davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
UNIONlzlNC OF PLAYERS
MAKES SITUATION SERIOUS
Gompers Says Diamond Stars Will Strike to Enforce
Their Demands

New York, Jan. 16-Baseball is to
be unionized. Baseball players are to
be supported by the organized labor of
the United States if they strike, as
they are threatening. Such were the
developments yesterday in the war
which has been declared by the Base:
ball Players Fraternity against the
club owners of major and minor
leagues
The fraternity through its Presi-
dent, David L. Fultz, applied in
Washington, D. c., for charter from
the American Federation of Labor.
Samuel Gompers. President of the
Federation, in New York yestewsay,
said there was no doubt that the fra
ternity would be admitted to member
ship. The admission will probably
take place at the meeting Of the Ex-
ecutive Council to be held in Wash
ington on Saturday. Gompers added
that he favored strike by the ball
players. If necessary to gain their de-
nlands and that a strike would have
the hearty support of his organiza-
ton. This is the first time in the his
tory Of baseball that the players have
Joined hands with union labor.
0ompers, who, it developes, is an
enthusiastic ball fan, has been inter-
ested in the fraternity from the start
He has been in touch with Mr.. Fultz
for some time, and has held numerous
conferences with him in reference to
the fraternity's joining the <Federatio on.
In q talk, President Gompers said:
II heartily approve of the action of
the Players Fraternity in threatening
to strike. I have consulted with Mr..
Fultz many times about the new or
gAnization and I am familiar with it's
troubles. The fraternity, will have
our support in any action it may
take to improve existing conditions.
With the support of the American
5Tederation of Labor, the Importance
OF the players organization is
strengthened It comes as a great.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
JOHNNY DUNDEE
KNOCKED OUT BY
WILLIE JACKSON

Philadelphia, Jan. 16-Another New
York product came into the front
ranks in lightweight circles last night
when Willie jackson applied the
Knockout wa1lop to Johnny Dundee in
one Of the most, sensational and sur
prising windups ever staged at the
Olympia A. A. It took jackson just
two minutes and thirty five second to
send Dundee into the land of nod.
Here is how it happened: Jackson
was in the centre of the ring, and
after sending in two stiging lefts to
the nose, was greeted by a right to
the heart and a terrific left to the
stomach The latter blow sent jack
son crashing against the ropes. Dun
dee kept coming in head down, but
instead of rushing into jackson he
hit the ropes and he came back
Jackson, already out in the open,
caught him unawares with a right
cross to the jaw and Dundee wilted to
the canvas.
He did not make any effort to rise
when Referee O'Brien reached the
seventh count. AT eight he stirred just
a little. At nine he half looked up,
and when ten was reached he was in
sitting posture, but the fight was
over
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
JERSEY CITY FIVE
HERE TONIGHT TO
TAKE ON RIBBONS

The Blue Ribbon BASKETBALL players
will start their independent season
tonight when they will play the crack
Jersey City five at Colonial hall. The
Shelters have some good players and
it was a mystery why they didn't fin
ish higher in the Interstate race.
Toward the latter part Of the cam
paign they were going fine, however,
and they handed the Ribbons a beat
ing the last time Leavys men visited
Jersey City.
Leo Malone, one of the best CEN
ters in the business, is with the
Shelters and SO is HOBBY Fyfe, who
helped the Ribbons beat Danbury for
the championship last week. An
other good shooter is Reich, the
youthful forward. Jimmy Clinton
has recovered from his injury and
expects to be back on the forward
line for the rest of the season. His
partner will be Eddie White. Stretch
Harvey, Murray and Swenson will
complete the local lineup. The game
will start at $3.50. There will be the
usual preliminary and dancing.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
JOE TINKER WAS
ALWAYS WILLING
TO HELP BROWN

Whatever may be said OF Joe Tin
ker's ability to manage ball club no.
body can say that he doesn't stick by
his friends. There is no case Of base
bail friendship to compare with that
between Tinker and Mordecai Brown,
writes Wilbur Wood in the St. Louis
Republic.
Charles Webb Murphy shipped
Brown to Louisville in the fall of
1912, chopping his contract from ST.
900 to $1,000 per annum. Tinker,
who managed the Cincinnati Reds in
.1e13, saw to it that the three-fingered
curver did not toss a ball in the Am
erfcan Association. Tinker brought
Brown to Cincinnati and gave him a
handsome contract.
Tinker helped the Miner along again
when Brown was released from the
position of manager of the St. Louis
Feds late in 1914, making Mordecai
a member Of the Chicago Whales
pitching staff.
When peace came and Tinker took
over the leadership of the Cubs, the
first thing he did was to put Browns
name on the list of the men to be re-
tained Now Tinker heads the Co
lumbus Club Of the American Assoc
citation. Brown has been given his re-
lease by the Cubs.
Puzzle-Guess where Brown will be
in 1917.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
Sporting Chatter

Once a sporting celebrity gets the
title of "Boy Wizardi it sticks to him
longer than his hair and teeth.
Instead of wasting time talking
about a third major league, the Ma
tional league ought to try to be- Sec
ond one.
Some boxers seem to be afraid of
overworking # they fight once a year,
and others consider a couple of days
between fights long vacation.
Christy Mathewson may not be-
wildly enthusiastic about Cincinnati
ball players, but he says that Cinncy
could win q pennant every year in a
checker league.
In some colleges the husky studies
all try to make the eleven, and in
others, judging from results, the poor
victims are sentenced for their sins
to serve time on the football team.
Best fighters in the ring today seem
to be Jimmy Wilde, the Mighty
Atom Of old England, who weighs
less than a hundred, and Jess Will
lard, the "Man Mammoth who
weighs less than ton
It took the Egyptians rs years or
more to make a mummy, but some
managers can turn a previously good
ball player into ummy in single
season.
Understand that Benny Kauff is
saving his energy to use in pasting
the pellet, instead Of expanding it all
wagging his jaws.
There c 'uldn't be anything worse
than a six-day bicycle race, except
seven-day bicycle race.
Uncle Wilbert Robinson, pilot of the
Dodgers, is said to be the politest man
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
ALEXANDER is
NOT ON STRIKE
he TELLS BOSS

New York, Jan. 15-Grover C1eve-
land Alexander is not hold out.
Word to that effect was received last
night by President Baker of the Phil
adelphia club. who lives I'M this city.
1t came in the way of message
from the great pitcher, saying that he
has been misguided when, it was
stated that he had said he had re-
turned his contract and had refused
to sign Alexander asserts that he has
no grievance whatever against the
club, but that his relations are and
always have been most cordial.
He did write to President Baker
saying that he thought the terms in
the contract offered him were too low,
Baker then replied that as they never
had talked over any terms, he had in
serted an amount which he consid-
cred liberal, but that he would be
glad to have Alexander come East
at the. expense of the club and talk
matters over in order that an under
standing might be reached.
When Alexander was quoted as
saying that he was a hold-out, Baker
wrote him again and in return receiv-
ed the, assurance that it was not so. :.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
BUSH, SCHANG AND
STRUNK OF MACK
TEAM WON'T SIGN


IS. Philadelphia, Jan. 16-Three star
members of the Athletics, players
who wore Mack livery in the days
when Connie was at the helm of a
titleholding aggregation, have failed
to sign contracts for 1917 because
their salaries were reduced. They are
Joseph Leslie Bush, no-hit pitcher;
''Wally' Schang, catcher, and Amos
Strunk, outfelder!
These men have told friends they
would refuse to sign. contracts unless
the documents provided salaries re-
ceived last year. They have banded
together with an agreement to this
effect, it is said. Ii
When Connie Mack was asked
whether he believed the three stars
would quit the team he replied: 81 do
not want to get involved in contro
versy with players over an issue Of
this kind, and am not worrying
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
PLAYERS GATHER
IN SECRET CONFAB
TO TALK On STRIKE

Chicago, Jan. 16-Secrecy sur
rounded the meeting Of members of
the Baseball Players fraternity, call
ed by AL Demaree Of the Philadelphia
Nationals, to be held here tonight
While it was intimated that the play
ers who attend will be asked to state
their attitude in regard to the strike
movement and of proposals to affil-
late the organization with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, Demaree de-
clined to divulge the contents Of the
letter from David l.. F'ultz, president
of the fraternity, which it was an
nounced is to be read at the meeting
Both minor and major league play
ers living in and near Chicago have
been invited to attend.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
INTERNATIONAL TO
I BAR ALL OPTIONAL
PLAYERS THIS YEAR

New York, Jan. 16-The Interna-
tional league at its meeting at Hotel
Imperial yesterday struck a decisive
blow at the major leagues and put a
stop to the practice Of the big leagues
recalling their optional players be-
fore the end of the International
league season. In the past when ma
for league clubs farmed their players
out to International league clubs they
have often recalled them at critfcaY
times during the season, thus weaken
ing the playing strength of the clubs
An example of this was when the
Giants recalled Holke last season and
the Yankees recalled Shocker.
The International league passed a
resolution yesterday that hereafter no
International league club would ac-
cept player under an optional agree
ment which gave the major league
club the power of recalling him be-
fore the end of the season.
The player limit for the coming
season was placed at sixteen, and the
season will open on Tuesday, April IT,
The season will end on Aug. s. when
the International will begin it's inter-
league series with the American AS
ISOLATION which ends on Sept. "a The
schedule meeting of the league will
be held in Newark about Feb. Is.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16

surprise to the club owners, who dld
not believe that the body was closely
enough organized to apply for MEM
bership In fact it has never occurred
to them that the Fraternity might be-
come allied with the Federation. 1t is
certain that with the Federation S
support the players will carry on their
fight with renewed confidence.
The attitude of President Ban john
son of the American league and Pres
ident John K. .Tener of the National
league Isl that the threatened strike is
nothing to worry about. President
Johnson arrived here yesterday from
Chicago and among other things he
said: 'I cannot believe that the play
ers will go through with this strike
which has been threatened. If they
do, it will mean the elimination of
Fultz and the elimination of the Fra
.ternity Organized Ball cannot and
will not tolerate any such action by
the players.
IF the players want to strike, let
them go ahead. There will be baseball
just the same this summer. I question
whether many Of the players want to
make trouble for themselves, for they
are smart, thinking class of men.
and have no grievances, as far as l
can see. When the National Commits
sion met their committee in Cincin-
natl a few years ago, we entered into
an agreement with them in; which all
their requests were granted. I be-
lieve this threat to strike is made
purely to justify the existence Of the
organization .1..s
Johnson stated that the club owners
t. 4, 4. - 80
cation with most of the players in re-
1ation to their contracts which prob
ably would not all be sent out until
Feb. l.
"None of the players will be per-
n1itted to go South said President
Johnson, until they have first signed
their contracts
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
CUB SALARIES
CUT AND MEN
/. REFUSE TO SIGN

Chicago, Jan. 16-Salaries of six
members of the Chicago Nationals
who held war" contracts have been
reduced $1,000 or more, President
six players in 1916 received an aggre-
gate salary of $4,000. Two of the
mems Archer and Wilson. have declin-
ed to sign the reduced salaries. The
salaries paid the six players were:
Pitcher ISeaton, $500; Catcher
Archer, $1,000. Pitcher Lavender,
$4,000; Pitcher Hendrix, $4,000;
Catcher Wilson. $500; Infelder
Zeider, $4,000. Weeghman said that
salaries of players who played win
ming ball last season will not be- re-
duced.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
JIMMY COLLINS OF
BOSTON CLUB WAS
HERO OF HIS TIME

What Eddie Collins has been to the
present crop Of baseball fans, Jimmy
Collins was to the bugs Of the previous
generation. Born in Buffalo forty
four years ago today, Jimmy made his
first reputation in his native city, and
in 1895 joined the Boston Nationals
After q trial In the outfield, he was
loaned to the Louisville Nationals,
and he twas tried out at third by the
Colonels. He was soon the big sem
sation Of the game, and Boston re-
called him.
In 1901 he Jumped to the Aneri-
can league, becoming pilot of the Bos-
ton club. Jimmy copied two pen
nants for the Bean City, but in 1905
the team hi. the slide, and the follow
ing year Jimmy was canned. He was
traded to the Athletics, and finished
his big league career Just when the
great Eddie Collins was beginning his
with the sameC Tub.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
DARCY'S show
IS STOPPED BY
newark POLICE

New York JAN 16.-LaSt night the
hard boiled law of New Jersey hoped
aboard Les Darcy and forbade MS
personally led vaudeville show open
ing in Newark.
Chief Of Police Long Of Newark
gave Darcy fair but brass buttoned
warning that inasmuch as the laW'
the horrible law, of New Jersey, pro-
hibited a boxer appearing in any ca
pacity before the footlights, that ne,
as brood-11en of the law, the horrl-
BILE law, would turn IT. thumbs down
on Darcy's three minute "spar" with
Freddie Gilmore; that he would not
countennnce any bag punching; that
dumb bells would be classed as dam
gerous weapons; that rope-skipp1ng
would be frantically frowned upon as
IA crime and that even a display or
the celebrated Darcy smirk would be
the signal for a lot of hair trigger
Newark gendarmes to spring upon
him like stag hounds.
/ In short, the good CHEZ would not
allow Darcy and Bernstein, his man
ager, to set foot inside of the Or
pheum theatre, where Darcy's own
show was to begin weeks engage
ment Those who had not heard the
clatter of the laws, the horrible laws,
heavy heel, meandered through a
snowstorm to find the show house in
utter darkness. Those who had the
courage to remove their velveteen ear
muffs got an earful, a burning earful,
of the law, the horrible law, Of New
Jersey--hich said Darcy will not
bo,1 tonight" and he didn't.
It was said that Darcy and Bern
stein had moved on to Atlantic City
last night to take UP the next piece
Of business. 1t was also said that
Darcy is heartily sick of his new life
as an actor and has written to Tex
]aickard telling him that as fighting
Is his particular business, he wants to
work at that trade. Darcy signed
contract with Bernstein in which he
agreed to go on tour for period OF
Is weeks, the only provision being
that he was to be allowed to drop out
of the show after having given the
theatrical manager a weeks notice.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
California frankie
Burns 26 Years Old

This is the twenty sixth birthday
of California Frankie Burns, for
several years a popular lightweight
contender frankie was born on a
raisin ranchn ear Fresno, but at the
age of fifteen removed to Oakland,
and it was while he was high school
student in that city that he took up
boxing. In 1908 he turned profess
sional, and a couple of years later he
was taking on the best of 'em.
He was matched for the title in
1911, when he took on AID Wolgast,
but frankie wasn't quite good enough
and after game fight he was knock
ed out in the seventeenth round. At
ter that he, did pretty well until he
met Tommy Murphy in 1913. Again
the seventeenth round was his hoodoo,
and the Harlem Terror put him to
sleep in that chapter.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
CLOVERS BREAK LOCAL
BOWLING RECORDS in
BEATING PEANUT TEAM

A lot of money changed hands last
Clovers in a Chop Suey Bowling
league match at the Park City alleys.
The boys were not bashful about
backing themselves with the coin
and some Of them are broke today.
The Clovers had to turn in total Of
1,614 to win. however. BY getting
sos they made the highest single
ever scored in local match. BY
their victory the Clovers gained on
the leading Peanuts and are only
three points behind the leaders.
Crossman and Warner did the best
rolling for the winners: The scores:
CHOP SUEY LEAGUE
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
CORONA KID BEATEN
BY ARTfE EDWARDS

New York, Jan. 16-Artie Ed
wards, the classy Jersey City bantam,
celebrated his return to the ring last
night by outpointing the Corona Kid
at the Yorkville Sporting club. Ed
ward showed his old time ring gem
eralship and ,cIeverness which proved
too much for the challenger of Jimmy
Wilde to overcome.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
DARTMOUTH WINNER
OVER CORNELL TEAM

Hanover, N. H.. Jan. 16-The loss
of Saturdays game to Princeton SEEM
ed to instill new life into the Dart
mouth basket ball team, and yester-
day in a stiging contest the Green de-
feated Cornell, "a to 81 From then
start the Hanoverians outclassed the
visitors by shooting four goals in the
first three minutes of play. The Dart
mouth team kept up a lively offensesQ
throughout, and only the large num- !
Der OF poor shots prevented the score
from being greater.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
(By Wagner.)

Hugh Bradley, who formerly play
ed with the Boston Red Sox, is the
latest applicant for the job of man
aging the Bridgeport baseball club.
Bradley is very anxious to land the
place. He says lie is sure Of making
good if he can ctne to terms with the
American Chain Co. Athletic asso-
citation, owners of the local franchise.
Bradley belongs to Columbus, O.,
of the American association, where
he played last season. He is confident
he can secure his release from Joe
Tinker, who has just bought the club.
Bradley also thinks he would be able
to arrange with Tinker to get young
players farmed out by Columbus.
Bradley is a first baseman by trade.
He is a good hitter and would pile
up a big average in the Eastern
league.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
BILLBOARD LAW UPHELD.

billboard regulation of 1911. prohibit
ing billbOards on residence streets
without consent of more than half the
property owners was upheld as con-
stitutional yesterday by the Supreme
Court in the Thomas Cusack Co. suit
against the city. The ordinance was
the first of its kind to be passed on by
the court.
The general election was held in
Uruguay without disorders. s5
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
.RITCAlE, MITCHELL
AND WHITE MEET

Milwaukee. wis, Jan. 1s-Richie
Mitchell, Milwaukee lightweight boxer,
tonight will endeavor to wrest the
championship title from Freddie
Welsh In 10 roupd no decision con-
test. In Wisconsin, the law prohibits
decisions by referees. The boxers I'M
der an agreement are to weigh not
more than 135 pounds at 3 O'clock this
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16

A monument to Jefferson Davis will
be erected at Fairview, KY, birth
place Of the Confederate president,
~by the women and men Of the
Southern Confederacy," at cost of
efbo,0o0.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16

In baseball He has been known to
get up in 4 street car and give his
seat to three ladies.
The hotel keeper who has to feed
the Giants at the training camp is
said to have considered taking time
by the forelock and going into bank
ruptcy when he heard that Jim Thorpe
was to be in the party.
Baseball Bug writes to inquire if
there was ever a prominent baseball
pitcher named Cy Young. Yes, Bug,
and there was also president of the
United States named Roosevelt, and
a queen of Great Britain named Vic
tor1a Always glad to spread knowl-
edge among the masses
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
HUGH BRADLEY WANTS JOB
MANAGING BRIDGEPORT TEAM
Former Red Sox Infelder Says He Gould Produce Win
ner-Other Sport Gossip

off the goal tenders shin guards will
not be heard in this vicinity. There
was little chance of this city getting
only suitable place for the game and
it is doubtful if this could be secured
for polo.
The University Of Oregon football
eleven wants to come east next sea-
son. Coach Bezdek would like to have
his boys show their skill at the Polo
grounds and there is a possibility that
game may be arranged in New York
with an eastern eIcven. The trouble
is that most Of the strong teams in
this section already have their sched-
ules completed. fe
Billy Miske, the boxer who has been
cleaning 'em all up in New York,
doesn't pick the easy ones. With only
four days rest since his bout with
Charley Weinert he will tackle Jack
Dillon in Brooklyn tonight.
Johnny Kilbane is anxious to get a
fight in New York but promoters are
not yelling themselves hoarse bidding
for his services. Kilbane's work in
his recent New York bouts has been
so unsatisfactory that he isn't much
of drawing card there.
The New Haven Journal Courier in
remarking that Manager Mitchell in
tends to introduce the honor system
in handling the Chicago Cubs says
this has nothing to do with the old
adage. There Is honor among
thieves"
Perhaps those bomb throwers who
have been doing such a rushing bus
mess in the New Jersey munitions
district will be hired by the baseball
magnates to put an internal machine
under Dave F'ultz for threatening to
free the diamond slaves
Two days have passed and Gene
Mccain hasn't bought any more new
players for his New London club
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16
REDUCE COBB'S PAY.

Somehow the fans can't work up
much sympathy for poor Ty Cobb,
who will be asked to take slight re-
duction in his 100000 salary. 1t is
said that Cobb signed this contract
in 1914 when there was talk of the
Federals getting him.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16

Two days have passed and Gene
Mccain hasn't bought any more new
players for his New London club.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16

Red Murray, who was reported
yesterday to have signed as manager
of the Elmira, N. Y, club, has gone
back to the New York Giants again.
Manager McGraw has engaged him
as utility outfielder.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16

Farmer Want Ads. One Cent a Word.
The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-16

The promoters of the proposed roller
polo league have decided not to start
so the sound of the red ball bounding