Semantic search

What was intended to be a secret meeting between a conference committee of the American Association and the emergency committee of the Players' League was held at the Colonnade Hotel, Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 2, but through a leak, as usual, the matter became known to the local reporters, and as a result the fact of the meeting was published to the world, together with a vast amount of er5roneous surmise as to, and comment upon, the nature and result of the deliberations of the joint committee, not one of the accounts of the proceedings being correct, for the simple reason that no reporters were present, and nothing whatever was given out. The Players' League delegates slipped away as they came unseen, and without interviews. The American Association delegates were less lucky, but judging from the published interviews, nothing as to the real nature of the deliberations has yet been revealed by them. All the plans for an absolutely secret meeting were well laid, and would have been successfully carried out but for the leak, the source of which is pretty nearly correctly guessed at by the delegates.

Henry V. Lucas is now general Western passenger agent of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, with headquarters in Chicago. He is rapidly rising to prominence among the railroad men of the West, and it need not surprise those who only known him as a base ball magnate to hear that his undoubted genius and energy has placed him at the head of some large railroad of the country.

Tiernan, when asked to give his reasons for withdrawing from the Brotherhood, said:-- “When I signed that Brotherhood agreement it stipulated that iw as to receive no less than I got from the New York Club for last season's work. I have had four consultations with the Brotherhood officials, but they offered me $500 less than I got last season. I was with the boys until they tried to grind me down, and then I got out. One day that silver-tongued orator, James O'Rourke, tried to talk the matter into me. He spoke at length and finally said;-- 'Look at what I am sacrificing. Just consider the risk I'm taking.' That statement caused me to laugh. Why, the old players are taking no risks. The new or young players are taking chances. Some of the veterans of the diamond, who ought to be in some old gentlemen's home, are the men that are going to be benefited. The men who are playing on the strength of reputations made a dozen years ago are reaping the harvest, while we young and rising players are handicapped. When I looked at both side of the matter I quickly came to the conclusion that the proper place for me was with the old Giants... … In speaking of Tiernan's desertion Tim Keefe said:-- 'Tiernan erred when he stated that the Players' League wanted him to sign for $500 less than he received last year. It was just the opposite, so it is stated. He received $2500 from the New York Club, and it is quite likely that he would have been paid $3000 by the Players' League. But he asked for $3800, and that was an amount which the magnates thought they couldn't stand.. the fact is, the players who are demanding such enormous salaries are simply taking advantage of the differences between the National League and the Players' League.

That is a most amusing fight going on between the Postal and Western Union companies for wire privileges at Players' Park. The Postal company paid $650 for the privilege, but ever since the opening the Western Union has been getting the material and actually beating its rival in speed. The Postal people thought they had located the W. U. wire in a railroad shop about one hundred yards away, and recently an addition was put on the high fence in that vicinity, but to no use. A few days ago they say a Postal employee was put in the grand stand to locate all he could. It is said that he sat beside the Western Union man who did the signs for those on the outside and was not aware of it. By a system, it is said, the Western Union gets all the score material on the outside.

[from the column of Albert Mott, “T.T.T”] It is the custom in the American Association for a club to waive claim to the reserved right to the services of a player of “its own” under contract in the Players' League, and this is done “for a consideration” if possible, and without any remuneration if not. The clubs realize on these reserved rights if they can, but the main object is to cripple the Players' League. The players are then approached by every means available, and no efforts are spared to attempt to induce them to violate their three year's contracts and sign others in the Association.

[reporting the AA special meeting of 1/6/1890]One of the most important steps taken at the meeting was the adoption of a resolution providing that visiting clubs shall receive either $100 guarantee or 40 per cent. of the gate receipts, at their option, on all days except Decoration Day and the Fourth of July, when they shall receive 50 per cent. Last season visiting clubs received but 20 per cent.

[reporting the AA special meeting of 3/14/1890] Blocks of rubber six inches square will take the place of the stones at each corner of the pitcher's box; which is now 53 feet from the home plate, instead of 50 as formerly.

[editorial matter] In one way the desertion of the Brooklyn and Cincinnati from the American Association was an undisguised blessing to that organization in that the running expenses of the teams have been materially reduced. Clubs whch had a salary list last year of from $30,000 to $40,000 are now paying from $18,000 t0 $20,000. And but for this reduction of expenses and the raids of the Brotherhood upon the Association teams—which deprived them of their strongest players and brought their teams down to a level with first-class minor league teams—it would have been impossible for the Association to induce enough new clubs to enter and make up the circuit. In this instance, at least, much good came out of apparent evil; this will also be still more strikingly manifest when the Association shall have settled down and runs smoothly, and perhaps profitably, on, while the other two major leagues are cutting each other's throats.

[reporting the AA special meeting of 3/14/1890] [amending the constitution] Sec. 58 was amended so that the visiting club has theright to select any one substitute umpire that may be on the home grounds, and that if no substitute be present the visiting club can select one from the spectators.

[reporting the AA directors' meeting of 7/7/1890] The directors then decided to take up the fight against the Rochester authorities on behalf of the Rochester Club. The authorities have refused to allow that club to play Sunday games at Windsor Park, and the directors of the Association are of opinion that the club has a legal right to play there on Sunday. Accordingly it was decided to employ counsel immediately to fight the case through the courts, and Mr. Phelps will go to Rochester within ten days to help the players make up the case.

[reporting the AA special meeting of 1/6/1890] It was decided not to adopt the double umpire system on account of the heavy additional expense which the system would cause.

Labor is becoming interested in the battle between the National League and the Brotherhood League. At the recent Boston convention of the American Federation of Labor, an organization representing 600,000 men, nearly all skilled workmen, resolutions supporting the Players' League were adopted, and similar resolutions have been passed by the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers, which has a membership of 460,000; the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, the Clothing Cutters' Assembly of the Knights of Labor and the Central Trades Council of Western Pennsylvania. A majority of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks are also avowed Players' League supporters. All this would indicate that when the turnstile of the new League begins to click next April the Players' will have the call on the pubic patronage. The Sporting Life January 15, 1890

At a directors' meeting of the Philadelphia Players Club Thursday, a committee of labor men, composed of Samuel Gompers, of New York, President of the American Federation of Labor; Pl J. McGuire of Philadelphia, Vice President of the American Federation of Labor, and General Secretary of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America; W. J. Shields, of Boston, one of the vice presidents of the latter organization, and James Dey, Business Agent of Union No. 8, of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, one of the strongest unions in Philadelphia, called and assured the new club and the new League generally of labor support.

…

[quoting Vanderslice] Mr. McGuire said that the various unions had nearly all had the subject up for discussion, and that the labor journals would shortly take up the matter and urge all union men to give their undivided support to the new League henceforth. Base ball would have died out long ago but for the liberal support given it by the laboring men. Four-fifths of the spectators at any game on any day are men who do manual labor for a living, and it is to this class base ball clubs must cater if they expect to be in existence for any length of time. Mr. Gompers and his colleagues were gratified to learn that there was no long any doubt about the Players' League being an assured success, and that we were all solid and everything moving along smoothly.” The Sporting Life January 22, 1890

[from Chadwick's column] One can reach the Washington Park ball grounds from the Bridge in twelve minutes, and what with the transfer system of the Union Elevated road, five cents fare will take them to Washington Park from the Eastern District or from East New York.

The prices of admission to all the exhibition games at the Cincinnati Park this season will be twenty-five, forty and fifty cents. At League championship games patrons will pay as follows: terrace, fifty cents; pavilion, sixty cents, and grand stand, seventy-five cents. Tickets can be reserved in the grand stand without extra charge. The reserve-seat man will be a Hawley’s until 1 o’clock of every day on which a game is played.

[reporting the NL meeting of 3/4-3/5/1890] On Tuesday a deadlock occurred over the schedule presented by the committee—Spalding, Soden and Nimick. It had been supposed that a partially satisfactory tend-club schedule could be made, but when the committee got down to work they did not find it so easy as anticipated, and the schedule they did manage to form suited nobody. In fact, so defective was it that nearly all the delegates became convinced that an eight-club circuit was an absolute necessity and cast about for means to bring about such a thing. So, instead of meeting Wednesday morning in regular session, the time was spend in lobbying, making and breaking deals, all with a view to reducing the membership to eight. Brush, of Indianapolis, was the object of attention from all the other delegates, as he held the key to the situation, which, if surrendered, would solve the difficulty, as there would have been no trouble getting rid of Washington.

At noon the delegates assembled in the meeting room, but there was no formal session, but simply a conference. A committee was appointed, though, to devise some means of solving the difficulty. It began its work immediately and had a long conference with Mr. Brush. He could not be moved and the committee did nothing. This was the situation all day, and no session of the League was held.

All sorts of stories were afloat. It came pretty straight that Washington wanted $20,000 to withdraw. The picture was drawn that Washington was like a railroad with nothing but a right of way and two streak of rust. Even Mr. Hewitt and Mr. Brush admitted that in a financial sense an eight-club league would be a better thing, but they wanted financial salve before they would allow themselves to be offered as burnt sacrifices on the League alter. It was stated that Indianapolis wanted $75,000 for franchise and players, and that the League would not give it. It was further stated that Boston and New York had joined hands in the matter of reducing the membership and that Chicago was undecided.

In the evening at 8 o'clock the meeting reconvened and the schedule and question of membership was then discussed without interruption until about 9 o'clock, when President Young emerged from the meeting room and approached the waiting newspaper delegation. “The League,” said he, “has referred the schedules back to the committee and adjourned until 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. It will be re-arranged on the basis of ten clubs, and on thing the committee will do is to avoid race week at Cleveland.” Then Mr. Young retraced his steps to the room where the “adjournment” had taken place. Not a League delegate withdrew and the debate went on fast and furious. It was stated that Indianapolis had put a prohibitory price upon her franchise, and the fight was whether to call that bluff on the principle that it will be cheaper in the end than making a fight with ten clubs.

…

As Brush would not budge, and as John B. Day, Al Reach, C. H. Byrne and others were anxious to get home there could be no further delay, and in the afternoon President Young called the meeting to order. The schedule was the only thing touched upon in the meeting, and there was considerable trouble before it was adopted. The committee's schedule was the best that could be done under the circumstances, even with the best efforts of Jim Hart, an experienced schedule maker, but the bets is very bad and no one was satisfied.

In the schedule as adopted there are twenty-three open dates, fourteen actual ones and nine spent in traveling from place to place. The jumps are long and expensive, and in all ways the schedule was not satisfactory. The committee had done its best, however, and it had to be accepted. The magnates were outspoken in their disgust over the sch3edule, and even conservative Nick Young said:-- “Its a nasty piece of work all round, and very unsatisfactory. It's the best that could be done, however, and that is all there is to it.

Under the new order of dividing gate receipts, as adopted by the National League, at its last annual meeting, visiting clubs will next season receive 40 per cent. of the gate receipts. This is an item well worth looking after, and the Cincinnati Club will see that its interests abroad do not suffer by reason of neglect. With that end in view, the club will engage an advance agent, who will go ahead and bill the Reds like a theatrical troupe. The wall paper to be used is now in the hands of the designer. Long John Reilly has the contract, and up in his little room on the eighth floor of the Smith Building he is engaged daily getting out the paper. Yesterday he was busy fixing up a big three-sheet poster of Nicol, the spry little right-fielder of the Cincinnati team. Little Nic shows to advantage in the position of a professional sprint-runner waiting for the pistol shot to “get off the mark.” Reilly will make designs of all the other players under contract to the Cincinnati Club, and the dead walls of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago and other League cities will be plastered over next season with life-like portraits of McPhee, Holliday, Carpenter, Beard, Earle, Baldwin and other members of the Cincinnati Reds. Who would not be a base-ball star and be billed in flaming letters like a three-ring circus?

Al Wright, the veteran base ball reporters, now with a New York weekly publication, is credited with being the first to propose the percentage system in deciding championships and also with the invention of the checkerboard arrangement now used weekly in all the leading papers to show the progress of the championship race.

...the parceling out of some purchased players by the negotiations committee—Young, Byrne and Reach—who met in President Reach's office Dec. 31 for that purpose. The men disposed of were short stop Long, first baseman Stearns and outfielder Hamilton, of the Kansas City Club. Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Cleveland and Chicago were bidders,and the price was run up so that it was decided to dispose of them by lot. Slips were prepared and placed in a hat and the drawing began. Nick Young was blindfolded and he drew out the slips. Hamilton was the first player drawn for. Boston and New York drew blanks and then Philadelphia got the first prize. Long came next and Boston got him, much to President Reach's disgust, and then Boston's luck again held good and Danny Stearns fell to that club. The consent of the men to play in the cities to which they are assigned is yet to be secured. The price paid by the League for the release of the three men is said to be $8500.

The amateurs of this city are making good use of the old Polo Ground, at 110th street and Fifth avenue. Every clear day at least three or four game are played. The principal contests there his season have been in the series of five games between the Yorkville and Harlem players.

The meeting of the American Association, which was to have been held at Louisville last Wednesday, has been postponed to the corresponding week in December. In case any new clubs are to be admitted, a special meeting will be held the latter part of November, as all changes have to be made during the month.

[Philadelphia vs. New York (NL) 4/17/1890] Big is indeed a wonderful pitcher. He shot the ball over the plate with cannon-like velocity, and used an inshoot that the Philadelphias could not touch. He has already become a big favorite. … For four innings the game was stubbornly contested. Then Rusie lost control of the ball and gave two men their bases on balls...

Amos Rusie is the wonder of the season. If he holds out he is likely to lead the pitchers of the League.

“You don’t know that the American Association came pretty nearly having a Brotherhood last season, did you?” inquired Long John Reilly in the Cincinnati Enquirer office, the other day.

“No; I never heard of the movement,” responded the writer.

“Yes, the Brotherhood had the Association in line, but Latham was the cause of its death before it got out of the swaddling clothes.”

“How did Arlie break it up?”

“Well, the movement started in Louisville. Every time any of the Association teams would go to New York or Philadelphia last season they were almost sure to put up at the same hotel with some League team. These League players used to fill us up with great stories of the benefits to be derived from such an organization. Guy Hecker and some of the Louisville players became enthusiastic, and they decided to organize an American Association Brotherhood. They secured a charter, or something else from the Brotherhood, and all the Louisville players signed it.”

“Our team visited Louisville next, and every member of the Reds affixed his signature to the document. Next the St. Louis Browns appeared in the Falls City, and every one of them were enrolled. The paper containing the names was then turned over to Arlie Latham, who was delegated to get the names of the players in the other five teams. Lath must have been too busy, or something interfered. He rammed the paper down his back hip-pocket, and that would up the American Association Brotherhood. The paper was never heard of again, and neither was the Brotherhood.

[from Harry Palmer's column] “The very features that have marked the season of 1890 as a disastrous one,” said Walter Spalding, “are arguments in favor of the old sales system and reserve rule. Every minor league in the country to-day, with the exception of the Western League, is bursted. The minor league club which in seasons past has been certain of selling tow or three of its best players to even it up financially at the close of the season, is now certain of nothing, because of the existence of the piratical Players' League. In seasons past the minor league club in need of funds could borrow enough capital to tide it along on the strength of the reserve rule, the sales system and the National Agreement. This year they have been unable to do so, and what is the result? They ave bursted.

[editorial matter] The future of the Players' League is shrouded in gloom and uncertainty, and if this once great and powerful organization survives at all, it will be but a shadow of its former self. It fought a great battle, won it, and then frittered all of its advantages away through the unparalleled treachery of some of its capitalists, the weakness, indecision, and inexperience of others, and the bull-headed foolishness of the entire lot.

PL Pittsburgh Club jumps

...the [Pittsburgh] club had shown decided weakness at the Philadelphia conference, where it was learned that the majority of the Pittsubrg stockholders favored consolidation, and had appointed a committee, consisting of Messrs. Rea, Kerr and Brunell, with full power to act to confer with the local League club. The conference which was held at the Hotel Anderson was perfectly proper and in accordance with the understanding that all of the Players' league clubs should at least have a talk with their local rivals before the annual meeting on Tuesday, but this committee went further, and not only agreed upon terms of consolidation, but actually signed papers to amalgamate with the local National Agreement club, thus deliberately deserting the Players' league before the latter had had a chance to consider and decide the general consolidation question.

Two conferences were held—one in the afternoon and the other in the evening. Secretary Brunell declined to act on the Pittsburg Players' committee, giving way to Mr. Auten, the large Chicago stockholder, who swung the Pittsburg Club into line for consolidation. 9It was at first supposed that Director Robinson, of the New York Club, who lives in Pittsburg, had influenced the club for consolidation, but it afterwards appeared that Mr. Auten was the prime mover in the matter, as he had come from Chicago fresh from a conference with Spalding, had gotten in his work, and then jumped out of town without afterwards showing his face to the meeting or to any of the Players' League delegates.

The news of the consolidation created a sensation, of course, but the terms of the combine created even greater astonishment, because it indicated a complete surrender of the Players' Club to the League Club, and a merging of the former into the latter despite the fact that the Players Club had the public, team and grounds, and had driven its rival out of the city.

The basis of settlement was an even one, the Players' League officials conceding their National League associates one-half interest in the newly-formed organization. The capital stock will likely be increased to $100,000, and the officials, save possibly the secretary, be in the main doled out to the Players' League men. In the directory there will be four Players' League and three National League men. Evidently fearing that New York would jump the Player's League, the Pittsburg contingent took alarm and hastened with all expediency to save themselves from a seemingly prospective financial dump. To accomplish that they fairly threw themselves away. The player-stockholders, with the exception of Manager Hanlon, were conspicuously absent from all the deliberations leading to amalgamation. The Sporting Life November 15, 1890

[reporting the PL meeting 11/11] The Pittsburg Club also reported that satisfactory arrangements had also been made with the local club. The Smoky City delegates were subjected to a hot fire of 2uestions and expostulated with. This was in vain, however, because the Pittsburg men had left themselves no way open for retreat, as they admitted that they had actually signed preliminary papers the day before the League meeting. This was denounced as treachery by nearly all present and as decidedly illegal under the Players' League constitution. During the discussion a paper was passed up to Secretary Brunell, who declined to receive it. This purported to be the resignation of the Pittsubrg Club. It was not received because under the constitution sixty days' notice of resignation must be given and because the club had placed itself in position to be expelled. After the resignation was refused the Pittsburg delegates sheepishly retired from the meeting in a very uncomfortable frame of mind. The Sporting Life November 15, 1890

[reporting the NL meeting 11/12] The Pittsburg delegates gave a detailed report of how the consolidation had been brought about in Pittsburg. Two meetings were held on Monday, one in the afternoon, at which the plan of amalgamation was agreed upon, and one in the evening, at which the deal was closed. … The apportionment of offices in the reorganized Pittsburg Club was not given out, but it was subsequently learned that when the election takes place the following will be chosen:-- President J. Palmer O'Neill; vice president, W. W. McCallin; secretary, A. K. Scandrett; treasurer, H. B. Rea; directors, Messrs. Nimick, Auten and Converse. Thus there will be four of the National League and three of the Players' League men on the board. The Sporting Life November 15, 1890

While the Boston League team was in Washington last week several of the players tried the experiment of catching a base ball tossed from the top of Washington Monument. Nichols, Donovan and Hodgman ascended to the top of the monument, carrying with them three balls. To get the direction of the wind a hat was first dropped, and was twenty seconds reaching the earth. Then came the first ball. It was just seven seconds before it struck terra firma, and out of the reach of any player.

Although the ball could be distinctly seen during its entire flight, it was impossible to judge its course with any accuracy whatever. The second ball was just 6 ¼ seconds in reaching the ground, and gain no one was in reach of it. The third ball came down in the same time as the second one, and with the same result. Then Donovan shouted down for some one to throw the balls back, but Sullivan said he wasn't yet in trim for long-distance throwing, and Brodie feared it would lame his arm.

A new scheme of reproducing a ball game on a bulletin board, which is expected to revolutionize all previous methods, will shortly be foisted on the public. The latest device is worked by electricity. It consists of a board with a ball ground scene painted on it. The players are reproduced by numbers. It requires but one man to work it and by means of a keyboard he can produce any movement made during the game. A bell rings when a foul is struck and another bell announces a one, two or three base hit. Besides base ball, it will be sued to represents other amusements.

The new system of reporting base ball and other games by means of an ingenious electrical apparatus will most probably be introduced next season, says Electric Power. The special object of the apparatus is to enable a full report of games so be made in sight of a large number of people, and at the same time to dispense with one or more of the assistants now required in reporting such games. This device is intended not only to indicate the progress of distant games, but actually to be used at the opposite end of the ball field from the grand stand, in order to enlighten the spectators on many points on which they are liable to be momentarily in doubt. Spectators coming in late are often unable to ascertain the number of innings played, the striker at the bat, the number of balls and strikes called, etc., and even those already on the ground sometimes find it difficult to determine whether the umpire has called a strike or a ball. All these weighty issues upon which the base ball enthusiast expends such intense solicitude can now be clearly and reliably recorded, and all anxiety can be removed by a glance at the exhibition board placed in sight of the whole concourse of spectators, the indicators on which are electrically controlled and operated by an experienced person located close to the diamond.

[from Chadwick's column] I suppose you have heard of Jack Lynch's players' cage of base ball practice in colleges. It is an improvement over the base ball cages of Yale and Harvard, Jack says. He has it in use at St. John's College, Fordham, and when he began training the young Catholic ball players of the Jesuit College of St. Johns he found the facilities for effective practice rather limited, and this led him to the invention of his practice cage, which is now the only one of its kind in use. It is made of cordage used in the construction of the stoutest kind of fish netting. It occupies a space in the middle of a gymnasium 65ft. in length, 12ft. Wide and 12ft. High. The top hangs loosely from the ceiling and the sides have full play, as they rest upon the floor. No matter how hard the ball comes in contact with the netting it is almost impossible for it to do any damage, and a ball very rarely drops outside of the cage. This will be the third season for the cage, and although it has been subjected to severe usage there is not the slightest evidence of a break in any part of it. After the boys have concluded their day's labor in the cage it is removed in the simplest manner. By means of runners suspended from the ceiling and attached to the netting the cage is drawn together at one end of the gymnasium, and in less than five minutes nothing but a roll of white netting is observed dangling from the ceiling. Jack Lynch is proud of his invention and claims that it can hardly be improved upon.

J. W. Sauer has just invented a new catcher's mitt which cannot fail to make its mark the coming season. This mitt-glove has both the thumb and finger portions joined so as to form a pocket at their junction. A tightly stuffed roll or cushion is stitched around both the thumb and finger portion, and the margin of the hand being turned inward forms a deep concave space in the palm, which latter is well padded. A seamless front of heavy buckskin is drawn over this entire roll or cushion and gives this mitt the action of an air cushion in catching a ball. Muffing a ball is impossible and all injuries are naturally avoided. Catalogue illustrating this and fifteen others mailed on application. Address J. W. Sauer, Milwaukee, Wis.

Ted Kennedy has recently made a great improvement in his celebrated back stop protecting glove for catchers. The glove is made three inches smaller, weighs ten ounces less, and is made with an adjustable thumb that produced a ready made concave. It does away with the “breaking in.” The Kennedy glove is acknowledged to be an actual safe-protecting glove. A steel wire encircles the fingers and thumb, and gives an absolute protection. The price of the glove is $10—the highest-priced glove in the market, but at the same time the cheapest in the end and the safest. They are made by Kennedy himself and each one is made by hand and will stay together.

Last winter several of the Chicago cycling clubs formed indoor base ball teams and played mostly practice games. This was very unsatisfactory to two of the clubs, at least, and at a meeting held last week at the Grand Pacific Hotel a four-club league was formed:-- The Chicagos, Lincolns, Harvards and Illinois (not the cycling club of that name), but composed of young men living on the South Side. A schedule has been arranged, and the games for the inter-club championship will start early next month.

[New York vs. Brooklyn PL 4/30/1890] The umpiring of Barnes caused much dissatisfaction, both to the players and the spectators. Barnes was once the greatest second baseman in the world, but the chances of his earning such a reputation as an umpire are slim. … With two men on bases, Joyce [3B] muffed a little fly sent up by Ewing, and O'Rourke dashed for second. Barnes decided that Ewing was out, and also called O'Rourke out. The decision was an original one, and may never again be seen on the ball field. New York Tribune May 1, 1890

Connor was on third and O'Rourke on first, with none out. Ewing then batted a fly to Joyce, who made an inglorious muff of it. He picked it up and threw to Bauer, who touched O'Rourke just as the latter was coming into second base. Barnes called both men out under the rules, which declares that when a runner is on first base and a fielder touches a fly ball with his hands the batter is out whether the ball be held or not. Barnes could decide no other way, but why he gave the decision and not Gaffney is a query. Ewing kicked over the decision for ten minutes and would not let the game proceed. He appealed to Gaffney but Gaffney upheld Barnes. Finally Barnes called for the next batter, who was Slattery. Slattery started toward the plate, but Ewing ordered him back to the bench, and “Slat” obeyed the director rather than the umpire. In vain did Barnes order up a batter. None came until Buck finally got out of breath and jerked his head to signify that the game might proceed. New York Herald May 1, 1890

“What do I think of Umpire Barnes's decision in the game on Wednesday? Nothing but a case of stupidity, that's all,” said Jim O'Rourke to a Sun reporter yesterday. “The decision was contrary to the spirit and letter of the rules. In the first place, it was not an infield hit of Ewing's, and therefore neither Ewing nor myself could be declared out. Now, what do the rules say regarding infield hits? Rule 2 of the Players' National League says that the infield must be a space of ground thirty yards square. That means the entire territory within the base lines, and not a foot more. Now, the ball that Joyce dropped was outside of the third base line by fifteen feet.”

“But hasn't it always been the case that hits stopped by the basemen and short stop while standing in their usual positions were considered infield hits?” asked the reporter.

“Yes, but the interpretation of the rules in that respect have been wrong. A ball sent to any of the infielders in the place they usually play cannot, under any circumstances, be considered an infield hit. It must be a hit to be played, even within the base line. Section 9 of rule 41 says: “If, where there is a base runner on the first base and less than two players on the side at bat have been put out in the inning then being played, the batsman makes a fair hit so that the ball falls within the infield, and the ball touches any fielder whether held by him or not before it touches the ground, the batsman shall be declared out.”

“See what latitude would be given an infielder to make such plays like that of Joyce and which Umpire Barnes says are according to rule if the enlargement of the infield other than that stated in the rules was allowed. Why, a short stop or baseman could run into the outfield for a ball, miss it, and then throw to a base catching the runner. Under Umpire Barnes's rulings, that would be an intentional miss, the same as Joyce's was decided. There's got to be a distinction made somewhere between the infield and the outfield and the rules have always made it. You can't say that even an inch outside of the base lines is in the infield.

“I am perfectly satisfied that Joyce's miss was not an intentional one. He made a supreme effort to get the ball but failed. How, then, do you think under these circumstances that it is reasonable to give Joyce so much credit for that play as for one of a scientific character. That's what he received by Umpire Barnes's decision.” New York Sun May 4, 1890

[Pittsburg vs. Brooklyn 9/2/1890] [from Chadwick's column] ...a new point, involving the violation of Sec. 2 of Rule 12, which reads: “At no time shall the ball be intentionally discolored by rubbing it with the sod or otherwise.” In the first part of the ninth inning a new ball was legally introduced, but it was hit foul and did not come into play again until the Brooklyns went to the bat in their ninth inning, and when the new ball was called for—Miller having it in his hands discoloring it—he declined to give it up until he had blackened it. The umpire then put in another new ball, as Miller had made the other unfit for the fair use the rule calls for. He thought he was playing a strong point, but he failed lamentably. A ball which has been discolored in violation of the rules is not legally fit for use. The umpire was quite correct in putting a new ball in play under the circumstances, so Miller over-reached himself in this instance.

The colored Monarchs from York, winners of the Inter-State League championship, will play the Oxfords at Frankford to-day.

[quoting J. E. Wagner] What are the inducements offered? Absolutely nothing. It requires no mutual agreement to do away with the conflicting playing dates. Either side could have avoided that the past season had it been deemed advisable. We are not afraid of the League stealing any of our players for two years to come, because they all signed three-year contracts. A few exhibition games would be the only direct benefit of a compromise. I want it understood right here that the Philadelphia Players' Club does not propose to be forced into a circuit with Columbus, Louisville and St. Louis. Neither does the Boston Players' Club.

The League wanted the Brotherhood to change its schedule; there is no doubt about that, and there is some disappointment at the result of the recent meeting in New York. It would have given the League a decided advantage over its rivals to have had a monopoly of the first part of the season in such cities as New York, Boston and Chicago. Experience has demonstrated that the first two months of the season are generally the banner months so far as the gate receipts are concerned, and the Brotherhood seems to have reasoned that fact and they propose to make the most of it.

In Brooklyn it appeared that but one conference had been held at which irreconcilable differences over the ground question developed themselves. … The principal trouble...was owing to the refusal of each party to play on the other's grounds. The capitalists of the Players' League Club are heavily interested in real estate near Eastern Park. As far as the team was concerned they cared nothing. They desired to build up the property in that vicinity, and thought that by playing at Eastern Park it can be done. The Brooklyn National League men said that Washington Park is a trade mark, and that it is by far the best ground, inasmuch as it is so easy of access from all parts of Brooklyn. They objected to going to Eastern Park because of the cool, stiff breeze that comes from the bay in the spring and fall.

[from Chadwick's column, quoting the Philadelphia Times] In a recent game Latham made an attempt to bunt the ball. He put out his bat with that intention, but Umpire McQuaid did not see the motion and called “one ball.” At this Anson entered a protest. “What's that?” the big fellow remarked. “What do you mean, Mac? He struck at that ball.' McQuaid stepped forward and asked Latham if it was a strike or a ball. “It was a strike,” said Latham, and the crowd cheered him for his honorable course.

[from Harry Palmer's column] By the way, what a lot of trouble the Athletics are having. There has been so much talk of the team's absorption by either the League or the Brotherhood and Sharsig and Pennypacker have so frankly and so frequently expressed their perfect willingness to such absorption—for a consideration—that I wonder difficulties have not long since been adjusted. I understand that the true reason is that nobody wants the once far-famed Athletics. The Brotherhood might take the club if it could get it very, very cheap. Al. Reach, I am informed, wouldn't take it as a gift, and as a friend of Mr. Reach holds somewhere in the neighborhood of $8000 worth of Athletic Club bonds I do not see how a transfer or a sale is to be looked for in the near future. This bondholder, at least, has to be settled with before the club can be sold to the Brotherhood or anybody else for a song.

Secretary Whittaker stated that the club's total indebtedness is $17,000. Of this $2650 is due players, $8000 is due to the officers and the balance is made up of various outstanding debts, such as unpaid advertising bills due the local papers, unpaid interest on the $9000 worth of bonds outstanding, unpaid accounts for material furnished last year by A. J. Reach & Co., and a large sum due Spalding Bros. for uniforms and other goods received this year; $8000 of the amount is said to be due the officers of the club for salaries and money advanced. Mr. Whittaker further said that the players were paid in full up to Sept. 1, when only about $2650 was due them. The players, however, tell a different story, claiming that the following sums are due them:-- Seward, $377; Robinson, $550; Purcell, $390; Welch, $600; Shafer, $400; O'Brien, $400; Lyons, $300; Kappel, $300, and Conroy, $300. Catcher Robinson, fielder Shafer and pitcher Seward have suits pending against the club for salaries due, and on the outcome of these legal proceeding will depend the future action of the other players.

According to one of the Athletic Club's stockholders, the profits last season reached $30,000, and if any dividend was paid he heard nothing of it. What, then, became of the money? Up to July of this year the club certainly made some money. Where did it go? With a reserve of $30,000 (these were President Pennypacker's figures) and the profits that must have accrued from the early games this year, the club should have been able to withstand the present trouble. But it didn't.

When told that a rumor was current to the effect that the officers had voted themselves large salaries, thus eating up all the profits of the club, Mr. Whitaker said:-- “As true as I stand here the monthly salaries of the officers of this club all put together only about equals Eddie Seward's monthly salary of $428.57. That is a fact, and Mr. Pennypacker and Mr. Sharsig will substantiate me in the statement.

“That is right,” said Mr. Pennypacker, “but our salaries are for twelves months in the year.”

But probably the explanation may be found in the story told by another stockholder, who declares that the club would not be in its present straits but for the fact that Messrs. Whittaker and Pennypacker, imitating the illustrious Boston triumvirate, had voted themselves large, comfortable salaries for their services as treasurer and president respectively. This was not known until the meeting before that of Monday, and it is claimed that their action was decidedly irregular, and may lead to troublesome complications. President Pennypacker doesn't like to talk about the financial aspect of the muddle, but when pushed falls back upon his old chestnut “that the failure is due to the Brotherhood movement and unfair treatment on the part of the newspapers.” The Sporting Life September 20, 1890 [N.B. Pennypacker denied the $30K figure in the following issue of TSL.]

[reporting on the audit of the books of the Athletic Club] The books show conclusively that without themost glaring mismanagement the club should have been a good winner ever since its reorganization in 1888. In that year the receipts were $98,000 and the team's salary list $42,000; the other expenses, at the very outside, should not have exceeded $20,000, salaries of officers included. In 1889 the receipts were $93,000; team's salary list, $38,000. Even last season the club, with its weak team and generally demoralized condition, took in $42,000, while the salary list was only $24,000, and yet, in face of all this, Treasurer Whittaker leaves the club bankrupt and with unsettled obligations amounting to about $26,000!

As the weeks go by new and more discreditable disclosures are made. A very interesting story could be told about the club's outstanding bonds, but that is reserved for another time. During the week it transpired that the club owed even its landlord, and was in debt to the city for rent more than $1000. The goods and chattels of the club were seized by the city last Saturday, and the stands, chairs, uniforms, and all other available goods at the ball park were to have been sold at public auction yesterday. The constable's sale, however, was prevented by the sheriff, who issued a levy under an execution granted several weeks ago on an application of Walton & Bro., a lumber firm. They Sheriff's sale will come off next Monday morning. Constable Vance on Thursday filed with the sheriff his claim, and, as rent comes ahead of everything else, the city will get the proceeds of the sale after the sheriff's costs shall have been deducted, or as much of the proceeds as many be necessary to cancel the claim. The rent due is $1666, and the constable's cost add about $20 to the bill, so that the sale must realize over $1200 or the city will be a loser. The effects of the club include 1600 chairs, the open seats (classed as lumber), refreshment stand, club house, awnings, etc.

A crisis which menaces the very existence of the famous old Athletic Club is approaching, and unless there is a very material change in the situation the American Association may be minus a club member. The club has been supposed to be behind hand financially for some time, but the local papers kindly refrained from mentioning the matter. The facts can be no longer suppressed, however, because the players have taken the matter in hand and propose either to force the club to pay salaries fully six weeks over-due or else quit.

…

As the counsel of the players held out but little hope of recovery by legal process, the players decided to appeal to the Association in accordance with Sec. 71 and 72 of the Association constitution to force the club to either pay up or release the players from contract and reservation. An appeal was accordingly drawn up by the lawyer. This will be signed by all of the players and forwarded to President Phelps to-night. Meantime the players will go on playing. They do not propose to forgo their legal claims whatever the result of this appeal, and have already engaged another lawyer to hold himself in readiness to enter suit in a day or two.

The players are very bitter against Treasurer Whittaker, the ruling spirit of the club. They say that six weeks' salary is unpaid and that he will give them no satisfaction. He is never to be found near the ground when the players want to see him,a nd leaves the burden of putting off the just claims of the players, many of whom are sorely in need of money, upon poor Manager Sharsig, who has exhausted his private funds and receives no better treatment from the club than the players. This constant evasion of the Treasurer has greatly irritated the players, and they do no know what to make of it. They fear that they are to be sold out, or dumped in some way, and are apprehensive that the club will not make the next Western trip. They also say that upon the occasion of the second Western trip, a few weeks ago, it was very doubtful whether the team would start at all up to within a day set by schedule of departure.

…

Regarding the financial status of the club Mr. Whittaker said that it was indebted to the officers who had no better prospects of recovering their advances than the players had of getting their salaries. He himself had of late been the only man to put up money and that he had gone as far as he could, the club now being indebted to him many thousands of dollars.

This is a lamentable condition for a club with name and prestige, such as the Athletic Club possessed, to be brought through long continued mismanagement, which the local press time and time again censured. The club does not appear to be so far in the hold but what it can be extricated from its difficulties, but the money needed does not seem to be forthcoming from those in control of the club, and cannot be raised apparently so long as the club is directed as at present. The action of the players, however, will force a settlement.

Receiver [G. Morrison] Taylor, after a little investigation of the [Athletic] club's affairs, decided to call a meeting of the stockholders to devise a plan for reorganization. Following is a complete list of the stockholders of the old club, which was capitalized at $50,000:

Shares Shares

Wm. Whittaker...... 150 W. B. Truitt........... 2

S. Pennypacker 57 George Horn 20

Wm. Sharsig 100 H. S Loucheim 5

Thomas Mink 5 B. Shibe 5

John Mink 5 Dr. L. Bell 5

N. L. Toy 8 John Wilson 1

T. S. Mitchell 32 H. D. Stovey 3

O. S. Bunnell 10 G. M. Taylor 6

J. J. Snellenberg 85

R. Lennon 1 Total..................... 500

… Treasurer Whittaker stated that the indebtedness of the club was about $18,000.

On Saturday a portion of the players who had consulted another lawyer, pile on the agony by entering a suit against the club. Mesrs. Freeman & Hutt brought the suit for Seward, $377; Robinson, $350, and Shafer $240. It is understood the rest of the players will begin suit at the end of the present week, unless it is plainly apparent that the club will be placed upon its feet again.

…

A special meeting of the stockholders of the Athletic Club was held in President Pennypacker's office yesterday afternoon to determine whether or not an assessment shall be levied and the clubs indebtedness wiped out or to throw up the sponge and quit. The following stockholders were present at the meeting:-- H.C. Pennypacker, W. H. Whitaker, George S. Horn, Thomas A. Mink, b. F. Shibe, G. M. Taylor, Richard J. Lennon, H. S. Locheim and Thomas S. Mitchell. Messrs. Sharsig, Snellenburg, Wilson and Toy were the absentees.

After the meeting Mr. Whitaker said no definite action had been taken and that another meeting would be held next Monday. The club owes its players $2650, and in addition to the bonded debt of $9000, which does not mature until 1893, there is an outstanding indebtedness of $16,500. With the exception of the salaries due the players, which must be paid on Wednesday next, the expiration of their ten days' notice, none of the debts are pressing.

The last act of the drama was played last Monday, when the teamless [Athletic] club was also deprived of a home, as the Sheriff sold the grand stand, the open seats and fences on the ground. The sheriff's sale was held under judgments obtained by the city for back rent amounting to $1201.51, and for a claim for lumber furnished by Walton & Co., amounting to $1435.66. Deputy Sheriff Algeo appraised the fences, building and fixtures on the ground at $765, but they only brought a trifle over $600.

Nothing succeeds like success. Last year not 100 people a day attended the games at Louisville. The audiences this seaon are fully as large as those of 1884, which was the most prosperous year the club ever had in the Association.

[from the Louisville correspondent] The club has been playing ball such as would win friends for any team, and the lovers of the sport here have shown that they could and would turn out when there was anything to justify it. Should the boys do one-half as well on their trip abroad as they have just done on the home grounds, Eclipse Park will not be big enough to hold the crowds that will go down to see them. The attendance has been something wonderful considering the fact that Louisville was for some years and until recently comparatively dead. As I said, though, as soon as the boys began playing good ball, the interest in them took a sudden upshoot, and the stockholders are fast making money—more money made in Louisville in months. … What gratifies President Parsons and Manager Chapman is the splendid attendance at all the games. Tuesday there were 1252 people present; Wednesday there were 725; Thursday there were 1836; Friday, 1236; Saturday, 2562; Sunday, 7125, and Monday, 2214. This attendance, the largest of any Association city in the country, has been most encouraging to the members of the team, and it has served to throw an enthusiasm into every game which has left no room for any one attending to kick about carelessness or inattention to business.

The players' revolt appears to be as disastrous to the interests of the game in the Association as in the League circuit. The attendance here [St. Louis] was bad last year, but it is frightful this season. The daily attendance has not averaged 400. This at twenty-five cents admission. An alleged turnstile count is posted at every game, but the figures are kept concealed in the turnstile and are usually double the actual number on the grounds.