Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-02-01

themselves hAAnOnA NofEfAhn- EahN-
fers VIII Cease to BE an Evil.
The new national agreement has en-
tirely altered the status Of minor league
clubs which were formerly subscribers 10
the qualified articles Of admission TO the
benefits Of the old agreement. The minor
league clubs have some Of their privileges
taken away from them-at least they are
curtailed-and the rising young minor
league player has a field opened up to him
that he has never before had a chance Of
entering, except at times when only those
who had proved themselves phenOmenons
had any show, and even they were handi-
capped. Under the new order Of things
the brilliant young player is apt TO he
called az any time 20 a higher field Of en-
deavor, and every time such a call comes
he is to get an increase in salary, and is
placed in a position where the increase Is
quite sure % be "A substantial one.
To be sure. II Is "A system where the big
fish will gobble up the best worms, but
they cannot do 50 without the consent Of
the national board, and then they must
prove that DC Is "A case Of necessity. The
transfer cannot take place without the free
consent Of the player.
To illustrate this point: 4 major league
club which has one Of b., important play
ers disabled by "a sudden Incident can pick
out some player Iu one 81 the minor league
club who has shown special excellence in
the position where the ylraugs occurs, and
apply To- the national board for uI- ~erN.
ices. u the board believes that the cmvr-
geucy is a real one, and not a ~I1terfuce
TO get a brilliant player at the expense Of
FEa other ..rH- HH will rHnHH the Ha
quest. and the club desiring the player
m a pay 20 his club q certain sum that d.
specified by the boari Tor that grade. This
/, the method 70 Doe enforced during the
PLAYING season. At other times the clubs
can. 81 they can make terms with ttJ
player, take him without going u The
board by paying the graded compensation
for the damage inflicted on the club from
which the player come,
o. will be seen where the alvantayr 90
the player comes in. Hardly a season
passes in which nearly all the clubs do not
run short Of players ia certain positions.
Their sore need becomes the opportunity
Of the minor league player. Under the old
rules the manager Of his club was so rapa-
cious about release money that the big
club, rather than be bilked, got along as
best il could. The chance for the young
ster passed. and AZ the end Of the season
the big club ceased 70 want him. The op-
portunity 10 show that he was capable Of
holding his own in faster cOi-pany was
gone. Now his manager has no option, II
the board says 50, and must release him at
the fixed price which any club u higher
grade can afford 70 pay. The young player
demonstrates his fitness and his speed IL
he have them, and although the man dis
placed may resume his work the young-ter
has shown his mettlr. aud j. pretty sure 70
b. kept Ina higher class company AZ an in
creased salary.
The board will fix before the opening Of
the season the grades 81 all the minor
league. and a. new ones enter they will he
classified according % worth. The board
will prescribe what rates each league must
pay for IT,, privileges, il umpirrs, and also
make a salary limit, violation Of which
will be punished by severe penalties. These
penalties will BE- enforced by the power
which the board can evoke among the
national agreement clubs.
The higher grade leagues aud the malUr
leagues will reap a good tal of advantage
from these rule, inasmuch a. they will ~
able TO recruit their ranks at reasonable
expense. and the knowledge Of that fast
will act a. a stimulus upon the star players
% attend % their work and earn their sal
aries, because they will know that their
employers can 60 out at almost ANY time
and find young men 10 ill their places IL
necessary.
Among the great evils that players
have met with among the minor leagues in
preyiou, years have been the loss 90 salary
and the minor league schem, Cd. saving
money 10y filming players for trivial or al
legged OTenses. Heretofore the board Of
arbitration has moved 80 slowly, and the
expense and trouble To obtain redress has
been so great. hat hundreds Of players
have been Obliged % suffer ia silence.
Hereafter this system Of robbing players
will be- dead. \ player has only To present
his wrongs in writing 10 the national board
and his case will receive immediate stten-
ton. and IL worthy will lie followed almost
Immediately by relief. No player neel lose
over fifteen days pay, save by his own cleo
tiOn, a. ina such a case the board Is, on
proof, imperatively ordered TO grant his
release.
There can be- no question that the new
national agreement il "A blessing % all
young players not in major leagues, and
that b. amply protects the rights Of the
high grade men a. well.
In regard 20 major league players the
sales system, 30 called, has not been abOl-
ished, and there Is nothing 10 prevent any
club releasing a player for a consideration.
The carrying out OF the arrangement. is
left entirely 10 the player himself If he j.
willing 20 ~, he need nOJ consent until he
has been satisfied that he will he a sub
stantial gamer by so doing. II he is not
willing % go to the club that wants him
he need not do so. and should his refusal
be followed by any coercion, either direct
or indirect. he has only to apply 10 the
national board. and prove his ease by
either direct or circumstantial evidence 10
obtain fair treatment, and the club ad-
judged guilty OF coercion will be severely
penalized.
Under such rules IL will be seen that the
player has an opportunity 10 better him
self that was never before accorded 10 him,
and IL the rules are upheld the transfer Of
players will cease 10 be an evil OF course
the whole thing depends upon the good
faith Of the magnates and the board APP
pointed to enforce the rules and do Justice