Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-07
NEW CLAUSE IN BAN
JOHNSON CONTRACT
American League Club Owners
Plan to Have Control of
Their Men Year Around.

CHICAGO. January There is good
reason for the delay of the presidehts OIL
American League clubs in sending out
contracts for their players to sign lot
next season. The different bosses have
fully made up their minds what stlpehos
their old and new players should draw,
hut they are delaying mailing the oocu-
ments to the veterans and the kldiets
until President Johnson has approved
new clause in the contract.
According to present arrangements
every American League club Will sign
it's men for a period Of six months the
athletes, if needed. to be kept iaooring
until October L..
After that date according to the new
document which the American League
president is having drawn. the club has
some right to the players services. me
American Leaguers do not want their
men to tie themselves up for the fuli
wear. when only six months work IS ex-
acted. but they wish to be in a posltlon
to protect their rights to the nooie
FASTENERS and to keep them from either
oyerworking themselves by going on
transforming trips or by dasning mary
to Cuba and California in order 10 grao
small sum OF HlOics.
Not to Play in Off Season.
According to the new plans of the
American League club owners, the play
ers will be requested not to play base
ball during the winter and will be ex-
pected to refrain from playing profess
sional foot ball during the fall months,
and from otherwise exposing themselves
to injuries.
The argument about the players Dor
rowing the uniforms of their clubs and
then going on transforming trips. only
to be beaten by class clubs or by
semi-professional teams, most naturally
never found any favor with Johnson.
The real objection of Johnson and his
colleagues to the barnst orning trips is
this: On these jaunts the players are not
compelled to live up to the rules of their
contracts and so fail to keep In condition
and may bring discredit on the men who
have employed them during the sum-
mer.
Must Ask Boss for Permission.
From now on, according to the new
clause to be incorporated by the Amer
i>an League in its players contracts, 1t
will be absolutely up to the club owner to
say what his men shall do during the off
season. If the club owner wants to give
permission to his athletes to play base
ball after the season ends. or to go to
Cuba or California. or to daily with pro-
fessional foot ball or indoor base ball
well and good The club owner himself
will be responsible. The players are his
property, and If he wishes to take a
chance that is his affair.
There are plenty Of horrible examples to
be cited to show that ball players are silly
to do other than labor for half the year
on the diamond. Last winter a team made
up of Cincinnati players journeyed to
Cuba. Two of its members were Johnny
Dubuc, then recognized as future Math-
ewson and Hans Lobert. who was a
wonderful worker in every department Of
the national pastime. Dubuc's 1909 show
ing was so poor that the Redland man
agement was glad to let him go to Buff
falo for a small sum. AS for LObert, he
played in-and-out ball for the Rhineland-
ers had to take a month off and finally
wound up the season with batting aver
age of DO.