The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-10-18

The minor league clubs, with the
exception Of those having membership
IN Class A organizations, are dispos-
Ing of their best players at private
sale to the National League clubs to
forestall the legalized raid which be-
gins on October 1 of each year. Class
clubs have the right to retain play
ers for two successive years. but
fancy prices will tempt some of the
less successful of them to part with
their stars. The draft is hardship
to the minors and the American
League will insist upon being placed
on an equal footing with the National
and thus secure unqualified property
in its players. The privilege of select
ing players, according to Article 10 OF
the National Agreement creating the
system, is afforded for the purpose OF
enabling player to advance in his
profession. The real reason is to per-
NIT the National League to secure the
best of the minor league players with
or without consent of the clubs to
which they respectively belong. The
minor leagues are not only the legal
prey of the major organization be-
tween October 1 and January / OF each
year, but in the interim between the
last named date and February l the
minors can prey upon clubs of lower
classification. Between February l
and October 1 the minor league clubs
are guaranteed title to their respec-
tive n1avorc nd loo n11,h
must regard these property rights to
the letter. The sale and immediate
transfer of a player may be made dur
ing the playing season, and under
Article IA of the National Agreement
minor clubs are authorized to dispose
of players, the delivery to be made
at the close of the season. Qualified
property in players, such as minor
league clubs operating under the Ma
| tional Agreement have, gives them
great advantages over Independent or
CARNATIONS. The California League,
which refused to renew its allegiance
| to the National Agreement in 1900, has
| been subject to raids from the Western
and Montana leagues, and the playing
strength of the Oakland Club was so
depleted thereby that it has never
been prominent in the race. 1t is
true that National and minor league
players-Hughes, of Brooklyn; Lock-
head, Reitz and others less notable
have found haven in that organiza
| ton, but their services did not coun-
| terbalance the loss of the deserters to
the Western and Montana leagues.
The hardships of the draft are mini
mized by the disposal of the most
prominent and promising players for
! many times more than the draft price
before the drafting period begins. The
proceeds Of these sales are, in many
cases, sufficient to enable club to
meet Indebtedness and prepare for the
next season. The farming of the
drafted or purchased player to club
in the same league, other than that
from which he was obtained is not
| within the spirit of Article 10 of the
National Agreement. The advance
| ment Of the player in such cases is
| nominal and his return to the COM
pany from which he came is an ac-
acknowledgement of his unfitness to ad-
vance at that time. One result is that
the minor league club to which he is
assigned has to pay twice as much or
more for his services as he received
the previous season. and the salary
limit so necessary, for the prosperity
and permanency OF minor league, is
exceeded.