Base-Ball: How to Become a Player | Page 8

a number of years, however, certain baneful influences had crept
into the game and now began to work out their legitimate effect.
The greatest of these evils was in the amount of gambling on the results
of games. With so much money at stake, the public knew that players
would be tampered with, and when finally its suspicions were
confirmed, it refused further to patronize the game.
The construction of inclosed grounds and the charge of admission
proved another danger. No regular salaries were paid, so that the
players who were depending on a share of the "gate" arranged to win
and lose a game in order that the deciding contest might draw well.
Doubtless there were more of these things existing in the public
imagination than in actual fact, but distrust once aroused, there was no
faith left for anything or anybody.
Very early in the history of the Association the practice prevailed
among certain clubs of offering inducements to crack players in order
to secure them as members. The clubs which could afford this grew
disproportionately strong, and in the face of continual defeat the weaker
clubs were losing interest. In 1859 a rule was made forbidding the
participation in any matches of paid players, but it was so easily evaded
that it was a dead letter. In 1866 the rule was reworded, but with no

improved effect, and in 1868 the National Association decided, as the
only way out of the dilemma, to recognize the professional class of
players. By making this distinction it would no longer be considered a
disgrace for an amateur to be beaten by a professional nine.
For the professionals the change was most beneficial. It legitimized
their occupation and left them at liberty to pursue openly and honorably
what they had before been forced to follow under false colors. The
proud record of the Cincinnati "Reds" in '69 proved that professional
base- ball could be honestly and profitably conducted, and from that
time forth it was an established institution.
But with the introduction of professionalism there began a great
competition for players, and this brought in a new evil in the form of
"revolvers," or, as they were sometimes called, "shooting stars."
Players under contract with one club yielded to the temptations of
larger offers and repudiated the first agreements. It became evident that
a closer organization was necessary to deal with these affairs.
In 1871 the professional and amateur organizations concluded to
dissolve partnership. Two distinct associations were formed, and the
first regular championship contests were engaged in by the Professional
Association. After a few years the Amateur National Association
passed out of existence.
In 1876 eight clubs of the "Professional National Association" formed
an independent body, calling themselves "The National League," and
this is the present senior base-ball organization.
In 1881 a new body of professional clubs, The American Association,
entered the field, and is now, with the National League, one of the
controlling factors of the game.
There have been a number of other base-ball associations formed from
time to time, but, unable to compete with the larger Leagues, and
despoiled of their best players, they have been forced to withdraw.
Under a new regime there are at present quite a number of these minor
organizations, and some of them are in a most flourishing condition.

In 1882 the National League, American Association, and Northwestern
League entered into what was called the "Triparti Agreement," which
the following year was developed into the "National Agreement." The
parties to this document, which is become the lex suprema in base-ball
affairs, are now, primarily, the National League and the American
Association. It regulates the term of players' contracts and the period
for negotiations; it provides a fine of five hundred dollars upon the club
violating, and disqualifies the player for the ensuing season; it
prescribes the formula necessary to make a "legal" contract; the clubs
of each Association are to respect the reservations, expulsions,
blacklistments, and suspensions of the clubs of the other; it declares
that no club shall pay any salary in excess of two thousand dollars;
finally, it provides for a Board of Arbitration, consisting of three duly
accredited representatives from each Association, to convene annually,
and, "in addition to all matters that may be specially referred to them,"
to have "sole, exclusive, and final jurisdiction of all disputes and
complaints arising under, and all interpretations of, this Agreement." It
shall also decide all disputes between the Associations or between club
members of one Association and club members of the other.
To this main agreement are tacked "Articles of Qualified Admission,"
by which the minor base-ball associations, for a consideration and upon
certain conditions, are conceded certain privileges and protection.
These articles are an agreement between the League and American
Association, party