The Detroit times., 1914-12-08
American League Made by La
! joie, Just as Feds Hope John
son Will Make Them
SCHEME DIDN'T WORK,
HOWEVER, IN 1890
Players League Failed, Starting
With More Popular support
Than Outlaws Have Now
BY HAROLD Y. WILCOX.

BY HAhOLD Y. WILCOX.
It's a safe bet that some portion OF
( history devoted to baseball wars is
going TO repeat itself within the next
Z year. But just what portion is a ques-
4 ton that is more OF a poser than that
put by the old flirting sphinx that the
historic Greek met on the road home
in the rosy days of the real Olympic
games. .....
The American league felt it's way
around in the outer darkness for many
moons before Ban Johnson and his
fellow-pioneers thought OF capturing
the National leagues pet performer.
Then they hooked Larry Lajoie, the
greatest ball player of his day, and
the American league was made. Even
tually it became the greatest of base.
ball organizations, and that is the pin
nacle on which il is perching today.
After dozen years OF peace, along
came the Federals, pitiful specimen
of baseball league. After signing
! up lot OF has beens' that look as
good in the movies as they do at first
hand at the ball park and a bunch OF
lesser lights that nobody wanted TO
4 see. anyway. Pa Gilmore and his at
taches stole some of Old Ban John
sons choicest stuff and kidnapped Wal
ter Johnson. This big moundsman is
not the pre-eminent figure that Nap
Lajoie was in his warning days. but
he answers the purpose, and the out
laws certainly expect him 10 pull
them through even as Gar Bancroft
was pulled through when he was on
the outside looking in. History re-
peats itself, quote the Feds, and point |
with glee 10 happenings OF dozen
years age.
But their memory is not long |
enough There is another bit OF bel |
ligerent history included in the me. |
moirs OF baseball days that are gone, !
and that particular passage in the 1
record OF diamond doings tells OF an
other invading league, backed by /
numerous plutocratic angels" TO |
whom the played-idols of the fans
hurdled in fiocks And that new |
league was based on an appeal that
would bring the whole-hearted sup
port OF every lighting tf4iien fan in
the country
But before the time for second |
season arrived, there was a stampede |
of players back TO old masters, the |
story OF which would rival 4 feature I
yarn based on the battle OF Bull Run.
Incidentally, the things that really |
broke this league was dwindling at
tendance atSths parks or both outlaw
and organized baseball, and slump |
In discipline on the teams tina. DIS
gusted everybody concerned.
The outlaw organization referred TO
is the Players league, secretly organ
lied in the winter OF 1889, and started |
on its disastrous way in 1890. There
are, of course, many points OF dissim-
ilarity between that circuit and the 4
Federal league. One OF them was that
that league was based on a revolt OF /
the players against one-sided con-
tracts and what was termed peonage,
a fact exactly suited to appeal to the
thousands of enthusiastic union men
who delight to pack ball parks. The
Feds would be very fortunate, indeed,
II they could present some such issue
for consideration next summer
But there are many points OF re.
semblance between the Players league
and the Feds. The Players league
expected success because II had sue
ceeded in enrolling a large number
OF the diamond stars OF the day II
failed because the public became dis
gusted with the bitter controversies
that were carried into the papers, and
because conditions made the enforc-
ing OF authority by umpires and man
ayers impossible. Today the Billings
gate that is being hurled back and |
forth between the organized and out
law camps is tending TO have very
similar result, and last summer IL was
very evident that discipline was sur
fering severely In all three OF the in
terested leagues. II Is sole bet, too,
that discipline will take the count on
more than one occasion next year be-
fore time for the world series is
reached.
Yes. history will repeat itself, no
matter which way the goddess OF for
tune jumps in this piquant baseball
war. but the dope, based on the hap
penings OF years thar are past, is |
$3.50 proposition.
The story of the rise and fall OF
this Players league is very interest
ing. 1t was secretly formed in 1889
by officers OF the brotherhood" head
ed by John NJ. Ward Backers for an
eightclub circuit and sites for parks
IN each National league stronghold
were secured
On Dec. 16, 1889, the Players
league was permanently organized
with 10-year co-partnership between
the clubs. Players were given equal /
places with the capitalists on the
board OF directors. The reserve clause
was abolished. and absolute one-year
contracts, with renewal clause, were
adopted The circuit was composed
OF Boston, Cleveland, Brooklyn, Phila-
dclphla, Chicago, Pittsburgh New
York and Buffalo. The usual number
on Injunction suits were successfully n
defended, and the season opened with
every prospect OF lots OF popular sup
port.
ia a short time. however, the play.