The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-22


the limit. Ward is now getting $3.50 a
month Spokane cannot very well pay
more than $l25. st. Paul can pay him
$500. When one of the major league clubs
calls for a player in one of the minor
leagues and pays the amount specified in
the minor leagues agreement with the
national board, the club must allow that
player to go if he is willing to go. There
is no doubt that Ward will take the st.
Paul offer. as it means much better
salary for him.
The decision of the national board is as
follows:
IN RE RESERVED PLAYERS OF NORTHWEST PACIFIC
LEAGUE.
The national board recently decided that
Messrs. Van Zandt. stephens and others having
been duly reserved for the season oil 1891 by the
Tacoma and other baseball clubs, members OF
the Northwest Pacific League, under the pro-
lection OF the national agreement could not
lawfully play with any other club or clubs
within the Jurisdiction OF said national agree
ment A communication in the nature OF an
appeal has been received from John j. None,
esq, president of the California Baseball League.
with the clubs OF which league said players are
now under contract for the current season, pro-
testing against the decision of the board as
being ex parte and without notice TO the Cali
fornia League.
] do not regard our action as ex parte. We
had then no Jurisdiction over the California
League and could not enforce our Gecrees
against IL, but we had the statements Of the
players. OF Mr. W. s. Lucas and Mr.. Chamber
lain in opposition to the claims OF the Tacoma
club, and as they seem TO be the only parties
that know anything about that side OF the case,
cannot see how Mr.. None, or other officials OF
the California League, can submit any corrobor-
alive or other testimony stronger than that OF
the active participants In the matter.
But Mr.. None and the California League are
entitled TO our reasons for our conclusions ana
to show us cause-if such exist-for rehearing
of the cause
Mr. Van Zandt and Mr.. Stephens claimed that
their preliminary negotiations with the Tacoma
club were through r. w. Chamberlain, OF
Burlington, Ia, who, in response to their con-
dition that they should not be reserved for 1881,
assured them that they would not be reserved.
In reply 70 this Mr.. W. B. Bushnell, president
OF the Pacific Northwest League, submits proofs
that the engagement of Mr.. Chamberlain as the
agent oil the Tacoma club was by telegram
dictated by Bushnell, which specially precribed
that the contracts must carry reservation with
them. This limited the agency and authority OF
Mr. Chamberlain, and II he exceeded them the
club was not bound thereby. But this is i'm
material, for the players subsequently, on Au-
gust s, $780, signed regular national agreement
contracts, which they knew carried with them
the right OF reservation, and they thus waived
any inconsistent conditions which they may
have formerly desired to impose.
But Mr.. Van Zandt submits what he calls tire
lease from reservation dated August %, $780,
signed by "w. III. Lucas" then manager of the
Tacoma club" which purports TO "waive all
rights to reserve said Richard Van Zandt for the
ensuing season."
In reply to this the Tacoma club produces
sworn testimony to the effect that early in Au-
gust, 1890. Manager Lucas had approached play
under contract with the Tacoma club with
proposition that il the said players would agree
to go with him to any other club he might man
age in 1891, that be lucas would release said
players from reservation.
That this proposition was revealed to the pres
dent OF the club, who at once notified every
player on the team, including Van Zandt and
Stephens, that no release from contract or reser-
Walton would be valid unless signed by him
the president-or one Of the directors OF the
club.
That this was so thoroughly understood by
Manager Lucas and all the players is evident
from the fact that ali that were released there
after during the season were furnished by Man
ager Lucas with releases signed by the president
or director, and that when Lucas wanted TO
release player he came to the president for a
written order for such release.
The so-called release" of Van Zandt from res
ervation signed by Lucas, delivered on its date,
August -, $50 (Which is suspicious, consider
ing how unnecessary it was to release from res
ervation so long before the end OF the playing
season., in view of the notice to all the players
that no such authority was possessed by Mr..
Lucas, was absolutely null and void
As a consequence, said players were and are
under lawful reservation by the Tacoma club,
and must be returned to it before the clubs of
the California League employing them can be
admitted TO the protection OF the national sgree-
ment.
Unless good and sufficient cause for rehear-
ing OF the case can be shown Us, l can see no
reason for change of the opinion upon the is
sues and proofs already submitted and eonsid-
cred y. K. IoUSG, Chairman.
JSo. l. ROGERS,
L. {. kRAUTRoFF, per y. z. \.
National Board.
Accompanying the decision was the fol-
lowing notation by Chairman Young:
We have sent a copy OF this letter TO President
None, of the California League You can now
readily understand why we could not control an
association that was not within tle national
agreement have spent many restless night
.&.x~ tn SOlt "a