Clipping:A defense of the player sales system
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| Date | Wednesday, October 16, 1889 |
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| Text | [from Harry Palmer's column] “The odious sales system” has been the handle to the lash of every conspirator, and to many fault-finders who have been at a loss for any other cause for complaint. While not a defender of the system and while I should gladly welcome the substitution of any other system for the promotion of demonstrated talent, I am still compelled to admit that even the “sales system” of to-day is of great benefit both to the player and to the minor organizations throughout the country. Indeed, were it not for the sales system, many promising young clubs which have gone through several seasons would never have been able to organize for another race in the face of the financial loss attendant upon their first season. For instance, take the case of the Des Moines Club of last year. It was away behind financially before the season had been complete, but it developed some excellent playing talent during the race and impressed this fact upon the clubs of the greater leagues by winning the championship of the Western Association. Although from $8000 to $10,000 behind when the season closed, the sales system enabled Des Moines to recover its losses and wind up with a few thousand dollars to the good. The sale of Hutchson and Sage alone yielded the club no less than $6000, Chicago paying $3500 for Hutchison. Further than this, the club was not only helped out of the hole, but the players “sold” were advanced to better positions with clubs of national reputation, and at a material increase of salary and unquestionably increased opportunities to add to their professional reputations and consequently to the value of their services. While citing the case of Des Moines I am reminded that the sales system alone saved Omaha—Western Association pennant winners for this season—from financial loss. The howl about “slaves and slave-masters” of the National League is a “bugaboo,” a pumpkin-face with a candle behind it. |
| Source | Sporting Life |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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