Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-10-31
|BALLPLAYERS ASK
FOR CONCESSIONS
Seek Pay When Injuries Keep
Them Out of Game; Presi-
dent Fultz Talks

! New York Oct. 31-The official list
of requests made by the Baseball Play
ers' Fraternity to the National Com
mission and the National Board of Arbi-
tration for concessions to it's members
was outlined yesterday by President
David l. Fultz of the freternity as fol-
lows:
First. That clauses in baseball con-
| tracts empowering clubs to suspend
! without pay, after certain periods of
disability. players who are injured in
| service be eliminated, and that such
players be entitled to full pay as long
as they are held under contract.
Second. That Rule "a of the rules
and regulations of the National Board
be amended in SO fan as it violates
section marked first of the fraternity
agreement.
Third. That minor league players
receive their travelling expenses from
their homes to the training camps
when reporting for Spring practice.
Fourth. That the procedure now
employed by the national board in
hearing players claims presented by
the fraternity be amended so that the
fraternity shall receive copies of the
defenses interposed by the clubs and
an opportunity be given it of answering
decisions being rendered the frater-
nifty shall be served with a copy there
of and the players exhibits, If any,
presented by the fraternity returned
to it, If requested. That the board
shall enforce it's award against the
clubs"
Fultz Explains
In brief supporting the fraternity's
petition, President Fultz. acting for the
board in
ferring to the va rious requests
Request There exists to-day in
many of the minor league contracts and
in some of those of the American Lea
que clause allowing clubs to suspend
without pay a player who has been
disabled on the field.
1--WE believe that this rule is unjust
to the player, in that 1t deprives him
of the opportunity of earning his liveli-
hood, not because of any breach of
discipline on his part, not because he
has neglected in any way to do his full
duty, but because he, engaged in a dan
gerous occupation, disregarding his own
welfare in his excessive desire to win,
has taken a risk in the furtherance of
that club which has brought injury up
on him. We believe that the worst
treatment a player in this situation
should receive is his unconditional re-
lease or, in other words. his discharge,
if the club does not wish to pay his
salary. BY the clause under considera-
tion, however, a club is allowed to re-
tain title to the player, prevent his go
ing to any other club and pay him no
salary.
Request 2-The national board, at
its annual meeting in the Fall of 1915,
enacted clause, designated Rule "a
of the rules and regulations of the ma
tional board, which is in direct violation
of Section l of the fraternity agree
ment, which reads in part as follows:
when a major league player re-
ceives a ten days notice of uncondi-
tional release, or when a Glass AA or
Glass player, receives a five days
notice of unconditional release he shall
be free to sign with any team imme-
diately, the contract to run from the
expiration of his notice of release
This section permits a player who
has received notice of his unconditional
release to Immediately negotiate for
his services, so that by expiration of
the release period he will have a posi-
ton open for him."