Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-11-30
THEBALLPLAYERS
Summing Up of the Present
State Of Affairs.
the LEAGUE AND BROTHERHOOD

The Former HAS Met the Dimcuity with
It's Accustomed Energy-Thc Delays and
Uncertainties Of the f~ttcr-w what win
Be the Outccmes
Tho lines are being closely drawn between
tho League and the Brotherhood, and the
players must now decide where they will
stand when the roll Is called next April.
Many Of them, 80 far as they can do 20, by
signing contracts, have decided the question,
but the majority OF them, In spite Of their
promises to tho Brotherhood, are still astrids
the fence, uncertain which way tc Jump.
II Is difficult within the limits Of this art
icle to explain tho exact positions held by
both parties TO tho impending contest. Brief.
ly, the Brotherhood has made preparation to
organize tho Players League, and expect to
do 10 Jan. Z. The delay wns due to the reluc.
tance Of tho men who are to supply tho rrin.
cipal portion Of the shows Of war TO commit
themselves irrevocably until the Brotherhood
can show evidence that IL can deliver tho
goods, l. g., the players, as agreed. This owl
dence Is tho signatures Of tho 10 players no
cessary TO complete the various teams Of the
new Players league This evidence Meesrx
Ward. Pfeiffer. Ewing, Hanlon and Irwin
are doing their best 10 collect. They have
signed, or claim TO have signed, something
like fifteen American Association players and
seventy League men. AS "a matter Of fact, tho
actual signatures obtained do not much ex-
coed fifty altogether. This was the result Of
three weeks work.
During the past ten days thers has boon .
cessation in the signing, which Il due to two
causes. One Is the inroad made by the League,
L. ls.~kN A.:.
the Player league contract, which has been
made public despite the efforts Of the Bro
therhood to keep Its terms secret As the
players begin to realize Just whore that con.
tract places them, they begin to weaken per-
ceptibly. The points In the contract which
are now operating against the Brotherhood
are tho clauses which relieve tho stockholders
of any personal liability, and provide that
all salaries shall be paid from the gate re-
ceipts, and from no other source.
There Is absolutely no guarantee whatever
that tho salaries promised will DO paid, ex-
cept In the event Of tho financial success Of
the new League. Tho players are much dis
appointed In other ways also. They wero
promised ono year contracts and pooling
Of profits where tho players Of unsuccessful
tcams might stand an equal show with the
players OF successful teams. They expected
to share whatever profits might accrue over
hackers would sec that thew wo,id hava their
snIoriaa Win or Iosc Nov tbav nv. ,,rsso,,,s,
with a contract that makes them, nrof,t
.horer, h is trnc but alsn ,rakos than, Z io.s
sbnrers as vell Tho PLAYERS nre nerfoctIv
satisfle., 10 shara nroflts h,,t thew ara not :,
onxion. n run tbs risk ~ sharine iossss
mi. con,ract .iso binds thar, ser thrs.
wears more nbsoluteIv than tba National
ieay,,o ever hsld then,
Tho league has met tho ou.st,on with ia
accustomed energy and copraoe. .nd has act.
al fairly even though thew beyo IN a ,nass.
yro heen forced N do so rhav have ahr,.
isbed clas,If,cation. thev have moJiaaa tha
soles svstcn, 90 that thc nIave, i. anahIoa ~
buv and scll his own release and proflt ther..
bv hotb IN Increased GALAXY .nd hon,,., ,Lav
have reIre.cd the grievnnco NJ autcIsrrs ii,
thonyh thcv bava clenrlv nrovad TINT ha has
ro iegai clair, 70 tha Ssso noisi hir, Tho
only fbi,y thew have not dome which tho
nlsyers wou,d have I,ked tshavo dona a.
thong,, NOT very strenuous ahout a. \. to
abolish or moderate the reserve r,,lo
Tbeso ara tho tbincx and tha onlv th,roe
which bore very hard ON tho nlnvery i M
yised them last snrinv to ash Far these r..
forms. and said then TINT tho plavers vould
ho iustiaed IN starting ON their own bonk
with chance of success IL the reforms wcre
not granted. 1 am aatislied that tho Tca0uc
wouid hnve granted them n II hnd had an
onrortnnitv of doing so
Tbo nloyers claimed that tho IcaouS nag.
lccted an onnortunitv nresented thcr Iast
summer. The League retorts by sayinu THAT
Il WINS not the proper time. Tho I,rotherhood
leaders VIM have all along wanted 10 oct nm
a proflt shsripg league, seized Of, the leagues
postponement OF the complaints as an excuse
for putting their plans into action,
Tho League claims the services Of their men
for 1890 under section IS OF tho original
brotherhood contract. which gives the League
tho right To reserve tho player for the season
next ensuing. This point tho League. acting
under the opinions OF Eyarts. Choate a. Bea.
man. and other eminent LAWYERS. will prcas
In the courts 10 the bitter end
The PLAYERS claim that tho reserve ONLY nm,
piled as against clubs under tho National
agreement, and arc fortified In tho claim by
the opinions Of eminent counsel The fate OF
tho Players league rests on the decision OF
this point. II tho courts say tho League Ia
right, there will DO no Players league, at
least not with National league PLAYERS. until
1891. Meanwhile tho League has succeeded
I'm signing about twenty-five Of tho Brother
hood mon, although they claim oyer forty.
Thus the natter stands at present.
The players have these two prospects; II
they stick by tho League they are guaranteed
their salaries; they will have the chance Of
an increase; they will not share In profits;
they will not share In losses. II they arc
transferred from one club to another, they
win generally get an increase In pay and a
bonus.
II thew co with the brotherhood thcv sign