The outlaw Union Association was formed in September 1883, hoping to capitalize on
player dissatisfaction with organized baseball's reserve rule, which effectively
limited a player's pay by binding him to his club. But the UA lured few top players
away from the National League and
American Association--and attracted too few fans
to their games to succeed financially. The St. Louis club, owned by UA president
Henry V. Lucas, ran away with the pennant in 1884. But that winter Lucas precipitated
the association's demise by transferring his club to the
National League. Reduced
to only two clubs by January 1885, the UA disbanded.
(FIC)