The sun., 1895-03-02
WITH THE BAIL PLAYERS.
PRESIDENT FREEMAN scCssEs,
IHE CASE or PFEFFER.

Have Secured the second Rssemnn-
PhiiadeipsIs May Buy Breitenstein.
The League magnstes have all left town. but
before taking their departure several Of them
did not hesitate to express their views on the
Leagues action In the PfeTer case. James 4.
Hart, President OF the Chicago club, was hot
under the collar when Sun reporter met him
at an uptown resort late Thursday night. lie
claimed that PfeHer should have been re-
instated without a fine. and that he should have
been assigned or sold TO the Chicago club.
lit strikes me-" said he, that the Chicago
Club has been robbed. and that all this legisla-
tion |, due to the fact that certain clubs do not
wish TO SEQ us strengthen our team. When
Eoden appointed Brush. Freedman, and myself
committee to consider the case, thought 1t
was ali cut and dried or course knew that
Brush was out and out against a reinstatement,
but thought Freedman was with me. As soon
as heard tho opinions OF my fellow committee
men. however. knew that Chicago would not
get Pfoffer unless some sort OF deal could be
hxed up with q few of the maCnates who were
violently opposed to Pfeffer. But that was i'm
possible. soon discovered, so the fning bust
ness was the last resort. The Chicago Club has
always been made to suffer on the player ques-
tion. Duffy, Farrell, Van Haltren, and CllR
Carroll were taken away from us, and now
Pfeffer is debarred from joining orsaniza-
tion which has a rghtful claim OIL his SER
vices.
The story that Abell OF Brooklyn offered
$1,000 TO Stuckey OF Louisville for Pieffer's re-
lease is correct, but don't believe Abcll meant
It TO be other than test. He probably thought
that Stuckey wanted to sell to Chicago and was
anxious to get at the facts. Stuckey had an idea
that Abell was acting for the Chicago Club, and
camo to me TO find out. But told him that
bad no agents, and that's why he refused to
tisten finally to Abell's proposition"
Pfeffer had q red hot argument with Ed Han
Jon, President OF the Baltimore Club. He
claimed thnt Hanlon had thrown him down,
and was very much worked up over the matter.
1t seems that Hanlon held two proxies, one for
Pittsburgh and the other for Baltimore. The
former vote was cast in favor of Pfeffer and the
latter against the player. Friends OF Hanlon
tried to explain the matter by saying that the
Baltimore President got mixed up, but Hanlon
must have known what he was doing. for he
said later to THE Sun reporter:
THE League must protect itself. The differ
ent clubs have thousands Of dollars invested in
the game and cannot afford to take chances
with schemes hatched to overthrow organized
baseball. Pfeffer would bave been all right, but
this was his third offence and his
much different from those of Barnie and Buck
Anberger."
President Freedman OF the New York club
action. He said yesterday:
"Pfefer's not a personal matter.
We all recognized the fact that he has always
been an honest bail player and gentleman but
1t was a matter of principle with the League.
Four clubs alone show a valuation of
$1,000, 600 on their plants, which Is sufficient
evidence that the League has interests at stake
that must be protected The fight over Pfeffer
was so bitter that the only way to get him back
Ay, anI I.t. Ii,v
sort. There were twelve club. represented, and
Brush held Cleveland's proxy instead of
myself There almost equal d-
vision the question. half OF the dele
gates being for reinstatement and the
to say light here that was for renstatement st mH
first last. and all the time. There was no shift
Rs has Is been bee sed by
si;ti though: % M that PfefIer should be punished d
sna s G SSh sqes Of
up a report recommending that the player be
fined $500. and that his salary be limited to
certain sum, and tho League simply cut the fine
down to $500. and placed no salary limit other
than the one usually in force.
1T must be remem bered that this was not the
first time Pfeffer had mixed himself up in
scheme to wreck the League Hewasa member
to the Ame lean cam Association in ' isSi. But IN
each case he was taken back with no punish
Chicago end OF an association that was organ
ICED 70 drive the League ont Of business. and as
case was most serious. II was the idea OF the
League when the final vote was taken that
his punishment might be a warning to all other
players who might be asked to join piratical
committee 10 consider the case. very much
against my will. but can say without fear OF
best Judgment The fact that eleven clubs raIi-
ned the proposed fining Of the player shows that
unfair"
Louisvls's position all tho way through the
controversy showed that a story told by a GER
tain magnste contained considerable truth. 1t
Is stated that for several years past the Louis
vile Club has been anxious to disgust the
League to such an extent that the magnates
would he forced to buy the Kentuckians out for
Abont $4,000. Last year Stuckey and his part
ncrs unloaded all OF their best players and en-
gagged cheap team for this season that has
little or no chance 10 be anywhere but in the
tail end position. 1t is also alleged that last fall
the Louisville club wanted TO sell out To Mil
waukce. but the deal was blocked in some way
mates. When Pfetfer was blacklis.ed the Louis
N.lle people saw chance To make money out OF
his release il he could be renstated. Chicago
was anxious to secure the player and the Louis
vile people n ibbled at the bait immediate
stuckey was sharply called down in the League
meeting and charged with looking out for
monetary gain instead Of protecting the best
dlsgusted that they made up their minds 10 pre-
vent Louisville from selling the player,s release
sry. which is much more than the League limit.
II was clearly e case where the League saw
through Stuckey's scheme and squeched him.
That Is the story going the rounds.
The schedule met with the approval OF all
local crapks yesterday, and Mr., freedman was
congratulated on his good fortune in securing
al the pluIns There is strong kick from the
Boston people because the BaltimOres do not
play there until July 30. The Hub cranks
wanted 10 sec the champions earlier.
j. Earl Wagner is authority for the statement
mat the Philadelphia club will purchase the re-
Lease OF Pitcher Bre.tenstein from 1t. Louis.
II,hSc New York club tried TO secure Catcher
McGIire OF the Washingtous, but the WRgners
Mould"t sell An effort was also made 10 land
hA'''nsn here bat Irwin wanted Ruse for him.
Baseball Notes
There Is letter at this orice for " Carsey