No great point here, but possibly of interesting or amusing. The background is that the Chicago club is playing an exhibition game in Indianapolis. Indianapolis had a National League club the previous year, but it had gone belly-up. A “capias” is a legal writ. Think of it as an arrest warrant. The “Anson” referred to is, of course, Adrian Anson, captain of the Chicago team:
“Just as the game was about to commence a constable appeared on the grounds and served a capias for Shaffer and Flint, who, while playing in the local nine, incurred sundry pecuniary obligations which remained unpaid. The constable claims that he was obstructed in the performance of his duty by Bob Smith, who was managing the clubs on this occasion, and the oily tongue of Captain Anson. At any rate, he didn’t get his men. After the game Flint and Shaffer secreted themselves in a hack, and were hurriedly transported to an out-of-the-way place from which to board the train, leaving at 5:45 P.M. for Cincinnati. The remainder of the club went to the depot, as also did the constable. Not finding his men, the latter questioned Anson concerning them, who used profane language to the minion of the law, for which he was unceremoniously hurried off to the station-house, several policemen participating. In the meantime the train had gone with the remainder of the club, including Flint and Shaffer. Anson put up $30 for his appearance on June 27 on a charge of profanity, and went to a hotel, where he was shortly afterwards again arrested–this time for resisting an officer. A Justice promptly assessed him $16.20. As Anson’s presence in Cincinnati was imperatively necessary, he forfeited his bail in the first case. Whenever a fee is in sight, Indianapolis officers are very prompt in asserting and enforcing the majesty of the law. But the end is not yet. Hearing that the Chicago Club would pass through here at 11 o’clock on June 27 on its return home, a special detail of twenty deputy constables assembled at the Union Depot to capture Flint and Shaffer. The train was raided, the gentlemen sought could not be found, but little Joe Quest was captured. The bill of a creditor for $55 was presented, which Mr. Hulbert, president of the club, paid, and Quest was released. The action of Treat, Quest’s creditor, is severely criticised, inasmuch as he was a stockholder of the Indianapolis Club of last year, which is still indebted to its players in a considerable amount. Flint and Shaffer were on the train, stowed away under the adipose form of a friend in need.”
Source: New York Clipper July 5, 1879
Awesome.
Off-topic, but in one of your previous posts, you mentioned that in the early game, pitching was not viewed as an important activity. I’d love to learn how this changed – who was the first superstar pitcher, what made him possible, and generally speaking how pitching developed into an art.Report
@mark-thompson
Is this your pitch?Report
That isn’t a post. It is a series of posts. And not necessarily a short series. On the other hand, you aren’t the first to ask, so I will take a stab at this, in the fullness of time.Report
Anson put up $30 for his appearance on June 27 on a charge of profanity…
A baseball player, using profanity! Heavens be! What a barbaric sport this was!
Also, it’s a good thing the First Amendment hadn’t been incorporated yet in 1879. Are there still jurisdictions that actually enforce anti-profanity laws?Report
Fuck, no.Report
Well, this isn’t too recent, and the conviction was ultimately overturned, but yeah, anti-profanity laws are occasionally enforced (because someone has to think of the children!). All you need is a stick-up-his-ass sheriff within earshot and an overturned canoe.Report
Yer right. It’s of great interest. Not only for the baseball stuff, but the Clipper writer’s language too. Awesome. Any idea what the “pecuniary obligations” Shaffer and Flint incurred mighta been?Report
“Any idea what the “pecuniary obligations” Shaffer and Flint incurred mighta been?”
That is just a prolix way of saying “debts.” They had been living in Indianapolis the previous year, with spotty payment of their salaries. The debts were likely quite banal, along the lines of room and board.Report
“Flint and Shaffer were on the train, stowed away under the adipose form of a friend in need.”
What now? Is that a fancy way of saying they were hiding under a fat guy?Report
“Is that a fancy way of saying they were hiding under a fat guy?”
You are starting to get the hang of nineteenth century journalism. There was one writer who, whenever there was any chance of a game being rained out, would invariably write about Jupiter Pluvius. I am not ashamed to admit that I had to look that one up.Report