Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-10-06 | Page 15 | Commission Rules Claims are Illegal

COMMISSION RULES CUIMSARE ML Players Cannot Collect Salaries Sal-aries on Contracts After September 1. OIIC-VGO, Oct. 5. A tweepLng ruling against attempts of major league baseball players to collect salaries on contracts extending beyond Eept ember 1, the date fixed by the government for the suspension suspen-sion of professional baseball, was handed down tonight by the national basebail commission, whu h he!d sit- h claims to bo unjusuilcd and illec?L The le- ision was announced by President Johnson of t he American league, a member of the commission. com-mission. , The commission's declrion was based on the case of "Jake" I auhert of the Brooklyn Nationals, who sought to coliect $21."i0 from the Brooklyn club because his contract, calling for 9000 a season, was terminated on September 2. I'aubert contended that undur tho conditions stipulated stipu-lated in his contract, which did not expire ex-pire un til October H , the Hrooli ly n club could not have released him without his consent, and he demanded that the ttrms of the agreement be fulfilled. The commission's ruling, whlb probably proba-bly will apply to all similar caseu, held that the club rould not be conipol'ed to pay Daubert the full amount agree.l upon because under the "work or fight" order his contract was virtually rendered illegal il-legal and impossible. The player's Rer ices could not be utilized by the Prook-lyn Prook-lyn club after the date hxed for the suspension sus-pension of the game, the commission ruled, and the situation could not have been contemplated by either party at the time the contract was made.