The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-22
7
BASEBALL MEN
WHO
SPEAK UNTRUTHS.

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There was published recently an extract
from the Boston Herald, purporting to be
an interview with Manager Hanlon of the
Baltimore Club. In this he accuses me
of writing hin an insulting letter, during
the time allotted TO the signing of players.
Mr.. Hanlon and his Baltimore organs
have said many things that are untrue
since they discovered it impossible TO
cOerce me into signing a contract for the
season just passed, all of which l have
looked upon as either spite or nonsense.
When Mr.. Hanlon, however, accuses me
Of writing him an insulting letter he tells
an untruth that 1 deem it eXpedient to cor
rect. The only letters he ever received
from me were sent in the month Of Febru-
airy last. I was then doing business with
him in a purely baseball way, and in the
ideas was necessary. Mr.. Hanlon opened
negotiations by sending me a batch of
contracts. calling for S2l00, about Febru-
airy 8. AS I had already estimated my
worth at $4,000, this comparatively small
offer was never considered. Mr.. HanlOn,
not hearing from me within month from
the time his first letter arrived. sent an
other with the same contracts inclosed,
also with a note acquainting me with the
fact that, he had already sent me con-
tracts and they must have gone astray. 1
then sent him the following letter, which
he claims was insulting:
Mr.. Edward Hanlon, Manager Balti-
IuOI6 Dali AJluD, BdlunOre. MQ.-DedT
Sir: Your letter of the 18th inst. contain
ing inclosed contracts and duplicates for
the year 1898, and fixing my Compensa-
ton at $2l00, has been duly received. In
reply | herewith return your contracts,
in duplicate. without my signature. l
also received your letter, with contracts,
mailed about the first of January, but as
your offer fell $500 and expenses from San
Francisco to Baltimore and return, below
the estimate which I place upon my SER
vices, I deemed it ineXpedient to open up
81,
letter, however. reminds me that you are
entitled to some sort of q reply, as a mat
ter Of courtesy. Respectfully r,-,,r,r
The foregoing letter is a copy OF the
one l sent Mr.. Hanlon, and 1t is the only
letter he ever received from me. II it is
insulting in any respect l am at loss to
see where, and trust he VIII be more
pointed and state through the Baltimore
Sun his grievances. Mr. Hanlon further
states in his interview that he sent me a
very curt reply; that the Baltimore team
sent me a telegram asking me TO join
them, and that he never gave me a
The first two statements are correct; the
third 1 know nothing of and care very
little. In regard to the curt reply" l
wish to state that baseball managers in
date them by assuring the noor unfortu-
mates, by letter, of course, that they
never could pitch or play. as the case may
be, and in nine cases out of ten secure
their services for song Mr. Hanlon
tried this ancient experiment on me. His
curt reply 10 me embraced the fact
that Il wasn't so good and that there
We're others just as good. If not better"
and that 4 could go chase myself around
q few city blocks" and that l ought to
consider myself lucky TO get a salary at
all This ended all negotiations so far as
I was concerned, and no words of love
were exchanged by either of US until the
Raltimores went to Boston and were de-
feated three straight games. Hughes had
an off day and was batted all over the
lot; the other pitchers received the same
treatment, and it looked blue for Mr..
It was then I received the telegram
from the Baltimore players, which reads
''Hanion will give you s4o0 month, com
You help US win that four thousand.
Come and make two thousand. Answer
my expense. Leave to-morr.o ?,T1 night,
answered Mr. Clark, who is one Of
the catchers, that I had met HanlOn half
way and could do no more. have never
heard from him since. or his players, and
they have never heard from me. Next
year Mr.. Hanlon may or may not send
me a contract. II he does it will not
even receive a reply, as I have long since
to waste no time figuring on me. 1 would
also advise him to discontinue accusing
me of things that are not true. OF course
he cannot be blamed for thinking of that
he should not go 50 far as 10 say that l
wrote him insulting messages, for / am
not in the habit Of doing such freakish
things. II he is now seeking an oppor-
tunity to cover up his inferior judgment
he should know that a man is not going
to stand idly by and listen to all these
time | read where Mr.. HanlOn says he
treated me well l shall mention some I'M
derhand things he did to MEETINGS that
will reflect no credit on him l am sure