Evening journal., 1914-08-29
Hermann Defends
BASEBALL POLICY
Magnate Denies Players Are
Regarded as Chattel
Slaves
S5OO,OO0 SPENT
ON NEW MATERIAL

In an interview given out recently, |
Garry Hermann, a member Of the ma
tional commission and president Of
the Cincinnati National League base
ball club defends organized base
balls position with regard to the sale
and draft of players and declares that
charges made recently by Federal
League sympathizers that players are
naught but chattel slaves, sold from
the auction block at the discretion
and pleasure of the owner. are no
more than baseball lies. Hermann
wakes quite strong In his language
and cites instances to prove the truth
of his assertions His remarks, as
published in the Baseball magazine,
follow:
"They accuse us of buying and
selling men at the auction block!
They say that we have made organ
lied baseball into a condition Of slav-
cry and regard a man only by what
he can be sold for-that we have ceas-
ed TO view baseball as a sport, and
look on it as a hopper. grinding ball
players into mere articles OF merchah-
disc. They have painted the men be-
hind organized baseball in deep black
colors, and the time has come when,
for the sake of the game, and in the
interest of fair play and true sport,
the real facts should be made known.
1T was in 1871 that my relations
with Marsans began. | want to say
at the outset that he is a good ball
player. Indeed, my statement OF the
steady increase in salary we have
given him is alone sufficient to show
/ the high value we attach to him. The
situation, which has now developed,
does not reflect in any way on Mar
sans ability.
"We bought Marsans from the New
Britain club, and paid $4,000 for his
release, which included also the SER
vices Of player Almeida, another Gu
ban. Marsans was receiving $3.50 a
month from New Britain. We started
him in June of 1911 at $3.50 a month,
and increased this the next year to
S400, and last season to S3.400 for the
season of six months. or nearly 5000
a month. Last winter we sent to him
in Cuba an offer of S3,S00. He wrote
back and asked for S4,400 per season
for a period of two seasons. / have
the letter now with his own sigma
ture. setting forth his terms, and
agreeing TO play two years for this
figure. In other words. we met his
proposition without any argument.
you must bear In mind that base
ball contract is a business proposition,
representing one of the principal as
sets of a club. IL is absolutely es-
sential to have such a contract clear
and definite, and when, as in the case
of Marsans, IL was drawn according
to his own suggestion, we felt justi-
ned I'm regarding IL as final.
"This was the situation when a
bombshell was exploded in the an
nouncement that Marsans was ne
gotiating with the Federal League
We az once took the matter up with
him and l asked him point blank
what he considered his services
worth. He answered $1,000 a year
and I rejoined that II was utterly inn
possible for us to get together. That
is the figure he was offered by the
Federal League. with a $1,000 ad-
vance. Marsans jumped to ST. Louis
and we took the course which any
other business man, with his prop
erty jeopardized. would have taker
under the same circumstances. W.
brought the matter into the courts
on the contention that Marsans wal
clearly violating his contract, assur
ed that our contention was entirely
legal. AS a matter Of fact, the courts
upheld our claims, and decided abso
lutely in our favor. The matter wal
. appealed to a higher tribunal, in
whose hands the issue rests at thi
date.
, The case is very definitely ex
, pressed in clauses and of the ac
, cepted contract OF every player of tn
I National League. Let me give yol
\ trating my point:
? 1.-The player agrees to perfrom 70
! the club, and for no other party dur
T. ing the period of his contract Cun
less with the written consent of tn
= club such duties pertaining TO tn
Q exhibition Of the game of baseball a
s may be required of him by said clul
r at such reasonable times and place
d as said club may designate
Q During the season of 1913 NOR
e than 100000 was spent by the Ma
v tional and American Leagues in III
/. purchase and drafting Of players. Thi
o money was distributed through fort
n minor leagues. In the case of team
q of the two higher classes of tn
e minors, only one player can be draf
ed by the larger organizations eac
u season. This insures that the ha
is million dollars expended last seaso
ss was very evenly distributed over h
In country
n 1T is said that. even If this is s
le the money goes not TO the player, WI
10 has been developed, but TO the clu
ID owner who sells him as he would
chattel slave. How many Of the pla,
ers stop TO consider that, If this sy
l6. TEN we're not in practice there wou
81 be no opportunity for development
Ist on system of advancement. in shoI
RI no organized baseball at all? II is
ar proven fact that practically none
ies the smaller clubs are able to NAL
ey expenses from the gate receipts.
he THE only chance of a profit for Il
as small club is in the development al
of sale of an untrled player. The clu
Il must be understood. agrees to D,