Evening journal., 1911-11-29
TO ARGUE THE
OPTIONAL RULE
Trl-State Representatives Will
Again Consider New
Agreement
MEETING IN HARRISBURG
ON DECEMBER Is

Ine l1l-Otdte League mdBndlcS az
the coming meeting of the league to
be held in Harrisburg about Decem-
Der IS will likely take up the optional
4 agreement for another whirl Of dis
cussion. AT the last meeting the
league decided to permit the playing
of optional players by ruling out a
rule that prohibited the playing Of
players to which higher classed
leagues had strings. Since then their
y action has been commented upon by
sporting writer's all over the country
aad the move cited as a mistake and
II a step backwards.
These comments, with the action of
the New York State League in adopt
ing rule the same as the Tri-State
had in vogue for two years and then
eliminated at the last session, has set
the magnates to thinking and new ac-
N tion may be taken on the matter at
tho coming session.
The other business to be considered
will be tho formation of the circuit
and matters pertaining to the salary
limit for the coming season.
q. Alice Blough, of the Johnstown
Democrat, published the following
u concerning the optional agreement:
George Cockill, president and first
baseman of the Reading team of the
II Tri-State League, believes that the
II optional agreement clause recently
adopted by the league is all right. He
is also in favor of cutting out the
n salary limit and allowing each club
to pay as much for players as it sees
fit.
| Cockill is in the same position as
George Heckert, Curt Weigand, Marty
II Hogan, Hank" Ramsey and few
II others who might be mentioned. II
their respective clubs get in on the
N short end of the financial transactions
y Of a season they can pull up stakes
4 and seek pastures new. Not so with
i the real hackers of the Tri-State
clubs, such as Bert Leopold, William
Tunis. John Meyers, Kister Free,
Peter Cassidy and the local directors
If they go into the hole they have to
n grin and bear it and make up the de-
felt in order to maintain their stand
H ing in baseball and prevent the loss
of what they have already invested.
\ There is no doubt that the approval
II of the optional agreement method OF
doing business in baseball will re-
suit in a black eye for the Tri-State
League, and it would be no great sur
n prise if it should prove a fatal blow
of the whole business is that Presi-
Z dent Carpenter changed his attitude
H on the question so suddenly, for prev
n ious to the meeting of the league in
n October he had always been opposed
TO the move. The New York State
League tried the plan for two years
Il and finally dropped it like a hot
brick.
VI Here is what President Cockill. of
n the Reading club has 20 say In regard
n TO the move:
Personally / think that the Tri-
L State League would see better ball
with the optional agreement in ef-
feet ] cannot see where Reading
would be harmed. / have not con-
suited any other members of the as
sociation and do not know what their
NJ opinions arc:
What do think should be changed
most of all is the individual salary
limit II should be done away with
entirely"
The optional agreement means
this: A major league of Glass AA
clubs has a player whose future is
uncertain. The club owner tells a
4 minor league manager he has a
jewel. but can't make room for him
on the team-not this season. "He's
so promising that we couldn't think
of letting him go without a string on
him." says the big league president
or manager. "but III tell you what
n I'll do. III sell him TO you for $3.50.
81 That's what he cost me but / must
have the right to recall him at the
end of the season on an optional
agreement"
hi The minor league club grabs at the
bait. Perhaps the player turns out
1 to be star and is worth few times
Che amount that was paid for him, but
& be goes back to the big show at the
$3.50 price just the same. whereas he
y might have been worth $4,000 to the
2df club holding title on a straight sale
a before the draft season opened. For
M developing the player the club that
took the chance does not receive one
dollar.
And in the other case: The player
turns out to be a lemon" The club
F holding title to his services along
~ about August 20 receives a letter from
the club holding the optional agree
ment to the effect that I'VE have made
purchase of a number of likely young
players and will not exercise our Op-
~ tion on Mr.. So and So whom you pur-
chased from us on an optional agree
4. transfer his release to any club yon
desire" It's dollars to doughnuts that
II the club holding option on the play
or doesn't want him no others will and
N the club that was sandbagged into
Is purchasing a player on an optional
agreement finds that it has paid $3.50.
s. $500, or any other amount for a real
lemon"
~ The fellow holding the optional
4< agreement has everything to gain and
nothing to lose. He sells the release
u of his players for what they cost him
NJ seldom will he take less. If they
turn out to be stars as they frequently
n do the gain is all his, for. all hs
Needs to do 10 get back his player is
i 10 hand back the money he received
II for him. If they turn out to be
n lemons" (and this occurs even more
frequently the club that purchased
them with nothing to gain and every
4 n thing to lose is stuck for the purchase
III price
IT. Blind men sign optional agree
4 ii ments for players, but no one ever
b bought two-year-old colt at the
=. opening of a racing season, agreeing
FN 10 turn him back at the end Of the
season for the same price in the event
XII that the colt became star on the
III turf.
@W ORpUlNS, COURT WORK