New-York tribune., 1911-09-01
Racing 4 Aomohg Wrestling Other

sociation and the Eastern League refused
soc. .olba,y I'M ratly IL, sitnougn It's a.oep., y,
| record over tile signature of the attorney
VINO represented them at the conference
| ence in mind the commission is at loss
| 10 determine 10 what extent the petition
| now before II is an expression OF the real
I ed IT,
The preamble TO this petition recites that
; the membership of the American Associa-
| ton in the National Association will ex-
| pre- by limitation on September s. 1911, and
| organized baseball. independent Of the Ma
| tional Association. A transcript OF the
records of It's annual meeting in 1899 sub
! life Of the National Association was ex-
! tended 10 September 6. 1921, the American
| Associations vote being cast in the affirina
! club, who held the written proxy Of Presi :
| dent j. y. O'Brien. with the approval Of
| the National Association by the adoption Of
the motion Of Judge Ksvanaugh that such
! recognition be accorded TO Mr. Grayson.
| The contention raised by the production
! ~ The National Associations records will
/ not no passed on bv tho commission at this
! u'hc. but lnaSmuch a. the American As
sociatton predicates its petition Of August
/ ! upon It's alleged freedom of allegiance
| to the agreement of the National Associa-
/ ton after September S. 1911" it's impor-
lance cannot he overestimated
| The 80 'eral demands embraced in that
] discussed their
numerical order.
| T.. That All leagues and clubs in organized
/ baseball shall respect all contracts. reserva-
| tions ard territorial rights Of the American
| Association. and that the latter shall like
| wis" respect ell contracts. reservations and
! territorial rights Of all leagues in organized
/ baseball
/ Each Of these rights ia fully enjoyed by
every league under protection. and no
iehSue not in organized baseball should re-
I cetve special privileges Of this character.
z. Ihat IN lieu Of the one man draft by
/ the major leagues from the American As
1 sociation. the American Association shall
4 permit the major leagues 70 select one
paNcr from each Of tie American Associa- p
tion class at price of $4,000. such selec-
| tlon 10 be made on or before July Of each
year, nut the PLAYER SO selected shall be
/ permitted 10 finish the season with the
ciub from which he rs chosen.
/ The drafting privilege cannot be abridged
| without infringing on the rights Of a player
/ 10 advance in mis- profession guaranteed
/ ny the third paragraph OF the preamble 10
I the national agreement. The number of
/ players Subject TO selection from cluD in
I Class A. Of which the American Association
Is a member, was in 1896 restricted TO one
annually. and many ma jor league club own
/ ers, who approved this amendment Of the
| national agreement are convinced that this
reduction has been perverted from It's pur-
Sc. 10 wit. To enable Class clubs TO
Keep their respective teams practically in
I tact from season TO season-to put pro-
/ hibltye prices on PLAYERS whose services
are sought by National and American
! League clubs The proposal Of the Amer
/ lean Association 10 permit the selection Of
/ one player At a fixed price of 5000 without
/ regard TO his intrinsic value cannot be
seriously entertained by practical baseball.
/ Nor is there valid reason for advancing
/ the period OF selec m from September
/ 10 July !. FOR not uQul the later part or
. August can real line be had on the pros
| poets Of a player to make good in fast
! company.
/ rnat the conditions of Rule 36 Of
/ the national agreement shall apply 70 the
American Association as II now applies 70
/ major leagues. and that the clubs OF the
American Association shall have the right
/ 10 go into the market and purchase players
under the same conditions as the major
I leagues now do.
/ The rights of an American Association
/ club under Rule 36 are Identical with those
/ OF d major league club. except that a
/ player recalled by a minor club under an
| optional agreement is subject to draft on
/ september ! from the the club he is with
/ on August % That provision is absolutely
/ necessary TO prevent collusion between
/ minor league clubs to cover up players
and 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 az INDEPENDENT league
/ reason 10 apprehend that the control Of
I the most promising players OF the Class
( 3. & and d leagues would, in many in
U
poses In American Association clubs and
I that the recruiting Of major league teams
would he seriously handicapped. IL Is
/ patent 70 all that tho American AssOcil-
! the national association that more than
Compensd'es IL for loss Of talent by draft
! with MANY playerg whose major league
career Is closed. available annually at
prices far below those at which graduates
into ma lor leagues are held, the American
| Association is enabled az a comparatively
I "a kQ1 nm fha o. D,
Of its teams each year, thereby safeguard
/ inG itself against professional race and
| insuring profitable patronage for each
Of its teams.
The contention that the draft depletes the
playing strength Of each American Assoca
ton team a. the close Of every season is
not sustained by statistics. In 1905. when
the one man draft was inauguratsd. all
but two Of the players selected from that
league were turned or offered back 10 the
clubs from which they were respectively
secured. This disposition was made Of all
but two play erS drafted from American As
sociation clubs IN 1907, Of all but three In
I 1910. II not lnireguently happened that the
chance 10 regain the drafted player when
rendered 10 the club from which he was
selected Al the draft price az required by
the national agreement was rejected. The
aggregate number of crafts from e0s 10
1910, Inclusive from American Association
clubs was thirty eight Twelve OF these
players were retained beyond the succeed
.
became ma JOr league fixtures.
I. That the American Association shall
have the right 10 dispose OF players to clubs
OF lower classlfca ton under options on the
same rtrms a. the major leagues now do.
That privilege is enjoyed by the peti-
rOner. except for the requirement that un-
less the recalled PLAYER reports before Au-
gust 2S he is subject 10 draft. az above
statcl, and further concessions in this mat
ter would be unwise and impolitic
.. That the american Association
n Tafv all 1raf rfcyif from, all
clubs in organized baseball The views Of
the commission on this subject appear in
its comment OF Paragraph /. II should be
rejected because restrictive Of the right Of
a player 10 advance in his profession.
s. That your honorable body shall be
the court 10 adjust all disputes affecting
internal affairs. and the American Asso-
citation will pay $500 annually for the sup
port and maintenance Of your honora bic
body.
The American Association was accorded
IN the revised national agreement. which
II rejected in 1903, the right OF appeal from
which would decline TO assume protec
torate over or accept protection fees from
an Independent league.
With full appreciation Of the importance
Of organized baseball being permanently
represented In the present circuit Of the
American Association, the commission ex-
tends 10 patrons and players its assurance
that. regardless Of the course OF the peti-
toner Ghe American Association. this
territory will continue under protection for
an indefinite period In order that mat
ter OF 40 much moment NAV receive proper
attention the commission hereby requires
the American Association 70 notify it's
chairman by September 10 whether II will
continue 10 operate under the national
agreement
In the mean time the secretary Of the
commission was directed TO withhold pay
men. Of draft money for 1911 TO American