Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-08

| ~ Contracts run until No
| vember /, and it is gen.
orally considered hon
orable to abide by ones contract Whether the
few thousand dollars the league magnates
will save by breaking these contracts counter
balance the sacrifice Of principle involved is
| for the magnates themselves to decide They
have decided it, but it would not be at all sur
| prising II the public became SO disguised that
1t would let the game severely alone. OF
course the public has no concern in the bust
| ness arrangements between the ball clubs and
| the players. That is a private business matter
| But the public Is interested and concerned
| when the releases of certain players are pro-
mutgated and it is announced that such re-
leases are no releases in fact but subterfuges
| to save few thousand dollars. Base ball de-
ponds for its success on the amount Of local
| pride aroused In other words, every manager
| tries TO awaken deep interest in the team in
the town where 1t Ia located. To say, then,
| that 1t is not the public's business how that
team is treated by its employers is foolish.
| The public Is pretty certain to resent any I'M
| fair treatment of its favorites.
As announced in yesterdays STAR, the New
| Yorks have released Rusie. Fuller and Tier
nan. When, in the early part Of the season,
every club in the league cut down salaries,
Rusie, Herman and Fuller refused to accept
tic Cut pTOpOeeu ny the New lOrk manage
| ment 1t will be remembered that when Rusie
signed with the Chicago association team it
was for promised salary Of So 200, and when
he was forced to return to New York his salary
| came down to S. 100 Herman has a three
years contract, which does not expire till the
close of next season, aud it calls for about
$4,000 year. Fuller also gets about 50, 600 a
season. and when the cut came each man was
| asked to take a reduction of about $500. They
naturally refused and President Day informed
them at that time that in justice to the other
players they would be compelled to accept the
cut. none of the others having raised any OBJ
lection. They continued firm and President
Day resorted to the release method.
Mr.. Day admits that Rusie and Fuller have
played fine ball. and are entitled to every cent
that the club feels able to pay them. At the
same time he insists that the time has passed
for players to say what they will or will not do,
and the sooner they learn the lesson the better
for them.
As Ruse receives at the rate of over $500 per
month, and Fuller and Herman over 900 a
month, it can be seen that the club will take
about 800 from the players in question. As to
the question of the NewYork club losing the ser
vices OF the men for next season, Mr.. Day has
no apprehension on that point. BY reason Ut
the twelve-club organization the player is COM
pletelv at the mercy of the managers. and the
ball tossers must now take what is offered them
or not play at all. The announcement of the
release of the three players In question will not
prompt club in the country to raise a finger
and they will be compelled to sign with New
York next spring or retire from the business
This Is what is known "a release with q
string tied to it." Glasscock and Mullane we're
released In the same way. It's O release that
kicks man out of mis- place and prevents him
from getting another. No similar condition
exists in any other business 1t is known in
sporting circles as a ''freeze-out."
"While don't approve of the STEP" said an
official Of the New York club, ''yet it was found
necessary on account Of the falling off in at
tendance. Nearly every club in the league will
resort to the same tactics unless the men who
have signed contracts for next season agree to
reduction. Take my word for it, few players
will get over 80, 500 next year.
Little Fuller has played great ball for u.s."
lie continued, land it is pity to treat him thus
way, but it can't be helped"
Those writer's who have been trying to wreck
the consolidated league. claiming that it has
ruined base ball. evidently not aware that
eight clubs drew more people this year than
they did last year. A. G. Spaulding, who was
present during the recent league meeting, re-
ferring to the general situation, said:
Base ball Il not SO dead as many people seem
to think Interest in the game is all right, but
the trouble is expenses are SO high that the
club owners hardly know which way to turn
4 tuinh ~ Woulu Ue very unWlse 10 90 any tllng
but continue the twelve-club league. The
season was too long, but aside from shorten
ing 1t do not think any other changes neces-
sary."
1.-THE trouble with base ball." said A. J.
Reach. lis that the long fight between players
and managers. bringing the inside affairs of the
game before the public. has had the effect Of
turning away great many peopleA / think if
there IL no more experimenting and expenses
are put down 30 a business basis that in o year
or two the game will revive. Yes, rather like
the idea of western and esstern leagues, but
any change of that sort would have to be by
consent of all interested" Regarding two clubs
in Philadelphia, Mr.. Reach admitted that base
ball business was better than when only one
team played there.
1.-THE twelve. club league is not responsible
for the present condition Of base ball" said
President Robson of the Cleveland club.
This depression is the result of the accumu-
lated mistakes of years. 1 am confident that
there will be a twelve-club league for at least
three years to come"
"aad we divided the entire amount equally
between the two seasons, said President Young,
81 think we should have come out very nicely
We increased the usual 10 per cent assessment
to l21a per cent, but that was insufficient"
Reviewing the base ball season President
Hart said: THE only cities which show a falling
off in gate receipts are st. Louis, Chicago.
Boston and New York. The position st. Louis
occupies in the race explains why its patron
age has been SO small. Aside from Boston
the attendance at Chicago, st. Louis and New
York was about rs good a. the performances
OF their teams justified. While the attend
ance in two-thirds Of the league cities
has largely exceeded that Of last year. the
season has not been financial success in
more than two cities in the circuit Ex-
penses have been out Of ali proportion to the
income. In former years. under the old Ma
tional League laws, the visiting club was al
lowed SIs cents for each person entering the
grounds, this share to be guaranteed to reach
$50. Thus the big towns secured their at
fractions at trivial price, practically retaining
all their gross receipts, where they compelled
the smaller cities. where the attendance seldom
reached the ], 800 persons necessary to pay the
stipulated guarantee, to pay out more than they
could afford to- The big cities gave away about
one-tenth OF their receipts, but got about one
half Of those in the smaller towns Under this
system the big cities paid extrayagant salaries,
and these ate up all the profits. Now ali league
cities are on equal terms, gate receipts being
equally divided. Next year salaries will be re-
duced to their proper level. The teams win be
more evenly balanced than ever, and in q wear
or so the game win regain all its old-time
popularity"
The Bridegrooms had o walkover in the game
ct Brooklyn yesterday against Washington. At