The times., 1901-03-24

I
| tiEue to assert
thinner has a private business which
| assures him a livelihood, he says, without
| playing ball.
| President Hart, Of the Chicago National
| League Club, does not appear to be great
| ly disturbed over the charges of President
| Ban Johnson, of the American League,
that he himself was the man who first
broke the agreement. with the American
League.
Those American League magnates are
the most ingenious people in the world
to get around a contract" says Mr. Hart.
| Why, they could make black look white.
| The American League broke its part OF
the contract with me at the time when
it refused TO renew the national agree
ment. 1t IS folly E0r johnson TO get so
excited over anything like that. StHl.
can see where they have good reason to
be worried The question Of that con
tract, whenever brought up, certainly
seems to make Mr.. Johnson excited.
Il don't know whether or not / viii go
into court about it. When the proper
time comes / shall probably turn the CON
tract over to my attorney and whatever
he says will go with me.
Il notice that the lawyers for the Amer
lean League are giving out opinions on
the legality of the ball-players contract
If the opinion made Dy Mr. Johnson nOlUS
good the American League won't be able
to hold single player. No contract with
a ball-plaYer is good. according to that.
The American League will have its troub-
les before it has gone very far.
According TO a Cleveland lawyer, who
has drawn up an elaborate opinion for
the benefit of Charlie Somers, the Ma
tionaI Leagu is the two thousand five
hundred and sixty-seventh tentacle of the
octopus 1t is a wicked and deVilish
trust, out for the long greens, ana devoid
Of all principles which entitle 1t to recoS-
milton either from the public or the courts
OF record. This opinion is in direct con-
tradiction TO the opinion lately obtained
by the Philadelphia National Leaguers
from Quaker lawyer. As TO the sHpe-
roTity of the Cleveland brand of law to
that of Philadelphia, or vice versa, the
public must be the Judge with a mental
reservation TO the effect that any Chicago
police court attorney could make the law
yer from Philadelphia and his rival from
Cleveland look like a plugged half-niC1ei.
The Cleveland barrister holds that the
entire contract of the National League is
4 conspiracy against the freedom OF the
ball player, and that, when bound by its
proyisos he is chained, tied, and gagged
in 4 manner not contemplated in the
statutes or in the constitution.
Stripped of legal yerbiage, the Cleve-
land mans opinion IS nothing more than
4 dozen lawyers and most plain citizens
have already Seen-that the National
League contract is a legal joke. 1t has
no equity, therefore. laws look toward
equity. II Is an lnpOSSlDliltN. II uOeS
not give the player an even break at any
point, FOR ii gives the club the right TO
fire him ana gives him no right to leave
the club. On this one point alone the
National League contract is dead iiZZle.
and il needed no additional lawyers for
people 10 realize thefact.
The Brooklyn Club has added Pitcher
Kitson TO it's string of signed players, |
and the team is now almost compete.
a., clio 70 daf
Kennedy. Kitson, Donovan, pitchers,
Kelley and Dahlen, infieiders; Keeler and |
Scheckard, outfelders. Second Baseman |
Daily has virtually accepted terms
1t is Hanlons intention to play Dab |
len at third base and put his new intield- |
cr, Gatins, at short field. lie Is aItef |
new outficlder. but if be can induce |
Jennings 10 sign another contract Kelley |
viii be kept in the outtield. |
President Ban johnson has announced |
the official makeup of the Milwaukee |
team as follows: Conner and Leahy, |
Catchers; Sparks Reidy, GarViu, Dow !
ling, Ilusting. and Rettger, pitchers; An |
dcrson. first base: Gilbert. second base; |
ConroN. shortstop. Burke. thlfd base. |
Hallman, lcftf!old; Duffy centreleld; |
Waldron, rightheld.
BIN Phillips has decided to remain in |
Cincinnati this SEASON ana his signed |
contract has been received. He writes |
that he is In excellent condition.
Erve Beck. the much-touted Toledo see
ond baseman. whose press agents have
doomed him for two years for berth in |
the National League, has finally signed
with the Cleveland American League |
cub. He will now have chance IN fast
company.
Amos Rusie has been signed to pitch
for the Cincinnati Reds and he Will i'm
mediately enter upon practice with the
team. The arrangement was brought
about by John T. Brush in person, who
after a short conference with the famous
pitcher got his signature 10 contract
10 play the coming season with the Gin
Cinnau team.
Rusie is very retice1t about the CON
tract and the means which Brush IN
Eoked to get his release by freedman, |
but It IS said that he has been working
on the New York magnate Tor more thdn
a year and that he paid "A big pIice FOR |
the pitcher. IL IS also said that ne pays |
Rusie 800 for the present season ana
mas entered into Il contract 90 pay nm
POO next year
Mrs Rusie was very much opposed 70
her husband going into the box again; but
IL IL assumed that the salary proved Too
tempting Tor her and she gave her con- |