Evening star., 1896-09-22
PITCHER RUSIE'S CASE.
Ex-Mnnager Watkins Says He Was
Unjustly Fined.


Harvey Watkins, who managed the New
York base ball team fer Mr.. Freedman the
latter part Of last season, comes out with
statement that shows Amos Rusie to
have been right in his contention before
tie National Leagues board of directors,
that he had been fined 500 in the very last
game of the season for alleged Indifferent
wcrk in the box. Under Rusie's contract
and the national agreement this was an
illegal fine but Mr.. Freedman declared
that the 500 fine was a cumulative penalty
and the directors, sitting at Pitts1urg as
judges. accepted the masnate's statement
and declared against the pitcher.
Mr. Watkins statement reads as follows:
AT the time Doyle was the manager OF
the club something came up between Doyle
and Mr.. Freedman. and Freedman decided
to depose Mr.. Doyle. Mr.. Ere -dman tele-
grarhed Inc that he would like to have
ME take hold of ;he club and manage II.
| came on and took charge and had sp!en-
cid success with the club TO the end Of the
seascn Tho trouble with Rusie came up.
as you may remember, in the last game OF
he on, when we were playing with
Baltin GRE. l had been working Rusle pref
ty hard. and it was not his turn to pitch.
but VIXEN Mr.. Freedman asked me who
was to be il the box and l told him, he
said: No. 1 want Rusie to pitch this
game l said All right and told Rusie,
VINO Sdiu lie NCcll pltcH w ell, Hc "eut
| in and the orioles pounded him pretty hard
for four innings, scoring several runs,
which eventually lost US the game. Ihis
made Mr.. Freedman angry, and he said he
would fine Rusie 500 for playing ind,1er-
ent ball /, of course, had to inform him
of the fine, and several of the New York
papers came out in the morning roasting
Rusie and said ne should have been fined
| At the time | thought Rusie pitched the
| best ball he knew how. and think so ye:
and If the papers had not made such a
| rumpus l am inclined to believe that Pres
ideut Freedman would not have let tho
| fine 60, but he is a very determined man
and after the talk had been made would
i not do anything but let the matter stand
| At the erd of the season Rusie did no
| come W, for his check. but took the mex
| train for Indianapolis. I mailed him hi:
| check there. less the 800 fine. and on th'
! receipt of the check he Immediately en-
| tered a protest which was settled by th
| board adversely to Rusie. as almost an!
| matter of that kind would be decided
against the player and for the magnate.
II sincerely believe that the fine was al
| injustice. but think that for the best In
terest of the game the board was righ
in sustaining Freedman. The underlyin:
cause of the trouble was the first fine tina
was charged against Rusie, when the clu
was playing in Baltimore. Burke. who
the most intimate friend of Rusie on tn
| team, went out night before one o
the games, and the next day was not in con
| diticn to play, and Manager Doyle fine
him S1Go. Doyle was convinced that RuSi
had Eeen with Burke, and also fined him
Mr.. Free oman had promised Rusie that /
he played satisfactory ball for the rest O
the season he would refund him 800. Ru
sic went to Freedman just before the en-
and asked him for the money, but Freed
man said he thought he hadn't earned II
but, If he did ali right, that at the end 0
next season he would give it to him. 1 di
not hear just what occurred in Mr. Freed
mans office, but Ruse came out YER
l 1t,
the matter he said Freedman wouldn't Civ
him the 500 he promised him."