The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-19
bRESNAHAN IS
BEING SOUGHT
Four Clubs Seek Services of
Deposed St. Louis Car
dinals' Manager.

ices of Robert Bresnahan, deposed
manager of the St. Louis Cardinals,
but through a hitherto unseen loop
hole in the laws of baseball Roger
may escape from the National league
In the opinion Of certain club owners
OF the National league, Bresnahan
will be free to do business with any
club in organized baseball.
Certain other club wne who
seek B~resnahan's services depair of
coming to terms with him. At pres
negotiations. and If he does respond
to overtures he will place the ante
at a sum that will cause some of the
bidders to utter wild cries of aston
ishment and pain.
Some of the club owners contend
that Bresnahan will be the National
leagues property after November Z
and they will ask the national COM
mission to rule that he can be claimed
by a National league club at the
waiver price of $500 and forced to
accept a reasonable salary.
Bresnahan's demands will stagger
any club, for he not only will hold ou,
for a big salary and a long term con-
tract. but will put a price Of not less
than $4,000 on his transfer from St.
Louis. If any club can show him
money enough to match his claim
against the st. Louis club he will do
business. But that claim amounts to
between $4,000 and $4,000. and
Roger is not going to drop 1t when
he has such a good chance to carry
it through.
Draw Lots.
No National league club can expect
to get Bresnahan at the waiver price
of $1,000. wen If that sum is paid to
him.: Some of the club owner have
an idea they can draw lots for him,
but 1t is doubtful whether Bresnahan
can be classed as a player on whom
waivers have been asked. He has
simply been released outright.
Anyhow. a new and interesting
point of baseball law is involved in
the peculiar situation. When a play
er is Internationally released by a
big league team 1t usually means
leasing club. but to all other clubs.
Even if a player is too slow for the
big league he can always fetch a
price in the minor league market.
and as long as he has a market value
he is sold instead Of being uncondi-
.tionally canned.
Bresnahan is the first great player
to draw an unconditional release.
Rogert may not be the ma he was
. HS okhk WI bClllIlu lIlS vat III
the Giants. but he is good enough to
be wanted by several big league
clubs. Good catchers are so scarce
that Bresnahan probably could get
a job with almost any club in either
big league.
This unparalleled situation, there
fore, opens up a new line of proceed
.ure. Nobody will invoke the law to
hold a player who is down and out.
hnf National Lon ono 1,11rh nvvnorS NI,il1
not permit Bresnahan to slip away
without making a fight for him. They
consider him an asset to the league.
and blame the st. Louis club for Civ
ing him this chance to get away. The
st. Lauis club. however. dropped Rog-
er simply to avoid paying him a big
salary.
Released Player.
B~resnahan Is master of his own des-
tiny to a certain extent. If he rejects
all offers and refuses to enter into
negotiations with n club until after
November Z he is to all intents and
purposes at liberty to sign anywhere.
He ranks the same as a released play
er who doesn't get an offer. He isn't
compelled to do business any more
an amateur picking his first job
in the professional ranks.
The st. Louis club released Bresna-
san outright on advice of counsel.
by notifying him of his release and
asking for waivers h club could have
obtained a good price for Roger. but
Mrs. Britton evidently was advised
that such Il procedure would strength
en Bresnahan's claim for three years
salary. He signed a four-year con-
tract a year ago.
II some other club offers Roger
say $4,000 for a new title to him.
gives him n ~three-year contract for
$4,000 a year. and the St. Louis club
pays his $4,000 to waive all claims
on that club he might do business.
But what club will go that strong?
Surely not Brooklyn or Boston.
Charley Ehbets makes no secret of
the fact that he would like to sign
Bresnahan. The Brooklyn club could
use another catcher. hut EbfIetS isn't
saying whether he could use Roger as
Il manager or as a private. James
Gaffney. owner of the Boston club.
is also trying to negotiate with Bres-
nahan.
The retirement of Johnny King
Boston. Gaffney is willing to pay
good money. hut nc cannot promise
Roger a job as manager. George
Stall will boss the Braves.
Cincinnati and Philadelphia are two
nther clubs that are ready to make
Bresnahan a proposition. but the man
agement of the Cincinnati club is in
doubt. and II Miller Huggins lands the
job ne probably will not care to have
Bresnahan working for him. At that.
Roger tried to do Higgins a good turn
when he framed a trade to send Hug
gins back to Cincinnati. where he