Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 11-29-2012

Milwaukee Journal, November 29, 1912:

[Cubs president Charles] Murphy, according to the close friends of [Reds president Gerry] Herrmann, had agreed on a trade whereby Joe Tinker was to go to Cincinnati in exchange for Mike Mitchell and [Art] Phelan of the Reds and Red Corridon [sic] of the Detroit Americans. This deal was arranged Wednesday night, it was said, and Murphy and Herrmann were to have met [Thursday] to sign the papers. Instead Murphy did not show up…he had changed his mind.
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Baseball men here believe that Murphy plans to force Herrmann to accept Frank Chance as the manager for Cincinnati despite the fact that the “peerless leader” is unalterably opposed to going to the Ohio city.

There were some serious shenanigans going on involving the Reds, Cubs, Tinker and Chance in the offseason of 1912-13. This trade ended up taking more than a month to finalize.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati claimed Chance off waivers from the Cubs on November 9. Chance had no interest in playing for or managing the Reds but it was rumored that Herrmann was keeping him around in case he couldn’t land Tinker. On December 11, the Reds cut Chance loose and he agreed to manage the Highlanders. Four days later, the Tinker trade was finally completed.