Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-08
COwardly Features Of the Work of
Association Leaders in the
Baseball Disruption,
MARK BALDWIN'S CASE ARGUED.
Some Sensible Resolves Made BY the League
hagnateS at Their Recent New
York Meeting.
TIE ScULLERS COMING OUT AGAIN.
Gin Esn's Latest otsr to Fight Any Of u, Middle
Weight PuglistS.

before quiet once more reigus. Quite new
phase has been introduced into the ruinous
and addle-pated policy of the Association
anarchists. Arresting a player for trying to
sign others is an entirely new feature aud a
decidedly despicable one. Its newness at
this turn OF the road makes it exceedingly
Interesting, and there Will be considerable to
learn from the outcome of Mark Baldwin's
arrest, that is if il ever gets to a trial.
Of course, nobody need be surprised at what
person like Won der Abe will do. His
entire connection with baseball has been
only to tarnish its fame by methods abso-
lutsly prompted by ignorance, stupidity
and selfshness. He has ever been disturb
ing element, and public sentiment long ere
now ought to have severed him from base
bali entirely. But the arrest of Mark Bald
win. even if it goes no further than ii has
done, most assuredlv shows Won der Abe
and his fellow Anarchists TO be the
rankest kind of ours. A little conflict
among parties now and again often does
good as 1t sometimes imports activity into
almost torpid bodies. When that is the
case and the little explosion tends to purify
the atmosphere see lots of fun and good
in it. But like to see 4 man fight fair,
and when a man is arrested tor simply try
SHg to secure the services of another man,
who, it is claimed, is not legally bound, by
contract to anybody, the act is one of the
lowest kind of coward -. Let us assume
that Baldwin did try and induce King and
others o. Won der Ahe's plL Lyers. Baldwin
is convinced that contracts made with Asso-
citation clubs prior to the lump" of that
body are invalid Believing this he would
naturally 90 and talk business to those
whom be thought II Irth securing. Now
what was there in this worthy of arrest?
Nothing at all. II the contracts were legal and
binding and One Dear Goose could prove it.
why that would end il. anu he certainly could
have all of his players. But 1t has ever been
the feature of towards in a conflict TO have
their opponents knocked down by policemen.
Association Cowardice.
Ihave never read, nor have l ever heard OF a
crusade. conflict OF sQuabbe OF any kind the
oIshonorabeness and cowardlness of which
anything like equals the part now being played
by the American Association. We all know
that only week or two ago the rampant IA
natics who make up that organization came
rushing before the Dublic with black flags. red
Gags and all kinds of flags that meant gore and
war to the knife against the National League.
They sought no quarter, nor did they ask any.
the League was going to be pulverized, razed
70 as foundation and deposed And all this
was extremely edifyIng TO those whose most
indeed, almost all .hese persons declared in
public print that the Association was on top
ana would certainly down the League" II was
expected thai all this hurrah and blusue: would
influence the players and that they would rush
once more to the side Of the rebels But there
was huge disappointment. The players had
learned something from the experience of las
year and rebellion was the very thing they
didn't want. So much was this the facI that
many of them who had already signed con-
tracts declared they had been dishOnorably
rs led and . n hFa
business as far as these questionable contracts
were concerned. Besides this. didn't the Asso-
citation and the general supporters of
srchy declare that any number Of League
players Ouid join them? d dn't Won Darned
Ass commence by pllfering hlingman from
Ciacinnat7 Didn't Muddle-AH Kelly and
Arctic Irwin commence by rushing through
the country. trying to catch anv Leagu, player
that could be laid hands or? We all know that
ell tins is true, and we all know that these men,
with mildewed brains, made an absolute fail
ure in their selflmposed tasks. Players would
not respond to them. They were miserahly fooled
aud became the laughing stock OF the country.
Then what followed? Why they at once
turned around like the little puffed-up aggres-
Eor who is KuOCkeG down by a blg opponent
and said: why 1t ISN'T talr for you 10 prevent
my hitting you.' The very policy that Won
der Ahe and his other ought-be-caged associates
set out with, to knock the League to smith
Greens. is the very policy that they are now
declaring 10 be unfair WINS Because that
policy failed in their han DIS. They repudiate it
now because il wasn't su CCessful and although
introduced by themselves they now whine ont
70 the public that il is unfair. Cowards Of the
deepest dye. DIsrupters of the most unquall-
aed kind. Enemies of the national game of
the rsnNest mixture.
Duty of the Public.
Bat this little despcahle effort on the part Of
q few fanatical people ought not at all to have
any depressing effect on the national game.
That II should have is the sincere wish OF few
men who daily declare themselves against
ed ha I4nau
tajnly il shouldn't have and it becomes the
duty OF the public 10 see that it does not have.
have carefully considered every feature of
this present dispute and for the life of me
Esil to see the least speck Of justification for
the conduct Ct the American Association.
There has not been one argument advanced in
favor OF that action that is worthy of notice.
say this after due deliberation. This being
the case the public ouC ChL to put its foot down
emphatcally on all IhIS nonsense and give
10 COgulzance whatever 10 those anarchlstic
leaders or their supporters. As that veteran au-
thurity on baseball matters Mr.. Chadwick
very wisely aud appropriately says, these char
actors who are continually causing strife ought
20 bC severed from baseball entirely. The public
can do that. and l trust it will: indeed l am
fully persuaded that the time is not far distant
when, me-ap phoTiCally speaking, the rope that
Won der Ale and others are now making will
aIEg them ali Comnietely. Taey cknno- ruin
the League. Like alcs the body of an ele-
rLlnI they may be Troublesome for time but
crushed.
The League Meeting.
The meeting OF the National League held in
New York during the week was a little livelier
than the usual gatherings of the kind, but it
may be satisfactory to know that everything
was finished up all right At least we are told
shat all ended we'll Two important questions
were dealt with viz, the division of receipts
and the Cincinnati question. As a rule have
much fault 10 find wlth the deliberations of
baseball meetings, but il this instance heartily
indorse the conclusions arrived at regarding the
TWO questions above referred 10. 1t would
nave probably been good stroke of policy hao
she League decided to divide the receipts
equally that is to have allowed the home club
% per cent and the visiting club the other half
But am induced to think that the plan adopted |
is even better than the one l have Just referred
20. don't think the League could have done
better than resolve to establish a contingent
1und, that is II that fund Is to be used for the
defense and welfare Of the League and
the interest OF baseball generally. |
Experience has proven and present |
C.rCEuIs-.u ces, and also proving that a fund OF
this EILu Is Absolutely necessary. The arrange /
meut is that the home clubs will each geI % |
per cent OF the receipts; the visiting clubs each
40 per cent and 10 per cent viii go to the fund.
This means that IN time the League will have a |
good and strong fund to protect itself against |
The Vaccinations of such people as are now |
trying TO ruin it and baseball generally. 1t also |
means that a club IA the League that meets |
with dire difHcGl Glties of q temporary nature |
be assisted don't know whether or not such |
Is The object OF the fund, but it certainly ought |
10 be. II the mission of tne fund is such as ! /
have indicated then 1t will be of great use in l
deed and Ks existence VIII act asa deterrent TO |
I'll chose wOHld-he laaIaudeTs. Il every branch /
OF business q CuntI. .-rHCy 'C emergency fund |
Is a vefy useful thing indeed. Its good effects /
cannot be summed up in a summary manner,
l,tIa . he n