New-York tribune., 1889-11-05
BALL.PLAYERS WILL NOT BE SLAVES.

CANOE FROM THE BIG LEAGUE SHIP.
The long looked for annual meeting of the Ball
Players Brotherhood held at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel yesterday. AS generally expected. the
players formally decided loose from the present
owners of the League and hereafter 10 paddle their
own canoe and gather In the publics shekels them
selves. The delegates were: O'Rourke for the New
York chapter Andrews for Indianapolis Arthur Irwin
for Washington. Fogarty for Philadelphia, Rowe and
Hanon for Plttsburg, Brouthers for Boston, Pfeier
for Chicago. and TwtcheI for Cleveland About a
score Of other League players were present and
although admitted TO the meeting had voice in the
proceedings
The early part Of the afternoon devoted to
hearing the grievances of certain players Ward being
in the chair and Keefe attending to the duties Of
the secretary II is sail that the Brotherhood mani
festo was drawn up on Sunday. This is IL:
To Public: A. last the Brotherhood Of Baseball
Players feels liberty TO make known It's intentions and
defend against aspersons and
1t has been forced to >ueI In silence.
II is no that the players OF the League
have determined to play next season under different man
agement but for which will, we think, be under
stood, deemed advisable 70 make no announcement
Of until the close Of the present but
now that for the various pennants
and the contracts expired there IS longer
reason for Withholding It,
In taking this step we feel that to the public
ourselves explain briefly Of the reasons by
which have been moved. There time when the
League stood for integrity and fair dealing; to-day 1t
stands for dollars and cents it looked the ee
walton Of the and honest exhibition OF the sport
to-day It's eyes upon the tumstle. Men have come
into the business for no than to exploit IT
for every dollar in sight Measures originally intended for
the good OF the have been perverted into instruments
wrong. The rule and the provisions of the
National agreement gave the managers unlimited power
and they have hesated this In the most arb
and mcrcenaiy way.
Players have bought sold and exchanged though
they were sheep instead of American citizens "Reserva
fiOnrb bpcau Wif
in player By combination among themselves stronger
they able 20 enforce the most
arbitrary and the players had either to submit or
out OF the profession n which he bad spent Ieas IN at
aiming nroaeorvy. and retirement OF
club did not free the players from the octopus clutch for
they then pedded around TO the highest bidder
the player sometimes po1ted by the sale has moth
Ing do with the but only the injustice Of his
previous restraint Two years ne the ca ne and a.
tempted 10 remey Of the evils but through what has
been politely called League diplomacy completely
failed. Unwilling longer to submit such treatment.
made strong effort last spring to reach understanding
with the League. To application for hearing they
warrant meeting and suggested that put of untn
fall. Our committee replied that the players
felt that the League had broken faith
with them that while the results me>t
OF importance managers they were OF great
Importance the players that IL the League would
concede what fair would adopt other means to
protect ourselves; that postponed until fall would
separated and the mercy OF League and that
velop, must therefore insist upon immediate
ference
Then upon final refusal US we beran or.
ganizng ourselves are in shape to 90 ahead next
year under management and auspices We !
believe that it is possible condac national game
upon lines which will infringe upon individual AMI
natural rights We ask to DE judged solely by work.
and believing that the game b. played fairly !
and its business conducted integently |
plan which excludes everything arbitrary and unAmerican
look forward with confidence 20 the support OF the
public and the future of the national game.
TIIE NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD or BALL PLAY
Much interest is centIel in to-momows meeting |
when the Of the financial sinews of war of
the Brotherhood will be made public The corrected |
list of the backers Of the New-York club is said to be
f. p McAlpine, f. b. Tacot, Gerard Wallace and |
Cornelius Van Cott The names Of the who are |
backing the club To be stationed in Brooklyn
still kept secret, although it is said that grounds
have already been selected Greenwood Cemetery.
The appended players VIII represent the brotherhood |
al tomorrow meeting; Ward, for New York; An |
dlews for BroOklyn; Rove for Buffalo Iuhinton, FOR
jurg Pieher, for Chicago, and Srcker for Cleveland.
Officers will he chosen and II IS thought by many that
the veteran Harry Wright will be elected TO the prvsl
dency.
President Shoemaker, Of Newark and A, ". Long
will represent the Atlantic Association at the coming |
meeting OF the Arourati0n COMMITTEE Secretary
BrOdin OF the Atlantic Association. said that 1t
In the organization and that either Troy or Provi-
dence would make the eighth club and complete the
Postmaster Van Cott said yesterday in answer 10
question concerning his connection with the Brother
hood of baseball players d" / have known John NJ
" ard. OF the NewYork club, for years. ! was
interested IN his accounts of the 81 ~m under which
men 'reserved and prevented from freely applying
for engagements. II do take any pecuniay inter-
est In the plan II viii lie very small one and
ONLY TO help out the men they trying 10 secure
more liberal remuneration for the work.
Some OF the NewYOrk PLAYERS dissatisfied at
their share Of the receipts Of the recent games be
tween the New-York ana Brooklyn clubs. Tho men
say that one quarter of the gross gae-recepts was
promised them but they got only quarter of
net gate receipts