The Washington herald., 1915-08-01

has found it necessary to actually us
a playing field for its games this sea
son Is difficult to understand
1t would seem that the officials o
that circuit had wasted considerab l
time and energy in obtaining permits
sion to tuse the diamonds on the Ell
| lipse for apparently the leaders il
the Clerks organization find it mucl
| preferable to stick their feet under tn
| table and play all their games at tn
| board meetings
The history of local amateur base
| ball since the advent of the amateur
commission fails to reveal such
| fiasco ia the conduct of a leagues af
fairs as has existed In the circuit pre-
sided over by President Dean
After successfully completing tn,
first half of its schedule and estab
fishing itself as one of the most pop
ular organizations playing in the
downtown section, the second serie.
of this league was marred by an al.
tercation which was nothing short OF
a disgrace.
Not only did the Bureau-Commerct
contention decidedly reflect upon the
ability of the governing board of the
league to properly manage the at
fairs of that organization. but it went
further and threatened the harmony
trict.
An inter-league fracas of the nature
of that which affected the Government
circuit in the District should give the
officials a good call down for the man
ner in which they have made a bungle
of the leagues affair. This should be
done for the good of the sport
There is no intention to delve into
the merits of the protests of either
. a DC
article. as each club appears to pos
sess certain points in its favor as
those who have followed the argument
will admit But the outstanding fea-
ture of the whole affair is the start
ling picture presented of gross mis-
management of the league by its Off
Gals and the sight is so repugnant to
the followers of the sandlot pastime
that many would welcome the eXpul-
sion of the Government League from
the membership of the Amateur AS
ISOLATION.
The following letters from S. NJ Fall
coner, ST., assistant manager and Sec
rotary of the Bureau team, and A. B.
Evans, secretary and treasurer of the
Government League, speak for them
selves:
The recent off again. on again, gone
again, Finnigan" situation with its
protests, appeals. decisions and re-
versals. has brought to the front some
statements and convictions which to
those not fully acquainted with all
the facts would seem to reflect on the
craftsmanship of Manager Williams.
of the Bureau team. and as l have
been associated with him during the
whole year and am fully conversant
with every phase. / deem ii my duty
in justice to Manager Williams to
send you this communication with the
that you publish same.
The game of July q with Commerce
was won by Bureau, to 3, and after
it was protested by Commerce, the So
called agreement was drawn up. The
published statements of which would
make il appear that Manager Will
Jams had agreed to disregard alto
gether the result of the game of
July 81 and take the field again with
both teams having the same status
as If the said game had never been
played These statements would also
make it appear that after Bureau lost
the game it then appealed to the AM
ateur Commission: nothing could be
further from the truth which is as
follows:
At a meeting held July "a. Manager
williams was notified by President
Dean that the game would have to
be played over and as he had no
other motive in obedience to the au-
thority of the league president he
greed to play the game July 26. sub
Jet. however. to the ruling OF the
as to the game of July
Il Immediately after the decision of
President Dean he appealed to the
Amateur Commission and said appeal
vas in the hands of President Young, |
,f the commission, the morning be-
lore the game of July rs. and was
lot sent after the game had been lost |
,y Bureau.
The morning after the commission !
lad restored the Bureau team to its |
-ightful position as winner of the !!
second series in the Government |
league, Manager Williams received a |
with the surprising |
md totally unexpected news that at
meeting of the Government League
leld the night of July 26. Gordon had
,een declared ineligible and that all
he games in which he had partici-
,ated had been lost by the Bureau
cam making the Bureau jump from
Irst to last place over night. This
Meeting was held sometime after the
Meeting of the amateur commission
which concluded at 1880 p. m, and
President Dean claims to have noti-
ed Manager Williams of the meeting.
President Dean also agreed to defer
he playing off of the post season
cries until after the situation was
feared up and then ordered it played
7hen there was no necessity for such
aste.
At the meeting held Thursday night
y the Amateur Commission, 1t was
hown by the testimony Of Nessrs.
,owney. Gordon, and Dougherty who
-ere with Manager Williams the
light of July IS until 1880 p. m. that
[r. Williams had absolutely no no
ice of the meeting of the Govern
lent League which acted on Gordon's
Eligibility held that night sometime
nd somewhere after 1890 p. m.
Three affidavits were also produced
lat Gordon had signed his contracts
nd nine statements were made to {
1e effect that Mr.. Dean had admit ,
ID having received the contracts and .
the presence of such overwhelming ,