The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-10
BRESNAHAN SCORES
TELLING BLOW In
FIGHT FOR RIGHTS
St. Louis Club officials Agree to
Allow Suit to Go to
Referee.
MAGNATEs FAVOR ROGER

! Special tc The Washington Herald.
| New York, Dec. 9.-Roger Bresnahan,
deposed manager of the st. Louis Car
dinals scored n telling blow in his fight
| for the recognition Of four years con-
| tract, when, before the board of diTec-
| tors of the National League this after
noon at the Waldorf Hotel. he induced
his late employers to submit the matter
TO arbitration. If a few minor details
can be arranged. and the respective ar
bitrators shown before tomorrow after
noon, the national League will have
washed its hands of a very unpleasant
duty. while, for the first time since the
national peace agreement was SUBJ
scribed to by organized baseball, the
civil courts will pass upon the validity
of organized baseball law.
When the meeting Of the board OF di-
rectors of the National League finished
| to-day's session. the warning parties had
| both tentatively agreed to arbitration
before a referee in the State of Mis-
souri,. This means, in shOr., a trial by
| common law. Missouri boasts an arbi-
! tratiOn law which permits the calling Of
witnesses and the placing of them under
oath.
After legal argument the referee hands
down his decision. which is as binding
in law to the concerned parties as any
I
| counsel Of Mrs. Helen Britton and Roger
Bresnahan to reach a written agreement
embodying the terms to which the inter
ested parties verbally subscribed to-day.
II this written agreement il presented to
the National League board OF directors to-
morrow the case will be closed, so far as
baseball law is concerned.
Roger Has Two Contracts.
Otherwise the National League will be
' forced to pass upon the matter. II went
upon record to-day as having full power
TO dispose Of the dispute Perhaps the
National League might not 50 readily
have agreed to Bresnahan's recourse to
common law had nothing but a baseball
contract been involved Bresnahan. how
ever had two contracts. One was the
usual formula to which diamond athletes
subscribe, and in which the reserve clause
under which the Duke was dismissed on
ten days notice. was subscribed. The
other was plain, ordinary business con-
tract Like the playing contract, this
called for a salary Of $1,000 a year, and
an additional 10 per cent OF the net profits
Of the club Arthur n. Sager who with
George Priest is acting as counsel for
Bresnahan, drew up this instrument.
The National League magnates almost
without exception believe that Bresnahan
MANN chairman Of the national COM
mission. rejected the sentiment of his
colleagues when he expressed himself as
convinced Of the validity Of Bresnahan's
claim.
Roger has an iron-clad contract"
said HERMANN. 1T will stand the test of
both civil and baseball law. He had
a stipulation that whether he played or
not he should continue as manager OF
h. &C. I nh
Louis claims he invalidated his contract
by not giving the club his best playing
services Now it does not look as II
any man possessed Of Bresnahan's brains
would. with 10 per cent interest in the
net earnings of his team, DELHI
erateIy jeopardize his financial revenues.
Bresnahan developed WingO. one of the
best CatChers in the league. II he had
been guilty OF all the trcaChery insin-
uated / cannot conceive of why three
other clubs should be so anxious to Sc
cure his services, now that the Cardinals
have cast him off. Cincinnati, Pittsburg
and Chicago are all fighting to land him
Fred Clarke. they say, is willing TO pay
Roger $1,000 year. Murphy is ready
to talk business. too. as soon as Bresna-
han adjusts his differences with st. Louis.
But l am in the field, and if either Muir
ply or Dreyfuss lands this fellow he
doesn't look as if Bresnahan is such a
has been or is such a grave offender
against organized ball.
Bresnnhan Favored.
The final outcome of Brcsnahan's case
rests indirectly with this afternoons de-
ve!opment If the case is decided by the
National League. Roger can scarcely
lose, for sentiment as well as justice
I'D
as to whether the matter goes to the
league or to a referee. They claim the
contract will stand the test of any civil
court.
James c. Jones, president OF the St.
Louis Nationals, represents that club
also in the capacity of attorney. The
board Of directors of the National
League are: Barney 'Dreyfuss. Pitts !
burg: c. II. Ebbets. Brooklyn: August
Hermann. Cincinnati: c. W. Murphy,
Chicago, and Cornelius J. Sullivan, New
York
Among the other matters disposed of |
by the National League directors to- |
day, the most important was the filing |
of Umpire Charles Riglcr's claim for !
5000 from the Phillies. Rigler declared |
he had been promised $3.50 for signing |
Eppa Rixey. the demon southpaw from |
the University of Virginia. where Rigler |
acts as coach. OF this amount $500 was |
paid. In Diminishing RiGleT's claim, the !
National League declared that its UNI |
pires had no business to act as scouts |
for the club presidents. Rigler had Pres |
ident Tom Lynch's permission to con-
duct the negotiations.
In the routine business New York was
awarded the pennant of 1912, and Secre-
tary John Heydler instructed to send |
a check of 500 for the purchase of It.
TO-mCTTOw the animal TnaafinO If
National League will open, at the con-
clusiOn of which. it is believed a short
session of the board of directors will
be held.