▁were ▁the ▁dominant ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁League , ▁compiling ▁an ▁. 8 8 0 ▁winning ▁percentage . ▁ ▁In ▁mid ▁June ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁the ▁Western ▁League ▁dis band ed , ▁and ▁a ▁mad ▁r ush ▁developed ▁to ▁sign ▁the ▁players ▁on ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁ro ster , ▁a ▁line - up ▁that ▁included ▁Mc Gu ire , ▁Sam ▁Thompson , ▁Sam ▁C rane , ▁Ch ub ▁Collins , ▁Jim ▁D onn elly , ▁M ox ▁Mc Query , ▁Gene ▁Mor i art y , ▁and ▁Dan ▁Case y . ▁ ▁Sam ▁Thompson ▁later ▁told ▁the ▁color ful ▁story ▁of ▁the ▁Detroit ▁Wol ver ines ' ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁players . ▁ ▁Detroit ▁sent ▁two ▁represent atives ▁( Mar sh ▁and ▁Mal oney ) ▁to ▁Indian apolis , ▁princip ally ▁to ▁sign ▁the ▁Ho os iers ' ▁battery ▁of ▁Larry ▁Mc Ke on ▁and ▁Jim ▁Ke en an . ▁ ▁The ▁Wol ver ines ▁were ▁out bid ▁by ▁the ▁C inc inn ati ▁Red s ▁for ▁Mc Ke on ▁and ▁Ke en an ▁but ▁w ound ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁Ho os iers ' ▁manager ▁( B ill ▁Wat kins ) ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁team ' s ▁starting ▁line up . ▁ ▁The ▁only ▁catch ▁was ▁that ▁a ▁ 1 0 - day ▁waiting ▁period ▁would ▁allow ▁other ▁teams ▁to ▁out bid ▁Detroit . ▁Marsh ▁and ▁Mal oney ▁prompt ly ▁sent ▁the ▁players ▁to ▁Detroit ▁and ▁quarter ed ▁them ▁in ▁a ▁hotel ▁there . ▁