Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-18
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
Important Meeting Of Minor
Leagues in New York.
DRAFTING RIGHTS
ANNUAL MEETING OF UNITED
STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION.
Pillsbury Defeated by Marshall-New
Orleans Races-Internationa Bill
iards-Cup Defenders Progress.

The National Association Of Base Ball
Clubs-the organization which includes all
OF the minor leagues-meet at New York
today to consider what form Of agreement
with the two major organizations 1t shall
advocate. There seems to be only one point
Of difference between the major and minor
leagues In regard to the new national agree
ment, says Joe Cummings in the Baltimore
News. All parties agree that contracts and
reservations should be respected, and the.
minor leagues concede the right OF the
major leagues to recruit their teams from
the ranks Of the National Association at
fair price for the selected players.
The American and National League mag
mates insist upon the privilege of trying out
a player before paying the full price for
him. President Hart Of the Chicago Ma
tional League Club suggests that the re-
Enumeration for class A player should be
placed at 81 500, to be paid in three install
ments-"$5OO when the player is taken from
the club, $500 after a months trial and the
final $500 as soon as the major league club
signs the player for the next season." A ma
jority Of the minor league club owners con-
bursed on delivery.
Pay on Installment Plan.
The major league theory is that 1t is un-
fair to the purchaser to be obliged to pay
for player until he shows that he will be
valuable in faster company: that. under
the installment plan the club which permits
him to go on trial will receive $500 and the
player back within a month should he prove
a failure, and 81 900 and the player should
he not be retained for a second season.
The minor leagues contend that the ability
of player to hold his own in major league
company should not be considered. He Is
a nd troy ord
and II he Is taken from his club it loses his
services and should be compensated to his
full value. 1t Is admitted that the minor
league clubs spend more money to replace
stars than they secure for them The Amer
lean League magnates who suffered from
the draft will not dispute this.
Another and most important phase Of the
question Is that promoted player who is
discarded by major league will not sub
nit to cut in his salary on being returned
to his former club. The case of Isbell Is an
illustrat ton. When the st. Paul club sold
him to the Chicago National League club
IsbellS salary was less than 500 month.
WI hen he returned to Comiskey's team his
pay was three times as much as he had
drawn before the deal, and his earning
capacity had not increased in the least
The raise in salary was due wholly to his
having worn National League uniform for
brief period.
Abolish the Draft.
there should be a specified price placed on
"a minor league player in the national
agreement. and that the demand for his
services should fix his monetary value and
the details Of the deal.
The best infielders developed by the Ma
tional League in 1902 were not In general
demand. Cincinnati was negotiating with
Tinker when President Hart closed with
the shortstop, but his club sold him for
y,rt cyxyfff f,rvrnv ,nIS T1a
Philadelphia. but 1t Is probable that this
was his only chance to get major league
engagement. President Hart would not
have paid $1,000 for the release of Tinker,
nor would the Philadelphia club have pur-
chased HulsWitt at half that price, Bemis,
the best catcher who graduated from
major league last season. had not been
heard Of by big majority of the major
league backstops until he demonstrated his
ability with Cleveland. If he had been put
up at auction two weeks before the 1902
race began he would not have brought $500
1t Is doubtful If he would have secured
National League offer II Cleveland had re-
leased him during the practice season.
Manager Ought to Know.
The purchase Of talent should be left to
the manager Of the club. unless its president
Is practical base ball man. Newspaper
notoriety furnishes no line on a minor
league player. but many deals are made
through typographical puffs. and all at
fancy figure. The national agreement will
be as complete and valuable without a
clause establishing the price of a player
and the terms on which he can be bought
as If the points Of the deal were covered to
the slightest detail.
Recognition of contractural and reserva-
ton rights, provision for uniform playing
rules and the establishment Of tribunal
for the settlement Of disputes with players
are all the questions the tripartite agree
ment between the American and National
leagues and the National Association should
include