The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1890-02-28
READY FOR THE SEASON.
SECRETARY BRUNNELL SENDS a LET.
TER TO The PLAYERS LEAGUE.
The National League Charged with At.
tempts ut Blufy. Bribery and Boycot-
ting-Mike Kelly 10 Loyal to ts:e Boys.

tempts ut Blun. Bribery and Boycot-
ting-Mike Kelly 10 Loyal to ts:e Boys.
CHICAGO, Feb. 26-The Times to-day pub
fishes the following letter, sent to the Play
ers' National league, by Secretary Brunnell:
The Players league is now ready to begin
the season with the strongest group OF eight
clubs ever gathered in one 0ase ball organic
cation. Its men have withstOod National
league bombs, beaten the ''old masters" in
the court, rejected huge bribes and defeated
National league plots There are l2O men,
Twelve OF the men who signed our contracts
have proved false and deserted to the enemy,
under the influence OF lies and bribes. Some
have repented and asked for chance to re-
turn. The players of the Players league will
pass upon their Iequest.
Our men have proven the falsity of the
old leagues declaration that ''every player
has his price" There is nothing in the way
of our thorough success. In alb ut u month
our playing season will Open 1t will be the
best season the national game has ever had.
Thousands of people who have in the past
taken little or no interest in base ball have
become attracted to it by our c,ean and con-
sistent struggle for liberty and by the un-
American tactics of the old masters. The
American people have no sympathy with
bluff, bribery OF boycotting. The National
leagues current threats need only 10 he
sized up with those Of the past to cause
laughter.
The old league declared that our players
would never ieave the old organization.
They did. 1t said our League would never be
organized. 1t stands proudly i'll place to-
day. 1t said our business associates would
put up no money. They have stood every
test. 1t said the cour,s would hold our men
to slavish contracts The courts endorsed
us. Its men now declare that the courts
Will decide against us and talk of bombs and
surprises What else can they dOg Their
with their early winter claim that there
was no money i'll base ball. Yet the National
league are Offering double the salaries which
in 1889 they declared were ruinous!
We are glad to see our business competi-
tors making those wild offers 1t only JUS
TIL our present position anu shows the
unscruI ulous and unprincipled nature of
men with HON we have had to deal. They
would blacklist a man who broke rontraet
w6Tt6 81 coi yst 5hsy brasenly
offered fabulotik kagibes To induce our men to
desert us. Is there any moral difference in
breaking contract with us and with them3
1t is very important that all offers from
the bribers go before the public through the
newspapers. Please see that they are fully
exposed if they attempt to bribe you.
Mike Will Be True to the Boys.
New YORK, Feb. 26-The Sum- in it's sport
ing extra, says that Mike Kelly has been
offered $4,000 by President Spalding to join
the Chicago League club this season. In ad
dition to this amount Kelly was to receive
$4,000 for his services. In an interview,
Kelly said: II have gone ont 18th the boys
and I'll stick to them. l haven't much
money and this would be small fortune to
me, but my family would sooner see mo
without dollar than to take this money to
60 back on my word"