New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-28
Baseball Slavery lust Talk for
the Calamity James.
NEED FOR RESERVE CLAUSE

Move a Good one IN Waxing
Prices at the Racetrack
More Elastic.
BY Herbert.
Slavery of the kind that baseball play
ers suffer is rather to be sought than
Stunned The kind Of slavery which
makes II possible for a man to earn all
the way from $500 20 $1,000 for SIX
months work or play. IS it is to many OF
them. needs no Investigation. II is little
wonder that August Hermann. speaking
for the National Baseball Commission
saws that an exhaustive examination of
the whole question is courted. in referring
10 the resolution introduced in Congress
last week. in which organized baseball
was characterized as the most audacious
and autocratiC trust i'm the country, ami
i'm which it is assorted that men are en-
shaved and forced 20 accept salaries and
terms or forever be barred from PLAYING
This is not the first time that a man
named Gallagher. who halls from ILLINOIS,
has sought for one reason or another TO
impugn the good name of baseball. On
this occasion he was aided and abetted
by the gentlemen of Georgia. who felt
that one of the most distinguished citizens
of that state. Ty Cobb by name, had been
grossly sinned against. and by one Horace
Fogel. who last winter was barred from
the councils of the National League for
casting discredit on the sport that is so
remarkably clean and well governed.
II seems needless to rush to the de-
fence of organized baseball. Gallagher
no doubt needs a little publicity. the gen
tlcmen from Georgia were prcJudlced'
willie Herr Horace Fogel once president
of the Philhes. is now discredlted. Noth-
ing. then. is likely TO come OF TINS reSo-
luton. which calls for AN investigation
while the Department of Justice has lar
more serious work on its hands. me
much discussed reserve clause IN the con-
tracts which players sign may need eN-
planning once more. 1t is the rock. so 10
sneak. on which the baseball structure
* built and consequently is essential to
the uroper government of the game
This reserve clause may be open to some
criticism Many laws and regulations
are. But while its occasional abuse may
lead to some injustice, its operation on
the whole leads TO much good.
In the first place. strictly speaking. the
PLAYERS are not sold-ony their services
and the player does not have TO give OF
his services except of his own free Will
and at a price-a mighty good price, too
II is necessary. of course, TO enforce
some restrictions; otherwise the owners
who certainly are deserving of some con-
sideration. would be even more con-
slant prey 10 the so-called stars than
they are at present. The players are
really the only assets Of a CLUB ana II
these could not be held from year TO
year. as judgment dictated. IT would De
absolutely impossible to eXpend thousands
upon thousands of dollars IN building
and maintaining parks where the game
is PLAYED. club spends time and money
in bringing out and developing recruit
and teaching him how baseball should
be played and for this there should be
some return. Without the reserve clause
the richer clubs would quickly drive the
poorer ones into bankruptcy and the
struggle for a pennant would not De
race but a hippodrome
In nv opinion, the men who framed the
national agreement and the laws of base
ball were gifted almost with the wisdom
Of a Solomon. Here and there. perhaps,
hardship is worked but on the whole
many complex questions have been treat
cd I'm n way to insure the truest kind OF
equity for all. Every now and then some
disgruntled player will hold himself up as
a horrible example Of an UBIQUITOUS syS-
TEN. an arrogant baseball trust, but the
big majority of the army of players real
lie full we'll that their interests are pro-
tected and that they cannot ask every
thing and give nothing In return. In
other words, they are well satsiled, so
far as can discover. with the conditions
that obtain, and for that reason II Is nara
TO understand why some meddlesome out
slider should take 1t upon himself TO plead
a cause in which he is not concerned.
George Burns, the new left fielder OF the
Giants. has quickly earned place in the
hearts of the fans" and once more John
]. McGraw's judgment in nursing him
along on the bench has been indicated.
He seems TO have the same wonderful
arm as RED" Murray in throwing TO the
plate, and II he goes along as he has be-
gun is sure TO be stamped ere long as
one OF the best young outfelders In the
National League.
The Giants, by the way, have been NOV
ing along In the same dashing way which
marked their play In the early part OF
last season. Their first two defeats on
the opening OF the season have now been
forgotten and confidence has been re-
stored AS has been said on more than
one occasion, the team looks stronger and
better balanced than was the case a year
ago.
The Phillies did not find the series with
the Giants particularly profitable but.
barring accidents. they should be fighting
along in the first division most Of the way.
Tom seaton Is moro than living UP to the
promise he gave last season. when. II may
be recalled. in the first thirty-one innings
he pitched this year he allowed only a
single run. II Alexander. Chalmers.
Rixey, Moore and Mayer settle down and
follow the lead OF Seaton Charley Doom
can count on one OF the best pitching
STATS in the league.