Base Ball and Trap Shooting Avol
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DEVOTED TO BASE BALL AND TRAP SHOOTING AVOL. 63. NO. 21 PHILADELPHIA, JULY 25, 1914 PRICE 5 CENTS Precipitated By the Lawyer-Leader of the Players© Fraternity Through Submission of an Ultimatum to the National Commission Coupling Demand for Reversal in the Kraft Case With Strike Threat junior major league girded on his brand and began to do things. And by nightfall he was The Bluff That Was Successful sitting back, confident but grim, ready to wreck his own league if necessary for a prin Herevith is given a copy of the ciple, but sure of wrecking the enemy with it. letter sent by President Fultz, of BAN JOHNSON ASSUMES COMMAND the Players© Fraternity, to the President Johnson©s first act was to call off Chairman of the ©National Commis all proposed deals for player Kraft, and by long-distance ©phone he notified President Eb- sion and to Presidents Johnson and bets not to make any move whatever and not Tener of the old major leagues: to sell Kraft to any major league club until "Mr. August Herrmann, Chairman National after a special meeting of the American Commission: League clubs, which he had called for New- "Dear Sir: York City on July 21. President Johnson "Inasmuch as organized ball sees fit to con then announced publicly that his league would tinue its violation of Section 18 and several now go to the mat with Fultz and the Players© other sections of the Cincinnati agreement, Fraternity, regardless of what attitude the which agreement is a part of every player©s National League would assume. He then paid contract, the Board of Directors of the Base his respects to Fultz and bis hostile organi Ball Players© Fraternity has authorized me to inform you that on and after Wednesday, zation as follows: July 22, the members of the organization will "This fight with the Fraternity had t« «m« sooner no longer consider themselves under contract. or later, and the sooner the better. These players Very truly, say they will strike if we do not violate organized base (Signed) "DAVID L. FUT/TZ, ball law. Well, see how long they will hold out with "President." out salary. The majority of American League players who amount to anything are signed to iron-clad con This entailed a clash between Or tracts for terms of yeara. They have to play with our league or nowhere. And if they take foolish notions ganized Ball and its major league into their heads and walk out they©ll b« glad to walk players, which could only be settled in again. Every one will be fined and his salary will by compromise, surrender, or battle. be stopped while he idles. I do not know and do not care what the National Commission or National league There was nothing to compromise; intends doing. I do know what the American League it should have been a battle; it was will do. There will be no backing down on our side. Fultz is a menace to the game. He has been an a surrender thereby merely post tagonistic to the National Commission erer since he poning to a perhaps less propitious took part in the deliberations which resulted in certain concessions granted the players at our annual meetinz time a battle between responsibility la?t Winter. While posing as a friend to organized and irresponsibility for absolute base ball he lias dealt in secret with the Federal League. He has made insinuations against the fairness control of the game, which must be of organized base tail©s administration. And now ha fought, soon or late, not in Win itj trying to stir up stiife. about a trivial matter which, lawyer as he is if he has a grain of horse sense he ter, but in Summer, as the player Knows has been decided justly by the supreme court of has no weapon except his Summer basa ball." service. For the time being, the FACTS OF KRAFT CASE magnates both of Organised and Regarding the Kraft case, of which com paratively insignificant matter the lawyer- Independent Ball have now lost leader was making an issue grave enough to control of government and players, warrant a strike by the National League and and they need not hope to regain it American League players, President Johnson said: ©until they unite under a new Na "The president of the Base Ball Players© Fraternity i tional Agreement for protection has not dealt fairly by the National Commission and. against, and subjugation of, this has not labored in the interests of the profession ha represents. Ho dragged the Hageman case into thb newest, and worst because least couits -of common law instead of before the National responsible menace to Base Ball. Commission, as he had every right to do had he re RAY KEATING spected- the promises he made to us last Winter. Kraft belongs to the Nashville Club, according to the pro Pitcher of the New York American League Club visions of the National Agreement. When the Brook lyn Club drafted him from New Orleans, Nashville The Sorriest Chapter in Base Ball History Ray Heating, one of Manager Chanco©s most dependable twirlers. was born at Bridgeport, put in a claim. That gave Nashville priority rights NEW YORK, N. Y., July 22. Harassed Conn., on .July 21. 1891. His base ball career beagn with the St. Charles School teaau, after in case the player should prove unavailable for major Organized Ball had more trouble thrust upon which be pitched with the Factory I>eagu in Bridgeport, hii work earning© him a trial with the league service. Kraft, was drafted from the Southern it within its own citadel, whence most of its Bridgeport Club, of the then Connecticut League in 1910. He was not used regularly and Association under©the working agreement as it stood he asked for and obtained his release. Ho then attended Niagara College for a season and last September. Subsequently that agreement was troubles have originated in recent years. In pitched for that team. In the middle of 1911 he was taken up by the Lawrence Club, of the changed, it is true. The Fraternity gained a point spite of a pending war with an external foe, New England League, but he was farmed to the Hamilton Club, of the Canadian League be that when a player was, sent back to a league of lesser the Base Ball Players© Fraternity, which has fore the season was far gone. He proved a, star for Hamilton and l>awrence took him back for classification it was necessary that he pass through tha been anything but loyal to the magnates of 1912 at a greatly advanced salary. TTla work earned Lawrence the pennant and President Far- waiver channels of all intermediary leagues. Had that Organized Ball, has raised an issue with the rell, of the New York Club, purchased him in September. new agreement been in force last September Fultz©s iNat^onal Commission through the medium of contention that Nashville had no priority right over the Kraft case, in which the very government of Newark would be well founded. But no legislation is the professional game was placed in jeopardy retroactive. None knows that better than Full?,. Un of its dignity and power, and the way opened der these drctimrt.an.ces1 I cannot see how the National Commission could tolerate gracefully any further bick to base ball anarchy, or to control of the pled -with a threat of a universal sympathy can Club would be the club to make the con sport by irresponsible agencies. The purpose ering with Fiilta. Personally, I shall not go out of strike of the National League aad American cession. President Johnson, of the American my way with any olive branch. He can call his of the recent meetings by delegations of League players on Wednesday, July 22, if !, , ., .. £O New York on strike on or call it off for all the American Leagua major league teams which have been held in player Kraft was not remanded to the New cares. Ban .Tohnson will never give one inch of ground the law office of Leader Fultz in New York, ark Clnb by that time. to any enemy w.ho tries to press an unfair advantage, and at Long Beach, on recent Sundays was which l<"ultz thinks he enjoys because of the Federal revealed on Monday, July 20, when it was BAN JOHNSON FOR A FIGHT League. Well, Mr. Fultz will be disillusioned .before announced that President Fultz, of the Play It was said that a way for avoiding a clash he is a week older, mark my words." ers© Fraternity, had submitted to the National would be found through the purchase of player What action the National Leagu« would Commission an ultimatum demanding a re- Kraft from the Nashville Club by some major League, was handing out phrases of a watch- .Yersal of its position in tho Kraft case, cou- dub; and that the New York Ameri ful-waiting tone, the warlike leader of ta» Continued on twenty-sixth page.