Jack O’Connor

by Michael Ceraolo

In my first trade war
I took a sum of money to jump my contract,
then stayed put and kept the money
What were they going to do, sue me?
In the next trade war
I acted as Ban Johnson’s agent
and convinced several of my Pirate teammates
to move with me to his American League
Did that earn his undying gratitude?
Hell no
It took eight years, but he got rid of me
after the Lajoie hitting spree against us
Season-ending games between non-contenders
always had, and continue to have, aspects of farce:
witness the fact that McGuire and I,
both over forty, caught for part of the day
I had the last laugh, winning my lawsuit
for the 1911 salary I was due,
though if I had to do it over
I would manage the doubleheader differently.

Informal head and shoulders portrait of baseball player Jack O’Connor of the American League’s St. Louis baseball team, standing on the field at South Side Park, located at West 37th Street, South Princeton Avenue, West Pershing Road (formerly West 39th Street), and South Wentworth Avenue in the Armour Square community area of Chicago, Illinois. Photo source: Chicago History Museum.

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