Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-12
TO TURN MARoUARD BACK.
Ward's Offer to Return Pitcher if Ne
 Has Contract with Giants.


 R4lhe Marquard, the Giant pitcher who signed a Federal League contract a week ago, will be returned to the Giants fold when his status IS Inliy established. The Wards, who en- gagged Marquard volunteered to re- turn Rube when the Giants show that they have a contract with the pitcher
 As President Hampstead has an iron-clad contract with Marquard TOT the next two years. it IS expected that the Rube will be returned to the Giants, as soon as the Wards receive official word that such contract eA- ists.
 Marquard's case Is rather fiatter- ing compliment to the policy Of the Brookfeds and shows that the trouble in baseball is often. with the player, and not with the manager. Mar quard made a mistake in telling the Wards that he had no contract ob- legations with the Giants, Just as soon as the Wards realized that Mar quard had made mistake they hur- ried to rectify theirs.
 The $I,500 which Marquard re- ceived from the Wards for Jumping his Giant contract will be returned to the Brooklyn club owners.
 The letter which the Wards sent to President Hampstead, on the Mar quard subject, as it appeared. in the New York Times follows:
 Dear Sir: It has been brought to our attention through the public press that the National Exhibition Company and the New York National League Baseball Club claim to have a play CTS contract with R- w. Marquard calling for his services for the years 1915 and 1918.
 If these claims can be sustained to our satisfaction, the Federal League Baseball Club of Brooklyn is willing to consider with MT. Marquard a cancel ation of the contract he made with us.
 The facts in connection with our transaction are as follows: On We'd nesday, Dec. 2, the writer was called to the telephone and, on answering, was informed that Mir. Maruuard de- sired an interview. He was told that had an appointment downtown at 1 o'clock, to which he replied that he would be at my office about II. He was announced in due time, and stated that he was under contract with your club for the year 1914, that the contract had expired, and that he was free to make a. new contract. He was asked for a copy of his contract have one in his possession. After discussing the matter for some time we advised him to go home and think it over for couple of days. This Dec. {. We then talked the matter over further. drew up a contract in triplicate, and handed him a copy for reading. He did so very carefully, and was then asked if he understood it thorouzhly. He replied that he did whereupon we called in a Notary Public and he signed his name, in three different places, including the affidavit. which, by the way, is inefud- : ed in the majority of Federal League contracts, for the reason that we want to know the status of a player be- fore signing him to a contract.
 This action on our part is in direct controsion with your action in the Ritter case. We are prepared to show you the contract entered into by Will liam Ritter with the Federal League Baseball Club of Brooklyn, which con- tract antedateS your contract by sew eraI days, you knowing full well that he had contracted with us.
 It is an open question whether, by securing his fathers approval to his contract, the New York National Lea que Baseball Club or Ritter's father did not condone a drong. and the fact that he did does not make it right
 That Ritter had been farmed out by your club does not enter into the case The New York Baseball Club had no contract with Ritter at the time of his signing with the Federal League Baseball Club of Brooklyn Our purpose in writing this letter is to advance the cause of honest base ball Very truly yours,
 FEDERAL LEAGUE BASEBALL CLUB OF BROOKLYN, INCOR- PORATED..
 R, B. WARD. President