1891 – The National Board of Control, which manages the National Agreement between the two major leagues, with Allen W. Thurman still acting as chairman although he was replaced as President of the American Association three days earlier, declares all AA players fair game for contract raiding.
1891 – American Association owners dismiss league President Allen W. Thurman and replace him with Louis Kramer of Cincinnati. The owners also denounce the National Agreement, launching a new war with the rival National League. The owners are unhappy with Thurman’s decision in the Lou Bierbauer case. In his capacity as Chairman of the National Board of Control which decides disputes under the National Agreement, he ruled that the AA’s Philadelphia Athletics no longer had reserve rights over Bierbauer, who jumped from the Athletics to the Players League in 1890, and then refused to return to his old team after the Players League folded.
1891 – The American Association withdraws from the National Agreement thus starting a war with the National League. The AA moves its Chicago team to Cincinnati to compete with the National League team in the city.
The National Board of Control “reluctantly” awards 3 disputed players (Lou Bierbauer‚ Harry Stovey‚ and Connie Mack) to the NL clubs that signed them despite the prior claims of the AA. Philadelphia (AA)‚ assumed that with the disbanding of the Players League‚ Lou Bierbauer would return to play with them. They call the signing of the 2B by Pittsburgh a Piratical” move‚ and the nickname “Pirates” will stick.
1891 – The New York Giants’ salary list is leaked to the press. It shows a total player payroll of $54,600 with Buck Ewing’s $5,500 salary topping the scale.
Harry Stovey‚ who played with the A’s in 1899‚ and like Lou Bierbauer‚ was not claimed by that club through a clerical error‚ signs with the Boston NL club for 1891.
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