Arlie Latham was missing.
The St. Louis Post Dispatch said:
“An impenetrable mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Arlie Latham, the great third baseman of the Brownstocking Club.”
In two days, the defending American Association champion Browns were scheduled to play a preseason “World’s Championship” series with the National League champion Chicago White Stockings, and Latham was missing.
The paper said there were “wild-eyed” rumors that Latham had arrived in town and was at the home of his mother in law, “Mrs. Garvin, No. 2315 Chestnut Street.”
Arlie Latham
The Garvin’s next door neighbor even “came downtown…and stated positively that he had seen Latham on (April 3) walking around the yard and removing clothes lines from the back fence or engaged in some equally domestic occupation.”
The paper said there were several stories circulating about Latham:
“(T)hat (Browns) President (Chris) von der Ahe had seen him and knows that he is here…(they) understand each other and have prepared a big surprise for the audience at the opening game…and that all the differences between them as to salary has been amicably settled.”
Or:
“Latham is laid up at his wife’s mother’s house on Chestnut Street and is suffering with malarial fever.”
Or:
“The present abode of Latham (is) a mystery.”
The final story was based on the fact that “numerous letters” were waiting for Latham unclaimed at the Laclede Hotel “where he generally stops when in the city.”
The paper sent a reporter to the Garvin house to interrogate Latham’s mother in law:
“The bell was answered by the lady herself, who when Latham was asked for, replied:
“’Mr. Latham is not here.’
“’When did he leave?’
“’Last fall some time.’”
Mrs. Garvin said she had received a letter the da before from her daughter who she said was in Lynn, Massachusetts.
Mrs. Garvin asked the reporter:
“’What interest do you take in Mr. Latham?’
“Don’t you know the Browns are going to play the Chicagos Thursday?’
“’No, I didn’t know anything about that.’”
The reporter told Mrs. Garvin there were reports Latham had been seen at her home:
“’Well, I can’t see how anybody could say such a thing.’”
The Post-Dispatch then sought an answer from the Browns owner:
“Extensive questioning could bring no definite answer from President von der Ahe regarding the mystery.”
The Browns owner did tell the paper:
“No, you can put that down positively he has not signed with the club, and what’s more I’m not going to come to his terms.’
“’What does he want?’
“’Well, he says he won’t play with us this year unless I pay him $2800, and I’ll never do that.”
von der Ahe
According to von der Ahe, he offered Latham $2500 for the season:
“’I’ve made him an offer that is sufficiently good for his services, and if he doesn’t want to sign for that, he needn’t.’”
When the Browns opened the series, Latham was still missing. Eight thousand people turned out for the first game against Chicago and Lou Sylvester played third. The Browns lost six to three.
But, apparently, the reports that Latham was in town were incorrect.
The Post-Dispatch said von der Ahe received a telegram from Latham during the game saying he would be in St. Louis that evening.
The Chicago Tribune said Latham accepted $2500 for the 1887 season.
Latham arrived in St. Louis on the evening of April 7, and started for the Browns the next day, The Post-Dispatch said:
“Latham shows up in excellent for and guards their third bag.”
He went 0 for 2 with two walks in a seven to four Browns victory.
The White Stockings won the series four games to two. Latham hit .440 with 11 hits in 25 at bats. The regular season started the day after the series.
The Browns won another American Association championship in 1887, finishing 14 games ahead of the Cincinnati Red Stockings.
Latham, arguably, had his best season. He hit .316, and with the loose scoring for stolen bases in 1887 he had 129.
Baseball History Daily 
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