Evening star., 1915-01-05
BASE BALL TRUST"
SUEDBY FEDERALS
Independents Claim National
Commission Is 'sUnIawfuI
Combination"

CHICAGO, January 5.-Charging that
the national commission, the govern
ing body of organized base ball, its
rules and the national agreement,
under which it's members work, are a
violation of the common law and
antitrust statutes, the Federal League
filed suit here today asking that the
national commission be decreed illegal
and void and it's members enjoined
from further continuing in the alleged
unlawful combination.
The suit was filed in the United States
district court and in the usual course
of business would be. put on the calen-
dar of Federal Judge Kenesaw H. Lam
dis, who is a devolee of base ball.
One of the principal clauses in the
prayer of the bill is that all contracts
with base ball players under the ma
tional agreement and the rules of the
national commission be declared void
and of no effect SO Far as they concern
the Federal League or any of its con-
stituent clubs. In this connection the
court is asked to enjoin the national
commission or any club in organized
base ball from seeking to enforce it's
contracts with players who have
signed with the Federal Lague.
Exception Taken to Epithets.
Special exception is taken to epithets
alleged to have been applied to Fed
eral League players and the court is
asked to restrain the defendant from
calling players under contract with
the Federal League contract jumpers,
and from characterizing the Federal
League or it's members as outlaws
The suit was filed in the name of
the Federal League of Professional
Dbl H.
League and its eight clubs, the Ameri-
can League and it's eight clubs, Au-
gust Hermann. B. b. johnson and
John K. Tener, members of the nation
al commission.
The court is informed that there "are
now in the United States about 10000
professional base ball players, all of
whom, with the exception of about 800
under contract to the Federal League, are
under the domination and control of the
national agreement, the rules and regu-
lations of the national commission and
the national commission"
THE right of reservation claimed
under the provisions of the national
agreement is set forth, together with
the statement that the defendants
have claimed and now claim that a
player under the national agreement
always continues to be subject to the
demands of the clubs subscribing to
that agreement"
Cites National Agreement.
The national agreement for the gov
ernment of professional base ball
which was entered into between the
National and American leagues and
the National Association in 1908, the
complainant declares, was not for the
perpetuation of base ball as the ma
tional pastime. the protection of prop
erty rights without sacrificing the
spirit of competition and the promotion
of the welfare of players, as declared
in the agreement, but was for the per-
petuation of professional base ball in
the hands of the contraction parties,
that those within the combination
might be. safeguarded against any pro-
fessional competition.
The petition further asserts that the
purpose of the national agreement was
that it might so dominate and con-
troll players that the engagement of
their services by any person or club
outside the combination would be diff
cult. If not impossible
The court is asked to restrain the de-
fendants from seeking by injunction.
by threats, bonuses or otherwise to
prevent the players. Fischer, Konetchy,
Caldwell. Perritt, Wingo, OConnor, Be-
dient. Austin, Allen. Barghammer, Ben
der, Plank and Marquard from per-
forming their several contracts with
the constituent members of the plain