George Chauncey

Who is George Chauncey?

George Chauncey was an American businessman in the later part of the 19th century. He was a native of Brooklyn, New York and a baseball fan. He got into the sport by financing the formation of a team in the Players League of 1890 that became known as Brooklyn Ward's Wonders after Manager and Shortstop John Montgomery Ward. Chauncey also financed the construction of a stadium for the Wonders in Brownsville, called Eastern Park. The team and the league lasted only one season. In 1891, Chauncey arranged a merger of his team with the National League's Brooklyn Grooms. The deal saw him accumulate a large share of the Grooms stock and he convinced the other owners to leave their previous home at Washington Park for his facility at Eastern Park. He also insisted that manager Bill McGunnigle, who had just won two league championships, be fired and replaced with Ward, which the other owners, desperate for his cash, agreed to.

Chancey's time as owner of the Brooklyn team came to an end in 1897 when he sold his shares in the team to the other owners Ferdinand Abell and Charles Byrne.