The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-08
Players May Get
 Overdue Salaries
National Commission Makes Sugg estion to League About H ol lyok e and Northampton Players.
Springfield Union.)


 Following the action of the directors of the Connecticut league in declaring the members of the defunct Holyoke and Northampton clubs free agents the National commission has also ruled that the players are free, mak- ing the best our of a troublesome sit uation. The commission. in announce ing it's ruling, suggests that all reve- nues accruing from future sales or drafts of these players, no matter where they may be located, be applied to the payment of the salary arrears of the Northampton and Holyoke players. Incidentally the commission calls attention to the fact that the St. Louis American club sold Pitcher Louis Tretter to Holyoke for $400 and the privilege of picking any player on the Holyoke team before Aug 1 and that as St. Louis never received a cent for the twirler that club will have the right to pick any. player who may have been with Holyoke at the time of it's disbandment, with the pay ment of $350 no matter where such player may be playing, this money to be used toward paying up back sal- aries of the Paper City players.
 The commission makes known its views on the Holyoke and Northamp- ton clubs affairs in the following let ter to Secretary J. H. Farrell of the National association, to whom North ampton and Holyoke players appealed when the league dropped both clubs from the circuit and declined to make good the salaries of the players:
 Cincinnati, O.-J. H. Farrell, Esq,( Secretary of the National Association, Auburn, N. Y-Dear Sir: At meet ing of the National Commission held to-day the question of payment of the salaries due the players who were with the Northampton and Holyoke clubs was taken up, particularly so in view of the letter you sent me in which you asked whether we have any suggestions to make in this mat ter
 We believe that the first thing to be done is to declare all of these players free agents so as to permit them to sign with any National Agreement club that they care to.
 E'In addition to this we are strongly of the opinion that if two new cities are to be taken into the circuit to which Northampton and Holyoke be- longed, then these two cities assume the players salary obligations.
 While on this matter have been directed to call your attention to an agreement entered into on the 4th of April between the St. Louis Ameri- can league club and the Holyoke club relative to player Tretter. By this agreement the St. Louis club releas- ed the player to Holyoke, the latter club agreeing to pay $4O0 on June l and to give the St. Louis club first option to pick any player on the Hol- yoke team on or before Aug. 1 on the payment of $750. The Holyoke club has not paid the St. Louis club for player Tretter's release. It is there fore ordered that the St. Louis club shall have the right to select any player who may have been with the Holyoke team at the time of it's dis bandment on or before Aug. 1, on the payment of $35O. no matter where such player may be playing, the $350 to be paid by the St. Louis club through your office, and to be applied by you as part payment for salaries due players on the Holyoke team.
 ''The commission also suggests. in fact strongly recommends, and may possibly adopt an order, that in case any player belonging to the two clubs in question are either drafted or sold by any club operating under the Ma tional Agreement this fall, that the money received for such players shall be paid to your office and shall be first applied to the payment of back due the players of both clubs, Northampton and Holyoke, the balance, if any, to be paid over to the club having title to the player at the time he is sold or drafted.
 Respectfully a "AUG. HERMANN, Chairman"