The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-17
BASEBALL FIGHTING
FOR LIFE-HEYDLER
Game Itself Struck At by Fed
Suit. He Says on Return
From Chicago.
FABIAN NOW AT MARLIN

simply organized baseball, but baseball
the game itself as the national pastime-
according to Secretary John a. lIeEdIct
Of tho National League, who returned
yesterday from the three day conference
Oi attorneys planning the defence OF or
gained baseball against the ANTITRUST
suit OF the Federal League. Before the
case is decided. he says. the Federal
League will be the defendant and Or
ganized baseball must ultimately emerge
as the plaintin. for this indictment IS
drawn against the game Itself, and the
American baseball public must be the real
and anal arbiter."
Mr.. Heydler ~ not among those who
think the suit Is more or less OF a joke.
The impression that seems to prevail in
some quarters" he says, that the Fed
eral League attack on the National Agree
ment Is laughing matter Is not shared
in by the gentlemen who took part in
the Chicago preliminary conference. On
the contrary, the action brought - con
sidercd the most serious attack made on
the fundamental principles OF professional
overwhelmingly, the right OF each club
TO reserve it's players. and the right 20
serve ten DAYS notice OF release on players
who are unfit or who lack the skill and
ability required OF the high grade pro-
| f,ssiOnal player.
That here and there should crop out
u
eruing the operation Of any profession
1 giving employment TO nearly 10000 boys
I and men, goes without saying. No or
ganization of business or sport--includins
amateur sport as well--Can be free from
/ such violations. oddly enough, the few
I men who seem to be complaining Of abuse
Of power are the very men who have
! prohted most by the conditions they com
| plain or
Ever since the formation OF the Ma
/ tioual Agreemcni-and let me say here,
/ the first agreement Of this kind was not
drawn by the club owners, but upon the
! advice OF and for the protection OF the
PLAYERS themseves--there has been no
profession kept more clean from faint OF
| dishonesty az that OF baseball. nor is
/ there to-day n businesS In which the pay
Is 80 sure and generous, and the promo
ton 50 certain as IN our professional
sport.
The lovers Of the game may rest as
sured that no EFFORT Is being spared to
fight this issue 10 a finish ana 10 save the
snort from being wrecked by the rule or
ruin policy We have employed the best
attorneys for this purpose yet much OF
the advice and counsel that has come Ia
us has come from outside legal authorities
and from men prominent In business NE
The only remuneration these men ask Is
that the game he perpetuated, so that they
may not only find enjoyment In 1t for
themselves but that their boys may con
tinue to play II as a pastime and may
never have reason 90 he ashamed 10 as
sociate with the professional end OF the
sport.
I'm the end this fight will not he won by
afidavits IL need be we could present
500 afndavits OF satisfied and contented
players for every one filed by dis
gruntled player. The court, however, viii
not be hurdened with known facts The
-. -. q ka 0aHNa. a..
proposltion-the life OF the game itself
and the defendant now must eventually
emerge as the ultimate plaintiff for this
indictment Is drawn against the game it.
self. and the American baseball public
must he the real and Anal arbter
Nothing can possibly be accomplished
by this proceeding IN Chicago next
Wednesday except 10 tear down what has
been built up by years Of vigilance, backed
by the absolute control OF the game rested
i'm a central power Professional baseball
has been made by the iron hand OF dis
ciplinc and control No professional sport
has ever lived, or can live, without such
control.
THE Federal Leaguers might secure a
favorable court ruling OF every point they
seek. and yet they would he the losers
They could not possibly operate success
fully without the ten day release notice
in their contracts or without the reserve
rule. and the baseball men OF experience
in their ranks know that Just as we'll as
we do.
These are the two necessary power,
for discipline, for keeping the weak clubs
alive and for preserving the honesty o
the game. and ! say without qualification
that the only lasting peace that can or vii
come out OF the present deplorable situa
ton Is the recognition and enforcement OF
same by all leagues under the nationa
agreement on one side and by the Players
Fraternity on the other. That agreement
has got TO come sooner or later
The schedule of spring exhibition lanes
for the second team of the Giants aftc'
IL leaves the Marlin Springs training
camp next April was announced yester
p day hy Secretary John r.. Foster. TIT
colts will make their first formal ap
pearance outside Marlin in a three game
series at Little Rock. ARK, on April 3,
and 3. The rest Of their programme Is
Apru and :. Memphis, Tenn. g. Nash
vile and 10. Chattanooga; II, on thu
: road e, Norfolk, Va. 49, back home a
! the Polo Grounds.
Henry Fabian, groundkeeper OF tn
, Giants, wired Manager McGNw yesterday
; that he had arrived in Marlin aud hac
begun work getting the training camp II
4 shape for the arrival Of the team abou
six weeks hence
Y Manager Rill Donovan ~ the New
= Works had several consultations with Jo'
I Kelley ~ Toronto yesterday. hut woul'
% moi admit last night that Kelley woul'
sign or had signed contract TO act NJ
= chief scout for the local club this year
I President Gaffney OF the Boston Brave
Y was back in town yesterday after havinI
, spent two weeks hunting and being hunte'
: on George Stallingss plantation at Had
docks. Ga. He gave out the interesting
l. limo OF reasoning used by George White
:, in Efforts to keep from being sent to tn
p; phIlies In the Sherwood Magee trade
I Whltted wants $4,000 more salary II h
ID. pRys outside Boston than II he plays u
Roston. according 10 Mr. Gaffnoy, for h
( frllres that will he about tho size Of hi
share In the next worlds series.
j. AEruiIera Prevents shutout.
u ESSEX FELLs n. j., Ian. l6--Thc Kings