The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-17

KELLEY TO BUY OUT
F. WATKINS INTEREST
st. Paul Player Holds and Will
Complete Option on Minneapo-
3 lis Baseball Club.


Kelley, president of the st. Paul club,
will be at the head of an organization
of local capitalists who will take over
the franchise and team about Jan. l.
This was announced by Mr.. Kelley yes
terday afternoon.
81 have an option on the team and
franchise said Kelley. "The first of
the week I shall start out to raise such
cash as ! need and I expect to close the
deal with Mr.. Watkins on his arrival
here the latter part of the week. The
franchise here is a valuable one and it
will be little trouble to swing the deal.
There is the nucleus of good club here
and I am certain can make Minneapo-
lis one of the strongest teams in the
circuit. The Minneapolis public will
do the rest if we get good strong
team. I want to come to Minneapolis
and this is the first favorable oppor
tunity have had
Kelley is an experienced player and
his handling of his own affairs have
shown him 10 be a good business man.
He will put his own money in the deal
and plans to organize local stock COM
pany for owners by having the entire
club and franchise owned in Minneapo-
lis rather than by outside investors.
Kelley says that the temporary in
junction which he has obtained against
the national commission will undoubt-
eddy be made permanent early next
spring.
No new evidence can be adduced by
the commission in its favor, and there
. is general impression current that the
supreme court of the baseball world
wants as little as possible to do with
the federal court.
Iniunction's Strong Language.
That the national commission cannot
take any steps to prevent Mr.. Kelley
from entering into any baseball con-
tract he may see fit, is made clear from
the following in the injunction: The
respondents are enjoined individually
and as officers and members Of the ma
tional commission from making any
finding or taking any action whereby
any baseball club in the United States
would be prevented from or placed I'M
der any penalty for playing or engaging
said complainant as player for the
baseball season of 1906 or thereafter
Attorneys for the commission pre-
sented their case against Kelley before
Judge Thompson at the recent hearing
held in Cincinnati, taking the ground
that he was legally the property of the
St. Louis American league club, as the
result of sale made by President Len
, non of the St. Paul club. Secretary
Bruce of the commission, who was its
attorney before the federal court hear
ing, did not, however, state that the
commission did not pretend to say that
! it would prevent Kelley from manag-
ing any team from the bench.
Status of Commission.
/ In his review of the testimony, Judge
Thompson finds that Kelley did sign
a contract in 1901, but that he had
signed none since. That was prior to
, the adoption of the national agreement
/, and the agreement cannot, therefore, be
I held to have any bearing on the case
/ This is interesting, as there are prob
ably other players with longtime con
j, tracts who are relatively in the same
position.
The principal contention of Lennon
was that he had purchased Kelley ir
1901 from Watkins, for $500, and hac
always considered him player evel
since; that he had paid him literally
and considered him valuable asset Of
the club.
AS against this contention it wa
shown that in 1901 Kelley was will
Watkins in the old Western association
which disbanded before the end Of tn
season, thus releasing all the players il
it from their contract obligations. Thu
free, Kelley voluntarily promised Wat
:: kins he would play for him in Indian
apolis the following year.
Lennon Liked Kelley.
= In the meantime, he went to St. Pau
to finish the season. Lennon took
fancy to Kelley and wanted to sign hin
for the following year. He told Kelle,
J when the latter spoke of his promise t.
: Watkins, that the agreement could no
be binding because Watkins had n
! baseball rights.
, While recognizing this, Kelley cor
sidered himself bound by his promise
3, and told Lennon to make what term
he could with Watkins. The paymen
of the $500 to Watkins by Lennon, Ke
, ley holds, was in no sense a purchase.
-. When Kelley was elected chairma
of the board Of directors Of the Amer
, lean association, Lennon informed tn
. other directors that he did not conside
! Kelley in>the light Of player, and O
j these representations, Kelley was cleo
| ted to the craftsmanship. Affdavits t
! this effect were submitted by associs
I ton directors bottle before the commits
sion and the federal court. A playe1
, by the American association constitl
tion, is ineligible to hold office, an
thus in electing him to the position
1 did, the association placed itself o
record as to it's opinion of his status
which was, president de factor of tn
st. Paul club.
There was no denial by Kelley Of tn
allegation that the st. Paul club owne
had used him we'll in financial sens
He could, he says, during his stay
st. Paul, have obtained as much or eve
more from other club owners than
was paid by Mr.. Lennon. It was sin
ply a case of a laborer being worthy c
his hire.
- AS to Injunction.
If the injunction be made positiv
! any attempt to interfere with Kelley
| baseball future will be contempt
court.
The injunction, as issued by Jude
Thompson, carries no jurisdiction owe
either Messrs Johnson or Pulliam an