s base of power, his Gents, as the press dubbed them, drew equally with the Empire’s last place New York entry. In truth, only Saint Louis and Louisville showed any signs of turning a profit. The combination of high admission and low quality play turned off the ‘true lover of ball’ Temple planned on being the core audience for his league. Instead, these fans turned to regional and city leagues, where the admission fit the level of play. The choice for Temple was to stick with his ideals and watch the Association crumble; or reorder his priorities and truly rival the Empire. Temple would choose the latter and begin to craft a thoughly modern league.

Legitimacy as the superior league belonged to the Empire because of the national reputation of its players. Even a player like Aubrey Fairie, whose reputation was far greater than his production, was known by the casual fan. Rodney Stollings, Norman Lent and Horacio Pfahlet all had made their name before the Empire existed. And Cappy Richardson was the unquestioned brightest star of them all. To the followers of the game, the Columbia Association rosters were full of too many players like Marshall Quisenberry, one of the best hitting first basemen of the 1880’s, but for the moment a raw kid. As for the ‘names’ that did jump, the stain of gambling was clear; like with the early days of the Empire, the integrity of the Association was openly questioned.

Legitmacy for the Empire also came from the League structure. Even with the death of James McCormick, and the failure of the League to name a President until the cusp of the 1880 season the Empire was viewed as stable and ‘honorable’. The mid-season resignation of two-thirds of the governing commission pushed the Association to the brink of anarchy. The blatent disregard for rules and contracts of the first season would haunt the Association as it attempted to establish itself. Temple truly believed in the ideals he founded the Association on, but realized there was a practical disadvantage to his ideals. Over the fall and winter of 1879 and 1880 William Temple would reshape the structure and direction of his beloved circuit.

07-05-2005, 04:43 PM	#131
SelzShoes High School Varsity Join Date: Apr 2005	1879-1880 Offseason From “True Sport: William Temple and the Columbia Association (1987)” The defection of Indianapolis and Columbus could not have come at a better time for Temple. Reciepts from the four cities the two circuits were head to head showed an economic disaster. Chicago, while winning the Columbia pennant, drew one quarter of the Browns attendance; Buffalo was unable to attract 1,000 per game; and in Cincinnati the Association underestimated the hostility towards Helmuth for dismantling the champion Kings of 1876. Even in New York, Temple’s base of power, his Gents, as the press dubbed them, drew equally with the Empire’s last place New York entry. In truth, only Saint Louis and Louisville showed any signs of turning a profit. The combination of high admission and low quality play turned off the ‘true lover of ball’ Temple planned on being the core audience for his league. Instead, these fans turned to regional and city leagues, where the admission fit the level of play. The choice for Temple was to stick with his ideals and watch the Association crumble; or reorder his priorities and truly rival the Empire. Temple would choose the latter and begin to craft a thoughly modern league. Legitimacy as the superior league belonged to the Empire because of the national reputation of its players. Even a player like Aubrey Fairie, whose reputation was far greater than his production, was known by the casual fan. Rodney Stollings, Norman Lent and Horacio Pfahlet all had made their name before the Empire existed. And Cappy Richardson was the unquestioned brightest star of them all. To the followers of the game, the Columbia Association rosters were full of too many players like Marshall Quisenberry, one of the best hitting first basemen of the 1880’s, but for the moment a raw kid. As for the ‘names’ that did jump, the stain of gambling was clear; like with the early days of the Empire, the integrity of the Association was openly questioned. Legitmacy for the Empire also came from the League structure. Even with the death of James McCormick, and the failure of the League to name a President until the cusp of the 1880 season the Empire was viewed as stable and ‘honorable’. The mid-season resignation of two-thirds of the governing commission pushed the Association to the brink of anarchy. The blatent disregard for rules and contracts of the first season would haunt the Association as it attempted to establish itself. Temple truly believed in the ideals he founded the Association on, but realized there was a practical disadvantage to his ideals. Over the fall and winter of 1879 and 1880 William Temple would reshape the structure and direction of his beloved circuit.