Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-31

THE National Commissions ruling
in the Deal case, defining the
Players rights as a free agent,
- ought 10 be hailed with great
satisfaction by all ball players.
The Sporting News. We think, is right in
predicting that when effective this rule
VIII become q veritsble Magma ChArta
to the men of the diamond. Charles A.
Deal signed a contract 10 play with the
Philadelphia National league club and
reported for spring training. @ per
agreement. He was told his services
were not desired by that club and that
he had been sold to Lancaster In the TIL
State league. There he learned that
Lancaster proposed to pay him only 80
per cent Of what he was to get In Phila-
delphia. He revolted and asked that if
Philadelphia found II impracticable to
live up to its financial contract. then he
Should. In all fairness. be made q free
agent and permitted to so where he
pleased and do the best he could. But
Philadelphia and Lancaster did not see
II this way. SO Deal appealed his case
to. the National Commission and the
commission ruled In his favor. promulgat-
ing this rule to cover all similar cases:
Rule S-A free agent, who contracts
with a national agreement club, and Is
released by II without a trial. or who.
after entering its service, Is transferred
without his consent TO another club dur
ing the life OF that contract, shall be de-
ne T. re Ign, ~, .ne eIuo 70 Mn,en
his original contract calls for 10 the close
Of its term.
It is high time this arbitrary power
was taken away from the club owners.
for II has been shamefully abused by
some of them. most of them, in fact.
Base ball cannot endure upon the basis
OF a one-sIded agreement that gives all
the advantage to the magnate. To avert
wars and revolts. Il IL necessary tina,
players be given their rights in such in
stances. A free agent ought to be o
free agent and the commission might
have given him the broader right OF
accepting a transfer or not as he sees
III. for otherwise his free agency IL much
cireumscribed. We know of no cases Of
notable abuse Of privilege by a player
that was free agent Jack Pfeister
eiuo owner was the worse on Tor II.
Without aspiring to the I-told-you-sc
class We venture TO suggest that II any
reader win turn back In these columns q
few months he will find It said thai
Tex Jones will not stay in Chicago. Tex
during the last week, along with Out,
fielder Kelly. returned to 81. Joseph. Thi,
Is the second round trip for Tex between
the western boundary line OF Missour
and Wentworth avenue. Chicago. Borton
who was used as Texas undestudy b,
Jack Holland. Is q much better bal
player. a conviction We have expressed
on former occasions, and heard other
express Tex has q uashing way abou
him that gives a certain gloss to hi
work, but the gloss too often wears off
He Is not the uphill worker that bi,
leagues require. But we wish him ant
come back smong US. Tex. We think 20,
and Mrs. Jones will find your honeymoou
much more enjoyable out here in III,
balmy west than you would farther east
Chance has decided to carry twenty
five players Including himself. through
out the season. This Is the legal limi
He could carry more than that-all h,
now has, IN fact--up to the middle o
May. but, sanborn says, he will not. 10
virtually, as the minor league teams III
up their permanent roster by the middi
or the first OF April. We have known o
notable exceptions to this rule. however
II sometimes happens that a mino
Lacquer thinks he has filled his rosie
with q permanent set Of men only L
find soon after the season opens tina
he is up against one Of two things-com
plete reorganization or certain loss. Tn
payers cast OH oy the Dig leagues get
ing sooo oertns' are very favorable
even as iate As may To-
backs; at least II will be IL lot o
old veterans can make IT. And anon
those who are trying are Harry Stein
and BOO Ewing VINO last pitched 70
fhliS' BreShAhan mas gwen both