Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-01
PRESIDENT POWERS
WANTS PEACE IN BASEBALL

President p. L. Powers, of ths
National Association Of Professiona
Baseball leagues. of which the Three-l
is member, has addressed the fol
lowing letter to the presidents of the
clubs mem bers of the National and
American leagues:
"rhe minor leagues have recent y
received notice from President Young
that The national agreement will be
abrFgated and terminated by the
National league Sept. 80. 1901, and
not again renewed.
while such sudden and arbitrary
action was entirely unexpected, and
while by many considered-unwise for
the best interests of professional base
ball and a great injustice to the minor
leagues, which nave always been
loyal to the national agreement, it is
not the purpose of this letter to criti-
else the action of the National league
in this matter, but simply TO acquaint
you with the fact that in consequence
of the National leagues abrogation Of
the national agreement, which for SO
many wears has been considered the
bulwaik of professional baseball, the
following leagues of professic nal tase-
ball clubs have banded together for
mutual protection and organized an
entirely independent association un-
der the name of the National Associa-
ton of Professional Baseball clubs, of
which l have the honor to be presi-
dent.
Tho membership of this new or
ganiz4iion is composed of l leagues,
representing the Western league. the
Eastern league, the Western associa-
tion, the Indiana. Iowa, and Illinois
league, the New York State league,
the Connecticut State league, the New
Eugland league. the Southern league,
the Virginia North Carolina league,
the Pacific Northwest league, the Cali
fornia State league, employing in all
at least l 600 professional players.
The above. bership in the Ma
tional association of Professional
Baseball leagues includes practically
all the professional ba- ebalI clubs in
the United States and Canada, ex-
cepting the 16 club members in the
National and American leagues.
While it is to be regretted that a
baseball war now exists between the
n Itional and American leagues, yet
The minor leagues are in no way par
ties to it or responsible for it, and as
the minor leagues desire to remain
neutral, we respectfully appeal te and
RI quest that the individual members
of each of the American ard National
leagues express their willingness as
individual clubs 10 respect the reserve
and contract national rights OF the
minor league clubs with their play
ers, the minor league clubs, mem bers
of the National Association of Profess
sional Baseball leagues, to recipro-
cate by respecting the reserve and
contract national rights of the clubs
mem bers of the National and Ameri
can leagues with their play ers, or
such individual clubs of these two
leagues as may be willing to join with
us in this reciprocity arrangement.
''While our association feels itself
50 fficiently strong and competent to
protects its own interests, yet an hon. /!
Grab respect for each others con-
tracts and rights seems so proper.
fair, aud necessary for the good repute
of professional baseball that as presi-
dent of the National Association of
Professional Baseball leagues 1 anu
prompted to make this proposition
with the hope that sufficient num-
Der, if not all, of the individual club
mem bers of the two warning National
and American leagues will cooperate
with the National Association of Pre-
fessional Baseball leagues on these m
portant and essential business points.
"A similar letter has b zen mailed to ]
the president of each club member of
the National and American leagues, !
and L respectfully ask for an early |
reply as TO the attitude OF your club !
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