Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

business that on the face of it looks very anus
ing L refer to the reinstatement of the desert
ers. If ever anything looked somewhat tarclcal
this reinstatement business did. Let us take
the cases of Beckley, Delehanty and MulVey.
These men were reinstated by the meeting SO
we are told Why, they were reinstated before
the meeting was held. Beckley had Joined the
Pittsburg club, returned his advance money to
the old League people and was working on the
pay of the new League when the meeting was
held. Delehanty was similarly situated else
where, and in the face of this we are told they
were reinstated at the meeting. Bosh! Ii 1t had
been possible for the meeting to not relnstate
them, what then? Iwould like to have known
what they would have done. The whole thlng
was farce. Pickett's case was also an Inter
esting one. The Players League wanted hln,
and he wanted to join that League sort OF
tribunal was formed entirely OF those VINO
wanted Pickett, and as result it was decided
that they had a right to him. 1t would indeed
have been wonderful had the meeting come TO
any other conclusion regarding the dlsposltlon
of Pickett. Had he been inferior player or
a very expensive man. like Dunlap, the meeting
in its wisdom might have discovered that the
National League or American Association had
first claim. l make these references to the
meeting entirely in the spirit of fair play, be-
cause had similar features character
lied the transactions Of other meetings
none of us would have been slow
to note them. However. there was
one characteristic of the meeting that none of
US should overlook. That was the desire of the
delegates to act in harmony. On one or two
questions there was strong difference of opln-
ion, and as soon as it was seen on which side
the preponderance of opinion lay the minority
coincided. This is, indeed, hopeful sign for
the Players League. and sign that does to
great extent falsify the oft-repeated statement
that the new magnates will never be able to
agree If that give-and-take spirit which char
acterized Wednesdays meeting is sustained in
future there need be no fear of the Players
League meetings. If we each want our own
way and mean to have we'll get no way at all.
So far we must admit the officials of the Play
ers' League have kept clear of this ruInous
course.
John Nj. Ward.
In the report of the Players League game at
Boston Thursday there was statement to the
effect that although the ground was bad
Ward did some brilliant fielding and good
stick work" Now, in this little sentence there
is much to think of because as far as Mr..
Ward is concerned it means a great deal.
What want to point out is the fact that dur
ing the entire winter Mr. Ward has been pass
ing through the most exhausting ordeal that
man could well contend against. Since the
close of last baseball season he has been
under the severest mental strain. Day and
night he has been ignoring rest and racking
his brain to discover ways and means to
thwart the efforts of those who were endeavor-
ing to stop himself and colleagues in their
work. During all the excitement of founding
a new organization and all the worrlment and
weary heartaches of legal battles truly Mr..
Wards mental anxiety must have been very
great indeed. He was the target at which all
arrows were leveled; he was the Phi]istine
that other tribes were trying to capture He
defeated all. Well, after all the turmoil and
mental and physical work of the winter, is it
not remarkable to find John NJ. Ward on the
ball field before winter is hardly over playing
bali as brilliant as ever? think tits. Ii there
is one thing more than another that will be
in connection with the famous
baseball struggle l think it will be the work
and achievements of John NJ. Ward. In many
respects he is a remarkable man. He has ira
ducers just as had our great example nearly
!. 900 years ago. But fail to see anything of a
public character in John NJ. Ward that is not
worthy of admiration. His courage, intelli-
gence and zeal are worthy the consideration
and emulation of every baseball player in the
country.