Smyrna times., 1923-07-11
MILFORD CLUB QUITS EASTERN
SHORE BASE BALL LEAGUE
DISBANDED WEDNESDAY AND
THROWS STRENGTH TO DOVER
Humphreys, Quinn and Thompson,
Three of MilfOrds Star Players
Released to Dover for Season


The fight which was started when
Laurel protested Milford's games on
Friday, June 22nd, was ended so far
as the Milford Club of the Eastern
Shore League is concerned when the
officials of the Milford team voted to
disband at a meeting on Tuesday
night of last week. The team was
either given to Dover or the players
given their unconditional release i'm
mediately following the game on July
4th. The trouble has so many angles
that it is hard to find a point from
which to start. The main complaint
of Laurel was that Milford was play
ing too many Class players. Presi-
dent Thawley held up decision from
June 22nd, to July 1st Qast Sunday |
when Milford received a telegram |
notifying them that he had found that |
the Milford team was playing six |
class players. He also ruled that all
games won by Milford should be
thrown out and credited as wins for
the opposing teams; while all games
lost should stand as lost from June
9th. This meant that Milford would
have only six games won to her cred
it; and that she wodld be helplessly
out of the running for the pennant. 1t
also meant that attendance would be
badly crippled and that the team
would not be able to finance itself.
With a full realization of just what
confronted the Milford team, Presi-
dent Powders, appealed the decision
of President Thawley and at a meet
ing held at Cnsfield on Tuesday after
noon of last week, the whole situation
was thoroughly explained to the di-
rectors of the league. DR.. Walter L.
Grier, acting as spokesman for the
Milford delegation, acknowledged that
Milford had been guilty of playing
more than the required number of
Glass players; but offered the alibi
that Milford had played these men in
good faith and that all of them had
/ been playing under Class d contracts
| while in the Southwestern League. In
| 1921 this league was a Class D
/ League; but in 1922 the addition of
| two more towns brought the popula-
ton of the circuit up so that the
league automatically advanced to a
Glass C league. The players secured
by Milford played in the league both
years; but the men brought to Mil
ford were willing to make affidavit
that the contracts under which they
PLAYED were Glass D contracts. Will
this explanation of Milford's misap
prehension as to the requirements O
a Glass player, Milford asked that he
games be restored to her. Immediate
ly following the receipt of Presiden
Thawley's ruling three of the Clas
men had been suspended; thus show
ing Milford's good faith. The Mi
ford men told fully of the situation
! Milford, and said that the club cOul
not possibly exist as a tailender. FO
. lowing their talk the representatiN
from Parksley took the floor and d,
MED that the situation at Milford We
as had been represented by DR.. Grie
William NJ. Hope, Dover represent;
tive, made an excellent plea for II
Milford club, and through the entil
fight Dover stuck solidly to Milfor
After the Milford representatives hs
finished their talk, they were told thi
instead of six Class players as four
they had eight. This was the la
straw, and the Milford men alreaC
having suspected that the cards we
stacked against them, felt that it WI
useless to waste more time with Il
league officials. The league officia
did not seem to think that MilfO
meant business when she said that
would be necessary to stop, and to-
the whole thing as a bluff. That
was not bluff was shown by the q
tion of the officials as soon as they g
rived back in Milford Tuesday nigl
last. On Wednesday, July 4th, Thorn
son, Quinn and Humphreys were !
leased to the Dover club, and all 9th
players under contract were Civ
their unconditional release. DoV
was given an opportunity to take a
of the players. Stammerman a
Lindsey will go to Montreal, Cana,
where they have accepted terms W
club there. The other players I
pect to be placed within a few da
Milford Chronicle.