Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-13
Author-Players' Shares Of Big
League Series Are in Danger.

New York, Oct. 12.-When the New
York Giants applied to the National
Commission, today, for the losers
share Of the Worlds Series receipts
they didn't get the money They were
informed that the commission wished
first 10 see the contracts of the play
er-authors who are members of the
Giants so that / might be assured
their engagements TO report the
Worlds Series We're entered into be-
fore Sept. 81
Before the start Of the series. last
week, the National Commission laid
down the rule that no baseball PLAYER
or manager might write for the news
papers during any future Worlds Sc
ries. 1t was decided, however. that
players who had contracts dated be-
fore Sept. q, might go ahead with
their writing, this year. Half a dozen
members of the Giants wrote newspa-
per articles on the series. during the
play of last week Now the commission
wants TO inspect their contracts before
ii turns over the series money to the
men eff the team. II was declared, last
Monday, that those players
who could not produce bonafide con-
tracts signed before the date specified
would be penaliZed. but il did not an
nounce the penalty.
AS a matter of fact, no penalty is
likely to be inflicted and the Giants
share of approximately s2162 each in
the series money will probably be
turned over 10 them in short order
practically intact, as it is believed all
of the writing nen among them can
produce properly attested contracts
antedating the commissions announce
ment Of its ban upon piayer-author-
ship.
The sum of s1eo. however, will be
deducted from the New York players
share because of the fine of that
amount inflicted upon Arthur Fletcher
for his excited conversation with TIM
pire Connolly, last Thursday, at the
Polo grounds. The Giants themselves
/, have voted $1,000 of their money to the
widow Of John Murphy. the ground
keeper at the polo grounds for many
years, who died recently.
Fred Merkle the Giants first base
man. presented his fellow players re-
quest, today. to the commission neih-
hers. who met informally at their ho-
tel headquarters
Their session, if such 1t may be call
ed was an executive one. Chairman
Augustus Hermann, Thomas j. Lynch
of the National League, Ban h. John-
son. president of the American League,
the three members of the commission
and Secretary John f. Bruce oelns
present Merkle, who bore letter
from the players of the club asking
that the Giants share OF the recelpts
! in the aggregate be turned over 10
him was informed as to the commas
sion's ruling regarding the player-an-
thor contract matter and left without
the money, but with no serious fear
that the sum earned by the players OF
| his team would long be withheld.
Manager John McGraw of the
Giants talked with the commission
afterwards on the subject of player
authorship. McGraw. himself prom
inent in the ranks of the player writ
ers, expressed himself opposed on
general principles to members OF
baseball teams contributing 10 the
newspapers on baseball topics. He
had done more or less such work
himself. he said, as the practice had
become quite general. but ne had
come to the conclusion that the Gus
tom. all in all, was a bad one. His
chief objection was that public criti-
cism of one player by another affect
ed club discipline adversely.
No other matters of importance, so
far as could be learned, were taken
| up by the commission, today. ON