Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-04

The world ought to be great deal wiser
at the close of to-day than it is this morning.
The much-talked-of meeting of the Ball
Players Brotherhood will be held to-day,
and ITS results are anticipated with great
anxiety by thousands of patrons of the ma
tionsl game. The latest advices from New
York as to what will be done to-day are as
conflicting as all the rumors have been since
the matter was first introduced to the pub
lie There seems to be two leading opinions,
however, as to what the players will resolve to
do to-day. One is that they will boldly declare
themselves severed from the National League,
and the other is to the effect that the players
will resolve to ask concessions from the
League. 1t now seems very probable that one
of these results will be arrived at. A local
player stated emphatically last evening that
the former will be the course adopted. while
another player said the latter would be the
course. 1t is, therefore, clear that the players
are somewhat at sea as well as the public.
DOWN VERY FINE.
One authority has gotten the whole matter
down so fine as to estimate the profits of the
eight Brotherhood teams for next season.
This means that there will be a revolt sure.
But it rs worthy of note that the same author
hood contract TO play first base at Chicago
next season. If all other statements are no
more true than that one there is nothing in
the Brotherhood business at all. because Co
misKy has resigned with the st. Louis club to
act as player, captain and manager.
1t may be, however, that the players dele
gates will refuse to make public their pro-
ceedings of to-day for few days yet. There
are many reasons for a course of this kind, par
ticularly il it is not unanimously resolved to
make a thorough bolt. If bolt is decided on
the League magnstes, SO stated an official of
the local club last evening. will then resort to
the law courts. in commenting on the meet
ing, Mr.. Caylor. in the Sporting Times, speaks
very pertinently. He says:
A COURSE OF ANARCHY.
what the object of that delegate meeting
may be we, of course, have no knowledge Off
cially. Mr.. Wards 'hair-brained reporters
allege it is for declaring war upon the League
breaking away from the reserve rule and set
ting up opposition clubs in each League city
where baseball has been financial success.
That of course, is anarchy. But some of the
Brotherhood leaders hint that the motive of
the meeting is merely to present complaint
against abuses which have crept into the
Leagues dealing with players and ask for GER
tain concessions. If the latter 0e the true mo-
tive behind the meeting the Brotherhood will
be following out the original idea upon which
it was founded. and the Sporting Times. as well
as the public, will be with the members. But
if at this meeting the leaders blindly and sell
flshly endeavor to drive or pull the entire body
of League players into a dangerous and de-
structive fight with the National League 1t will
be the duty of the honest, business-like and
level AIDED PLAYERS to pull away from the men
whose objects shall be understood without any
amount of analysis.
SOME PLAIN QUESTIONS.
with the classification rule abolished and
the sales system so modified that it cannot be
exercised save at the benefit of the player
transferred, what grievance have you to hold
up against the League? What benefit could
you reap by entering into a war Of extermina-
tion with the men who have paid you salaries
for the last few years Will it pay you as a
professional ball player to Join a conspiracy to
break up the reserve rule? Do you want the
reserve rule destroyed? Don't you know that
salaries are 40 per cent higher now than they
ever were before the reserve rule went into ef-
feet, and that twice as many men make living
thereby as prior to 1852? Do you realize how
this reserve rule has built up professional base
ball until nearly every city in the land, of
50,000 inhabitants and over, has been enabled 10
keep hrSt-claSs ball club in the field, whereas
not ten cities in the Union could find hackers
for a club so long as there was no way provided
to retain the benefits of team from year to
year after money was spent to get one together?
Don't you know that the elimination of the re-
serve rule means just that state of baseball un-
certainty revived which existed from $50 to
1852 ?"