The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-22
ORGANIZED BALL TO
PROTECT CONTRACTS
Hermann Says Resistance
Will Be Offered if Con-
tracts Are Assailed

Cincinnati January H.-Chairrnan Au-
gust Hermann of the national baseball
commission in commenting on the tele-
gram sent by President Gilmore of the
Federal league to President Baker of the
Philadelphia National league team, said:
Mr.. Gilmore. the Federal league and
the general baseball public can rest as
sured that organized baseball. as well as
the Federal league, will protect its con-
tracts In and out of the civil courts.
"Organized baseball has always recog-
nized contracts and will continue 20 Go
so, but when contracts held by the clubs
of organized baseball are assailed ny the
Federal league or anybody else, that
party or parties may expect organized
baseball to make every endeavor to pro-
tect its contracts in and out of every
civil court IL necessary.
Insofar as organized baseball is COLI
cerned, there is no worry on our part
about the Federal league, MIR. Gilmore,
or any of his associates. We realize that
we have certain contract rights to our
players and these rights we propose .
protect.
In this connection 1 may add wher-
ever the Federal league has established
a legal right to any ball players there
will be no interference on the part bf
those connected with organized baseball
Il wish to repeat, however, chat the
game is open to all. Anyone has a right
to engage in it in any capacity that they
please without any Interference pn the
part of those engaged in organized ball,
and 1 may add there will be no interter
ence unless it is done in retallatory
way when contractual obligations or
vested rights are illegally intefereo
with
President Bakers announcements was
not made until after he had been al
prsed that the Federal league had
warned the major leagues to keep their
hands off players signed up by the new
organization.
Mr.. Bakers statement is as follows:
'.Killifer signed his contract for three
years with the Philadelphia National
league club yesterday evening. He was
advised by his lawyer that the Lajoie
decision covered his case exactly aad re-
turned to the Federal league the ad-
vance money he had received from them,
notifying them of his action
President Baker. in a talk after he is
sued his statement, said the Lajoie de-
cison was the strongest argument the
National league had regarding contracts.
The Lajoie case was decided in the
Pennsylvania supreme court. the highest
tribunal in the state, in 1901. LaJUie, a
member of the Philadelphia Nationals.
had signed to play with the Philadelphia
Americans. and the Nationals cock the
case into the county court asking fcr an
injunction restraining Lajoie from play
ing with the Americans The court re-
fused the injunction and the case was
carried to the supreme court. This tri-
bunal in reversing the lower court held,
all seven justices concurring, that the re
serve clause was binding on the players
and the fact that the complaining club
reserved the right to dismiss a PLAYER on
10 days notice did not destroy the mu-
tuality of the agreement.
While the Pennsylvania supreme court
upheld the reserve clause and the pro-
vision in baseball contracts, relating to
the 10 days notice of release, the federal
court has taken an opposite view On the
release notice clause.