New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-08
Reason for Players to
Organize in Baseball

later, however we should ask 1t, we be-
Heve the request would be eminently
IAN. This our critics deny and say that
! ,1here is no more reason why the player
should have representation on the
| National Commission than there is Tor
naVing q representation Of iiagants on
! the bench OF court OF law win TINS
! we heartily agree; but while We concede
! mat there is no more reason we insist
| mat there is no less reason, ana un-
fortunately for the objection the liugant
| mas a representation on the bench; ne
| tries his case before judge in the cleo
/ ton Of whom he has had voice, whose
/ salary he helps TO pay and whom IL is
| now contended ne should be able TO re-
| call, while the player goes before BODY
which is a creation Of and owes It's
/ existence solely TO the Will of his OPP
| ponent
| 1t is argued that the player is we'll
| paid. That he is we'll paid is no reason
/ he should not organize. The star is Wen
/ paid, we are frank TO admit; the average
/ player. not so well and some players
| very poorly. Many people Will be sur
| prised 10 learn that there are men play
| Ing IN the big leagues for $500 per sea-
| son. A pitcher who led his league
| few years ago and who is considered TO
| have won the pennant for his team was
| under a 1920 contract
No artisan is we'll paid who does not
| get a fair proportion of the money ne
helps 70 make. A glance around the
| league circuits at the stupendous equip
ment recently completed or now under
| construction would convince the casual
! observer that after paying salaries the
| magnate still has enough left 10 keep
| the wolf out of the garage. IL this IL
not conclusive proof, let the skepucal
one attempt TO purchase a share OF stock
! IN any Of the clubs; the price quoted him
VIII remove all doubt.
But with this we have no contention. We
are exceedingly glad TO see the magnate
! prosper. He has made large investments
| in an uncertain business and deserves
! large profits. We do. however, object to
/ having the player represented as over
paid. With the amount Of salaries. we
| have little concern, as we most emphati-
cally shall not foolishly attempt TO
standardize a wage scale with the pos
. sible exception Of requesting that the
young player who Is brought from i
minor league shall be paid at least as
| much as he has been receiving.
The fraternity will endeavor to procure
legislation which will prevent repetition
OF the Cobb strike and Of the occur
rences which Ilused it While regret'mg
the strike. - ~ealize that IL did a great
deal Of good 80 bringing 10 the attention
OF the public ana magHates an ABUSE 10
which the player has been subjected Tor
many years. The professional is man
Of high tension, otherwwise he does not
50 plecdly about his work while some
! degenerate under cover of the crowd
| hurls abusive and obscene epthetS at
! him s to expect too much.
The ball PLAYER OF to-day IS OF FAR
hishe mental and moral caiibre than the
/ one OF ten years ago. BaseoaII TOT MN
has srOwn to be a legitimate business.
To say that ne. as a class is unreliable,
irresponsible and incapable Of conducting
his affairs, IS exceedingly unfair and IS
simply a survival Of that fast vanishing
spirit OF paternalism with which the
player has for many years been sur
rounded. That there have been dishonest
ball players. and that there VIII be more,
We regretfully admit Broken faith there
has beer. contract jumping there has
been, but We desire this fact 10 take deep
Judgement. for every contract jumping
ball player there has been dishonest
magnate who held out tho lure and
the masnate has always taken the inlta-
tive. During the war Of lWl-lD? many
sterling players held firmly TO their con-
tracts. although dishonest magnates were
offering them thousands and tholsands
OF dollars TO desert their teams IN mid
season, and perhaps ruin their employers.
The national agreement OF 1870 was pro-
mulgated by the magnates. not TO pro-
tcCt them against the contract jumper,
but primarily to protect them against the
avarice OF some Of their own number.
Recently there has been much news
paper comment upon accusations made
by q magnete regarding attempts IS fix
4 league race, and impugninR the honesty
OF us president. While we know that
such statements are absolutely ridiculous
and have not the slightest foundation, we
think IN view Of the fact that the mag
mates show an exceeding lack OF conf
dence In one another, that the ball player
would be foolish In the extreme 20 leave
himself at the absolute mercy OF any one
who, without his consent. might become
his owner.
The fraternity has membership Of
268: almost every player In the two big
leagues Is enrolled. The stars. while
having nothing to gain personally, have
unselnshly gone out in 'front.' 10 ala
their less fortunate brothers. The players
have never been 80 thoroughly organized
to go back now would be TO exhibit
color distasteful 20 every athlete. There
Will be no deserters. We have every con-
1dence that the players will stick.
We expect no antagonism from the fair-
minded, progressive owner. Presloent
Johnson has gone on record as fayoring
the movement He Is a far-sighted man
Of business s2gacity: he knew that an
organization Of some kind was inevitable
and # we mistake not, he is much grau.
fed that the movement has developed
along the lines that II has We expect
the cooperation 81 not cniy President
Johnson, hut President LynCh ana mar
man Hermann. in our endeaNor TO es-
tablish o relation Of greater confidence
between the nlagnate and the player. ana
this relation, both factions must realize;
can be established only by absolute good
faith AS long az a party. be he mag
nate or PLAYER, violates the fair obliga-
lions Of his contract simply because he
has the physical power and the brute
strength, 30 long will there be suspicion
and antagonism.
We assure the public press and owners
OF our sincere desire 70 uplift the player
and benefit the game. We realize the
power Of such an organization, and the
evil that II might inflict; but IT VIII
never be used for such a purpose. We
earnestly ask. and, because our requests
will he absolutely fair and equitable, ex-
as 20 ArR la Hnfa0 a md a.
ton OF public, press and all those IN any
WAY interested in our national game