Norwich bulletin., 1909-08-06
CAREER OF H. c. PULLMAN.
Dead President Of National League a
College Graduate and Newspaper Man


Henry Clay Pulliam was native of
Scottsville, KY, where he was born
February s, 1869. After graduation
from the Louisville High school he
entered the university of Virginia,
where he graduated in law. He sub
sequently entered upon a newspaper
career and was city edito rof one of
Louisville's biggest papers. During this
time he was secretary to President
Zaek Phelps of the old American as
sociatibn. Later he formed the &C
quaintance of Colonel Dreyfuss, who at
that time was president of the Louis
vile baseballe cub, la member of the
National league. This acquaintance
soon ripened into a warm friendship,
and Pulliam was made secretary, and
later president, of the Louisville club,
by Dreyfuss. Subsequently he became
SO popular while with the Louisville
club that he Vas elected to the Ken
lucky assembly in 1897, In which ca
pacity he served two years. The Lou
isvflle club was member of the Ma
tional league until 1900, when a re-
duction of the circuit was made from
twelve clubs to eight and Louisville
was dropped. Barney Dreyfuss then
obtained controlling interest in the
Pittsburg club from w. w. Kerr
Dreyfuss was elected president of the
Pittsburg club and Pulliam was made
secretary and treasurer. This consol-
idation of the Louisville and Pittsburg
clubs took place in 1900. For four
years Pulliam was secretary of the
Pittsburg club.
At the fall meeting of the league in
1903 the board of control was abolished
and the office of president revived. The
presidency was unanimously rendered
to Mr.. Pulliam, who accepted after dis
posing of his holdings in the Pitts
burg club. Pulliam faced the siren
uous times of the American league
war, but by the force of his ability
and energy brought order out of chaos.
Reorganizsd National League.
He -reorganized the National league,
and gave a business character to its
affairs, which vt had always lacked.
His regime met with universal appro-
val, and he was unanimously elected
to succeed himself in the fall of 1904
During the baseball season of 1905
Pulliam became involved in a contro-
versy with the New York club which
engendered the bitter enmity of John
T. Brush, The original cause of this
friction was Pulliam's summary disci-
plining of Manager McGraw for rowdy
tactics on the playing field. Mr.. Brush
enlisted the support of Garry Herr
owners opposed him in 1905 and 1906,
but the other six clubs reelected him
president. Brush was unyielding in
his opposition to PulIiam and refused
to vote for him when he came I'D for
reelection in 1907, but Hermann had
become reconciled to him and gave
Pulliam his support. In 1908 Pulliam
was reelected by unanimous vote
of all the clubs present, Mr.. Brush
falling to attend the annual fall meet
ing.
An Ideal President.
Pulliam was an ideal president. BY
many it is believed that the league
would have gone to the wall in the
war with the American league had not
Pulliam's hand directed the fight. He
was fearless and honest in enforcing
the laws of the league. His courage
and fairness both as president of the
National league and member of the
National commission, earned him the
respect and admiration of the entire
baseball world Within the last year
his administration became feeble and