Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-01
SALARY LIMIT
OBSERVED HERE
Charges Made by Springfield
and Peoria Not Based Up
on Real Facts.
CLUB PRESIDENT TALKS
Says Rule WAS Lived Up to, Though
it Became Necessary to Violate
Letter of Law.

President F. O. Van Calder of the
Rock Island Baseball association made
a reply today TO the charges which
have been emanating from the clubs
| in the south end OF the Three-Eye cir
cult 10 the effect that this city exceed
ed the team and individual salary
limits imposed upon the clubs at the
last meeting of the board of directors
before the season commenced.
Springfield and Peoria have both
acted rather bitter in their contention
that this city did not win the pennant
fairly, and President Van Calder felt
called upon to make Il statement He
declares that he made affidavit at the
beginning of the season. and is willing
and ready TO DO so now, that the Rock
Island club did not have a single play
er outside of Manager Jack TiShe who
was receiving more than the allotted
$3.50 per month and that the team limit
of l.750 was observed conScientiously
until it became necessary to sign addi-
tional players because of the injury to
several of the regular men. In their
cndeavors to keep within the salary
'AAA"AN' AAN 9tiitA VI A1AAl JdOOOoCil W az
cut 81 4 month on the day the salary
legislation went into effect, and this
amount reduced the pay roll of the club
to exactly S1,75O. exclusive of the sal
AIRY Of the manager. which was not in
Guided in this limit under the rules
Paid Injured Players.
Until the middle of the season. when
Gus Ems had his finger broken and
was compelled TO retire from the game
practically for the remainder of the
season. the salary limit. both for the
players individually and collectively.
was observed rigidly. When Eng's
services were lost. it was necessary to
fill his place. Now if the club had Iiv-
ed up to the letter of the agreement it
would have had to cut Eng off the pay
roll. which. in the face of his being
hurt in the service of the club. would
have been the greatest of injustice t.
him Therefore. the club officials fel'
that the letter of the law would have
TO be broken. bu; that they could still
live up to the spirit OF it. and man
was secured at such 4 salary that the
salaries of the men who were able to
play was stil within the limi. set by
the league
NCGcI InCupacitated.
Later on in the season Otto Vogel
was put out of the game for the re-
mainder of the year with a broken
bone in his hand, and once more it
was necessary that the club do the
right thing by him and continue him
upon the pay roll despite the fac; that
another man had to be hired to fill his ,
place. This added another name TO !
The list of Rock Island players and the
league ct large failed to take into CON
sideration that even though the Iist
1G men. only ! I of them were
able to work, the other two being laid
lp with injuries In their endeavor to
cold down the list of players one man.
Harry Kelly. was kept in the game ali
season, even though he was playing
with the bone in the right thumb frac-
urcd. Still. the other cities in the
cague especially those who had hopes
If winning the pcnnant. have done /
heir best to dctract from the credit of
he Islanders by saying that they were
lot playing squarcly on the salary
question We would like to see some
filed from those same cities
md then we will discover whether any
If them have come as near to living
Up to the spirit of the salary legisla.
ion as did the Rock Island club. Pres
dent Van Galders affidavit. made out
It the beginning of the season, is on
lie in the office of President NJ. II.
sexton. and he is ready and willing to
make further affidavits if necessary.
md to have the players themselves
make afTldavits if any one should ask
or them.
League Meeting Oct. IL.
The annual meeting of the league |
will be held in Chicago Oct II. and a
hat time if there is any dissatisfaction
yer the salary question it is likely it
viii be brought out. The business be. :
ore the directors includes the hearing =.
f the reports of the business done :
uring the year. the election of officers =
nd the discussion of the schedule for
ext year The fixing of the circuit ;
1r next year will also be discussed >
nd ,rohah1V ha Spttlpd