The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-04-20
SPALDING On
HIS OWN TROPHY
Baseball Magnate Expresses
Some Very Sporting
Opinions.

The following correspondence in re-
gard to the Spalding baseball trophy,
has just been received and will be
read with interest by all lovers of base
ball:
Point Iona, Cal, Z. S. A.
April 4, 1907.
Mr.. E. o. White, Vice-Pres.,
E. o. Hall & Son, Ltd,
Honolulu, I. FL.
Mr.. L. A. Wolff, manager of our San
Francisco house, has forwarded to me
your letter of March 18th to him rela-
tive to controversy over the terms on
which the original Spalding baseball
trophy was put up for competition by
me about 20 years ago, and which was
to be competed for by the baseball
clubs of Honolulu, or the Hawaiian
Islands.
In connection with this matter l re-
call receiving two or three years ago a
letter from my cousin, Mr.. Geo. w.
Smith, of Honolulu-through whom the
cup was originally given-to the effect
the terms on which the cup was offered
for competition. This cup, as l remem-
Der it, was offered in the fall of 1888,
in commemoration of my visit with the
Chicago and All-American teams during
their trip around the world, and for the
special purpose of melting an interest
in baseball competitions In the Ha-
waiian Islands. l do not remember the
exact conditions that accompanied this
Spalding trophy, but from your letter it
would seem that the cup itself bea-s the
inscription to the effect that it was to
become the property of the club win
ming it three years in succession.
AS / recall the previous correspond
ence on this subject, it was not made
clear to me just what the inscription
was on ,ne cup, and my own memory
and records fail to show just what the
inscription was The matter, as I re-
member it, was put up to me for final
decision with the understanding that
whatever decision I made would be sat
isfactory to all parties and interests.
While have not the copy before me, |
recall that | rendered a decision that
the cup was to be perpetual cup, and
executed a deed OF trust to that effect
delivering the same to Mr.. Geo. w.
Smith, my trustee, now of Honolulu.
An acknowledgment of this decision
indicated at the time that it was salts
factory, and / have heard nothing more
about it until | received your letter of
March 18th addressed to Mr.. Wolff.
I regret exceedingly there should
have been any misunderstanding about
this trophy, and [ sincerely hope the
matter can be settled in some way salts
factory to all parties and interests. In
asmuch as [ have already made one de-
cision in the matter, as [ have explain
ed above, details of which can be found
in the possession of Mr.. Geo. W. Smith
of Honolulu, [ hesitate about taking
any further action In the matter, feel
ing that it will simply tend to compli-
cate still more an already complicated
affair.
AS there is no special intrinsic value
to this trophy, but as it has great
sentimental value on account of it's age
and past 20 years competition for it,
[ wish the whole matter might be set
tied on a broad sportsmanlike basis.
Therefore, notwithstanding the inscrip-
ion now on the cup indicating that 1t
of the club winning it three years in
succession, and Notwithstanding the
fact that the Honolulu Athletic Club
has won it three years IN succession,
would respectful request in the interest
of the grand old game Of baseball, and
at the special request of the donor Of
the cup, that the H. A. G. withdraw its
claim for permanent possession OF 1t,
and ioin me In making it a perpetual
trophy open to competition annually
among the various baseball clubs of the
Hawaiian Islands. | would consider
this a very magnanimous act on the
mart of the Fl. A. c., and when all the
circumstances are known to the mem
bers of said club, and the peculiar con-
ditions surrounding this whole affair,
hope they can see their way clear to
complying with this request.
Its age of 20 years gives this base
ball emblem certain sentimental
value, which so entirely outweighs its
intrinsic value, that [ sincerely hope the
Fl A c. will take a broad, sportsman
like view of the situation, and increase
and perpetuate its sentimental value Dy
Joining with me in making 1t per
petual trophy and something that their
children and grandchildren will take
lust pride in competing for.
r have sent a copy of this letter TO
NV Trustee Mr.. Geo. W. Smith, with the
reauest that he cooperate with you ana
the H A. C. in arriving at some salts
factory solution of this whole matter
of the trophy.
with NV hearty congratulations to