The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-30

The Messenger last night received the
following telegram from w. ]. An
dreWs, president of the Raleigh ath-
Ietlc association. Mr.. Cowan, manager
OF the Wilmington base ball team is
out Of the city for a few days OF
course, on his return the Messengers
columns will be open to him for his
statement Of facts in the case:
Raleigh, N. c., August &c.
To Editor Of Messenger:
Statement of facts concerning Will
mtngton forfaiting the pennant games
to Raleigh.
The following was the contract be-
tween the Wilmington and the Raleigh
clubs.
Regarding pennant games This
agreement entered into between the
Wilmington Athletic Association and
the Raleigh Athletic Association, this
August both, 1901.
i. AS the Wilmington club WAS tho
winner of the first series and Raleigh
cIuD was the winner of the second
series, 1t is agreed by both parties that
they are to play a series Of eleven
games with each other for the cham
plonship of the Virgina-North Carolina
LeaSu The first club winning six
games shall be declared champion.
y. That the home team will guar
antee the visiting team forty dollars
per game for five games, with option
OF % per cent Of gate receipts.
3. The hrst five games to be played
IN Raleigh, the sixth game to be played
where the managers shall decide to be
10 the best interest. The last five to
be played IN Wilmington.
4. That all games and clubs shall be
under rules and regulations of this
league, as heretofore. All fines imposed
upon players by the umpire must be
paid before the player can participate
IN another game.
IS. That all matters pertaining to the
success Of this series of games must be
brought to the attention of the presI-
dent of the league, and disputes must
be referred to him also, who must de-
cid at once.
g Admission to games same as
league rules, except hat only six free
tickets to the press and employees of
the grounds are to be allowed free.
(Signed) for Raleigh Club,
WIN J. ANDREWS, President,
Raleigh Athletic Association.
(Signed) for Wilmington Club,
JAS. H. COWAN.
ENI1I-1N - I11IIS
PRESIDENT
1t was the third clause of this con-
tract the first five games to be play
ed in Raleigh" that the directors of the
Raleigh Athletic Association claim
should be fulfilled before aVing games
in other places. There was no time or
date specified when these games should
be played; that the game won from
Wilmington on Wednesday 21st, was
protested by Wilmington and ordered
to be played over again, and on Thurs
day 22nd. on account of rain, there was
no game. Therefore Raleigh having
only played tlree games, and Monday,
August 26th, being an open date, the
Raleigh management demanded that
the two anne due Raleigh to be play
ed off as a dOuble-header at Raleigh
instead of going to New Bern, as it
was decidedly to the best interest Of
both Tubs 10 have played in Raleigh
instead of going to New Bern, as the
of a double-header would
haVe drawn 1850 people, being the last
game here.
The Raleigh l:uh in their claim stated
that owing 70 lain every day this past
week, this receipts We're considerably
less than was expected and expenses
TO-" 'argS. 1t was as little as the Will
mingtOr cluD could have done to
have stayed over and played the
Monday games. after the interest
shown by the Raleigh management on
last Monday night, August 18th, in
keeping the Wilmington club here to
play these series, after their own local
association had quit cold On their club.
The expenses of railroad tickets to
New Bern. hotel bill one day and as
We had no guarantee in New Bern we
stood a big chance of losing If we play
ed there and we think this would have
been agreeable to the manager of the
Wilmington cub, but his men not be-
ing under salary, he had no control over
them and no argument could convince
them of the busiess side of the question.
They simply wanted to quit and go
home. The club was thoroughly de-
mOralized. Having lost ten straight
games to Raleigh, they did not wish to
play again. il fact. we believe it was
their intention as sOon as they reached
Wilmington to play II game and then
disband and leave the Raleigh club
and the umpire to get their money as
best they could. Of course no one that
understands the situation would think
for a m that the Wilmington
team would return to Raleigh to play
off the games, as We believe 1t was the
intention of several of the players to
leave the Wilmington club as soon as
they arrived nome.
But as Wilmington has never ful1iled
her contract to Play the first I'VE games
in Raleigh. and the fact OF her cluD
quitting cold and returning nome. does
not in any. way release l<aleish from
paying to The WILMINGTON players ~
per cent Of the gate receipts, there
fore, a check is ordered to be sent 10
them tonight. covering this amount:
The Raleigh management is Wiling
to rest this case with the pupllc as To
the manner it has always treated the
visiting team. managers and umplres
and we beg to take exception to Mr..
Covan's dispatch in which he says
"Raleigh would keep the money Wnlcn
the Wilmington team had earned, as
it never was the intention OF the dlreC-
tors to keep the money from tne WI
Tninpton clIo. Tut to compel the VIII
mington team to stay over and tulni
their contract