Evening journal., 1913-11-13
SKIDDINC men
TO The MINORS
MagnateS Insist on Rule
Which Allows Them to
Control Men
TO Fight CHARGE
BEFORE COMMISSION

The one clause OF the demands Of
the Players Fraternity that is GER
tain to meet with denial by the Ma
tional Commission is that affecting
the present system of securing waiv-
ers on players in the big league, says
the New York World.
While the present waiver system,
on its face, appears to be eminently
fair to both magnate and player,
there is a Joker" in it that has sent
many big Lacquer to the minors
when he might have had several
more years m fast company. It is
to kill this Joker" that the players
have made their demand.
When the waiver rule was adopt ID
a few years ago, it Is said very plainly
that before a club could send a play
ar TO The minors II would be neces-
sary to secure waivers from every
other club in the leagre If any cluJ
refused to waive and claimed tle
player he became the property of
that club, after a payment OF 81 500
had been made. The later provision
made IL impossible for dickerng un-
der cover and the maena.es changed
the rule so that if another club claim
ed the player the club to which he
originally belonged could withdraw
the requests for waivers and keep
the man. Right there is the "jok r.
that the Fraternity is trying to
smash. II killed the whole object OF
the rule.
For instance: II Chicago should
ask waivers on Smith and the st
Louis club should refuse to waive,
the Chicago club could withdraw the
requests and keep Smith until a more
propitious time TO get rid of HIM. A
little later on the Chicago club could
talk the matter over with ST. Louis
Now, If you will waive on Smith,"
they could say eve will waive on
mail for you" st. Louis finally con-
sents and the player is skidded TO the
minors, when he might have had an
other year or two in fast company
The National Commission is GER
tain to turn down the demand for
change In this rule. and its reasons
viii be- The rule as il now stands
gives the clubs a chance 10 enforce
In other words if a play
er begins to ask for more money, or
get stubborn in other ways he can
be brought to his senses by applica-
tion of the waiver rule. A threat to
send him TO the minors may stimu-
late his work all around.
This has worked successfully in
the cases Of several players and the
magnates do not want the rule
changed. At the same time the play
ers think 1t unjust to them because it
permits the club owners to keep them
in the big league or send them to the
minors at Will. This, the players say.
absolutely kills the original intent of
the rule, which was TO give players
a chance TO stay In the league as long
as possible.
The players want the rule, with
slight variations, put back in its
original form. They are of the opin-
ION that the waiver clause should not
be used in the nature of a punish
ment 10 be held over the heeds of
members of the teams.
The National Commission is dis
posed to be very generous with the
PlayersFraternity in most of its de-
mends, and IL is practically certain
that all Of them will be granted with
the possible exception of the waiver
rule. Everybody seems to be unan-
imous in agreeing that a player
who has been in the league for ten
years shall be given his uncondi-
tional release when his big league
days are about ended. This is moth
ing more than fair reward for long
and faithful services.
The New York Club did this for
Joe MCGinnity and plavers have heen
similarly honored by other clubs.