Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-02
League Magnates Will Give Minor
League Players a Trial.
DESERVE TO Be IN FASTER COMPANY
Applications for the Position of
Umpire.
GENERAL SPORTING NOTES

There is going to be a grand scramble
for minor league players before the next
championship season opens" remarked
"Uncle Nick Young, as he sat at league
headquarters yesterday entering upon his
records the names of certain players who
have been drafted for duty in the National
League ranks. Close beside him were nu-
merous checks for $500 each. drawn in favor
of minor league clubs, to be paid over to
parties interested as soon as the players
N question put their names to a contract.
On the drafted list were the names of
Halen of Minneapolis with Philadelphia;
Yorr.ck of the Western League with Bos-
ton; Mccormick of New Orleans with Chi
cago; Harper Of Rochester with Brooklyn;
Delehanty of Atlanta and Sheron of Buff
falo with Cleveland; Monnahan. Morrison
and Mcfarland with Louisville, and Jot
Goor with Pittsburg. The latter played with
Toledo last season. Cincinnati bought r.
win from ST. Paul before the season closed
rather than take the chances of losing him.
Boston did likewise with Bergen, and New
York made similar deal for the services
of Connaughton.
Here Uncle Nick" paused in his work to
remark that ever in the history of base
eall Was SO much activity displayed by
minor league clubs as during last season.
why said he. the work of keeping the
records of the minor leagues was ten times
greater than that of the National League
The clubs of the minor leagues followed
their players and strapped over them with
even greater vim than l have ever seen dis
played by the parent organization. 1 have
in MIND a player, who originally started
out TO play the season with omaha. He re-
ceived higher bid and jumped his contract
and turned up in Evansville. Ind. 1 was
notihed OF the fact and telegraphed to the
management of the latter team that this
man must go back to Omaha, or the club
playing him would forfeit its membership
IN the national agreement. l stopped him
there, but he next turned I'D in MONTGOMERY
Ala. 1 was on his trail, and the next we
he ard from him he was in Fort Worth
lex playing under an assumed name. Be
ing convinced that he was the old Omaha
ny-away, l threatened to deprive Fort
Worth of the protection of the national
agreement, and finally the runaway con-
fessed his guilt and returned to his first
love: That gives you an idea of the value
of the protection under the national agree
ment. The officers of the various leagues
are sometimes imposed upon by players
seeking to get an increase in their compen-
sation, but as soon as the facts are brought
to their attention, the rules of the national
agreement are recognized without further
question:
For the first time on record a member of
the Western League. which is a class A
organization. has drafted players from an
B. The Kansas City team, of which Jim
my Manning is manager, wanted two of the
Eastern League players. so under the ma
tional agreement $500 will be paid for the
receive an increase in salary. That is one
OF the benefits derived from the drafting
system. Thus it will be seen that the
minor Leagues are practically training
schools for the National League, and the
players who show improvement and are
drafted receive their reward in the form of
increased compensation.
When Uncle Nick" goes to New York
to attend the league meeting he will find
an army of applicants for appointment to
the staff of umpires awaiting HIM Within
the past four weeks he has received nearly
fifty formal applications for places on the
staff. Nearly all of the aspirants for an
opportunity to wear a mask and toy with
the Indicator announce that they are mas
tiers of the playing rules. have a Glare"
for use in games with such players as Te-
beau. McGraw, Doyle and Beckley that
Will tame them instantly and are prepared
TO demonstrate that they are destined to
solve the umpire problem. Nearly all of
the candidates close their communications
with postscript, stating that they will at
tend the New York meeting for the pur-
pose of having a personal Interview with
Uncle Nick"
Ex-Umpire Lynch expects to be REIN
stdteu " HeiHDeISn!p On the league staff
next season. He has indicated that he will
resume business at the old stand if there is
an opening for him.
There is no prospect of the Louisville
club giving up its league franchise The
management of that club either made some
money last season or 1t has a fat bank
account, for it meets all of its assessments
with promptness and dispatch. 1t is not
difficult to understand why all of the clubs
now constituting the league desire to hold
en- to membership in that organization.
When the present twelve-club organza ton
was formed $4,000 Indebtedness was i'll
Cured. The various clubs submitted to a
rake off, from the gross receipts of each
game. If any one is interested in the SUBJ
iect they can calculate how much money
was taken in at the gate in three years to
enable the league to pay of an indebted
ness of that magnitude from a fund made
up in that way. There is not one club of
the twelve willing to drop out, unless an
enormous "wad" is offered in exchange.