Clipping:Wagner on the negotiations; Ewing as intermediary; the situation
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| Date | Saturday, November 22, 1890 |
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| Text | [from an interview of PL Philadelphia Club President Wagner] It is an undeniable fact that only a month ago the Players' league was the most powerful base ball organization that has ever existed. When we captured the Cincinnati Club we arranged the best circuit that any association ever had, and, with the fifteen players we secured through this deal, we had the material on hand from which to organize the eight strongest and most evenly balanced teams that were ever entered into a race for a base ball championship. On the other hand, this deal left the League with only seven clubs, and three of these—Pittsburg, Cleveland and New York—were practically dead. Everything was progressing nicely until the treachery of the New York Club was discovered, and since then everything has been going wrong for us. Through the efforts of Ewing the two New York clubs were brought together some time ago to talk compromise. Ewing's plea was that John B. Day was his friend, and he did not want to see the latter ruined financially. No sooner did Messrs. Talcott and Day meet before the question of compromise was brought up for discussion, and both agreed to use their influence to bring about a cessation of hostilities for the sake of the game. This was the start of the movement for a compromise, and, thinking the National League men were sincere, we had no objection in meeting them to adjust matters. A committee of our League met their committee to arrange a compromise, and you what has been accomplished in this direction. Our mistake was in having any negotiations whatever with the National League people. We were sincere for a compromise which we believed would be arranged on this basis:--To enter into an agreement to respect each other's contracts, which would keep expenses down; avoid conflicting dates in the future, which would mean a large increase in receipts for both; exchange games with each other in the fall and spring, etc. The National League never had any intention of compromising, as we have since discovered, but what they were after was to get us into a committee room, outgeneral us in trickery, or, as they call it, diplomacy, create strife and distrust in our own ranks, induce one or more of our clubs to consolidate with them on advantageous terms, and then disrupt our organization. In this they have succeeded pretty well, but the end has not yet been reached. Had we never recognized the enemy we would to-day be in a position to have a war-dance on the National League's corpse. It is only human to err, and err we did in entertaining any proposition from the magnates to enter into a compromise with them. Still had our clubs all been faithful no harm could have come from our people meeting them in a conference to talk compromise. But the New York people, anxious to quit for social and personal reasons, rushed into a scheme to sell out to their rivals, and this brought about distrust in our own ranks, and is the trouble we are now contending with. Had our New York colleagues done the square thing by us they would have come to us, stated their case and given us a chance to buy them out. This we would have done, and all would be now well. But their action in going to the opposition, offering their interest in the New York Club for half which they will sell it to us for, created distrust in our ranks, disgusted a number o our financial men and actually drove the Pittsburg people into consolidating with the National League Club in that city. It was a case of 'throw down,' and the Pittsburg peole were simply scared into doing what they did in order to protect their invested capital. However, as I said before, surface indications are ofttimes misleading. The Players' League is still intact and likely to remain so. Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Cleveland, Chicago and Cincinnati are solid as a rock and will stick to the Players' League. Wendell Goodwin has sold out his interest in the Brooklyn Club to John Wallace, a wealthy stock broker and real estate man, who is an enthusiastic Players' League man, and that club will never desert us now. The Chicago Club is all right, and Mr. Addison has not sold out to Mr. Spalding, as reported, nor will he do so. The Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland and Brooklyn clubs own a controlling interest in the Cincinnati Club and they will see to it that the club will remain in the Players' League. As to New York and Pittsburg, we can hold those clubs if we choose to do so. The agreement they signed for ten years is legal, and pronounced binding by leading lawyers to whom it was submitted for examination. |
| Source | Sporting Life |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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