Clipping:League hypocrisy, encouraging revolving

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Date Sunday, January 21, 1883
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At the time the League sat down on all crooked playing and ended the evils of revolving, they inaugurated a new era in the National game and restored to the public the confidence in the game that had for some time been lost. No one attempted to question them whether this movement sprang from a pure love of the game or a selfish commercial interest to increase receipts by increased attendance at the contests. In the light of recent events, however, it certainly looks as if the League had taken the baser and more sordid view. When it monopolized the professional ball playing of the country it could do as it pleased, but when a new organization, with advanced ideas, and representing the largest cities in the country spring into existence, the League showed the sordid view it took of the pastime, by encouraging all sorts of crookedness on the part of the players when such conduct inured to their own benefit. Contract breaking was smiled at and the offender patted upon the back and called a devilish good fellow, and when the machinery of the court was put in motion to restrain these contract breakers, the funds of the club were used to defend him. Players, especially young men who were just entering on a professional career were shown by this action that contract-breaking was commendable, especially when the club harmed was not connected with the League. So great has this evil grown that there are to-day, at least twenty well known professionals, who had accepted advance money from two clubs and neither club knows in which the double contractor will enroll himself when the season opens. Especially hard has this evil fallen upon the weaker clubs of the new organizations, and unless it is stooped at once, it will take no prophet to predict the downfall of the game.

Source Philadelphia Item
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Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

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