The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-11-22
THE BASE BAIL WAR.
Address to the Public Issued by
the National League,
THE BROTHERHOOD ROASTED,
Tho Lcasuo Claims Credit for Max
Ing the Game What II is and
Makes an Eloquent Plea,
GIasscOck's Fanny Actions.

ThlLADhLFulAt SNNf So NV NS'N
mIttee which was appointed at the re-
cent annual meeting Of the National
League OF Professional Ball Clubs to pre-
pare an address to the public, defining
the position Of that organization in the
present base ball controversy, completed
It's labors to-day. The text OF the ad'
drcss Ia as follows;
To The Public;
The National League of Professional
Base Ball Clubs has no apology to make
for its existence or for its untarnished
record OF fourteen years, 1t stands to-
day, as 1t has stood during that period,
sponsor for the honesty aud integrity OF
professional base ball,
1t Ia 10 this organization that the
player OF to-day owes tho dignity OF his
profession and the muihCeut salary he Is
guaranteed while playing in itI ranks.
The good name OF this League has
been assailed, It's motives impugned and
iLs integrity questioned by some Of the
very men whom II has most benefited
The National League was organized
In 1875, asa necessity, to rescue the game
from its slough Of corruption and dis
grace and take it from the hands OF tho
ball players who had controlled and
dominated the National Association OF
Professional Base Ball Players. No effort
was made by the old association to con.
troll its members, and the result was that
contract breaking, dissipation and dis.
honesty had undermined the game to
such an extent that 1t seemed All almost
hopeless task to attempt it's rescue.
Tho League, upon its organization,
abolished pool selling, open betting on
the grounds, prohibited Sunday games
and excluded the sale Of liquors. A bet.
ter class OF people were invited to attend
the exhibitions aud more systematic
way Of conducting the game was intro.
duCed.
As a check on competition, weaker
clubs in the League demanded the prlvi.
Iege OF reserying live players who would
form the nucleus Of team for the en-
suing season.
This was the origin OF the "reserve
rule" and from its adoption may be
dated the development Of better Hnan.
Cial results. The system OF reserve hay.
ing proven beneficial, both TO clubs and
players, the reserve list was increased to
eleven and then to fourteen, or an entire
team.
Under this rule, the game has steadily
grown In favor, the salaries Of players
have more than trebled and q higher
degree OF skill been attained.
Out of, aud as an incident to "rescrva.
ton" arose releases for peCuniary con.
siderations. The right preservation be.
ing conceded, the clubs claim OIL the
players continuous services must be OF
some valuG.-aRut except in cases OF dis.
handing or retiring clubs, that right has
never been transferred without the
players cooperation aud consent, usual.
~ ut his request and for his own peCuni.
AIRY omOlnment.
To correct n misapprehcnsion in the
public mind as.to the alleged enormous
profits" divided among Stockholders of
the League clubs, 1t may be interesting
to know that during the past Hvo and
only prosperous ycurs therU have been
paid Ia Caah dividends tn stockholders
in the eight League clubs less than $l50,.
00O, and during the same time League
players have received in salaries over
81 100000. The balance OF the
profits OF the very few successful
clubs, together with the original capital
aud subsequent assessments Of stock.
holders, Is represented entirely in
grounds and improvements for the per.
Iuanent good OF the game, costing about
100000. The refusal Of the Brotherhood
Committee to meet the League in con.
ference at the close OF the season, proves
inContestibly that the imperative de-
mand for Il conference In midsummer,
to redress grievances that have never
yet uaterialiZed, was a mere pretext for
Under false promises 10 their brother
players, that they would only secede in
the event Of the League refusing them
justice, they secured the signature OF the
latter to a secret pledge or oath to de.
sert their clubs at the bidding OF their
disailected leaders. Upon tho publica.
tion Of their plot, September 7, 1880,
they and their abettors denied, day after
day, that there was any foundation for
tho story, and repeatedly plighted their
wordO that the keague sh0uld have q
chance 10 redress their alleged grieyan-
Ces before they would order Q "strike."
How false their promises, and pledges,
how evaSive, contradictory and menda.
Cious have been their every act and deed,
from first TO last, we leave To the readers
Of the daily and weekly press for veriA-
cation.
An edihCe built on ialsehood has no
moral foundation and must perish OF its
own weight. Its official claim 10 public
support IL a series Of glittering generali.
ties that lack detail, color aud truth,
and the National League hereby pro.
claims to the public, that the national
game WHICH, III 1875, II rescued
irom destruction, threatened BY the
dishonesty and dissipation OF play.
ers, and which by stringent rules aud
irOn.clad contracts IL developed, ole.
waited aud perputuated into the most
glorious aud honorable sport on the
green earth, will Btil i, under its auspices,
progress onward and upward, despite
the efforts Of over.paid players to afain
control II, for rtheir own ACKNOWLEDGMENT,
but TO It's ultimate dishOuor and disin.
tegratiOn.
by order Of the National League Of
Professional Base Ball Clubs.
A. g. sPALDiSd.
JoHN b DAY.
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