Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-22
A ROBUST RETORT.
League Compliments tothe Base
Ball Brotherhood.
REPLY TO THEIR LATE MANIFESTO

PHILADELPHIA, Nov % The committee
which was appointed at the recent annual
meeting OF the National league of profession
oil base ball clubs 70 prepare an address to the
public defining the position Of that organiza
ton In the present base ball controversy com
ple,ed It's IaborS yesterday The committee
consisted OF Me-srs. A @, Spalding. of Chi.
cago John B Day. of New York, and John
I Rogers. OF Philadelphia The address Is
as follows.
To THE PUBLIC The National league Of pro
fessiona base hall clubs has no apology to
make for its existence or for its untarnished
record Of fourteen years II stands to-day,
a. IL has stood during that period, sponsor
foI the honesty and integrity OF professional
base ball IL Is 20 this organization that the
player OF today owes the dignity of his
profession and the muniicent salary he Is
guaranteed while playing in It's ranks The
good name OF this league has been assailed,
its motives impugned. and its integrity ques-
toned by some of the very men whom il has
most benefited The League. therefore asks
the public 10 inspect It's record, and com
pare the following statement OF facts with
the selfish and malicious accusations Of its as.
sailantsr
MISC anu Progress OF the League.
The document then goes into history, and
states that the League was organized in 1876,
10 rescue the game from slough OF corruption;
that at that time dissipation, dishonesty, and
contract breaking were rife 10 what seemed
a hopeless extent; that the League abolished
pool-selling and betting on the grounds, Sun
day playing and the sale OF liquors in base ball
parks, systematized the conduct OF the game,
and secured better class of spectators The
organization was weak. but IL found itself
confronted with a severe fight at the very
outset. Weak as Il was il was true 10
its object OF elevating the game to
higher plane, and at the end of
the first season expelled two of its strongest
clubs-those at New York and Philadelphia
for violation of engagements. The season
Of 1877 was disastrous financially, aud there
were but five clubs remaining at its end, and
the players in one of these-the Louisville
were accused of dishonesty and selling games
Again the League met the issue and expelled
the culprits, four players, and has never re-
instated them. For the next three or four
seasons it was simply struggle for exist
| ence
Origin of the Reserve" Rule.
| The address then continues: Finally, as
a check upon competition, the weaker clubs
in the League demanded the privilege Of re
serving five players who would form the nu-
| cleus of team for the ensuing season. This
| was the origin of the reserve rule and from
its adoption may be dated the development
| of better financial results The system of
reserves having proven beneficial both TO
clubs and players, the reserve list was in
creased TO eleven and then to fourteen, or an
entire team. Under this rule the game has
steadily grown in favor, the salaries of play
ers have more than trebled and higher
| degree Of skill has been attained.
The Sale of Players.
| %Out of, and as an incident TO 'reserva-
ton arose releases for pecuniary considera-
tons. The right of reservation being con-
coded, the clubs claim on the players con-
tinuous services must he OF some value. But
except in cases of disbanding or retiring
| clubs that right has never been transferred
without the players cooperation and con
sent, usually at his request and for his Pc
| cuniary emolument. In the exceptional case
! OF disbandment or retirement Of a League
club the involuntary transfer of a PLAYER 10
q new club was the subject of complaint by
| committee OF the Brotherhood in November.
1887 But after several hours conference
with the League committee the former were
obliged to admit that such Involuntary trans
fer was absolutely essential TO the welfare. II
not the existence, OF the League
That Brotherhood Contract.
| "The Brotherhood committee. therefore
| wrote into the contract they had formulated
the 18Th narapranh NV which each siOniny
nlaver expressly comedies such Involuntary
transfsr N the rich, ~ resarvation "a ri
-. = Is,eI - q. l,,,
- o' US :, ~ VI
iCSe us beabue lieihoe' snip any o'nei
''uo VI ass0eis'iOh proN'ueu us current sal
AIRY De nor reduceu.
Ana tine necessity Tor some such power OF
preserving tne circuit OF a 'eague' oy approx
hnateiy equainins us playing strehgth, Is
recoghihed 10y inc new League "hich the
seceoihs players nave temporarily organized
,or tney give enls eA1rao 'la power OF
THANKSGIVING payer, win or without consent
ana WIN OF without cruz u'snannnieht' 10
central tribunal Oh siAteeh directors "uOse
nat Is nnal
bro'herhoou Representations
Al tue annual meeting OF tine League W
No'eh'oe'' 49,, tno DrO'ner hoou asAeu anu
receiVeu recoghilon upon tne statement oil
us representatives that u was organized Tor
oene'oient Pur poses anu ues'red 10 20 hahd-
in-hahd Win the League IN perpetuatlng the
game, increasing us popularity ana ele-
vatlng the moral standard OF us players.
Ihey disAVo"eo any intention OF desire 10 IN
seiieio ""n I'"e BUSINESS n"a"s VI the
League tue salaries Oh players OF the re-
serve RUE SIMPLY asking that the contract
I've 40 revised that H. In Itself, would indicate
every RELATION between sci the cup and each IN
49,, a. . O..p, " you ron
80. vtoi.,aa ~, ~. -, u-s 49,
| or shirt, and we challenge proof in contra
diction Of this declaration.
Profits of the Business.
ITO correct Misrepresentation in the pub
! lie mind as TO the alleged enormous profits
| divided among stockholders Of League cluos
1t NAV be interesting to know that during
the last five-and only prosperous-years
there have been paid in cash dividends 10
stockholders in the eight League clubs, less
than sIJO.OOO. and, during the same time
the League players have received in salaries
over 81 100000 The balance Of the profits Of
the few successful clubs, together with the
original capital and subsequent assess
| ments of stockholders is represented entirely
in grounds and improvements for the per
manent good OF the game, costing about