The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-07

| follow and those who intend to jump will
now be forced to show their hands. After
a player reports there Is not the danger
| of desertion that exists prior to that time
owing to the constant association with
loyal and honorable men. who signed con-
| tracts with the intention of living up to
| them.
1t has been announced, and is undoubt-
| edly true. that the National League mag
mates intend TO keep after the best men
| signed by American clubs. and will pay
| fabulous salaries in the effort to injure
| the playing strength of the rival league.
In other words, they Will induce men to
jump to the National, regardless of the
legal contracts they have signed to play
for a season in the American League.
Such action is characteristic of the lead
ers of the old league, whose repeated
acts of unscrupulousness have, disguise Cd
loyal and fair-minded patrons OF the
! greatest of all sports.
| While 1t is true that many of the Ma
| tional League moguls sport Jewels OF
great value on their fingers and as scarf
adornments, they have never been accused
of having possession of that one of price
less value, consistency. concealed about
their persons. 1T is to laugh when one
reads of their intentions at the present
time For while John ]. Rogers has
brought suit to enjoin Lajoie, Fraser. and
Bernhard from playing with Mack s Phil
adelphia team, his only ground being the
option clause, his agents are trying to
induce other players to jump straight con-
tracts. If they expect the option clause
to stand the test of the courts. what do
they expect the American League to do
in the Harley. Padden. and DenZer cases
To get down to facts. it can be stated
with emphasis that some of the National
League clubs are up stump on the
player question The American clubs have
recruited players from the ranks of the
old League, leaving yawning gaps that
cannot be successfully filled, and to this
condition can be attributed the wild en-
Geavors of the National magnates to in
duce players to jump their contracts. A
few cases might be cited TO illustrate the
sore straits in which some of the club
owners have found themselves, upon
finally awakening to the fact that the
American League is not and has never
been bluffing. St. Louis lost all foul
Standardization to Baltimore, Criger
and Schreckongost to Boston, and Buelow
to Detroit. Mike Grady refused to go to
St. Louis and that club is now forced to
get along with men like Jack Ryan. who
was not fast enough for Detroit, and
Nichols, a fair sort of a ball player until
his throwing arm gave out. when Chicago
sent him to Minneapolis. st. Louis will
be forced to get along with a minor
Lacquer, Kruger, in McGraw's place. and
will greatly miss Cy Young on the slab.
Chicago lost it's two best pitchers. Grif-
fifth and Callahan; great third baseman
in Bradley. and three hard hitting out
fielders, Ryan. Mertes. and Mccarthy.
Cincinnati will miss Barrett. Geier. the
Washington boy. and Pitcher Scott. while
Catcher Smith goes to Macks Philadel-
phia team, with one or two others yet to
hear from.
In Philadelphia Lajoie. Fraser. and
Bernhard have gone over to Mack's team,
while Slagle and Thomas may be lost to
the National League. With Mercer, Car
rick, Garvin, Grady. and Gleason crossed
off the New York list. and Jones. Cross
McGinnity. Howell. and possibly Sheckard
lost to Brooklyn. there will be mourning
in Greater New York.
1t looked quite business-like yesterday
at the local baseball headquarters, where
were congregated Manager Manning. Sec
ary-Treasurer Bo. Needham, Pitcher
Win Mercer, who had just got in; Captain
Everett: Garrick, another member of the
corps Of twirlers, and Catcher Clarke,
who 5 getting into practice with the
Princeton team, which he is coaching and
incidentally adding to the Clarke ex-
chequer. The players were in the best
frame of mind possible. and We're enthusi-
astic over the prospects for a prosperous
season here. The management of the
local team has notified all the men under
contract that they will be expected to re-
port for duty not later than tomorrow. so
there is every chance that each incoming
train today will land new Senators.
Most of the men have been in constant
communication with Manager Manning