(LOT 15)
Document Relating to the Merger of the New York Players' League & National League Giants
As the previous lot explained, due to financial duress, the Players' League folded directly after their inaugural season ended in the fall of 1890. Teams and/or players were now scrambling to re-join either the National League or American Association. The New York Players' League Giants would now look to merge back with the National League Giants. This was a marriage of necessity since the N.L. Giants run by John B. Day were experiencing financial ruin of their own in lieu of the player's revolt. Only a cash infusion by other National League owners saved the Giants from bankruptcy. Along with the rest of the Players' League, the Limiteds were in the throes of death, and Edward B Talcott had just signed a ten-year lease on Brotherhood Park grounds.

Talcott had no intention of being stuck with an idle ballpark. Interestingly, the Players' League group got the controlling interest in the combined entity. Following the Limiteds' resignation from the Players' League, the team, via this document, agreed to merge with the American Exhibition Company (AEC), the organization owning the National League New York Giants. Parties to the agreement for the Limiteds were: F.B. Robinson (Secretary of the Limiteds), E.A. McAlpin (a Limiteds stockholder and President of the Players' League), Cornelius Van Cott (President of the Limiteds), and E B Talcott (Vice-President of the Limiteds). Representing the AEC were John B. Day (the one-time sole owner and now part owner of the National League Giants), and J. Walter Spalding (director of the AEC and brother of the legendary Albert Spalding).

Via this merge, the lease to Brotherhood Park plus all the Limiteds' assets including player contracts were transferred to the merged entity, which maintained the name of the AEC. Following the merger for the 1891 season, the Giants moved into Brotherhood Park, which was bigger than the National League Giants' prior home, Polo Grounds II. Brotherhood Park was rechristened as the Polo Grounds (Polo Grounds III – a thorough account of the Brotherhood Park/Polo Grounds history is covered in Lot#3). It would remain the Giants home park for the next sixty-seven years until the Giants sadly moved to San Francisco in 1958. The document presented here portrays the significant signatures of the aforementioned primary individuals involved in the Players' League Giants merger to the National League Giants including Frank B. Robinson, Edward B. Talcott, John B. Day and J. Walter Spalding.

The seemingly timeless signatures have been scripted in bold black fountain pen, reflecting solid "8" strength with elaborate red/orange period style seals affixed to the right of each autograph. Also included in this lot is an earlier version of this merger agreement with terms that were later modified prior to the execution of the final agreement, thus providing an interesting perspective on the negotiating process. An immensely significant set of documents; they represent a point in America's Pastime when the demise of one particular Professional League ably assisted the National League's Giants successful return to financial stability and a storied future for years to come!

MIN BID $2,000
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