Evening star., 1919-03-31
ORGANIZED BALL
SCORED BY HANLON
Says Baltimore Team Suffer-
: ed at Hands of Two
Major Leagues.
REVIEW OF COMPLAINTS

Organized base ball has made worth
less franchise which might be
valued today at s150.Oo0. Edward
Hanlon, a director of the Federal
League base ball club of Baltimore,
said in his testimony in the case of
the Baltimore club against the Ameri-
can and National leagues before JUS
tice Stafford in the District Supreme
Court today The Baltimore organi-
zation is suing for damages. under
section of the Sherman antitrust
law. agRregating 100000.
Mr.. Hanlon said he began to play
base ball professionally in 1875. He
has been associated as manager. di-
rector and in other capacities with a
number of clubs, and has played in
both the National and American
leagues. The veteran player declared
that Baltimore wanted major league
bail but had been precluded from en-
joying this privilege by the combina-
ton which he says has ruined the
business of ball and deprived the
people of its greatest pleasures in
that city.
Points to Baltimore's Success.
Mr. Hanlon called attention to the
fact that Baltimore had won the PEN
nant four successive years, but is
now, as far as the major leagues
are concerned. a sort Of base ball
outcast" He said he had been con-
yo@ 70 fro
chise and property values by pro-
moters of base ball enterprises.
What was the value of the Balti-
more franchise when the club was
for1ned?'' asked Attorney Marbury
for the plaintiff.
Il valued it at $4,000"
But suppose. all reservations re-
garding players had been removed
and the major leagues had agreed
rot to interfere with the status of
man playing in the Baltimore club,
what, then, in your judgment, would
h4ye been the value of the fran
ehise?'
-. ~,'I should say" responded the vet
eran ball man. about double. 1t
would have been at least $150,o00."
. Treatment of Independents.
In answer to further questions by
Mr.. Marbury, Mr.. Hanlon said that
the expenses of conducting the busi-
ness of baseball as an independent en-
terprise in Baltimore were vastly in
creased because of the attitude of the
major leagues toward the man who
would play for the baltimore club. He
explained that man coming to the
Baltimore club would demand a much
larger compensation than he would
obtain from the American or National
for the reason that at the end Of his
engagement at Baltimore he would
be out Of job"
This condition may, however, be
changed, If the major leagues would
consent to make their peace with the
player. Mr.. Hanlon said. Mr.. Hanlon
explained that for years he was
member of the Players League. an or
gapization which tried to protect the
players from the operation Of what in
erect was boycott of men who would
play under the direction of independ-
Snt organizations.
. Holding Men in Reserve
Suppose a man were to be placed
by one Of the major organizations on
what was known as the reservation
list, what could he do? Could he
play?' asked Mr. Marbury.
NO. There would be nowhere for
him to go. He would be out of job.
He couldn't do anything" Mr.. Hanlon
replied.
II presume. however. that he could
work at blacksmithing or shoemak-
fnE?" said the lawyer. The veteran
base ball man admitted that he could
o-these things.
Mr.. Hanlon said it was impossible
for the Baltimore club to obtain as
itS players the younger men in the
base ball field. who had acquired
drawing regulations, and it was,
thsrefore. necessary to take the older
but why take the older men? Why
wTe they willing to play for your
asked Mr.. Marbury.
'oh. they would come to ns
because they would quite understand
that they were nearly through as ac-
Ions reply.
Rough Career in Baltimore,
Mr.. HanIon traced the history of
base ball in Baltimore and intimated
that 1t had had anything but smooth
'1eer. Caught between the American
and the National leagues it had been
pretty well pulverized. he intimated.
George Wharton Pepper, leading
counsel for the defendants, tried to
obtain an admission from Mr.. Hanlon
that he had overestimated the value
of the now admittedly worthless fran
chise. Mr. Hanlon insisted that his
estimate was reasonable one, though
he admitted the possibility that others
equally well able to judge might dis
agree with him.&
Carroll W. Rasen. president of the
club. who was on the stand Saturday,
denied that he was in any way a party
TO the alleged agreement by which
rhe Baltimore club was eliminated
by the American and National leagues
Harry W. Busick, another member
of the board of directors, was equally
innocent of any knowledge of such a
body as an executive committee He
said. however. he knew positively that
no member of the board was author