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The World's First
Licensing
Agreement
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“King” Kelly was one of the most popular baseball players of the 1880’s whose base-running innovations were the subject of the hit song, “Slide, Kelly, Slide”. A comedy film of the same name was released in 1927, the same year Babe Ruth clobbered a record 60 home runs.
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Kelly was a good hitter and a great base-runner and, to boot, the women loved his good looks.
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In 1886, Chicago sold Kelly to the Boston Beaneaters. Kelly first refused the trade, saying he wanted a $5,000 contract with half the money up front. Unfortunately for Kelly, baseball had a $2,000 salary cap. When Chicago assured him he would get the money he wanted from Boston, he agreed. But, when he reported to Boston, he was told the team had to stick to the ‘cap’ rule.
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Dejected, Kelly became a hold-out. But Boston’s owner, J.B. Billings, came up with a solution to the whole problem. He would pay Kelly an additional $3,000 for the rights to use his name and likeness in various team promotions.
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Kelly was then quick to sign and made history to have the world’s first licensing agreement. Kelly's autobiography, “Play Ball”, was published in 1888, the first autobiography by a baseball player.
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