Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-09-02

the national agreement were conferred on
them.
This revised national agreement was
promulgated by the commission in March, |
1900, but was resCinded when the American /
Association and the Eastern league re- |
fused TO formally ratify IL, although its
acceptance by them had been made
matter Of record over the signature OF the
attorney who represented them at the con-
ference with the commission. With this
experience in mind the commission Is at
loss to determine 20 what extent the peti-
ton now before IL is an expression OF the
real viewe and purposes Of those who pre-
The preamble TO this petition recites that
the membership OF the American Associa-
ton in the National Association will expire
BY Limitation on September s, 1911, and
that the petitioner desires TO remain in
organized base ball, independent of the
National Association. A transcript OF the
Te ;,3rd S OF Us annual meeting IN I SUD
the life of the National Association was
extended to September 8. 1891. the Ameri-
Affirmative ar by Mr.. SfavSop s OF ~. Ioviso
willie club who held the written proxy of
President ]. p. o'Brien, with the approval
OF the National Association by the adoption
Of the motion Of Judge Kavanaugh that
such recognition be accorded to Mr.. Gray
son.
Of the National Associations records will
not be passed upon by the commission at
this time, but inasmuch as the American
gust 1 upon It's alleged freedom of al
legiance TO the agreement OF the National
Association after September s, 1911" its
Importance cannot be overesumated.
Demands of Association.
The several demands embraced In that
petition follow and are discussed In their
numerical order:
L That ali leagues and clubs in organ
| lied base ball shall respect all contracts,
reservations and territorial rights Of the
American Association and that the latter
/ shall likewise respect all contracts, reser-
vations and territorial rights OF all leagues
/ In organized base ball.
Each OF these rights is fully enjoyed by
every. league under protection, and no
league not in organized base ball should
receive special privileges OF this char
! acter.
| the major leagues from the American AS
| ISOLATION the American Association shall
permit the major leagues to selecI one
player from each Of the American Associa-
| ton clubs at a price Of 5000 such selec-
| ton to be made on or before July OF
each year, but the player SO selected shall
| the club from which he is chosen.
The drafting privilege cannot be abridged
psRsr to nT aagRne. Gn in his e rf on as
guaranteed by the third paragraph OF the
preamble to tho national agreement. The
from a club in Class A, OF which the
American Association is a member, was
in 1906 restricted to one annually, and
many major league club owner who ap-
| proved this amendment to this national
agreement are convinced that this reduc-
to-wit:
To enable Class A clubs to keep their
respective teams practically Intact from
| season TO season-to put prohibitive prices
| on players whose services are sought by
National and American league clubs. The
proposal of the American Association to
! permit the selection of DlaVer at q
fixed price OF 5000, without regard to his
intrinsic value, cannot be seriously enter
tanned by practical base ball men. Nor
is there a valid reason for advancing the
period of selection from September to
August c cS not reai anu line e be had P on the
prospects Of player to make good in
fast company.
Want Purchase Right.
g. That the conditions of Rule 80 OF the
national agreement shall apply to the
American Association as 1t now applies to
major leagues and that the clubs Of the
American Association shall have the right
ers under the same conditions as the
major leagues now do.
The rights of an American Association
club under Rule So are Identical with those
of major league club. except that player
recalled by a minor club under an option
agreement is subject TO draft on September
II from the club he is with on August %.
That provision is absolutely necessary to
prevent collision between minor league
CLUBS to cover up players ana deprive major
league clubs of their drafting privileges.
Should the American Association be ac-
corded equal privileges IN recruiting its
, teams with the National and American
leagues, either as an Independent league or
as q member Of Glass there is grave
reason to apprehend that the control of the
and d leagues would, in many instances, be
congested for speculative purposes in
American Association clubs and that the
recruiting of major league teams would be
seriously handicapped. II Is patent to all,
that the American Association has no ad-
, vantage as member Of the National Asso-
loss OF talent in draft. With many players,
whose major league career Is closed avail
able annually at prices far below those at
which graduates into major leagues are
held the American Association is enabled
, at q comparatively small outlay to build
up the strength Of its teams each year
oess1onal race and insuring a profitable
patronage for each OF its teams.
Draft Not Serious Injury.
The contention that the draft depletea
the playing strength of each American As
ISOLATION team at the close OF every sea
son is not sustained by statistics. In 1905
. when the one-man draft was inaugurated,
all but two Of the players selected from
that league were turned or offered back
to the clubs from which they were re-
, specuvely secured. This disposition was
! made Of all but tive players drafted att from
I but three In 1908, of all but two In 1903 and
a OF all but three In 1910
. 1t not infreQuently happened that the
chance to regain the drafted players, wher
Q rendered to the club from which he WA
selected at the draft price as required by
- the national agreement, was rejected. Tit
aggregate number OF drafts from 1905 L
1910 inclusive. from American Association
clubs was thirty-eight. Twelve OF thes'
players were retained beyond the succeed
o ing season, but a small percentage OF then
became major league fixtures.
I. That the American Association shall
Q have the right to dispose OF players to club
0 OF lower classification under options on
. the same terms the major leagues nov
: do.
r That privilege II enjoyed by the ped
d TONER, except FOR the requirement that un
Q less the recalled player reports befor'
}. August - he IL subject to draft as abov'
Il stated, and further concessions in this mat
9 ter would be unwise and impolitic.
4 s. That the American Association agrees
= to waive all draft rights from all clubs Il
i organized base ball.
o The views OF the commission on this sub
i jeot appear In its comment on Paragraph
d l. II should be rejected because RESTRICTIVE
. Of the right Of . player to advance In hi
; profession.
y offer to Pay $500 q Year.
d That your honorable body shall be tn
n court 10 adjust all disputes affecting on
y interests in base ball affairs (excepting In
Il tsrnal affairs), and the American Associa
ton will pay $500 annually for the sup
port and maintenance of your honorabl