The Washington times., 1916-02-06

On Wednesday evening at the wald-
orf-Astoria, New York city. the Ma
tionsl Baseball League will hold an in
vitation dinner celebrating the fortieth
anniversary OF its organization. Clark
Griffith will be the only member OF
the Washington bail club present He
was prominently connected with the
National League for many years prior
to his coming to Washington. He leaves
tomorrow at o'clock for New York.
Robert H. Young. son OF Uncle Nick
Young. the first secretary OF the Ma
tional League. will be another promi-
nent baseball man of Washington to
attend the banquet In New York We'd
nesday. Mr.. Young will leave Wash
ington Tuesday night
The affair will be unique in baseball
and will bring together many OF the
men who were in the game years ago.
The old-time boys, who still declare
themselves young In spirit. will be there
and will tell about the days when base
ball was struggling to get firm foot
ing with the American public. The
dinner will be held in the Astor gal
lery at tho Waldorf. and there will be
$50 guests.
The national game. which now enjoys
such popularity. will be reviewed by
gray-haired veterans who used to be
associated with the game In its infant
days. There will be no set program Of
speeches. President John X. Tener Of
the National League, who used to play
the game himself, will look about
among the guests and will call upon
several OF them to make remarks.
The dinner will attract many men
prominent in national life-clcrgymen.
judges. men noted in business affairs.
literary pursuits and the world of the
airicals.
Public officials will be present-men
who have followed the fortunes and
misfortunes Of tho league since It was
started far back in 1875.
Mavor Mitchell will probably be there
Theodore p. Shonts. Dudley Field Ma
lone. Irwin Cobb. veteran ball players
long since retired. old club owners. and
numerous individuals whose names are
written in baseball or other halls OF
fam. will hc tho guests of. the league
on its fortieth birthday
The National League was organized
at meeting at tho Grand Central Hotel
i'm New York on February 2. 1876. This
meeting followed preliminary meet
ing held in Louisville the previous year
II was mainly through the efforts OF
William A. Hubert. Of Chicago. that the
Hubert was really the father" Of tho
National League. as 1t was he together
with A. G. Spalding. who drew up the
first constitution.
The National League marked great
change in the professional baseball sys-
tern. 1t was league Of baseball clubs
instead Of baseball PLAYERS. No city
or less than 1900 population could be
come a member. md the entrance fee
was made 500 form OF PLAYERS con.
tract WAS adopted and rules were passed
prohibiting the pool selling and gam
bling evils which had wrecked the Ma
tional Association.
Morgan G. Bulkeley. Of Hartford. wa.
elected the first president and Nicholas
=. Young, OF Washington. secretary. Mr..
Young received $500 a year for Mis- serv-
OF Connecticut. and also United States
Senator from that state. In the forty
years Of the leagues history. only eight
men have ruled over its affairs. Mr.
BulkeleN served the first year. and vas
succeeded by William A. Hubert, of
Chicago. He served until 1883. when A.
c. Mills. Of New York who was the au-
thor Of the reserve clause in players
contracts. took office and served for two
years. Colonel Mills refused to be re-
elected because the league reinstat ted
players who had violated the reserv =
rule. Mr.. Mills was elected to honorary
membership to the National League,
but year later he resigned.
Uncle Nick Young, of Washington.
who had served as secretary since the
league was organized, was now elected
president. and he served continuously
for a period of eighteen years. During
his regime the league passed through
many troublesome epochs. but weather
ed all storms II was during President
Young's term Of office that the league
was expanded into a twelve-club circuit.
This was in 1892. and the organization
was made up Of twelve clubs until the
end OF the 1899 season.
Then came the leagues stormies.
period. There was much dissension
strife. and trouble making. and condi-
tions became so bad that at the end ~
the 1902 camnairn Mr. Young left the
presidency The league then was placed
in the hands Of board OF directors.
with John T. Brush, Of New York as
chairman. This scheme did not work
well and then four OF tho clubs tried
to elect a. G. Sraldinc president. Pitts
burgh. Philadelphia. BROOKLYN and chi.
caEo were behind Mr.. SpaldngS can
didaCy. The controversy was adjusted
hy selecting compromise candidate in
Harry G. Fulliam, then secretary of the
Pittsburgh club. He took offiCe in lgNi
and served until 1902
At Mr.. Pu'lianns deaht John A, Heyd-
ler. who har served % secretary. was
elected to serve during l9na as DreSi-
don't. secretary and treasurer Tn tho
following wear another controS crsY