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Show WICHITA'S PLAYERS HAVE NOT BEEN PAID CINCINNATI. Dec. 6. Player W. F. Gray, drafted last September by the Chicago Chi-cago American league club from the Wichita club of the Western league, was today declared a free agent unless he has signed with the Chicago club since being drafted. Gray claimed to be a free agent by the fact that when the Wichita club was turned over to the Western league owing to alleged financial difficulties his salary was unpaid to the extent of $157.32. The commission ruled that inasmuch as this money had not been paid the player had the prerogative of either playing with the team under promise of being paid back salary at a later date or of refusing to play. The player refused to play and elaimed that by so doing he automatie;)Hv became a free agent when his buck salary was not paid within a reasonable length of tlmo. Tie was upheld In this contention conten-tion by the commission which ordered the draft of the Chieaso Hub cancelled and their cheek returned to thom. The romnilssion ruled. howeer. that any contract con-tract signed by Gray with Chicago would be held valid and binding. In connection with this ease the eorn-mission eorn-mission learned through President Zeh-rung Zeh-rung of the Western league that the bael sala ries of former Wichita players from August 1 to September 5, 1916, had not 1 ice n paid. The commission ruled that unless these claims are adjusted within thirty days all players will become free agents. The elaim of Player Walter Keating for $l0oo from the Chicago National league club was disallowed. Keating was transferred to the St. Joseph Hub and finished the season with Svraeuse. Tie elaimed the difference In salarv between his Chicago eontraet and the amount paid him by St. Joseph and Syracuse. |