Posted By:
JayKevin--Since there was a disagreement as to the dates I went back to the period Sporting News to find the answer. The truth is an interesting story. In the October 25, 1886 issue of TSN it was reported that the Giants received a "large sum of money" and had released Dude Esterbrook. TSN at that time states that they do not know with certainty who paid the release money but speculate that it might have been the Mets. The release money did not end the process; the Mets still had to sign Esterbrook to a contract. In the November 13, 1886 issue of TSN it was reported that "Esterbrook has at last signed with the Mets as everybody expected he would." Thus, the SABR October 20 date was the correct date as we expected it would be.