The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-05
A BASE BALL SENSATION.
An Effort to Secure Indianapolis
Players for Other Clubs.
The Protection of the Reserve Rule With
drawn from Alliance Clubs-Yesterdays
Game with the Port Hurons

The sensation in baseball circles yesterday
was the development of "a scheme of the Ameri-
can Association to secure good players and the
consequent effort TO secure several members of
the indianapolis club for other clubs next year.
A preliminary explanation is necessary for a
1ult understanding of the present difficulty. The
indianapolis ball club is an alliance, so called,
OF the American AssociatiOn-that is, ii plays
under the same rules and restrictions. Among
THESE Is the "eleven men reserve rule" which
mas been recently much discussed. 1t provides
that any club may retain at least eleven men for
the succeeding year, at a salary not less
than 81 900. and they cannot sign with another
club without getting an honorable release
Under the operation of this rule the manage
ment of the home club could hold all the present
players for next year, and compel them TO play
here on the penalty of being "black-listed." On
last Saturday, however, the American Assoca-
ton held a secret meeting at Plttsburg and de-
cided to protect alliance clubs in the reserve
rule only so far as men were concerned VINO were
signed at the end of the year. This action,
which was kept secret, as dishonorable
could well be imagined, and it's only purpose
was to allow American clubs to select all the
best men away from alliance clubs-sign them
for next year and then do what they pleased
with them. The alliance clubs will suffer by it,
and the players more than they.
The first intimation of the matter in this city
was by the arrival of one or two gentlemen to
secure players. The Indianapolis club is the
strongest club IN the alliance and its players
in demand. Yesterday Mr.. o. P. Caylor, baseball
editor OF the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette,
who seems to be a broker in ball players, came
mere representing the Cincinnati and Baltimore
CLUBS, and during the day made strenuous efforts
TO get Keenan,, McKeOn, PEOPLES and PeltZ to
sign for next year. In the evening Peoples
signed contract to play with Cincinnati for
S1,oOO and $500 caeh down for advance money.
Caylor worked with McKeon for two hours, and
made him five offers, but Larry"
reputation here, and proposed to stay here if he
was offered a reasonably good salary. The up
shot OF The whole matter was That McKeon. be-
lore the night was over, signed to play here
again next year for 81 800. Peltz has not yet
decided what to 40; and Keenan, stated to
journal reporter, last night, that he had been
treated well here, and would stay 1? the local
management could pay him as much as
ne could get elsewhere which is pretty big
couldn't stand visions of prosperity; both he
ana and Peitz are promising young ball all
of them, and thera are a good many
in the open fields. In this connection 1t might
be ln~place to remark that Manager OIeary has
mad very fine offers for next year, but will stay
mere and VIII nave IA club that will surprise the
old ones.
create much excitement In ball circles through
out the country, when 1t becomes generally
knOwE, and its consequences Will be disastrous
In many ways. 1t is probable that the Cincin-
natl club will sign twenty or twenty five men,
next year, froQl which to select playing nine,
and will then release the remainder, who will
be cast adrift, without recourse. Baltimore
wants Keenan, very badly, and does Buffalo,
but he has made no promises yet. 1t is prob
able that the indianapolis club will sign
eral more members of she present nine within
the next few days. 1t is somewhat refreshing
to know that the guileless Mr.. CaylOr, of Cincln-
natl, did not succeed very well in his designs re.
gardlng local players.