Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1916 — TENER AIDED PLAYERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TENER AIDED PLAYERS

Made Original Fight to Restore Alt Contract Jumpers. •i - Many of Men Who Went With Federal* Fared Better Than Those Who Remained Loyal to Their , Clubs—No Third League. * Organized baseball has put the Federal league out Of the business. No matter if it did offer concessions, the fact is that the independents’ battle cry of the necessity for a third league was licked by the American public. There is no third league now, and the independents, beaten, give a clear field again to the National and American leagues. The ending of the baseball war, which cost the deluded backers of the Federal league between $2,000,000 and $3,000,000, was a personal triumph for President John K. Tener of the National league. It was mainly through his personality, diplomacy and broad-mindedness that peace became a fact. It was Teijer, a former player himself, who made the original fight to restore all jumping players to good standing. Every man who jumped to the Federal league has Tener to thank that he Isn’t barred from baseball today. Taking a peek at the situation, the jumping ballplayer has been extraordinarily well treated. He jumped to the Feds for a sky-high salary and his contract is going to be respected by organised baseball. Financially many ol the jumpers fared better than the players who were loyal to their clubs and declined to Jump. The jumpers 'are back in the major leagues again and receiving Federal league salaries. The major leagues have this to fear. Should another rival rear up In baseball, won’t a player be disposed to recall the luck of the Federal league Jumpers and leap to the opposition,

feeling that he will go unpunished anyway, should the venture fail? Certainly more than one hall player remained loyal to the major leagues for the sole reason that he feared he Would be blacklisted for life in case he Jumped. But there may not be a new rival for some time. The heavy losses sustained by the Feds should pretty nearly prove that there is no room for another major league. Baseball is not a close corporation. If any wealthy man aspires to be an American, baseball figure, he won’t find much trouble being able to purchase a franchise in the American or National league.

President John K. Tener.