Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-01-26
II GO,VNO OR LOSE
Ward Says Injunctions Won't
Stop The Players League.
WHAT HE DUILDS ITS HOPES on.

the Brotherhood Men and Tells why
some Salaries to Players and Good
Profits tn hackers.
swim or lose" says John NJ Ward, "the
Players league will 20 ahead in 1870"
Mr.. Ward referred to the great injunc-
ton suit, the decision Of which is now pend
ing. What he meant was that the new
league would start with or without the men
who PLAYED last season with the National
league. The presumption is that should il be
without them they would come TO the Play
ers' league in 1871.
IL this decision on the part Of the leaders Of
the Brotherhood league, as announced by
Mr.. Wara, l. honest, IL indicates a confidence
In the success Of the new movement, not only
on the part u the players, but on the part OF
the hackers as well, that is remarkable in
view Of their own arguments, upon which
they base their chance for success
This letter is tor the purpose OF presenting
the main points upon which the Brotherhood
depend for sacress in the hattie with their
old employers, If they make it. 1t is written
at the request OF several correspondents. who
nofN ~ ~ aANf u sui VI lAit DIOlu-
erhood side Of the question.
The players are sanguine of success. and so
are the gentlemen who are aiding them with
money. They believe that ball players draw
the public like star act1rs-by their indiviiu-
atty more than by tie merits OF the game
which they present,
They argue that the baseball patrons do
not care a plcayune for A. q. Spalding, A.
h Soden, John B. Day and other baseball
club owners. They believe that the players
Of the National league and certain stars Of
the American as ~"iation, as being the most
skilled men in III profession, will draw the
public to the excl sion Of any teams hat can
be organized by ne said A. @. Spalding, A.
II. Soon, j. y Day and others. They be-
lieve that il wi take the old League so long
10 educate men 10 TAX their places and they
will have lost 80 much money in the opera
tion hat the id League will retire from the
business in disgust, leaving the field clear for
the Players league, II is this abiding faith
Of the players that they are the attraction
individually which forms the basis OF their
hope Of sucCcss.
The players at the start counted very large
IL upon the sympathy Of the public in the
Wv NV hflfNRAglF ltNtift GU
from the magnates. During the past two
months this position has been directly va
Gated, although indirectly they expect that
sympathy for them will prove a big factor
in their success, and their supporters and
agents have been engaged in getting labor
organizations TO express this sympathy now
by resolutions, and they expect that the la
boring men - 'rywhere will express their
sympathy Ia ths summer by hard cash in
the form OF flfty cent admission fees.
The Brotherhood men justify iheir seces-
sion on the ground that the National league
has taken advantage of them for years and
abused them by oppressive rules, and in a
majority Of cases by forcing them to play
for salaries inadequate TO the measure their
ability and the profits derived from the
game. And Us a final clincher they bring
forth the maxim that every man has q right
10 60 into business for himself whenever he
desires TO do SO.
The players think that the arrangements
for distribution Of profits and the chance IL
holds out for them u share in the product Of
their labor will cause them 10 play such fine
bail that no opposition can, by any possibil.
ity, touch them, and hence they will attract
oi VI NN' PAU 'sAaeT fttAA aA"hNH k'F-
the best ball is played, and this class, together
with personal admirers aud sympathizers,
viii make the game a mint.
The prospect for the player is an alluring
one II all tLee rosy calculations come out
right. The FIRST s2.jOO Of profit over and
above all expenses will go 10 a prize fund Of
$4,000, frOiu which the players OF tie lead
ing teams Will draw down a share. Indeed,
il is understood that each team will get some.
thing Out Of this purse.
Then tue surplus Of profits over sl2, 200 in
each club wil 60 into a general pool, 10 he
diyidei equally among the 10 or - players
OF the league. IL will be- seen that should
tbs fund amount 10 $1,000, each player
would get about sl00, and that IL it should
amount to $4,000 each player would
get 500 Then the players who are
stockholders will get a splendid thing out Of
IL in case Of moderate success, even IL the
other players should get nothing at all. For
instance, Ell Hanlon has s4,ODO in took in
vested in the Pittsburg Brotherhood club.
Should that organization make tl2,5O0 In
profits, $3.50 would 20 TO the prize fund,
ami the balance beng divided among the
stockholders, Hanlon would get $1,000 as his
share, which added to his part Of whatever
prize money this team might get, his sala.y
OF 500 AMI his share of the players pool in
event Of success would give him a pretty
good thing.
IL will be seen that the player stockholders
would have "A map even with moderate sue.
cess, while ~ the event Of a great success all
the players would get something besides their
salary.
These are the Inducements that ave In.
fnenced the player 20 go into business FOE
bimself"-the well to do players because
they could be stockholders and double profit
sharers, the improvident players because
they might contingently be profit sharers;
and even VI they were not, they would rather
see the well 10 do players get the profits than
those whom once Ward told me nil ball play
crs considered their natural enemies"
meaning, Of course, the magnates who have
controlled baseball for the last fourteen years
The Brotherhood men argue that the de-
serters who have left their ranks will not be
Of any value to the league, because that
small section u the public patrons Of the
sport who mny attend the games Of the old
League will detest them, and will 10 deride
and taunt the men who have returned TO the
power Of the magnates that they will be I'M
able 10 play good hall They argue also that
the action OF these men will forfeit by their
desertion OF the Broth9hood the popularity
they have earned by skillful playing in the
uast.