Evening journal., 1912-10-29
BALLFRA1'ERNITY
FACES MANY
PROBLEMS

National and American League
magnates do not appear 10 be in the
least disturbed by the formal organ
izstion Of the Baseball Players
Fraternity which has recently been
accomplished Those who have ex-
pressed themselves on the subject
ore apparently entirely Indifferent as
to what the fraternity win ask Of the
club owners.
One official OF the Pittsburgh club
recently passed the subject up with
the remark: Il suppose Dave Fultz
needs some money to help out his law
practice" Dave Fultz, retired ball
player being the President Of the or
ganization.
Another magnate recalled the his
tory and finish of the Players Pro-
tective Association organized in the
summer of 1900, when three delegates
from each National League team met
ut the Sturtevant House in this city
and formed an organization and pass
ed various resolutions.
AT the National Leagnemeeting IN
December. 1900, Clark Griffith, Char
lev thinner, Jimmy Callahan, Joe
President A. II. Soden of the Boston
club TO be presented TO the league
Nothing was heard of the petition
until after the league had adjourned.
Soden found the document in his
pocket and claimed he had forgotten
Ill about IL.
In June. 1901, the association re-
elected Charley thinner President
pre- Inh ld
the American League players. who
had that year become afilated with
The association, 70 withdraw II Zim-
mer was elected. TO obviate that
step thinner resigned and Tom DAILY
OF the Brooklyn club was elected
president
The association held or attempted
to hold, several meetings during the
next two years. at which there was
much squahbling Finally on July
%, 1903 a meeting was called to
reorganize the association. II was
slimly attended and resulted in a fiz-
gle
Circuit Judge Harry Taylor of Buff
falo, who has played on the Louisville
and Baltimore teams and was then
practicing law, was the first attorney
for the Association. Several players
tried to charge Taylor with the mix
up that caused their first failure
Nobody will deny that the ruling
rowers of baseball are just as astute
in these days, If not more so. than
they were In 1900. When President
Fultz appears and states his case, If
lie rs allowed TO do so. he will con-
ficnt some very willy gentlemen, who
understand baseball law as we'll as
tNe law OF the land and are fully
stie 70 protect themselves and their
ieietcsts N the magnates should
laik az what the fraternity will ask
them and the players get stubborn,
followers of the game may have an
opportunity to see how strong the
new protected association really is.
Here is a proposition that will set
me of the diplomats OF the b. p. II.
90 de some heavy thinking. 10 is in
IoEafd TO the division of the money
IN the worlds series games. The
leilplayers, who, under the rules
sn3re only in the proceeds of the first
tour games. which this year included
the eleven-inning tie score game,
think since tie-score contests do not
count as victory or defeat for either
team. they should not count as one
Of the four games in which the playv
els share in the gate. II Is an added
revenue for the club owners and
national commission and should be,
they say, an added revenue for the
ball players
On the other hand. Chairman
August Hermann of the National
Commission thinks the ball players
are getting entirely too much out OF
The championship series as It is, and
has formulated a plan to cut down
their revenue TO a flat sum-S750 each
tor the members Of the winning
team and $500 each for the loser
dividing the balance OF the money
hat under present arrangement goes
20 the contending players between
the eligible ball players of the four.
teen teams not taking part in the
worlds championship series.
He would make the big series {
benefit to all hall players in place o
to only the members Of the two cham
pionship teams.