The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-15
MILLS AND THE LEAGUE
Cayl0r Relates Some Interesting In.
side History.
What the New Instructions to Um-
pires are Supposed to Mean.

umpres, preparatory to the opening of the
championship season, have tendency TO
temporize the new coaching rules. He
tells his umpires in the same sentence to
strictly enforce the rules, but not to be too
aggressive about 1t. If tho rules are to DO
strictly enforced, aggressiveness on part OF
the umpire Is absolutely necessary. There
fore am inclined 20 believe shat the um-
pires will lean strongly 20 the latter part
of the instructions and not make radical
departure from their policy of last season,
which was tinctured with q great deal OK
leniency.
Probably Mr.. Young has hearkened TO
the voices of the captains and OF the root
ers which have gono up in a grand chorus
since the Baltimore meeting, protesting
against the literal enforcement OF the re-
vised coaching rule. The almost universal
cry is, "Do not make Quaker meetings
out Of baseball games or you'll XIII on IN
terest." If plan could be devised whereby
happy medium would he reached be-
tween scnseless yelling on the coach lines
and Just enough chatter 10 keep mp the ex-
citcment, il would be happy day Tor the
national ganc
AS is, there is bound TO be trouble on
=
weeks of the season He will be placed be.
twixt Scylla and Charybdis, and only tho
patient, moro experienced and conservative
members of the staff will pass through
safely.
The anteseason months of this year will
60 on record as noted for the large number
of ridiculous baseball stories which have
been spread broadcast through the land
Two parties are blamable for this state OF
affairs-yiz, the advertisement seeking
magnate and the grab all space writers who
stand ready TO make story out OF any
thing which may be given TO them. The
most silly Of all these fakes was the re-
port that the Brooklyn club had offered
the Cleveland club 100000 cash for Its
PLAYERS and franchise. The story on its
face was absurd. In the first place, the
money would represent nothing but tn
| Cleveland team. The Cleveland franchise
without first class team would not fetch
dollar under the hammer, because its
owners have time and again declared that
| even with "a second place team the city
would not support the club
| In the next place, the Brooklyn's third
| base man, center fielder and right fielder
| are far superior TO the men who cover those
| three positions for Tebeau's nine. That
leaves the 500, 600 to represent the release
| of Tebeau, Childs, Mexican, Burkett, Zim.
mer, Young. Cuppy, O'Connor, Wilson and
| Wallaco-ton play ers, two OF whom are at
least second class. The days Of $4,000
payments for n players release have passed
| forever Especially has the time gone by
when any one club will pay that price for
each of ten players, including men like
| Wilson and Wallace. In the third place,
the Brooklyn club has repeatedly an
| nounccd that, on account of the negative
action of the minority stockholders, 1t was
not in a position to expend dollar In
strengthening its team. In spite OF these
three patent arguments against the truth
of that story, 1t was given widespread
credence and thereby the parties who
started IL off attained some secret end.
| A similar story WINS set floating In
which IL League clubs were going to pay
Rusie's last years salary and thus compro
misc his case against the New York club,
this. too, in tho face of the Leagues ac
tion at Baltimore, where the body pledged
itself by "a vote of IL to to aid the New
York club In resisting Rusie's suit for re-
| lease.
Should the court order the rebellious
pitchers release from reservation there Is
not club Of the 12 which, IL it consulted
no outside interest, would not like to sigr
him. Yet that decision, coupled with Ru
sie's subsequent engagement by another
club, would so seriously affect the future
Interests of the other clubs that IL Is very
doubtful IL his triumph in court would re
store the player to the National league
The magnatcs have learned the lesson o.
what selflshncss costs and learned 1t well
It has lately been published that former
President A. G. Mills resigned from th'
League in 1885 on account OF pressure o
business. That is mistake. He resigned
for principle, and the story has never beer
told. will here add it to baseball history
In 1884 the Union association was or
panized for the avowed purpose OF break
ing up the National league and the reserv,
rule. One of It's acts was TO use large casl
bonuses and exorbitant salaries 10 temp
League players TO break contracts. IN
only players to succumb to the temptation
were Mccormick, Briody and Glasscock o
tho National league club Mt Cleveland
They dumped" in midscason, and as
consequence the Cleveland club was bank
rupted.
The Union association failed at the en'
of its first season, and the treacherou
Cleveland trio were blacklisted. At th
spring meeting in 1885 several Leagu
teams were found to DO weak and propo
sition was made 10 reinstate the blacklist
ed trio and distribute them whore the
would do most good. A. q. Mills was tn
Leagues president and he had originate
the reserve rule ms we'll as the nationa
agreement. Against the proposition to re
instate he earnestly protested and warne
the magnates that such mistake woul
some day cost them dear II they made II
Over his protest and against his warning
the players were reinstatcd. At the clos
of the session Mr.. Mills resigned and dc
clared rfore all the clubs that so long a
one of those three players was recognize
I'm professional baseball he would neve
enter the Leagues council chambers. Tha
was 12 years ago. Glasscock Is still play
ing. and though Mr.. Mills Is one OF Oh
Leagues five honorary members ne ha
faithfully kept his pledge
How well his warning was fulfilled tn
National league magnates can attest. Ha
those three men not been forgiven ther