---Tuesday, April 7 – Bridgeport, Connecticut
With less than a week before the planned beginning of Cut Days, P.T. Barnum, the inventor, and father of the sport of Velo as well as the owner of the present champions Boston Checkers, passed away at his home following a stroke.  Barnum was 80 years old.  He has left ownership of the Checkers to his second and present wife Nancy Fish.  Fish will become the first female owner of a velo team.  She will also become the first woman to sit on the Board of Owners.  Speaking of the Board of Owners, Barnum was the chairman at the time of his death.  This title will now pass to Andrew Carnegie, the now longest tenured owner on the board.  Carnegie takes control of the board just as Commissioner Hubert Gotti has announced the final year of his time as commissioner.  This means Carnegie will lead the search and hiring of a new commissioner.  Barnum did win a championship just before his passing.

Rugrat wrote:

Congrats Boston... you’ve come a long way from being winless.

Indeed the Boston Checkers have come a long way.  Now can they stay on top even as ownership changes hands?

Can Manhattan make the same type of turnaround?

Last edited by JMurr (3/06/2021 1:08 pm)

---Monday, April 13 – Boston, Massachusetts
Not even a week removed from the passing of P.T. Barnum, the Boston Checkers went into their Cut Day.  Nancy Fish had little to do with it.  She retained Wim Krantz as the head coach and allowed him to manage everything else.  The pending free agents facing the team were Frederick Nielson and Bert Acconcio.  Neither player was considered a must to keep but Nielson was prioritized over Acconcio.  However, as soon as Krantz met with Nielson, Nielson informed him that he intended to become a free agent.  Nielson explained his reasoning to the press as “First off I really want to extend my gratitude to P.T. Barnum and the Boston Checkers.  Like so many others in our sport I am sadden by the loss of Mr. Barnum.  I also do want to thank Coach Krantz for the opportunities he has given me.  Really, I would like to stay but I recognize that this team has many other players ahead of me in the depth chart.  I can see if I stay, I will have little playing opportunities.  With expansion and all I think I can find someplace in free agency that will give me more of an opportunity to play.”  With Nielson deciding to go to free agency Coach Krantz decided to offer to keep Acconcio.  Acconcio re-signed.  Cleveland Powell was moved up to the Middle Position, while Gustavo Corna was moved down to the Cleanup Position, and Alf Roydon was moved down to the bench as the First Option.  Roydon, told the press this will be his final season, at least as a rider.  The team has left the Third Option position open and is not yet settled on if they will fill it with a free agent or a rookie. 
 
---Tuesday, April 14 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Andrew Carnegie recently found himself as the chairman of the Board of Owners.  In that role he finds himself with the task of finding the league a new commissioner.  That will not be the only job opening search he will head.  Today his coach Ansaldo Bertrand informed him that he was retiring.  Bertrand’s retirement is something of a surprise.  A year ago, Carnegie was questioning him as a head coach.  Some thought the 1891 season would be his last as the leader of the Pittsburgh Challengers.  Then came that 1891 season, a year in which Bertrand led them all the way to the Title Match.  By the late second half of the 1891 season Carnegie had changed his attitude towards Bertrand.  The thought was that Bertrand would carry on as coach, but Carnegie would become more involved in the scouting of new talent, the area in which Bertrand seemed to struggle.  Bertrand had other ideas.  He said that as it came to Pittsburgh Cut Day today, he just felt it was time for him to retire and spend more time with his family.  His retirement left Carnegie to deal with the team’s roster and pending free agents.  Those pending free agents were Frans Klassen and Lennie Sarkozy.  The decision on Sarkozy was quick.  He was released to free agency.  Klassen was wanted back.  Klassen did re-sign.  Meint Solberg was moved down to the Third Option Position.  The Second Option Position was left open and as of right now the team is unsure if they will sign a free agent or rookie.
 
---Wednesday, April 15 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Milwaukee Monsters were making some moves today.  Olaf Waterman will remain the head coach, but players Kim Herman and Rodolfo Abraham have both been let go.  Yosef Spada has been moved down to the First Option Position and Bennett Cleary to the Second Option Position.  Those two men were moved down because Coach Waterman reached an agreement with St. Louis Steamers pending free agent Longin O’Neal today.  O’Neal has verbally committed to leave St. Louis and come join the Monsters.  It is anticipated he will be assigned to the Cleanup Position.  The Monsters Third Option Position will most likely be filled with a rookie. 
 
---Thursday, April 16 – Montreal, Quebec
Feelings among those who are apart of the Club de Montreal are relatively positive.  Considering they took a risk on a Coach who was thought to be cursed and a player who was outcast by many leading members of the sport, the team did considerably well in their first year.  Right now, some believe the team could be in contention to make the playoffs this coming season.  In their cut day Coach Leonidas Marsden was retained.  Pending free agents Adrian Campana and Gerald Leroy were both let go.  Thad Butts was moved up to the Leadoff Position, Derry Savona down to the Middle Position, Roland Gunnarsen up to the Cleanup Position, and Lisandro Hannigan down to the First Option Position.  The two lower option positions remain open.  The team is unsure how they will fill them as of right now.  Coach Marsden is leaning towards filling them with rookies, considering his success in talent scouting last year.
 
---Friday, April 17 – St. Louis, Missouri
The St. Louis Steamers are Julius Partanen’s team now.  They young rider was elevated to the Leadoff Position last season but even then, veteran Longin O’Neal remained a vocal leader on the team.  Now O’Neal is gone as is Ramiro Chaplin and so the Steamers are left to the abilities of Julius Partanen.  The team brought back coach Colin Poggi.  Their reason’s for doing so are somewhat suspicious.  Mark Twain, the team’s owner has increasingly been less interested and involved.  Rumors abound that the team is in financial trouble.  It is being reported that Poggi was kept on as the head coach because Twain does not believe he could pay the going rate on the open market for a new head coach.  The decision to keep Poggi along with the money rumors were the last straws in decisions by pending free agents Longin O’Neal and Ramiro Chaplin.  Both choose to enter free agency and take their chances there.  O’Neal had already had a verbal agreement with the Milwaukee Monsters and as soon as he became a free agent, he took that a step further and sent a letter of intent to join that club.  Arnold Millward was moved up to the Middle Position, Harald Zawisza was moved up to the Cleanup Position, and Aaron Faulknner was moved down to the Third Option Position.  The First and Second Option positions remain open.
 
---Saturday, April 18 – Manhattan, New York
The Manhattan Velo Club will be retaining their head coach despite the disappointing season but unlike the St. Louis Steamers the issue is not money.  Manhattan is one of the worst teams as presently constructed but its ownership has the greatest monetary resources.  J.P. Morgan, the principal owner of the Manhattan Velo Club, explained his reasoning for keeping Glendower Zegers on the job as such, “We felt he deserved a full year, meaning a full offseason to see if he can improve this team.”  Zegers was the most sought-after coach last season but he was also the biggest disappointment.  Adding to his thought as to why they kept Zegers, Morgan added a warning “We expect a lot.  This will be the only chance Coach Zegers gets.  If the team fails to show considerable improvement this year, we already have our next Coach in line.  He is sitting in the league offices at the moment.”  Morgan appears to be suggesting that if Zegers fails to drastically improve the Manhattan Velo Club this year, he will be replaced next year by the current league commissioner Hubert Gotti.  Gotti has announced this will be his last year as commissioner and that he has a desire to return to coaching.  As for Manhattan’s pending free agents, they were dealing with Victor Kedzierski and Terenti Denis.  Both were released to free agency without any discussion.  The team did discuss signings with free agents Frederic Nielson and Ramiro Chaplin.  After those discussions Nielson signed a letter of intent with Manhattan.  Carson Lamar was moved up to the Leadoff Position, Cristiano Peter was moved down to the Cleanup Position, Charlton Flipsen was moved down to the First Option Position, and Sebastian Kloet was moved down to the Second Option Position.  The open Cleanup Position is anticipated to be filled with the signing of Frederic Neilson, while the Third Option Position remains open, likely to be filled by a rookie signing. 

---Wednesday, April 29 – Manhattan, New York
Orval Killough did not get any head coaching job this offseason, but he did change jobs.  He has signed on as an assistant coach with the Manhattan Velo Club.
 
---Monday, May 4 – Boston, Massachusetts
Signing day for the Boston Grasshoppers.  It was their expansion signing day, which meant they could sign all the free agents they wanted.  They spoke with two.  First was Ramiro Chaplin but he declined an offer to sign with the team.  Second was Terenti Denis who they did sign as their First Option for 2 years. 
 
---Tuesday, May 5 – Ottawa, Ontario
The Ottawa Velo Club held their expansion signing day today.  They too spoke with Ramiro Chaplin, but he declined to sign with the club.  They made no other moves.  It looks as if they will have a full rookie roster.
 
---Wednesday, May 6 – Manhattan, New York
Frederic Nielson got a championship last season, now he is looking for more of an active role on a team.  He looks to have gotten that today.  Honoring a letter of intent, he had signed with the Manhattan Velo Club, Nielson signed with that team today.  He will start for them in the Cleanup Position. 
 
---Thursday, May 7 – St. Louis, Missouri
Free agency signing days are not for the St. Louis Steamers.  They are hoping to find some big-time rookie rider to change their club’s fortunes.  Today they passed on their signing day. 
 
---Friday, May 8 – Montreal, Quebec
The Club de Montreal reached out to Ramiro Chaplin today.  They offered to sign him to their roster, but they became just another team he turned down.  Beyond him, Montreal had no other interest in a free agent signing.  They will fill two open roster spots with rookies.
 
---Monday, May 11 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Longin O’Neal is now a member of the Milwaukee Monsters.  He signed today with the team honoring a letter of intent.  He has been assigned to the Cleanup Position.
 
---Tuesday, May 12 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh Challengers passed on their signing day today.  They know they have a good team but need another strong piece to make them more competitive against the Checkers and Monsters.  They plan to look to find that piece with a rookie signing.
 
---Wednesday, May 13 – Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston Checkers like several other teams reached out to Ramiro Chaplin.  They offered to sign him but just as he had with other teams he declined.  He now only has Last Call in which to sign this season.  Although he did not sign with the Checkers, he said he strongly considered it. 
 
---Thursday, May 14 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Ramiro Chaplin has finally signed.  Today he signed to join the Milwaukee Monsters.  This signing completes the Monsters roster for 1892.  Chaplin comes over to the Monsters along with his former Steamers teammate Longin O’Neal.  The Monsters have a very stacked roster.  Chaplin, who likely could have signed with many other teams and had a highly active role, instead chose the Monsters, who placed him as their Third Option. 
 
---Friday, May 15 – Boston, Massachusetts
The National Velo Federation offices declared last call and therefore free agent signings closed for the 1891 offseason.  There are 18 open roster spots to be filled by rookies.  Every team except for the Milwaukee Monsters will have a rookie next season.