The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-29
bs Science TOUCHING SECOND
Baseball - - - - 49, 80 - 1ua-s 1u--1.no- - - -
BY JOHN j. EvERs AND HUGH s. FULLERTON

! in day. IF the theatrical trust should
attempt to reserve all actors, the con
tracts would be worthless. The ncces
sItv for the reserve clause among base
ball players is great the combination
between owners is much closer than IN
any other business in America and per
fcctly effective. In baseball reserve
clause enables club owners TO hold to
geiher team, prevents competitive
bidding for the services Of ex
traordinary players. enables owners to
enforce, in many leagues. & strict sal
ary limit. Without the reserve clause
1T is doubtful if any twenty players
could he held together long enough to
create a strong, coherent team, with
perfect team work. Without the re
serve, and the illegal agreements be
tween owners, somo players would re-
ceive high salaries for few years, pos
sibly bankrupt some clubs without
much improving their playing strength
destroy the power OF owners and man
ayers to discipline players. and, for a
time. at least. weak clubs would be
weakened and strong ones strengthened.
The question is whether contracts for
a term of years would rot accomplish
the same ends Undoubtedly sudden
change of the system of government
would be followed by a period of de
structive bidding, but many think that
within n short time the salary and CON
tract questions would adjust them
selves, the scale of wages being what
the business would justify, and the
PLAYERS be certain of greater Justice.
The theory upon which baseball s
legal code was framed was the protec-
ton of the weak leagues, the restric.
tion of salaries within the means of
each league, the prevention of contract
jumping and violation of agreements
by players. Many of the most in
iquitous laws in force resulted from
defensive action by the owners to pre-
vent the reNetition of disgraceful acts
by players.
Legally. the baseball player is n
slave held in bondage, but he is the
best treated, most pampered slave of
history. and while there are many
cases of oppression, the majority of the
players received Just and equitable
treatment.
AS far as baseball law has been
honestly and fairly administered it has
aided greatly in the Improvement of
conditions in the sport, increased its
stability as an Investment. and. in spite
of its illegal phase considered from q
common law standpoint, il has had u
benefcent effect upon everyone con
cerned, even upon the average player.
But, as usual IN all combines, the
rulers of the game soon saw that laws
framed to protect all could be used by
some TO oppress others; as an instru-
ment Of the rich TO benefit at the ex-
pense of the poor and weak, against
players by employers, against small
leagues by large ones The only pro
lection existing for players is the fear
by club owners, with huge sums in
vested in the amusement enterprise,
that PLAYERS, if not treated well, or if
oppressed, will not give their best
efforts on the playing field
Close examination Of the records of
the supreme court of baseball since its
establishment in 1908 Ono reference to
the justice of any case being made), re.
veals the fact that about 50 per
cent of cases between major and
minor LEAGUES have been decided in
favor of the major leagues, and almost
90 per cent of cases involving cases
between players and club owners have
been decided against the players, The
ratio Of decisions favoring the strong