The Saint Paul globe., 1897-04-25

to 100000 people in the United States,
and very recently it monopolized more
newspaper space than did the name
of the president of the United States.
Rusie'S notOriety reached it's flood
tide recently when a called meeting of
the National league was held in New
York city for the sole purpose of try
ing to bring him back into the game.
This is the first instance in the twenty
two years of the National league that
a special meeting has been held for
the exclusive purpose of discussing a
single players affairs.
1t is an old story that the New York
club fined Rusie 5000 in 1895 for alleged
insubordination and dissipation, and
when a contract was sent to him for
1896 it called for $2,400 which is 5000
less than he received in 1895. Rusie re-
fused to sign unless he was paid $4,000
and the 5000 fines were remitted. The
New York club stood firm, and Rusie
did not report for duty when the sea-
son opened last spring. Meanwhile
his name was on the New York clubs
reserve list, and he could sign no
where else
Early last year the noted pitcher put
himself and his case into the hands of
lawyers, who first appealed to the ma
tional board for release from reserva-
ton. The board decided that it had no
jurisdiction, but that the board of
league directors was the proper tri-
bunal. To these directors, in special
session at Pittsburg, therefore, Rusie
took his case last June, and the board
unanimously decided against him
The next step taken by his lawyers
was to bring two suits against the New
York club in the federal court at Chi
cagO, during the leagues annual meet
ing in that city last November These
suits were soon afterward dismissed on
the ground that neither party thereto
was a resident of the state of Illinois.
In December similar suits were begun
in the federal court at Trenton the
New York club being Incorporated un-
der the New Jersey laws. These suits,
one asking for an injunction to restrain
the New York club from keeping Ru-
sizes name on its reserve list and the
other demanding $4,000 in damages, are
now pending. A demurrer filed by the
defendant on the ground that all the
National league clubs should be made
co-defendants as partners of the New
York club has been argued, but de-
cisiOn was reserved.
Tending this suit both Rusie and the
National league became discontented.
The rebelliouS pitcher limited that un-
der certain concessions he would sur
render and sign the contract offered
by the New York club, the concessions
being that the league should pay him
his last years salary and the expenses
or his numerous lawsuits 1t was to
consider this proposition from the cele-
brated pitcher that the recent special
meeting Of the league was held in New
York
Eleven clubs were willing to com
promise with him on those terms. but
the New York club stood firm as a
rock on the position it had taken. Presi-
dent Freedman declared that he was
fighting for principle and for discip-
line, and that, though Rusie's services
would be worth probably $25, 900 to him
in one year, he would not concede one
dollar toward compromise Rusie
must sign at salary of 81 400 and sub-
NIT to the fine, thus bowling to club
discipline, but If he reported. PLAYED
good, earnest ball and deported him
self all right, the club would restore
him to his original salary Of 1000.
From this stand the other eleven clubs
could not move him, and after a two
days session the league adjourned,
having accomplished nothing.
This meeting was one of the most
important ever held by organized base
ball clubs. 1t was a tacit admission to
the world that the magnates do not
believe their reserve rule will stand if
brought to test in a court Of equity.
They mad pretty strong hints from
the bench on that subject during the
Brotherhood squabble in 1890, and they
We're anxious to avoid the test in the
Rusle suit. To that end eleven Of the H
twelve clubs were anxious to meet
Rusle more than half way in order to
get his suit in equity dismissed.
Rusie has now been restored to his
place in the New York club, but on
what basis is not known
The reserve rule Is the fundamental
law on which professional base ball
as business rests Without it fran
chises which are now worth from $780,