New Britain herald., 1917-02-08
WARMING IS ISSUED
BY Pres. TENER
National League Head Says Its
Cut or Quit" for Players

New York. Feb. 8.-President John
K. Tener Of the National league yes
terday issued a war warning to strfk-
ing ball players. The warning amounts
practically to an, ultimatum. Tenef's
league has informed the ball players
they had better come into the fold
now at the figures written in their
contracts or they will come at greatly
reduced salaries-if at all.
"Our club owners have ceased to
worry about this strike situation for
two mighty good reasons," sAad
Tener. First. the bottom seems u
have fallen out Of the strike and
second a club owner during thess
.perilous times is very fortunate In not
having a lot of heavy salarisd men
prove to be a blessing in the game.
THE major leagues have not vet
taken any official action on players ~.
fusing to sign contracts, but I can
tell you what our club owners Will ~
in the event war il declared on Ger
many. Each unsigned player will ~
Immediately advised to return hlS
| contract, signed or unsigned. &i
I'm the event he returns 1t tin-
signed or does not reply at the ex-
piration of the time limit that young
man may receive another contract q
salary in fitting with the times
Then in the event Of war a very ma
terial reduction of the salary limit
will be one of the first steps to ~
taken. That would mean a cut to
eighteen-or ever sixteen players.
+, "P1ayers Must Come to Terms"
"It behooves players to wake up to
the times we now are going through.
There is no question that II q plays
signs his contract as far as Is hui
manly possible his club will endsavoF
, to live up to it. but in the case q
quick declaration Of war finds him UNI
signed he may find himself out In the
cold. I repeat what I said some Gins
ago, that our league may be more
fortunate than the American league II
view of the fact that we have less
players signed to big contracts.
IT do not know how q war wiz
affect baseball However, hostilitiSs
will no doubt leave their mark 81
sports. 1--WE will have all our players'
signed with a few minor exceptton9
while Ebbets of Brooklyn has most ~
i his stars out, but just the sarae !
I would not object to trade places witch
him. Our salary limit still is way too
high, and unless we have every DIT -
/ good business this year as last we face
the posi- bility of a. deficit An
No Breakdown, Says F'ultz.
The Tener statement is in line with
the action taken by various Nattonni
league club owners before the latest
war cloud appeared upon the sky.
Weeghman Of Chicago was the hrst
to announce time limit to his players,
and Baker of Philadelphia and othG
club owners have adopted similar
steps. .. .r s
President Fultz of the fraternity,
who now is fighting with his back u
the wall, refused to comment on
Tener's statement other than to say
that the fraternitys position II un.
changed. Discussing the Same thing.
however, a short time ago, Ftilts saio:
IF they try that the boys will 70 to
the limit
At another time Fultz said: xou
can't scare the present day ball plAyte
with threats and interviews tehno
what serious things will happen 70
him If he doesn't do SO and 80, ana -
none of those things ever happened ~
does not get frightened as easily g
he did at one time" .. e. \