[3] McKnight's career in baseball began in 1876, when he and several local organizers formed the Allegheny Base Ball Club.

The founding occurred just twenty days after Pittsburgh lost its bid to join the newly-formed National League.

[3] On November 2, 1881, McKnight served as Allegheny's representative at the Gibson House in Cincinnati, Ohio during the founding meeting of the American Association.

[3] McKnight was the principal owner of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys in the American Association and even served as the club's manager at the beginning of their 1884 season.

In 1884, Edmund C. Converse, of the National Tube Company, succeeded McKnight as president of the club, which remained in the American Association for the next five years.

In March 1886, Browns owner Chris von der Ahe offered Barkley for $1000 to Allegheny, the first team to pay the money.

Billy Barnie, the manager of the Baltimore Orioles, was able to have Barkley sign an undated contract with his team and wired the $1000 asking price to Von der Ahe.