New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-08
nave FuItz Explains Purposes
of New Association.
RAN JOHNSON APPROVES
Almost Every Player in Two Big
Leagues Now Enrolled
in Fraternity.

.,,NpehenFiYe statement yesterday ~
ys,sln the purposes Of the association in
SysU, SO fsr as can DO Judged, no OPP
Ss.I,loa will come from club owners and
'%o.a IN control Of organized baseball
sor Johnson, president Of the American
,-sg,e. said yesterday IN Chicago
~ an, suro the leagues and owners Will
..,.e no objection 10 any such organiza-
ZION Il Il lives UP 10 its purpose TO better
condl,IoEs for the players
charles A. Com'skey, owner OF the Chi
caro- White sox, also is quoted as saying
~, looks 70 me as II lot OF good
,lgh, be done both the players and the
owners with such body at the head of
,hs nen engaged IN the game. dom
,s,,k any unreasonable demands will be
made, and / don't believe the players IN
,snd 20 wreck the game, which Just now
1, Al the holsht OF !ts prosperity with
..rslbl, men 20 the head Of the frater-
,nv who VIII confer with league officials
=, important questions, j., looks TO me as
n Nil rldes should profit.
,ebe statement issued by Mr.. FOltz fol-
,vws,
The general purposes Of the fraternity
ave a. follows: 70 have every reasOLSulSe
',bHgeNon Of Tie players contract Nv -
vn 10 by both contracting parties 70 -
~ sioorafe protection from abusive
speetst0rs; 70 discountenance ana aooli -.
- lar as possible row tylsm on tAe HS!u,
40 be o. financial assistance 70 oese' . nc
Nall pleyers. 10 advise the payer CON
co.nns amy real or fencled s .yi.t 80 70
md IN the event the former exists; ~
ugeuere HE case Tor him. 10 lnst!I my
he player pride In mis- profession anu ma
90 ute lie strongest possible lhhuehCe "
irauce him 10 keep himself N Souu4 t4oii
and 10 give his employer the DesI SGT
Wee OF which he II capable a..
~ has been argued BY some OF the
srponentp OF the maternity mat the.e
II no need fO- an ORGANIZATION lh~l t"S
rghts OF The players are amply IioleC'eu
bS liz rhLOutl agreement, when i an
asrtemsut entered into by every Ieasue
iI Ire United states, forty three IN nun
var In order that tie situation may re
understood, u is necessary 10 KEEP ia
mind the fact that when player sIen9
centract he enters into an aGite!ieHl
~bieh binds the owner FOR only ten days,
wnlls Inc player IL bound lor Inc re-
,nginder Of his professional career
Vsyer again he's he The power 10 con
irsct: he may be bought. SOLD, tradeu,
leased or gwen away and az "lthol.
bi, content lie must sign any contract
which II placed before hun, Tor the led-
ron that under the rules OF the national
agreement He is "a property r.sAl Oh w
original contracting team ana no no Os ~
tegn1 may negotiate with him. The star
tften gels his price through threat OF
retirement but the majority oI the players
nave absolutely nothing 10 cay ABOUT
tnelr salBries. ..,,.
NTH these rules, however. when justly
administered. We have no fault 70 hnd'
We realize their necessity baseDaH -
peculiar business and must pe GoVerneu
by peculiar laws We simply mention
hem 10 show the opportunity Tor grave
Injustice when this GOncrWa! power rams
into the hands OF an OyeTTeacnlnS mag
mate and 10 Saw the utter helplessnesH
" the player when he contends Tor ms
lights s!Lgle-haNued. .
ID there need OF an organization:
few instances Of the abuse OF thls
power will answer the question very con-
cgsiyely: Several years ago payer
signed a contract containing the pEoVIso
that il could be renewed by the mag
nate at the same figure or the player
should b. released. The next season the
PLAYER was rendered a contract Tor eH-
sctly half OF what his previous contract
called foT. lie protested without aya1!I
ne demanded hts release ana received
the ultlmatum that he would play under
that contract OF quit. He had TO play
Another player under contract with a
major League team at a certain figure
was sold 10 a minor league. The contract
rendered him called for $500 or 500 less
than the major league contracts ne re-
fused TO report and undertook the man
agement OF an independent team. Later
he brought am action against the major
league team although his independent
team had Tor some time regularly plaEed
exhibition games with major itasuc
leans and had several contracts TOT
future games. these contracts were
broken and all teams and players In or
gsnized baseball were forbidden TO play
against any team with which he was
connected. Later the player withdrew NE
action and the ban was Immediately
lifted
Recently a player was released from
major league team 80 a minor league;
Notwithstanding the fact that I'm his case,
W The rules Of the national agreement,
vas necessary 10 procure waivers IRON
all the other major league teamh,, ana
mat two OF them were very anxious 10
get him and were willing 10 pay MIN
what his contract called for, the player
vas ralrOaded' into 2 minor league
snd by the deal lost several hundred DOL
iars salary besides having lrrepoTable IN
Jury done MS baseball reputation.
another player who had signed con-
tract With a major league team for 1917.
was sold TO a minor league team This
ram, however. would only pay him an
amount $50 less per month that his orlgi-
hal contract called for. The player de-
ing 10 the terms OF his contract; II was
REUSED. Tie oueTod 10 pay for IT, as
nsher teams were willing 20 give him ms
price; with like result. he refused 20
~ 70 the minor league team and has
reported daily al the major league
sido grounds, although he has received
no salary since June O.
another player signed a three-year con-
aacl LOT me seasons Of 1911, 1872 and 1873
az salary Of $500 per season Last
July the player was sold TO a minor
asue and II being paid 5000 per season.
IHese cases are legal anOmalies-the
SohISct is not assigned or the salary
b "Vu,o De Inc same, when the seight-of-
payer Is still bound. while the owners
nave mad an immunity bath and may
,ynPei the player 70 accept any salary
49, 49, choose TO pay. IL this principle is
be ~ ms last mentioned player could
Hlaue 10 accept not $1,000 but 81 900
~ OF even postage stamp. These
cs,, All actual occurrences and can be
ULa verlhed, SIS can numerous others
Hhlolher very popular practice IS 10 sign
mino. Io contract, release him to a
gnSer eague team at a reduced salary.
sIrenn az DIPLOMA! agreement. which Is
rroe me old farming" system under
In H. seuphonious name, and recall him
- he an6 al when the player takes stock.
en-, "nos himself several hundred dollars
eoy,. ana again bound 10 the same old
IN =. dct. All the money does NOT come
through the turnstile' ''' O'''
b.NN arr, are tod that ample redress can be
aad rom the National CommissIon "' We
~ not Wish In the slightest way 10 bo
tSs Sodv % % T nals upon the prObity
yet forth the facts and cali s,, we SIMPLY
we se law OF probabilities. The NsX T, " i
commission Is composed Of tbrsn a. .l''l'i
lIefs: the PRESIDENT. OF the two mieh,-
them S tb ana e a th'rd person selected By