After the Saint Louis Cardinals released Joe Corbett in August of 1904, he returned to San Francisco and signed with the Seals of the Pacific Coast League.
There would be one more skirmish between Hanlon and Corbett.
Hanlon filed a grievance with the National Commission claiming that Corbett’s release did not make him a free agent, but instead released his rights back to Brooklyn. Hanlon seemed to have a solid case. Ed Grillo, former and future sports writer and then President of the American Association said:
“(Brooklyn) has a prima facie title to Corbett…The National League acquired complete control of Corbett’s services when he signed a St. Louis contract for 1904, and his release to Brooklyn is in conformity with the national agreement. The law of the game is clearly with the Brooklyn club.”
San Francisco, with the support of the entire Pacific Coast League, ignored the complaint and put Corbett in the Seals’ lineup. Hanlon ultimately backed down and Corbett was released to San Francisco.
Corbett appeared in 33 games for the Seals in 1904 and 05, posting a 17-13 record. In September of 1905 he threatened to bring law suits against Hanlon, The Brooklyn club, and the National Commission:
“(O)n the ground that he has suffered in reputation by combined actions of baseball magnates (and) has been deprived from earning thousands of dollars, rightfully his, because of his pitching ability; and that he has been humiliated and disgraced in many ways.”
The threatened legal action made headlines, but doesn’t appear to have gone further.
Corbett also retired, again, that September. Reporters, skeptical about this retirement (and given brother Jim’s multiple “retirements” from the ring) pressed Joe on the issue. In reply he “Promised faithfully to never reappear.”
He kept his promise. For a few months.
In 1906 he played for the Stockton Millers and San Jose Prune Pickers in the California League, and appeared in two games in the outfield for the Seals.
Corbett came back and retired twice more. In 1909 he pitched 12 games for the Seals. In 1916 he tried again; the Seals released him in May after four games.
Joe Corbett, 1916
Corbett and his wife had seven children, and when he wasn’t pitching he amassed quite a resume. In addition to the various family businesses and newspaper work mentioned, Corbett worked at various times as baseball coach at Santa Clara College (1898-99, 1902-03), in the San Francisco Assessor’s office, clerk’s office, for an oil company, and the San Francisco branch of the Bank of Italy.
A few years before his death in 1945, Corbett was asked by The Associated Press if he had any advice for players who were considering defying the reserve clause and holding out. Joe said:
“If you think you’re right, stick to it. But don’t forget, it’s pretty hard to beat those hours.”
And finally…Corbett was said to have worshiped “Gentleman Jim,” but was also known to sometimes tire of hearing what a great fighter his brother was. Over time he developed a standard reply:
“I only saw him in the ring twice… (Bob) Fitzsimmons won the first time and Jeff (Jim Jeffries) knocked him out the second time. But they tell me he was some fighter.”
Corbett/Fitzsimmons
Corbett/Jeffries
Baseball History Daily 
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