Without a league , they continued play as a semi-professional barnstorming team through 1881 .
The NL expelled St. Louis from the league after 1877 due to a game - fixing scandal and the team went bankrupt .
Without a league , NL continued play as a semi-professional barnstorming team through 1881 .
The NL expelled St. Louis from the league after 1877 due to a game - fixing scandal and the team went bankrupt .