The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-04-28
MATHEWSON TALKS
ON INVESTIGATION
OF BASE BALL TRUST
SAYS WHOLE THING HINGES
ON RESERVE CLAUSE WHICH
MANY THINK Is UNJUST.
Claims Its Abolition Would Hurt
Game and Players-Big
League Gossip.
BY christy Mathewson Of the New
York Giants.
Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure
Syndfcafel

Syndicate.)
NEW YORK. April 7-Investiga-
lions having spread over the country
IKE the prickly heat or eczema within
the Iast lew years. there is now some
| talk of the legislators looking into
the so-called baseball trust that pre-
vents a player from signing with an.
other club II lie Is dissatisfied with
the conditions Of the team TO which
/ he belongs. This whole question
! hinges on the reserve class, an instru.
/ ment that has been termed unjust by
/ many baseball authorities
! 80 Tar as | can see. such an investi-
! cation would not benefit the players,
4 because II would tend tn destroy the
/ interest in baseball. The purpose OF
( the reserve clause is TO keep a man
1 from jumping from one team to an
other that offers him more money,
which jumping would destroy the
I present enthusiasm over baseball.
/ once the interest and gate receipts
are gone. the player is bound to lose
ont. II man could force his club to
/ release him 10 the team willing to pay
the salary he demanded. the game
3 would revert to the situation which
| prevailed in the old war times All
I the largest cities where base ball was
: IN the most prosperous state would
possess the stars of the game. and the
/ little towns would be wiped out as
pennant COntenders
I
| Is unjust depends upon the use To
which the owner puts IL. Many mag
mates try 10 crowd "A man out of the
| business il he refuses to sign with
/ their club. hut when a player becomes
"A stubburn holdOut there Is generally
tendency toward arbitration. and
the powerful men In the league bring
their influence TO bear. particularly ir
the man In question is a star. as he
usually is. II strikes me that n solu-
I HF.Un gaF - l.
board of arbitration appointed on
which were both players and club
owners in equal numbers. Whenever
player became dissatisfied with his
, salary or other conditions on the
team his case could be submitted 10
this board. and both sides would be
Z forced 10 agree To the verdict.
Drawing Ability Valuable.
As for the case OF Cobb. the one
I which has stirred mp all the talk.
am not familiar enough with the de
tails 10 express an opinion, but ~
strikes mo that man OF Cobb's draw
/ ing ability is worth a lot OF money
10 his club The sting could be- TAX
; en- out Of the reserve clause By es-
tablishinE some neutral body TO ad-
f! just all arguments.
often followers Of baseball have
asked me IL pitcher does not feel
discouraged when ne is knocked out
Of the box in rame
u slOuldn think YOU would ever
want TO 20 back TO the box again" a
fan said 10 me once
Doesn't most every man have
bad day ~ business when nothing
breaks right for HIM Don't most ac-
tresscs have bad DAYS when they are
ont of voice? II Is the same vay
with q ball player. We al have our
Of days. ~ Gcorg" ADO said once.
NOT even q humorisf can go TO tho
hat every day and bang ont a three.
bnEgor. n Us this car of going back
INFO the box Vhic. harms 50 many
young pitchers. but 30 does not both
or veterans
! recall game I started in Pitts
lUTeh last season The Pirates had
habit ~ thar time Of hitting the
fiT-l ball. ana NcGrav warned me to
watch ont for This before ! went into
The box
Look out for thar first one. Mat.
~ DO said 10 me-.
went into tine box with this in
mind I'yrnc was the first man I'D
tO ti" bat. and Do. crowds the platE.
] tried waste q ball on the inside.
and he stepped back and singled &c.
cause they were PLAYING q rushing
game. ! figured he would m, TO steal.
so ! attempted to waste one on tho
next batter Bang There was an
other base hit With two on. 7 was
lookinE for bunt and threw fhs
h1. at the next battors mead. be
cause O. liEl one Dr. the MOST din
cult to ldy down lie kis cd o fol
another base hif. and the Iiftsburrt
team had three runs before the I'M
Ming ws- over
"Eotter lct some ono else finish
ihe game. said ! To- McGraw when
.u' club wont fo fIn bench. They ro
hfunc Wild pitches today"
You're Iutine them over too gool.'
au- f'rrI Ntffrav
How Matty Felt
D itdrf Hn bach tp tho ,iuh hou.a
thaf rI-ht l,,iIr- couldn't pitch any
u o.. Dr. wa- not my dat. and that
Was aI This .s OBJ. way most t.f-
.rlt. rrrari being knocked out =
.n" '"N. on'H the >ouurstcrs lose
tn'Ir cuutd.ne".
b" nr in thc race this year. tho
clubs have GOT away moro .r "a bun, n
ih1n th't fil last season. There has
'''u n' carly starter ts Cincinn4u
f1Ii 'ark when thr roIrr became hard
OF Nft'r H pe.r Hcsirrirr in tho
fre' f.H games Ihr Giants have
-frI.h IH.r efrft. now and are walk
.re aIHne at a -nod rurc
IrUW mF point rr tIrw. % g. usc-
'e.fN .nf fr. .l1h fs got good lad
I.I.r. OH. western tfgIr com. east
"n o.. fr-f swtur around fhr circuit.
". I.-. DO t. from fHe western rci-
'.v. f'.f f1o .;iuufe wi'i rrf The hcavy
'.rI 'iff'r Hr u..f Philadelphia q
'.s''rn t.Im We have faced
v' Hr"tHr- tH I. very much
.ff. r.r '..' wre uaf 1cor. md
i'.. sw"'r I..l.e the club -
u"r' .u r. N".Hr.. thru r was IN
N "i TT. 'N. f.Hm wac han