Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-24
Benefit of the Decision of Judge Max
well Regarding the Reilly
Injunction Case.
GOOD LOCAL. TEAM PROSPECTS.
4 Few Opinions Regarding the Glove
Affair Between Peter Jackson
and Jim Ccrbett.
THEIR FIGHT ONLY A VERY POOR ONE
Bowen and Myers Fizle, Among the New Orleans
Patrons Of the Ring and Other Matters.

Judge Maxwell in the Reilly case. Pitts.
burg, of course, has been particularly inter-
ested in the matter, which made it of more
importance here probably than anywhere
else, but the case is certainly one of ma
tional character and proves quite a number
Of things. Ihave often thought that base
ball is a very strange business, for business
1t is, and the strangest part of it has ever
been the signing Of contracts by those inter
eSted in it. When it comes down to sign
ing contract TO perform certain amount
of work for a certain amount of pay it is
purely a business transaction between the
wage worker and the wage payer. This fea-
ture has almost at all times led very great
number of people to believe that the ball
player would always get the worst in the
contract signing, but here we have another
proof of the fact that in almost every in
stance the law is on the side of the player
! am very glad that the Cincinnati court
decided as it did; not because the de-
cision allowed Reilly to remain
here, but because l am fully
persuaded that the Association magnates, as
we term them, tried the boldest piece of de-
ceiving that has taken place for long time
in any business. There is no doubt at all in
my mind as to what the intentions of the
Association magnates were from the first
They tried, and very cunningly at that, to
hoodwink every player they could lay hands
on into becoming q member of their forces
which they knew would soon become kind
Of rebel force. In other words, while thev
were conspiring to become baseball out
laws they were in very questionable and
in a very clandestine way decoving ball
players into their ranks. BIe they over
stepped themselves as the decision in the
Reilly case fully proves. And this case, at
any rate, shows that the civil law will pro-
tect a bali player against the very unfair
machlnatio1S of any organization of schem-
ers. Mark, 1 don't mean to say that all
gentlemen interested in baseball affairs are
schemers; but do say that all the Associa-
ton magnates were Schemers when they
signed players with the full knowledge that
they were about to deprive these players of
the benefits of the national agreement.
Good Effects of the Case.
The way in which the Reilly case was set
tied as pronounced upon was of great i'm
portance to me because from the day that
the Association turned its back on the ma
tiOnal agreement urged that every player
in 1t who had been signed under the old
form of contract was at liberty to go where
he pleased. l argued this question fully at
the time, and President kramer tried to
show how the contracts of the players were
Just as binding as ever. But common sense
pointed otherwise, and had the contracts
been binding it would simply have meant
that bali players were completely at the
mercy of those people whom we call mag
mates. The condition of affairs was simply
this: A number of the most pronounced
disrupters that have ever disgraced baseball
resolved that they would break away from
all the rules and obligations that have bound
baseball into something like a national
body. When this resolve was made they
kept it quiet and set out to sign every good
player they could lay hands on. These
players signed contracts in the belief that
they were as usual to have the benefits and
protection of the national agreement. But
as soon as the step of revolt was taken
the players, that is the intelligent part of
them, discovered that they had been misera-
bly, deceived. They found out that not only |
were they to be deprived of the benefits of |
the national agreement, but they were to be |
parties in another baseball conflict, and a |
conflict that they did not want. When this |
step was taken by the Association, l at |
once urged that they had no claim on anv |
player whom they had signed under ordinary |
l maintained that neither |
morally or legally could any player be held |
by the Association after its departure from |
national agreement regulations. / was so |
much impressed with the truth and fairness |
Of this, that 1 helped to convince some |
PLAYERS that it was to their advantage to |
wash their hands entirely of such scheming |
people as those who were Fastening |
the Association to its death. Well, |
as result, it has been |
shown that baseball magnates cannot have a |
one-sided contract with ball players; they |
cannot have a contract which is to be enl-
phatically binding on the player while they
can change it or ignore part of it at will
This is a great benefit to the players, and
every ball player in the Association will do
we'll to consider the matter. The de-
cision also tends, ought to tend toward
closing the mouths of those who have been
ibusing Reilly, Baldwin and others as al
eged contract jumpers. In all respects
,hese players acted within their own right,
Ind the law has vindicated them in rebelling
against the doubledeaiing and unfair
methods Of the Association moguls trust |
hat the case and its results will be instru-
mental in teaching that hoodwinking in
baseball affairs is just as illegal and dis
honest in the eyes of the law as dishonest
dealings in any other branch of business.
Cases of this kind will ultimately point out
he great necessity of people interested in
baseball having contracts that the law will
Sooner such contracts were in
lse the better for all parties.
The Local Team.
None Of us can find much fault with the
ocal team now. Surely they have been
loing well and the complaints that many
people had to make week or so ago cannot
,e listened to as complaints now. More |
han once 1 hayespointed out the wisdom of
our grumblings until we could
plainly see that our team was failure,
But we have seen that our team is not a |
allure by any means and We have good
eason to believe that our players will
eventually do just as well as the players of
NY other team. During the last few days
he local players have done very well and
till it is reasonable to say they will do
much better Just as soon as they get thor
ughlv settled down. Miller has demon
trated the fact that he can play short in |
cry brilliant stylo and he has also shown
hat he can make some very awful mistakes.
But 1t is only fair TO expect that as the
eason goes on he will become less addicted |
o error-making 1t he does not we may
oncludc that practice does not always tend
0 perfection. Miller is new to his position
nd surely as be becomes more accustomed
Q it he will improve in his playing of it.
his would, or ought to, prompt us to have
little patience and for thepresent look with |
spirit of generosity on any mistakes that /
lay be made either by Miller or anybody /
lse.
Changes in the Team. !
The public has little idea of the scores of i
lCgesttOns the management of a hall team | n