The Washington times., 1907-05-02
HARD TO TELL
WHO WINS OUT
IN STAHL CASE
Club May Sell Him Where 1t Pleases, But
He Doesn't Have to Play Here--Decided
on Facts and No Precedent Set.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

On all sideS there seems to be a
wrong impression about that decision of
the National Baseball Commission an
nounced yesterday, by which tn Wash
ington club must either sell or trade
Jake Stahl according 90 its own ar
engagements in a week, or accept a cash
price to be named by the commission.
Stahl appealed to the commission on
two separate and distinct grounds. and.
from all that can be learned, the de-
cision is given on one of them, the COM
mission taking the stand that it would
not pass upon the other at this time
The first ground Of Stahls appeal was
that the washington owners. through
President Tom Noyes, had given him
the right at the end of last season TO
leave washington and arrange a trade
for himself with any other city he
might select. The second was that no
man who had been player-manage and
been unsuccessful should be compelled
10 play on that team under another
man.
Decision on Facts.
The dicislon, as far as can be learned,
was based entirely on the facts, as the
commission saw them, in connection
with the question whethed Stahl was
given the right to trade himself. II he
did have that right then 1t was not
necessary for the commission to touch
the other contention.
Stahl did undoubtedly have more or
less reason 10 believe that he had been
given the privilege of trading himself
10 whatever American League club he
might. choose, and he went ahead and
framed UP a diclSer with Boston. The
Washington owners thought that Stahl
had interpreted too literally certain
promises made TO him, and, that while
they had asked him to indicate the
berth that would suit him best, they
did not mean he should be the sole ar
bitter Of his own destinies or should
have sole say in the matter OF tho
terms on which he was to find a new
home.
Questions at Issue. .-..-.....
Here was, the question Of fact: Did
the club, unintentionally perhaps. plis-
lead him into thinking he could stretch
the deal, or did ne deliberately stretch
his authority in bargaining directly With
Boston,
The commission is Of the opinion that
Stahl lad a right from what he was
believe that he was justified IN Going
ahead with an effort to arrange an ex-
change of players between Washington
and Boston.
In no way does his contention that
because he was an ex-manager the club
should be compelled to sell him. aIpear
10 nave Influenced the minds Of the
judges, hence this talk about a danger
Gus precedent having been set does not
carry weight.
Club Loses and Wins.
Washington seems to have lost on the
facts, but what IT lost is hard to de-
termine. The commission SAYS the club
still has the right to sell or trade StahI
to any city in the American League. A
complete victory for SAITH would have
been a decision that Washington had to
dispose Of him to Boston or any other
club named, but the ruling distinctly
says: The Washington club has the
right to negotiate for the players re-
lease or exchange with any other club
in the American League. and is not
confined in their dealings in the matter
20 any particular club in that league"
As Washington has been industriousl-
engaged for the past two months in try
ing to sell or trade Stahl 70 the Ameri-
can League manager who would pay the
highest price, regardless of the fact that
Stahl had picked out Boston as the
scene OF his diamond enueavors this
season, where is the victory for Stahl?
Kernel of the Nut.
The ultimatum' that if he is not sold
or traded in a week the commission will
name price at which ne must be dis
posed of is laid down because the com
mission believes Stahl was nisled by
Washington's promises. made last sea-
son and last winter, and was given to
understand that he would not be com
PEELED to play in the Capital. hence the
commission viii see that he gets a job
in another town.
This last clause of the decision con-
tains the kernel of the nut, for il was