The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-27
Big LEAGUES DRAFT
RIGHT IS ABSOLUTE
National Baseball Commission
Decides Against Minor
Leagues.

national baseball commission, with
Chairman August Hermann, Secre-
tary ]. E. Bruce, Harry G. Pulliam,
president of the National league, and
Ban B. Johnson, president of the
American league, present, was in ses-
sion here all day and adjourned to-
night without taking action on the
cases of Ambrose Putnam, John Hick-
ely, E. S. Quick, Arthur Devlin, Charles
Jones, Gus Dundon, o. ]. Ferry, M.
Mcintyre, John ]. Dillon, P. J. Dono-
van, Mcpherson and Perry and Mr..
Laudensleger.
Among those who appeared before
the commission during the day were
President p. T. Powers and Secretary
]. H. Farrell, of the National Associa-
ton of Minor Leagues; H. w. Lucas,
president of the Pacific league; T. H.
Murnane, president of the New Eng
land league; NJ H. Sexton, president
of the Western league; r. r. Burke,
Denver; T. j. Brice, VIM. Chimes, Rob-
ert Quinn, Columbus, Ohio; T. c.
Griffiths, ]. ]. Nevin, VIM. Murray,
Jersey City; Edward Hanlon, Balti-
more; w. w. Durham, Newark, N. J.;
George Stallings, Buffalo; George Te-
beau, Louisville; Edward Barrows, De-
troit, and w. NJ. Kavanagh.
The most important work of the day
was the decision establishing the alb
solute right of the major leagues to
draft players from the minor leagues,
and when this matter was settled it
carried with it results affecting most
of the twenty-one contests presented
for players.
The claims for August Doerner,
drafted by. Cleveland from Columbus
and claimed by Decatur, were with
drawn.
The first case decided was that of
Roscoe Miller, a pitcher awarded to
the Pittsburg Nationals instead of the
New York Americans.
James Cockman and E. B. Kenna,
claimed. to have been purchased by the
Philadelphia Nationals, were awarded
to Milwaukee.
Two Additional Rules.
Two additional rules, Nos "a and 25,
We're added to the National agreement.
Rule "a provides that each club must
commission before Aug. 20 in each
year a list of it's purchased players,
and that none not on such list can ever
be claimed after that date
Rule 25 provides that there shall be
no purchases of releases of players
made during the drafting period, that
such purchases would not be allowed
as against the draft of any such play
ers. 1t was held that section of the
-
with section 6, and a definite interpre-
tation was made so that the drafting
period would be from Sept. l to Oct.
Is, with no sales permitted during that
time.
After the commission adjourned
the following official document was
given out:
Regarding the contention of committee
representing National association, relative
to sales. agreements, purchases and con-
tracts for and with players for 1904, made
prior to Sept. II, 1903. it is contended by
Messrs. Powers, Farrell and Sexton, the
committee that represented the National
association when the national agreement
was adopted, that all sales, agreements
purchases and contracts for and with
players for 1904 by club members of said
association, made prior to Sept II, 1903
the day of the adoption of the national
agreement, are binding and cannot be dis
turbed. and that article 6, section G. of the
national agreement, providing for the
drafting of players, does not apply in
The members of the committee have
given this question a great deal of con-
sideration and we are of the unanimous
opinion that the contention of the COM /
mittee of the National association with
respect to this matter is not justified by
any provision of the national agreement
nor by any action of the representatives
of either party to it, during it's discus
sion at Buffalo and Cincinnati, previous
to its final adoption.
The very fact that the representatives
of the National association at no time
during the discussion of the provisions
of the agreement providing for the draft
ing of players. made any claim of players
that We're to be exempt, in itself makes
their position at this time questionable
one In fact no claim of this kind was
made by either of them until the first
day of the drafting period, which by
year.
Agreement Was Accepted.
When they ratified the national agree
ment they agreed to it word for word
both in letter and in spirit.
The language of section 6, article 6, is
clear, explicit and cannot be misunder-
stood by any one, viz:
Section g. The right of minor league
club to its players shall be absolute, eX-
cept that, from Sept. l to Oct. Is of each
privilege Of selecting players from the
National association clubs for the follow
ing reasons" etc.
From this section it will be seen that
from Sept. 1 to Oct. Is of each year the
title of every minor league club to its
players is qualified, and that any major
league club has positive right to draft
any minor league player providing the
conditions of the above section are ad-
hered to.
While this may work hardship at
times, 1t should not be forgotten that
every club member of the National asso-
citation under this same agreement is as
Sureu OF absolute protection in their rights
10 players at all times; and that they can
dispose of players by private sale, either
before or after the drafting period, and
are assured that no players can be taken
time.
1t should be borne in mind that if the
Natlonal ASSOCIATION committee was right
In It's contention, the very objects of the
agreement IN so far as it pertains to play
ers, would be violated, for PLAYERS could
not advance in their profession if This
practice was to be followed
Our finding is that the drafting of nlav-
ers during the prescribed term must take
precedence over everything and that in
all instances where players have been
drafted during the drafting period and
all Of The conditions of section 6, article
S. complied with, the player belongs to the
club by whom drafted.
We lind Therefore, that the following
players in addition to those about whom
there is no dispute, have been regularly
drafted under the provisions of the agree
ment and all conditions complied with
and belong to the clubs by whom drafted
viz: Champ OSteen, awarded to Washing
ton club. American league; Ed A. Walsh
awarded to Chicago American league: |
Thomas Jones, awarded to st. Louis !
American league; James Delehanty
awarded to Boston National league: Al, |
bert Jacobson, awarded to Washington |
league; Fred c.. Raymer, award |
ed to Boston National league; George |
Wrigley. awarded to Chicago American
league; - Fisher, awarded to Boston |
league; Roy Montgomery, award |
ed to New York American league; Frank |
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