Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-20
FIGHTING FOR CAMP,
The Seattle Baseball Author.
tiles Make a Very
Big Threat.
AN ATTORNEY ENGAGED.
President Temple Makes a Definite
Declaration to Players.
A VETERAN SPEAKS OF THE FIGHT
All the Gossip About the Minor and Big
Baseball Leagues.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS OF THE DAY

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO TIE DIsPATcH.l
SEATTLE, March 19-The case of Pitcher
Camp, a reserved player of the Seattle club,
who was signed by the Pittsburg National
League Club, will in all probability be taken
into the courts, as the League has practically
announced its intention not to interfere
The matter has been placed in the hands of
an attorney who will, if investigation war;
rants it, bring suit for breach of contract, to
recover the s., 600 paid by the Pacific
Northwest League last season to the Board
OF Control for protection under the national
agreement to which the National
League was one Of the principal
parties This action was determined
upon by the receipt yesterday of
a letter by W. E Rockwell, President of
the Pacific Northwest League, from n. E.
Young, President of the National League,
ard a member of the new national board
which looks after the enforcement of the
provisions of the new agreement adopted at
the League meeting held in New York on
March p Mr. Rockwell wrote Mr.. Young
several weeks ago fully about Camps case,
aud received q brief reply stating that it
could not be laid before the Board of Con-
trol because there was no such body. Mr..
Rockwell wrote again reminding the League
President of the rights that the minor asso-
Citations were entitled to by paving their as
sessmeItS under the terms of the national
agreement. Since then National Board
of Professional Baseball Associations" has
heen established to take the place of the old
Board of Control, and Mr.. Young was
chosen as one OF the three members.
Appreciates the Coed Work.
President Rockwell saws that he appreci-
ates the good work done at the Indianapolis
meeting in patching up peace between the
two warning major leagues, but, like many
others, cannot understand why the rights of
reservation of minor leagues should be
taken from them without even notification
al the time or since, until recently. The
long and honorable service in baseball of
Mr. Young and others associated with him
in the Indianapolis treaty. entitle them to
q great deal of consideration and respect,
and vet at the same time to a man up a tree
ii looks as if they had. at the time they
were arranging the differences between the
big leagues, been guilty of a serious over
sight in failing to make any provisions con-
cerning the rights and duties of minor
leagues which they professed desire to
protect.
After allowing the matter to run along
until complaints and disputes from the
notice, the powers that be suddenly re-
member at this late hour that there was
some provision made. John f. Brush, |
President of the Cincinnati club, at the re-
cent New York meeting pointed out that
at the Indianapolis meeting reservation |
privileges, not only of the League and As |
sociation, but of all other associations un-
der the national agreement, were wiped |
out, and that the powers of q committee
on players were by resolution enlarged so
as TO include within its scope everything
pertaining to the players, and gave it ab- |
solute control over all ball players of what |
soever degree and position. While this |
action probably was taken, and might have |
been intended to include minor league
PLAYERS, there was never any notification |
given TO the officials of such organizations,
either directly or through the press, that |
the right Of reservation was taken away.
The Grounds for Action.
The Pacific Northwest League proposes to |
base its ground of action on the fact that it |
with all OF its obligations under |
its contract for protection, while the other |
parties failed to fulfill theirs. In accord
ance with the terms of the national agree
ment ST. 600 was forwarded to the Board of |
Control of April 9, 1891, as the considera-
tiCn tor protection, which included the
t4Sil VI IcStINluS pldNciS 1O1 Oue wear
from that date. On October 9. as required !
by the agreement, list of players reserved /
by the Pacific Northwest League was sent
in. One or the players on Seattle's reserve
list was Winfield Scott Camp, W hom Pitts
burg signed without the least notice to Seat
tie of its intention. The offense is more ag-
gravating because after the Pacific North.
west League had paid for protection during
1890 and 1891 a number of its PLAYERS were
stolen by the California League, and now
there promises to be repetition of last
seasons piracy.
The course taken by the League in the
Camp matter would seem TO mean that the
minor Leagues will go to fighting for play
ers as they did last year. and none will en-
Joy protection. Already California club
has signed Jack Tanning, reserved by Ia
coma, and it is not unlikely that the Pacific
Northwest clubs will adopt retaliatory
measures. Again, there is apt to be trouble
over the fact that President Williams, of
the Western League, has issued bulletin
Of players signed, or whose terms have been
several of whom are either signed
Or reserved by Pacific Northwest League
clubs. and are expected to come here.
President Young, if reports are true, GER
tainly seems open to criticism in his action
in FanniDg's case.