Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-02
AFEW WORDS FROM STERN.
The Cincinnati Authority Talks About the
Brorherhood,s Immediate Prospects.


CINCINNATI, March ,1.-Secretary Harry
Stern is hardly out of his swaddling clothes as
baseball magnate, but he is a veteran as far
as enthusiasm and knowledge of the game
goes. In the old days, when the Reds were in
the League and before the American Associa-
ton was thought OF. Cincinnati's Secretary was
a man in good standing. He will represent the
local club at the League meeting at Cleveland
next week, for President Stern is booked to
remain in the West until April showers pre-
pare the way for May flowers.
at looks as if the League will go into the
fight with ten clubs" remarked the secretary
this morning. "Washington might be willing to
retire from the field, but there is no likelihood
of any other club stepping aside. / am conf
The League will win. If, however, am mis-
taken, 1 will wager all Pm worth that within
two years the Players League will move along
in identically the same line as that occupied by
folks talk a great deal about shattered
condolences and broken promises. One
of the strongest excuses made for the
revolt was the ten-day clause in the
detriment of single good player. Out OF the
IS men in our team we could feel safe in sign
ing Is of them with that clause stricken out
Didn't the Cincinnatis carry Elmer Smith for
two years after his usefulness had apparently
ceased? He was kept until late in the season
and was then willing to go. II MePhee Tor
instance, showed up poorly in the spring
games do you suppose that ten days clause
would lead to his Immediate retirement? Not
much. He would be kept In the hope that the
old times would come again. Broken
promises, indeed. Judge OBrien certainly
held that the League had an option
on their old players services for this season at
least. 1 do not rejoice in any ones troubles,
but it does do one little good to see some OF
the ringleaders in the revolt feel the keen knife
of the executoner thus early in the fight.
There's Jay Faatz, for example. and Morrill,.
Arthur Irwin can hear the bell tolling for him.
while Hanlon and Pfeffer are not very
far removed from back numbers. II
League contract equitable in common
law Is the abrogation Of the ten day
clause then 1t is easy to frame contract that
will held all around. would certainly favor
such an amendment. The Players League
will certainly have to break faith with their
men in the matter of three-year contracts or
they will bankrupt themselves within two sea-
sons No matter how successful team has
been. several new men must be signed in the
spring. The public demands new faces.
The Players League contracts to sign every
experiment picked up for season, and still
clinps to the old material instead Of IA men,
each club will have to carry along over 70 No
business men will do that, ana these misguided
players will find themselves IN fre just as hot
as ever the League frying pan has been. The
public won't rest content If they bar all other
talent out. and there will be but one of two
things to do-the old timers will have to bare
their throats to the knives OF the eXecutioner
or the whole fabric will drift into bankruptcy"
Cincinnati's little secretary has certainly
treated the great subject in a manner differing
from Others. He thinks that New York and
Chicago's players teams will do well, but that
the Boston, Philadelphia and Brooklyn League
teams carry poles that will knock the biggest
persImmons. .