New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-21

IL orr only source or information, Ia
Md our REQUESTS without a hearing.
whether or not this is true, we have
- means OF knowing. as the board has
M. informed Us Of the fate OF our APP
rlieston. NJ. Johnson stated a few
5svs ago that Mr.. Farrell had handled
tbe situation very ably. It is possible
hat the reader may differ with him.
Petition of Players
The petition contained four requests
reading as follows;
oTirst-That clauses in baseball
contracts empowering clubs TO sus-
pend without pay, after certain pc
mods Of disability, players who are
injured in seryics, be eliminated, and
that such players be entitled TO full
pay SIS long as they are held under
contract
Second That Rule 81 Of the
Rules and Regulations Of the Ma
tionsl BOARD be amended in so far
"a it violates the section marked
First of the Fraternity Agreement.
"Third-That minor league play
ers receive their travelling expenses
from their homes 10 the training
camps when reporting for spring
practice. The words travelling ex-
nenses' 20 include in addition TO rail
road ticket berth and meal money
where either or both Of the last two
items are usual expenses Of the trip
involved.
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 defances interposed by the
clubs and an opportunity be gwen II
Of answering such defences; that i'm
mediately upon decisions belng rem
dered the Fraternity shall be served
with a copy thereof and the players
exhibits, if any, presented by the
Fraternity returned 10 it if request
ed; that the board shall enforce its
award against the clubs
Request one, the first request IN so
far as IL applied to the minor leagues,
was withdrawn before the meeting OF
the National Board. We did this be
cause we found that the clause had
probably been eliminated from all 1915
minor league contracts. In justice 70
the board we made public acknowl-
edgment Of that fact at the time, The
commission demanded that we prove
our accusation as far as the major
leagues we're concerned, and we for
wsrded to it contracts which con
tanned the Objectionable clause. The
commission eliminated the clause ana
all contention as to request one was
cleared up.
Agreement Violated
Request two involves a violation Of
the so-caled Fraternity Agreement en-
tered into by US with the National Com
mission and National Board three years
ago. Prior 10 the Fraternity agree
msnt a minor league player could be
released upon a moments notice, not.
the fact that by virtue OF
the reserve caluse he was bound to the
owner for the entire period Of his base,
ball career. Players have been released
while sitting on the bench in uniform
before a game and received no pay Tor
that day.
This did Sot seem fair to US, as we
felt q player should have reasonable
opportunity TO look for another posi-
ton before being without salary. We
procured a rule emitting him to 1--WE
days notice Of release, during which
tine he was permitted TO enter into a
contract with any club which desired
Bic services, though he must, Of course,
work out the five days. This is Section
! Of the Fraternity Agreement, and
reads IN part as follows;
"First-When a major league play
er receives a ten days notice OF un-
conditional release, or when a Class
IA or Class A player receives a i've
days notice Of unconditional release,
ne shall be free to sign with any
team Immediately, the contract TO
run from the expiration Of his notice
Of release"
The National Board at its meeting in
San Francisco In the fall Of 1915 enact
ed clause designated Rule "a of the
Rules and Regulations Of the National
Board which is in direct violation OF
The above mentioned section of our
agreement, the material part Of which
reads as follows;
"The unconditional release Of any
player in Glass IA or Class A may be
recalled at any time within five days
after notice has been given
Unfair TO Player
i can at once be seen that during
NE fve-day period no other club can
sgn released player, because all other
eaos know that his release may be re
called. 10 can also be seen that this
Itie takes away from the player the
power 10 prepare for his future, and
nat not only is 10 an unfair regulation
oet that II is, as before stated, IN vio-
lsaon Of our agreement How can
release which is called unconditional"
rave any such qualification as thisY
II we arc 20 construe plain, unambigu-
ous words 20 suit our fancy, how is any
ene 70 rely upon our agreements?
Secretary Farrell in his published
Justification OF this clause does not
even attempt 20 deny that Il is viola
Won Of our agreement, but says that,
ssinough 500 players were uucondi-
uonally released last year IN the mt /
We, ~ only one case was the new RUE
enforced and in this case the player
was perfectly willing that his release
should be recalled. This is a far eX-
SIMPLE Of the faulty reasoning Of the
board.
We admit that this man was not in
!!ufed, but can il not be readily seen
.ast the other 100 men who were com
.etsHed to wait until the expiration OF
.he hive days, when they were actually
slthout salary before they could onter
mo contracts for their future services,
we're the ones really affected, and that
,,,ey were grievously injured. Thus
az. Farrell, from his own statement
:! ne facts, has shown the gross injus-
Wee Of the rule
Is Absolute Property
me third request is one that cannot
pc UNHaretroI fo