3rd October 1881
From the Head Office of the Major League Baseball
To all interested parties
In an extra-ordinary meeting held today at the MLB Head Quarters, the Owners of the 8 current clubs along with the MLB management voted unanimously to extend the league size to 16 clubs.
Along with this increase in size, permission has also been given to Mr Goodridge to move his club from its current position in the city of St Louis. The St Louis Brown Stockings name will be retain as one of the new 8 clubs and the club moving to Louisville will be called the Louisville Eclipse as per Mr Goodridge's request.
The other 7 teams to join the league will be named the Boston Americans, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Wolverines, New York Gothams, Philadelphia Quakers, Pittsburgh Alleghenys and the Washington Nationals
The AL will receive the Boston Americans, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Wolverines and Washington Nationals to go alongside the current 4 clubs of the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Blues, Philadelphia Athletics and the newly moved Louisville Eclipse
The NL will receive the New York Gothams, Philadelphia Quakers, Pittsburgh Alleghenys and the New St Louis Brown Stockings team. These will play against the current Boston Red Caps, Brooklyn Atlantics, Chicago White Stockings and Cincinnati Red Stockings.
Please make every effort to welcome these new clubs to the MLB structure.
The distribution of players from the current clubs has been agreed after extensive negotiations with the current clubs. There will be an Expansion draft held on the 15th of October. The rules for this will be that teams will be able to protect 12 players of their roster, as of that date, that cannot be drafted by the new teams. Also any player with less than 3 years MLB experience is also automatically protected at the club they are with and cannot be drafted. Their will be no limit other than these within this draft.
Albert Atkins
MLB Commissioner