Clipping:The aim of the Brotherhood
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| Date | Wednesday, October 27, 1886 |
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| Text | “Hello, Sam! When is the National Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players going to strike?” was asked of Sam Crane the other day at the St. Louis ball ground. “Well,” replied Sam, with a smile, “I don't s'pose such a thing will ever occur. That is not the purpose of the order. People think because it is a union, that like other unions, it must get up a strike, but there you make a mistake. The union was established mainly for the purpose of equalizing the rights and privileges of contracts between managers and players. This thing of laying off a man for little excuse without pay or releasing him, is tyrannical and makes the players mere chattel. It is not the intention of the union to meddle with the salary question except that we believe there should not be a limit. It is clearly not right that Glasscock, for instance, should be compelled to play for $2,000 in St. Louis when he could get $4,000 with the asking from any club in the country. A man should be paid what he is worth. “We expect to take some important steps this fall at the November meeting of the League management. We shall be represented there and lay our grievances before the meeting, and by next season matters will be in a better fix for the players.” “What if they should take no heed of your demands?” “In that case we will take some decided action to obtain our rights. With possibly two or three exceptions, every man on the League reserve lists is a member of the union, besides most of the outsiders, and as fast as men come into the League they will be taken into the order. If all those men combined cannot gain a point, I'm fooled, that's all. But, then, the League is too wise to oppose us, and will do the square thing. We have seven hundred dollars reserve fund already, which is for the purpose of employing competent legal aid should it become necessary to take anything to court. We will also probably have all professional players in the union by next season. If the joint committee, which meets a few days before the convention, should formulate one set of rules for the League and Association, it will be but a short while until all Association players have combined with us, for then we will all be under the same contracts. I have just received a letter from Johnny Ward and Tim Keefe, president of the council, calling my attention to the fact that the grand council convenes next month and to get my report ready. There will be a delegate from each chapter at the meeting, and after then I can better state what shall be our line of work for next year. Deacon White, of the Detroits, is the only prominent League player not a member of the union, and he would be but for his contract with Watkins which was made for two years, and detains him from joining us. |
| Source | The Sporting Life |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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