- Huggins Willing To Trade Snyder For Unsigned Men
- If Deal Is Satisfactory, Cards’ Leader Will Give Up Contract Man for Strikers
- No Holdouts Go South
- That’s the Order Issued in Case Fraternity Members Are Stiff-Backed
- Doak Among Fraternity Members Who Have Pledged Not to Sign Until Dispute Resolved
February 3, 1917 Age 26
By W. J. O’Connor St Louis Post Dispatch
Miller James Huggins, who came on from Cincinnati yesterday, just before the Germans put into practice their new brand of submarine warfare, was, astonishing as it may seem, almost entirely unperturbed over the apparent unpreparedness of his ball club for the impending fight with the Fraternity. Out of a squad of 30 men, Hug has only two – Bescher and Snyder – under contract.
“But,” said Huggins today, “I believe I could right down the line and sign every player I wanted, providing I elected to increase salaries. Doesn’t that tell you something?
“The demands of the Fraternity are too trivial to precipitate a strike unless It be the utterly exorbitant salary demands. However, we have been told that the salary question doesn’t enter into this argument between the Fraternity and governing bodies of baseball. Fultz and his followers have repeatedly said that it was not a question of money; simply a principle. But, as I tell you, it would be duck soup sign players if we chose to pay war-time salaries.”
Strikers Won’t Go South.
Another official of the Cardinal club let it be known that no player who declined to come to terms would be taken south on March 1. Huggins was importuned to tell whether this rule would be rigidly enforced.
“That’s a matter for the executive end of the club to work out.” said Huggins, who refused to go further into details.
“But what if you only have a squad of five or six men available on March 1?” Huggins was asked.
“That contingency will never arise, so I won t answer the question.”
And so It is written.
Huggins is going to the New York schedule meeting two weeks hence, still hopeful of making a trade. So far all the trade rumors have revolved around Snyder, and Huggins today let it be known that he would have hesitancy trading Snyder, a signed player, for unsigned players, if the deal appealed to him. Just that lightly does he weigh the strike threats.
He says if all trades fail, he will face the music with the material at hand. He expects a lot of work out of Snyder if the latter remains with the club, and it would not be surprising to see Gonzales play first.
“It might take time to make a first- sacker out of Gonzales, but I believe he has the makings.” said Hug. “You know Frank Chance started as a catcher, but developed into a pretty good first sacker. Gonzales Is shifty enough for duty on the initial sack, if he overcomes a slight weakness on ground balls. He can spear fouls, drives and wild throws as well as the next, right now. I’ve been considering him for the job.”
How the Infield Works Out
That may result In the permanent transfer of Miller either to second base or the bench. Hornsby is destined for a whirl at the shortstopping job, while Defate and Smith, the St. Paul recruit, will have a chance to show what they can do at third.
As to pitchers, Huggins expects a great deal from Bob Steele and Meadows, who have been in the league long enough to learn. Steele, he thinks, will be a real bear cat when he learns a few tricks of the trade. In spots, last season, Steele pitched brilliant ball in spite of the Cardinals. As for the others, he fancies Watson and Niehaus, among the youngsters, and regards Doak as a dependable asset, even though Bill did show signs of deterioration last season.
However, the big idea is to engineer a swap that will give him one seasoned pitcher and an outfielder. Snyder is the pawn for such a shuffle.
Branch Rickey had nothing to add to what already has been said about the Browns. Branch fears that he may not make good his threat of having 20 men under contract by tonight, but he’s sanguine in the belief that he will have – by this day next week.
I haven’t given up on my promise,” said Rickey today, “but I may have been a little severe on myself. It’s impossible for some of the signed contracts to reach me today, as terms were accepted only a few days ago. However, I know they’re coming and they’ll be here in ample time for Fielder Jones to start south with the men he most needs “
REASONS FOR STRIKE…
Ball Players May Strike – If Demands Not Granted
Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 192, Number 17, 17 November 1916
NEW YORK, Nov. 16.—The possibility of trouble between players and club owners again looms large on the baseball horizon. The action of the National Association of Professional Leagues in tabling without comment the request of the Players’ fraternity at New Orleans yesterday threatens to bring about a clash between the two organizations that will have a far-reaching effect. Although officers of the fraternity refuse to talk, it is known that there have been several recent conferences among players prominent on the board of directors and that a campaign of retaliation has been mapped out which may evolve a situation akin to a strike among the leading players of the major and minor leagues. It is apparent that the disposal of the fraternity’s requests by the national association was surmised in advance and provisions made to force a reconsideration of the requests both by the big and little league magnates.
The players contend that the request for elimination In certain contracts of the “injury clause” suspension; the right to sign contracts upon receipt of unconditional release; allowance of traveling expenses to minor league players at the beginning cf the training season and a revision of the national board’s procedure in handling cases brought up for decision by the fraternity, are just and equitable. They claim that they are similar In a general way to agreements existing between employers and employees in other lines of business and must be observed in the future If players and magnates are to work in harmony for the advancement of the best Interests of baseball. It Is known that every member of the Players’ Fraternity has signed a written agreement not to enter Into contracts for 1917 until such time as the consent of the fraternity officials Is obtained. It Is understood that less than 25 players in the two big leagues have contracts that hold over another year, and that not more than one-quarter of these are members of the players’ organlzatlon.