Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-24
BASE BALL PLAYERS
MAY Be SLAVES
Magnate Contends That Sale
of Pitcher Is Violation of
Thirteenth Amendment.

Well. we'll. At last We have ascer-
tanned what base ball players are, writes
Mr.. Wiseguy'' in the Philadelphia Press.
Nothing more or less, my good friends,
than slaves. And in this age wheb
slavery is forgotten and the thirteenth
amendment to the Constitution is moth
eaten.
One William j. Clymer, who recently
acquired an interest in the Wilkesbarre
team of the New York State League.
is the discoverer of the fact that base
ball players slaves. So well found
ed is the belief in the mind of the man.
.ager of the "Barons" that he has asked
the civil courts to give decision on the
issue.
A pitcher named Pelepuin. who was
sew,th the Allentown Atlantic League
"t=dnI last season, is the lad about whom
lit must be proven to the satisfaction
of Clymer and the learned judges that
The was not 4 slave. and his sale, by
Met .eehan of the Allentown club. was
not il; violation of the thirteenth amend
men. 10 the Constitution. 1t is unneces-
sary TO state that several hundred base
shall players are eagerly awaiting the re-
suit of Eelequn'S case.
, Just few details of the transaction
swill not be amiss. Last July it appears
that the WiIkesbarre club purchased
sePiequin for $500, a cash payment Of
500 being made and a note for the bal
sance being given. The note was allow
ed to go to protest. Mcclellan then
git judgment before justice of the
.l.c,ce. But Clymer took it to court.
While the Wilkesbarre owner filed
several reasons. among them that the
-ncte was not countersiSned by the d.
reCtors. ard was therefore not valid. his
n,cst unique defense was that the sale
was in violation Of the thirteenth
amendn tnt to the Constitution, which
is the antl-slavery law.
Glymer, 1t seems, admits that he has
bought ara sold players and believes
The national agreement is a very good
thing. But he claims that as the At
ton. the right to buy and sell players
is in violation of the constitutional
-aEiendment-
What the learned judges who are to
give a decision in the case will agree
upon is uncertain to an extent. But
surely if the sale and purchase Of play
ers by outlaw league is a violation
ssef the anti-slayery law, the same would
eapply to the leagues under protection.
:. While organized base ball may have its
disadvantages. it certainly has its adj
'vantages. And one of them is that the
owners as we'll as the players are sup
posed to be afforded protection. When
the players get the idea that they are
slaves, they will not be long In asserting
their independence.
Right along the same line Of talk. the
message came from Chicago last night
that base hail players In the west were
beginning a movement to form an organ
ization to oppose the magnates. They
will. it is said. demand an increase In
salary If the playing season is to be
heightened. II they don't get their de-
mands they will strike"
That would mean that the magnates
would be placed in the position of q
base ball trust and the players a
s.union.'' The players would. as an Or
Nganization. say to the magnates as a
ttrust. Pay US more salary or we re-
fuse to play. Then we might see some
fun. But that will never happen.
As rule base ball players are paid q
higher salary for the work they do than
any other profession In the country.
Even the theatrical folk. who receive big
wages. do more actual work the year
around. And most base ball players who
5are wise, are glad that the national COM
mission exists. They may take their
battles there and as q rule receive jutsice,
Just as do the magnates.
There has frequently been talk OF the
formation of base ball players union
But 1t always ended with talk 1t will
undoubtedly do SO this time. For there
are plenty of good men who would be
glad to play ball as ''scabs."
For while the fans" would miss the
Wagners the Cobbs. the Dooins and
other stars OF the diamond-if they de-
cided to join the union But those
cwho stayed outside the pale OF organized
base ball would soon be forgotten. For
in this broad land others would rise
up from the country of the unknows who
would be able to I'LL their shoes.