This article, dated 3-31-1908, announced the end of the JAGs as a local franchise after six years in Gloversville.
Not allowing baseball to be played on Sundays in Gloversville is clearly a contributing factor, according to this article.
The Syracuse Herald: Tuesday evening, March 31, 1908.
No A., J And G. Team. League has vacancy to fill owing to JAGS withdrawal.
F., J. & G. Railroad Refuses to Support Tri-City Aggregation Longer–Farrell Will Dispose of Franchise, Probably to Auburn.
Gloversville March 31—-There will not be a baseball team to represent Amsterdam, Johnstown and Gloversville in the State league this season. The F.,J.&G. Railroad company, backer of the A.,J.&G. Baseball association, owner of the State league franchise is through with the baseball proposition.
Enthusiasts who have been trying to arouse interest in a plan to take over the franchise, have practically abandoned their efforts, consequently the death knell of professional baseball in this city is sounded. Although no official announcement of the intention of the railroad company to drop the franchise has been made, nevertheless the facts as Stated in the foregoing paragraphs are from an authoritative source.
Last fall J. Ledle Hees, President of the railroad company was credited with the statement that the A.,J.and G. franchise was to be dropped. Mr. Hees has never deviated from his first stand in this matter, although officers of the baseball association tried in every way to retain the franchise.
Gloversville enthusiasts would have taken over the property if games could be played at Sacandaga park on Sunday. No one would consider buying the franchise without obtaining permission to play Sunday ball, as it is impossible to maintain a team in Fulton county and pay expenses with only regular week day games.
Just where the franchise is to be located is now the paramount issue. In all probability the property will be taken up by John H. Farrell, president of State league, and located in Auburn, his home city. Mr. Farrell has a long lease on the only available baseball park in the prison city, and as he has never granted protection to the Empire league, which has a franchise in Auburn, it looks as if he had long anticipated the withdrawal from the circuit of the local triune.
President Farrell probably will make a definite announcement as to the disposition to be made of the A.,J.and G. franchise at the schedule meeting of the league to be held in Wilkes-Barre shortly. The local association having failed to find a purchaser for the property, it surely must be up to Farrell and the league directors to dispose of the franchise at what it will bring.
This article, dated 3-31- 1908, announced the end of the JAGs as a local franchise after six years in
Gloversville.Speculation later in the article was that Auburn would take over the franchise.
There was already ‘some talk of forming a semi-pro team, which would become the Danforths of
the next decade at’ JAG Park‟.
The Amsterdam Evening Recorder, Tuesday, March 31, 1908.
PASSING OF JAGS IN BASEBALLDOM. Official Statement As To A.,J & G. Franchise. BUTTON SAYS IT’S FINAL.
President of association announces that he has notified President Farrell of the State League that the franchise is thrown up—-Auburn probably will succeed the local triune in the circuit.
President M. F. Button of the A.,J. & G. Baseball association has authorized the official announcement that the association is to relinquish ownership of the A.,J. & G. State League franchise.
The following statement was issued by President Button: ” The A.,J. & G. Baseball association will not have a team in the New York State league this season. The franchise and players in reserve will shortly be disposed of. The association is willing to make an excellent offer to anyone who is desirous of operating the team, but it is through with the game itself.
The passing of the franchise from this city, says the Gloversville leader, after six years of professional baseball, will leave a void that will be hard to fill. There is, already some talk of forming a semi professional team and the amateurs are beginning to become active, but even if these elements have a successful season, the enthusiasts who have passed many warm summer days watching the antics of the State league performers will have much difficulty in becoming accustomed to the new order of things.
President Button of the association has done everything in his power to retain the team here. At the outset of his crusade he was about nonplussed by an announcement that J. Ledile Hees, President of the F., J. & G. Railroad company, which backed the association, would not hear to a proposition to have a team here this season. mr. button interested local enthusiasts and others in a scheme to take over the franchise, but the men who would put money in such a venture wanted to be shown, and there wasn’t anything very encouraging to show them.
The glove cities will lose much prestige in the sporting world as a result of the passing of the franchise: and they will also be deprived of much free publicity, the baseball team serving to keep the cities in the limelight during a greater part of the year.
