Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-04
.FLAWLESS CONTRACTS
NOW OFFERED TO PLAYERS
Organized Baseball Finds Way to
Prove Options on Services Not
Perpetual.
THEY PROVIDE EXCEPTION
lron-Clad Agreement Goes Long Way
to Strengthen Magnate's Position
in Court PrOceedings-Sign One
Player, Who Will BE Free Agent.

Organized baseball has made ar
engagements for eliminating the last
possible method by which it's enemies
could hope to prove IL charge that
me players In It's employ are slaves
under the meaning of the law.
Tho so-callcd ironclad contract was
me hrst big step toward cleansing
sition in court proceedings. Ellmi-
mating the ten days notice OF release
and striking out tho reserve clause in
iavor Of an option on tho players, ser
Niccs for only one year brought the
,hcy hardly can be improved upon.
Yet stu another obstacle stood in the
% TFha, ebst@sle now 9e hns
been removed. and In n ridiculously
simple manner.
used by tho National and American
5ns ea hna o. pdysr By
after the term OF the contract itself
has elapsed. there is Joker, on which
setting high store. 1t is the clause OF
the contract I'm which the player agrees
70 abide by all rules and rulings OF
sion.
one of the rules OF both leagues is
after the seasons start, is allowed
70 use :: player not under contract.
Thus. under this rule. a player could
no, go through n season bound by
Just the option clause OF his contract
OF the preceding year. He must sign
ganizcd baseball are prepared to show.
and have done so in the past that no
PLAYER ever is signed without his new
So after one contract. binding a man.
has expired, he is forced 10 sign one
other clause binding him for the sea-
son after that. Thus. year by year,
he is kept tight and in effect Is kept
bound forever TO The or!sinal club.
The only answer organized baseball
has been able TO make IN the past TO
there is nothing in the rules to force
:, man to have an option CLAUSE In the
one. for the reason that the opposi
ton then can declare that there is
a contract without the option clause.
and that therefore II is a safe presum.p-
uon that none will be lined up by
can establish the certainty OF chain
Of option, clauses extending clear
But that argument now is thwarted by
the latest move made by organ ized
baseball One piayer-just one, and We
are under promise not TO give his name
or that Of his ciub-has signed Ma
uonai League contract containing no
option clause. Las, year he hat a one.
year contract covering the season Of
1914 alone. but with the usual option
clause on his service for 1870: Less
,ban t"o weeks ago, acting under that
option clause, his club signed him for
The 1915 season, using Il contract form
that contains no mention OF an option
oe his services, for 1916
MnEnntcs 1Inkc One Exception.
Presumably. he will be free agent
~ the end Of the season Of this year:
Therefore in his case, the string Of
suCo.sSiV" option clauses which would
make him a permanent, slave Of his
Niub Is broken. This ONE case VIII he
enough to cite in court when the op-
rusitiou sees lit TO bring forward It's
lifetime slavery pie. in any other cas-.
such as that tried before Judge Lands
While ncur!nr out justification for
this move under their own rules. the
high officials ri the two big leagues
rad some interesting sideiiGht questions
suggested 10 them while studying the
bylaws one OF these had TO do with
The probable penalty - any club ever
the US" OF an unsiem"d player beyond
the time limit. The consensus Of
opinion was that all the league could
do would he 10 throw out" all games
Them replaycd or else awarding them
as victories 10 the opposing teams
Plan Proper Punishment.
Then, IL tile club should persist in
playing him again, tn" umpire in
charge could order tnc man out Of the
game. II he refused 10 obey. the
league would have 10 fine either the
man or the club. or both, and declare
the game forfeited. If the club baked
on this decision and continued in its
determination TO use the unsigned man.
the club would have to be thrown out
Of the league.
II seems rather unnecessary, perhaps,
TO carry discussions Of this nature to
the ridiculous extremes to which the
above paragraph goes, yet there is al
ways the outside possibility that some
such OCCASION may arise, and the off,
q re kr n va N &
more or less clearly In mind and ready
for instant use in an emergency.