The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-18
BASEBALL MATTERS.
President Bushnell Confident OF
Securing Dick Van Zant.

W. B. Bushnell, Tacoma capitalist. who
presides over the destinies of the baseball
| club in that city, and who has been dele
| gated to bear the olive branch to the gentle
man who manages the national game IN
| California, arrived III this city yesterday.
| Mr.. BushnelPs coming has been heralded
| by local and northwestern newspapers, but
his arrival has proved disappointing. 1t
| was supposed he would come down breath
| ing vengeance against the local managers,
| but it was discovered he is very pacific
gentleman, who believes his side of the base
ball controversy to be the one of reason and
| right and he appears thoroughly satisfied
| on one point-that his side will achieve
| victory.
Mr. Bushnell naturally seems to be more
solicitors about the affairs of the Tacoma
Club than of the other teams In the North
| western League, and consequently mani
| tests more concern over the disposition OF
| Dick Van Zant's case. Still, one obJert OF
| his visit is to investigate the circumstances
| of the assertions of all the Northwestern
players, and he states be will attend TO the
affairs of the other Northern teams equally
| as well as his own.
| Concerning the Van Zant case Mr.. Bush
| nell said: We all like that boy Van Zant
in Tacoma, not only as ball-player, but on
account of his behavior generally, and we
| should be 10th to part with him. don't
| think we'll be forced to let him go, but il
| this dispute goes against us of course Ia
| coma will be forced to secure another third
| paseman. From my way OF looking at this
| trouble, however, l cannot perceive how he
| can play elsewhere than in the Northern
city. In the first place L have with
natures of both the player and
myself. In that document Van Zant
agrees to play with the Tacoma team for
certain portion of the season Of 1890, and
| furthermore binds himself TO abide by the
| reSerVing clause which gives our club the
| claim ON his services for 1891. understand
| there has been considerable correspondence
| and gossip about the way Van Zant was
| signed. All | know personally about the
matter is that the young man came to
| Tacoma, and after his arrival signed con-
! tract with me. | knew nothing about the
| alleged exemption from reservation. When
we signed the men of Van ZantS caliber we
| were paying rather high prices for their
| services, and we would not have made such
| OUTLAWS had we suspected the men would
| have raised objections to our right of reser-
| Walton. | have brought down with me the
! contract Van Zant signed last year. and 1t
| will show on its face that we have first
| claim on him for this year. The contract
reserves him to the Tacoma Club for the
| season Of 1881"
| When asked if he intended to pay the
| player the same amount of money this year
that had been paid last season, Mr.. Bush
Hell dltiHIIItu tltlI Il lOHtt od4dlS uoSu
| rendered Van Zant. lie was asked if he
considered it equitable to sign player for
| $50 per month for 1880 and force him to
| play for less amount during 1891. The
| Tacoma gentleman answered the question
by quoting n. E. Young's decision, which
stated that If contracts calling for 500 per
| month were offered the players they could
be reserved. Mr.. Bushnell seemed to place
| great faith in President Young's decision
| aud believed it settled many of the issues of
the controversy. He will hold confer ence
| with Messrs None and Harris tU-day.