The times., 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.
It 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 tnJure
the playing strength of the rival league.
In other words, they Will induce men 10
jump TO the National, regardless of the
legal contracts they have signed to play
for q season in the American League.
Such action is characteristic Of the lead
ers of the old league, whose repeated
acts of unscrupulOusaeSs have diSguSted
loyal and fair-minded patrons OF the
greatest of all sports.
While it 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 l. 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, Whdt 90
they expect the American League to do
in the Harley. Padden. and Denzer cases2
To get down to facts, il can be stated
with emphasis that some of the National
League clubs are up a stump on the
player question The American clubs have
recruited players from the ranks of the
old League, leaving yawninS gaps that
cannot be successfully filed, and to this
condition can be attributed the wild en-
deavors 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 ana has never
been bluffing. St. Louis lost all foul |
catchers-RObinson 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 bail player until /
his throwing arm gave out. when Chicago |
sent him TO Minneapolis. st. Louis will /
be forced to get along with a minor i
Lacquer, Kruger, in McGraws 5 place, and |
win greatly miss Cy Young on the slab. !
Chicago lost it's two best pitchers, Grif- |
fifth and Callahan; a great third baseman
in Bradley. and three hard hitting out
felders, Ryan, Mertes. and Mccarthy
Cincinnati Will miss Barrett, Geier. the
Washington boy, and Pitcher Scott, while !
Catcher Smith goes to Mack's 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.
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
retary-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 is getting into practice with the |
team. which he is coaching and |
adding to the Clarke ex-
chequer. The players were in the best |
frame of mind possible. and were enthusi-
3stic over the prospects for q 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
here is every chance that each incoming
rain today will land new Senators.
Most of the men have been in constant !
with Manager Manning |