It’s only money

Connie Mack

Looking to make some fast money by flipping more of his players, Baltimore Orioles owner Jack Dunn makes an offer 112 years ago today to Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack. ‍

Jack Dunn

Dunn, a frequent dealer of players to Mack and the Athletics, is asking for $10,000 for three of his players.

The parsimonious Mack says no, thanks, in turning down a chance to acquire pitcher Ernie Shore, onetime A’s catcher Ben Egan and a fledgling, 19-year-old pitcher named George Ruth.

Dunn then offers Cincinnati an opportunity to buy a couple of those players and the Reds take George – alas, an outfielder named Twombly, not the pitcher named Ruth – and shortstop Claud Derrick.

Finally, Dunn finds a taker in the Boston Red Sox, who send $25,000 to Baltimore for Shore, Egan and that George Ruth fella, who soon grows up to become Babe Ruth and ends up with the New York Yankees as the new face of the game.

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