The Washington times., 1902-02-23
Baseball Players Are Forming
Plans to Prevent Cut.
AGAINST PLAYERS PROTECTIVE"
New Association Which Hopes to
Protect Its Members in Their
Demand for Increased Wads on
Pay Days.


cause the owners have the centre OF the
stage. these athletes are now making
| play for a little chance to bask in the
| glare of the calcium.
| They contend that If the National and
American Leagues combine an effort
will be made to reduce players salaries
| and that unless some action is taken at
once they will find themselves in
position of having to take what is offered
them or nothing.
AS they value their services at SO much
per" they have concluded to forestah
any attempt at a cut in their salaries. and
to that end have in contemplation the
forming of a new organization as rival
to the present Players Protective AS
sociation.
One of the reasons for this opposition
to the Players Protective is that the
players in the newest move for better
salaries do not care to carry along the
minor leagues. They are going to pro-
tect themselves, they say.
what Player Says.
A well-known ball player in one Of the
big leagues, who draws big salary and
winters in Chicago, is authority for the
statement that the Players Protective
Association is shortly to have a rival. He
says that it is the general belief among
players that the two leagues are bound to
come together. and that then there will
be general falling in salaries. and he
added that the minor league players are
not contemplated In the new protective
scheme. $50
According to the "Pittsburg Dispatch"
this player made the following statement:
We don't know what the outcome will
be in the scrap between the club owners,
but we all know that when they do get
together there will be big slump in sal
aries. and men who are now drawing
$3.50 and $1,000 will be asked to play
ball for about 81, 500.
HiEh-Priced Teams Made Money.
These magnates are not paying us
fancy wages just because they like US,
but for the simple reason that We can
draw the crowds to the game. Up until
a year ago the club owners kept giving
up that anything over s., 400 salary limit
meant financial loss TO any club in any
league. Well, when thePAmerican cut in
last spring, and all the rival managers
were offering $500 and 1880 to the star
players. |, for one, expected 80 see num-
Der of the clubs in both the National and
the American go broke before the season
was half over.
But instead of losing the COIN 1t was
the big, high salaried teams in both the
lie ,J,at
set all the players to thinking, for it
showed that baseball can be run at a
profit even if the players do draw fancy
salaries. 1t also shows that the public
will only pay to see the seasoned stars
perform. and will not patronize teams
made up of young and unknown players.
10 matter how fast the youngsters may
happen to be.
VIII BE Well Organized.
We'll. to cut it short, the best men in
both the big leagues have agreed to stick
together next autumn. We have as good
as cut loose from that so-called Players |
Association, for the simple reason that |
we are not in the business to carry along |
the minor leagues, but are trying to pro- |
tect our own interests. The scheme will |
be shaped up during the coming season |
and the work will all be done under |
cover. When the clubs start in to sign |
the stars the managers will find that we |
are pretty well organized. and, what is |
more. will stick together"
What the "PrOtectivcn Says.
The Players Protective Association
seems to have it in for the minor league
association, too. and in circular re-
Gently issued the reasons are given. In the
circular no reference is made to the rival
to the Protective" spoken of above and
apparently Secretary Dale Gear does not
propose to notice I.
The circular sent out to members calls
attention to the newly organized National
Association OF Minor Leagues. and bears
the signatures of President Tom DAILY,
Secretary Dale d. Gear, and Lave Cross,
James Mcclure, and F. A. Jones. of tho
grievance committee, and is as follows:
ITO Our Members-It is the duty of
every member of our union, and every
baseball player as we'll, TO use his best
influence to defeat the unjust fine that
the Association of Minor Leagues pro-
poses to place upon players in its leagues
v no dare to better themselves financially
by ignoring the reserve clause in con
tracts.
Should this compact OF minor lecg CUES
he successfully carried out in Il very
short time a compact of all leagues will
be entered into and all players of both
major and minor leagues will be vic
Tins of unjust and outrageous baseball
laws. In that event the Players Pro-
tec,iye Association will be a thing of the
past end the Individual players will be
right back where they were two years
ago. working for less lrorey and under
the old form of contracts.
Services Are Valuable.
The services of a professional base
ball player should be on an open mar
ket the same as those employed in other
walks of business life. and our members
should advise and use their influence to-
ward getting players In general TO sign
oply year contracts, without the re-
serve clause, and in the league where
they can get the best money and the fair
est contracts. This agreement of the
Minor League Association is direct blow
at and is made purpeseiy to destroy the
good work OF the Players Protective AS
scciation. and each and every player, for
his own personal benefit. and in order
to preserve the union, should use every
effort at his command to defeat this minor
league agreement Members should dis
cuss it with other members. talk it TO
minor league players and advise them.
In this way they will become familiar
with the subject, and when the meeting
Is held can act with confidence and knowl-