Clipping:Minor leagues and the reserve; a movement for a mutual protection association for the minors
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| Date | Wednesday, December 22, 1886 |
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| Text | [reporting on the Arbitration Committee meeting of 12/13/1886]Mr. George M. Ballard, on behalf of the new International League, appeared before the Board and asked that the Reserve Rule privileges be extended to the minor leagues, which, after consideration, the Board refused. The Sporting Life December 22, 1886 [from the editorial column] President Ballard, of the Eastern League, and the Newark Club officials, are considerably exercised by the action of the Arbitration Committee in the smith case, and the former is said to be determined to make an issue on the question. He has written to all the managers of the Eastern, International, Southern, New England and Northwestern Leagues, with a view to holding a convention in New York to form an association for mutual protection. Mr. Ballard says that the League and Association should be combined against for the reason that while they insist upon a strict observance of the reserve rule among themselves, they refuse to recognize it in the minor associations and raid their clubs annual for fresh blood. To break up this practice it is designed by the minor associations to agree upon a reserve rule, and any reserve player who joins a League or Association club, and is retired for incompetency, will be boycotted by the minor associations and his occupation destroyed. Mr. Ballard thinks that no player would jump to an uncertain position in a larger league with the knowledge that if he failed eh could not make his living in a minor league. He also claims that the American Association and National League derive a large revenue yearly from starring in exhibition games with smaller clubs. They cannot play exhibition games with each other, and consequently April and October would yield them no money. The schemes are not practicable for the reason that the minor leagues lack the cohesiveness, strength and durability of the two big leagues. The refusal to play exhibition games with the big clubs would cut both ways, and injure the minor leagues more than the National Agreement clubs who could more easily afford to be idle than the small clubs. Besides the big clubs, while they take away a large share of the receipts of these games, are really the drawing cards, and attract interest and attendance that no small independent club could. To fill dates these minor league clubs would have to play exhibition games with each other—and these would not pay—or else unprofitably extend the championship season. Refusal to re-employ players who went into the big leagues and failed would not work either. It would be unjust to the players who have every right to look forward to promotion; besides good players are not found on eery bush and the clubs would soon violate the rules in their anxiety to secure strengthening material. Finally the Arbitration Committee has stolen the thunder of the malcontents. By the new amendments to the National Agreement the minor league clubs are now placed practically on an even footing with the great leagues in everything but the right to reserve players. They have now an equal chance to sign their players provided they can make it satisfactory to them, and have nothing in future to fear from personal contracts. If they cannot then retain their players it will be because they cannot afford to pay the same salaries the players can obtain elsewhere. The Sporting Life December 22, 1886 |
| Source | Sporting Life |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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