Arizona republican., 1914-03-22
FIRE
 FIRST GUNSR0T
In Legal Campaign to Pre- vent Organized Baseball from Rejumping Players. The Killifer Case is in Court
tAssoc1ATED PRESS DISPATCH l

ASSOCIATED PRESS DISPATCH
 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, March 21. The first legal shot of the baseball war of 1914 was fired here today by the Federal League in filing a pe- tition with the United States district court for the western district or Michigan. asking for an injunction to restrain William J. Killifer. Jr., l formerly catcher of the Philadelphia Nationals from playing baseball with any club other than the Chicago Fed i erals. Killifer signed a three-year ! contract with the Chicago Federals, , but afterward was persuaded that the reserve clause in his old contract with | the Philadelphia club held him legally to Philadelphia and joined his former team. The suit involves the legality of the reserve clause long regarded as one of the buIworks of organized 1 baseball The suit was brought in the western Michigan district because Killifer is a resident of Paw Paw. Michigan.
 After reciting the organization of the Chicago Federal league baseball club for the purpose of maintaining baseball club, the bill declared, that it was necessary to engage the ser vices of baseball players of unique and extraordinary skill and expert ness. among whom was the defend- ant" Bill Killifer
 The complaint which was signed by Chas. Weeghman. president of the Chicago Federal League baseball club, told of the signing of the contract by Killifer in which he agreed to play for three years for the Chicago Fed erals for a total of $17.500. or $5,- S33.33 a year. The contract. copy of which was attached to the petition for an enjoning order. expressly stipulated. the court was informed, that Killifer agreed to devote his en- tire time and energy to the service of the Chicago Federals
 The court was informed that 5000 was advanced to killifer on account and was accepted by him and is still retained
 Failure to report for practice in , accordance with his contract, was al- , legged agdlnSt klillIer.
 , The bill then set forth the informa tion that a baseball team. consists of nine regular players. besides sub stitutes, each of whom play in diff ferent positions, to-wit: Pitcher catcher, first base, second base, short stop. third base, right field centel
 field and left field.
 's'That opa of tho urinoi1aI nocitiostS
 on a baseball team is that of e9tCher that on account of it's importance anC |. of the extraordinary skill, adaptabilit!
 and training necessary for the eXper |, playing of this position. it is nor
 difficult to secure an expert catche
 than any of the other players"
 A tribute to the ability of Catche \ Killifer was contained in a paragraph k which informed the court that tn
 defendant is q baseball player, to wit :. A catcher, of unique and eXtraOrdin q ary skill and eXpertness, and of sue,
 personal and intellectual characte
 that his loss cannot be substantial
 compensated for by the service 0
 some other baseball catcher c The bill set forth that the Chicag v Federals will suffer irreparable in ,o jury unless a restraining order issue ,a enjoining Killifer from playing wit 10 clubs other than the Chicago Federal
 and more particularly with the Phil ,o adelphia Nationals. with whom tn f complainant believes Killifer is no ,- in active practice preparing for tn
 opening of the baseball season o The complaint closed with a praye
 for the immediate issuance of d tem , porary injunction preventing Killife . from violating his contract with til ,t Chicago Federals, and a petition ths
 the temporary injunction be mad permanent in the final hearing of u
 suit.