Evening star., 1914-02-11
.FEDERA[S HOPELESS
Against Big Odds and Cannot
Last, FuItz Says.
YET WILL HURT RIVALS
Leagues Like to Make Money as
Well as Win Wars, Dave
Declares.
YET WILL HURT RIVALS

NEW YORK. February 1.-the cause
of the Federal League is hopIess. in the
opinion Of David L. Fultz. president OF
the Base Ball Players Fraternity.
Not chance In the world for them,
said Fultz. speaking Of the outlaws.
They are against overwhelming odds.
Even il they should pull thorugh one
season or several seasons, in the end
they're bound to bust
Suppose they had a gigantic sum like.
for instance, s2o.O0O.O0O behind them?" he
was asked. What then?'
Il can't see them under any condi-
tfons." he replied. THE men in organized
base ball know that the Feds can't sue
ceed. Why are they so worried? Simple
to figure-the Feds are costing the old
leagues a young mint of money and the
latter are not in the game just for their
health and the fun of winning base ball
war. Club owners want to make money
the same as you. 1 or anybody else.
That's why they're bothered. AS long as
the Federals last they will cause the mag
mates to dig down deply to pay extra
large players salaries because of the
competition for their services.
Win in Long Run.
I'm the long run the majors can drive
the Feds to financial ruin. The more
money the Feds are willing to sink. the
longer the war will last and the more 1t
will cost organized base ball. but the end
is inevitable, some time. 1t can't be done.
With the great number of clubs in or
ganized ball continually angling for Fed
eral stars, each club undertaking to get
maybe only one man. the Feds saiary
list will be kept SO high in order to re-
tain players that all possible profits will
be eaten up. But organized base ball
will have to pay exorbitant salaries, too,
which will curtail its earnings in the
same way. Therefore 1t looks like a good
business move for organized ball to COM
promise
Fultz said that. according to informa-
ton of his. the Federals have l25 players
from major and minor leagues under con-
tract
That would make enough to start
with he continued. IAN average of
about fourteen men to a club. And these
fellows don't seem like such fools that
hats. If you try to, YOU can think of a
number of first-class players not signed
up yet by the big leagues, like Bob
Bescher and jeff Tesreau of the Giants.
We don't know but what the Feds may
have some such men under contract.
Il don't expect to go over around the
hotels where the meetings are being
held" he said, except to attend to few
particular things. l am expecting tele-
phone call or note within the next day
or two letting me know when they want
to see me, for there are number of
matters to talk over
Discusses Mission Of Federals.
Fultz would not say that Gilmore,
Weeghman and Walker. the Federal
Leasuers from Chicago, had come here to
see him, or that he expected to meet
them.
1T hardly seems reasonable he opined,
that they would come here to hobnob
with their opponents. Just what they
intend to do here is hard to figure
Considering the Feds from a playing
Fultz expressed doubt that
an ali-star team made up OF the outlaws
best men could finish in the first division
of either big league. "The bunch as
whole seem to rate just a trihe stronger
than a class AA league"
Joe Tinker's case will not be classed as
a violation Of the anti-bonus agreement
between the fraternity and the national
in the event that he eventual
ly signs with Brooklyn and gets the $lO.-
..There is nothing in that agreement"
he said, ito keep a club owner from Civ
ing a player a present of money over and
above his salary. The intent of the ar
rangement Is simply to prevent promises
OF extra money at some future date that
hinge on a players conduct or success.
Often such promises have been made by
managers. scouts and others without au-
thority to do SO as An tuducement to