Evening star., 1915-01-17
GRIFFITH TELLS
FACTS TO COURT
Local Manager Gives Details
of His Experience With
Federal League.
AGENTS OF OUTLAWS
APPROACHED HIS MEN
Tried to Induce Them to Violate
Their Contracts-Jim Shaw
Was Tempted.

CHICAGO, January lo.-l he
affidavit which Manager Clark
Griffith filed in the Feds suit
against organized base ball gives
brief history of his career and
many details of his dealings with
ball players while in charge in
Chicago, New York, Cincinnati
and Washington. The following
is copy of the affidavit filed with
the court in Chicago yesterday:
CLARK c. Griffith, being duly
sworn, on oath doth depose and
say, that he is a resident of the
city of Washington, D. c., and
has been such resident for the
past three years; that he is forty
FIVE years of age, and is now, and
has been for the past twenty
eight years.. engaged in the bust
ness of base ball, both as a pro-
,fessional base ball player and as
manager of various clubs in the
National and American leagues !;
that he first entered the business
of base ball as a professional
player at the age OF seventeen
years in the capacity of pitcher
for the Bloomington, ILL.,, club; /;
that in the spring of 1888 he was
released by the Bloomington club to the
Milwaukee club, with which club he
played during the seasons of 1888. 1889
and 1890; that in the spring of 1891 he
Joined the st. Louis Browns and played
with said club until about August of
that year, at which time he went to the
Boston American Association club for
the remainder of the season of 1891;
that in 1892 he was a member of the
Tacoma, Wash, club of the Pacific Coast
League, that in 1893 he was with the
Oakland team of the California League
until July or August of that year. that
from Oakland he was transferred to the
Chicago National League club, where he
remained until 1901 when he went with
Comiskey as manager OF his Chicago
American League club. which said club
he managed during the years 1901 and
1902: that in 1908 affiant Joined the
New York American League club as
manager thereof. and was with said club
until about June "a. 1908; that during
the years 1909, 1910 and 1911 he was
manager OF the Cincinnati club of the
National League; that in 1912 he Joined
the Washington club of the American
League as manager thereof since which
time he has continued and still continues
to act as manager of said Washington
club.
Is IN full Cnarge.
.,e,.. %,-.h - 49,. ,
->hanl iu1lh says thde sihce MS
connection with the Washington Amer
lean League club as manager thereof
he has had full charge during tho
,I.,;n1 ..,so,. -, Ill ~.
salu ciup' ooth on ana OH the held, and
has negotiated all contracts for the
services of such PLAYERS with one or
Two exceptions. tnat while connao,ed
II. C:-...,
Win INC Cihcihhaei Nauohai League
club. with the New York American
League club and with the Chicago
american League club. In the capacity
Df manager, he exercised the same au-
ihorlty and performed the same duties
Nhlch ne now exercises and performs
rs manager OF the Washington Amer
lean League club.
Affiant further says that since the
formation and establishment of the ma
tional commission. about the year 1903.
ne does not now recall or know of
tny case where player objected to
lhe signing of the contract rendered
him for his services as such player on
account of the inclusion in said con-
tract of the clause known as the ten
day release clause, or made any refer
snce thereto.
Ah1ant further says that during the
IAN or 1913, after the close OF the base
ball season. affiant signed a majority y
OF his players to contracts for the sea
son OF 1914. such contracts. being the
old form of contracts. contained the
said ten-day release clause: that, ac-
cording to atlantis best information
and belief. during the month of jan
uary. 1914, there was a meeting be-
tween the national commission and the
president or the representatives of the
organization known as the Players
Fraternity, which Organization was
composed Of base bali PLAYERS. most OF
whom were PLAYERS Of the National