Wilmington Quicksteps
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The Wilmington Quicksteps were an 1884 late season replacement team in the Union Association. They finished with a 2-16 record and were managed by Joe Simmons.
In 1883, the Inter-State Association of Professional Baseball Clubs was founded and local capital was invested for a franchise in Wilmington. In 1884, The Interstate Association re-organized under the name "Eastern League", not to be confused with the double A Eastern League of today, this was one of the very first "minor leagues" and was a forerunner by decent of today's AAA International League.
The Wilmington Quicksteps quickly began to dominate the league. So highly regarded was the club that Major League clubs began to show up and play exhibition games. They defeated both the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Monumentals during the season. By August, the Quicksteps had already sewed up the league championship, with a 50-12 record. Their success, unfortunately, just about destroyed any fan interest in the Eastern League, even in Wilmington, attendance averaged only about 400 per game.
Late into the season, the Henry Lucas, Union Association founder and St. Louis Maroons owner, convince Simmons, and the Quicksteps, to cross over into his league when the Philadelphia Keystones due to lack of attendance. After winning their first game, 4-3 over Washington, it was all down hill for the Quicksteps. Many Wilmington players no longer felt bound by their contracts and signed for more money with other teams. Shortstop and team Captain, Oyster Burns, jumped to the Baltimore Monumentals for $900 a month. Outfielder Dennis Casey jumped to Baltimore for $700. Each had been making about $150 a month in Wilmington. Catcher Tony Cusick went to Philadelphia for $375 a month. The only star player to remain in Wilmington was pitcher Ed "The Only" Nolan who went on to beat Washington for Wilmington's second and last victory.
By this time, St. Louis had already won the pennant. The fact that Wilmington was just being used to fill in the last month of the season, Simmons pulled his team from the field and disbanded team due to lack of fan interest, on September 21, 1884. There wasn't one fan in the stands, so his ablility to pay the $60 minimum to the visiting club was an impossibility. Wilmington was replaced in the Union Association by the Milwaukee Brewers.
