Morning journal and courier., 1891-02-27
THE BASE BALL WORLD.

a State League-Base Ball Notes.
The war between the American associa- |
Jon and the National league goes merrily |
IN and the base ball world is once more |
IN state of turmoil and unrest such as
destroyed the interest of so many lovers
Of the sport last season. The effect OF
the Associations secession from the
National agreement upon the national
game must necessarily be important and
The war will amount to
little SO far as effect upon the public is
inasmuch as it will not involve
conflicts, except in two, or possibly three,
cities. There is, therefore, nothing to
divide, confuse and disgust the public.
The manifestation of the war will be the
increased cost of conducting the game,
and the burden of that will fall upon the
capitalists, the players beneftting in in
verse ratio.
In the meantime the magnates of both
organizations are busy signing each others
players, notwithstanding the fact that the
Association clubs have sent out dispatches
to the effect that they will respect all con-
tracts, and not make any attempt to sign
player under contract to League club.
President Byrne of the Brooklyn club, ex-
presses his views upon the situation as fol-
lows:
At the Fifth avenue hotel last month
the Association instructed it's president to
sign the new national agreement. By that
act the Association entered into contract
with the National league and Western as
ISOLATION. 1t has now broken that con-
tract and broken faith with the ball play
ers it has signed. These players were
signed under false. pretences. They were
led to believe that by signing Association
contracts that would be under the nation
afThefefore they signed con-
tracts under certain conditions, and the
Association. has broken them The at
tempt is made to drag the players without
their consent outside the national agree
ment, where, by playing ball with other
clubs in that organization, they render
themselves ineligible to play in national
agreement clubs until their cases are con-
sidered. There are many players who
never would have signed with the Associa-
ton had they not thought they were to
play under the national agreement. By
violating its contract it is the opinion that
the Association has lost all claim to players
whom it has already under contract
The signing of the Association players
by the league is justified by j. Walter
Spaulding of the New York club in the
following strong language:
The American association has broken
the national agreement, and consequently
its contract to stick by the League and
Western association. By virtue of the ma
tional agreement the Association clubs
were enabled to sign all their old players
that were compelled to return to them on
account of the reserve rule In the con-
tracts signed by those players it is stipu-
lated that they shall play under the pro
lection of the national agreement,
but as the American association has brok-
en- the national agreement those contracts
are void.
Now, while I would not go and ask
these players to sign with me, if any OF
them came to me to be signed should
feel justified in securing their signatures
They certainly have rights and they can.
not be made to do something that is dis
tasteful to them. 1t is the ambition OF
every ball player to get into the National
league, and now that the Association play
ers have chance to do SO they are making
the best Of their opportunities.
Notwithstanding the break made by the
American association all other parties tt
the national agreement will stand by thai
compact and endeavor to keep its provi
sions in force.
Locally there is very little new or start
ling in the base ball arena. The circuit Of
the International league has been practical
ly completed and base ball during the pres
emit season thereby assured. None of the
players of the local team have as yet, how
ever, affixed their names to contract fol
| this season, and much surprise is expressed
by local enthusiasts that no attempt ha.
thus far been made to sign them. With
the first game of the season only little
over month away it would seem to the
average person as though some steps
should be taken by the management to
ward securing team able to hold its owr
with the other members of the league. Al
no time in the history of~the sport in this
city has there been SO much enthusiasm
among the lovers of the game as there is q,
the present time. Knots of men every.
where, on the corners, in the houses and
in the street cars, are all talking base ball
and everyone prophesies most prosper
GUS season.
The base ball fever has also extended
through the state, and there is now good
prospect of a state ball league to include
Bridgeport, Hartford, Waterbury, New
London, Norwich, Danbury, New Haven.
South Norwalk and Meriden. A meeting
has been called to meet at the Tontine ho-
tel next Wednesday at $50 o'clock, and
representatives of each city named will be
present. Bridgeport citizens have already
guaranteed the amount necessary to carry
club through the season, and Barnum's
circus grounds near the winter quarters OF
Barnum & Bailey's great show can be Sc.
cured. fine field at Seaside park is also
available. AS soon as the matter is decided
the work of erecting fences and a grand
stand will be commenced.
Doran Signs With Louisville.