Show BIG LEAGUE PLAYERS THREATEN STRIKE I MAY CLOSE UP BALL PARKS AS RESULT TROUBlE ARISES FROM THE TRANSFER OF PlAYER KRAFT NEW YORK Jul July 20 Drastic 20 Drastic action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion possibly a n strike or walkout of ot baseball players in the American and National Nation l I leagues is s contemplated by bythe bythe bythe the Baseball Players' Players fraternity according according ac according ac- ac cording to t-o a statement by President in ca case e the tho national commission refuses es to accede to the terms of an ultimatum ultimatum ul ul- ul sent ent it by the fraternity in inti ti- ti tt-r tt ease oase of Player Kraft aft of th the Newark Internationals Ban Ean Johnson president of or the tho American Amen Ameri can league has called a meeting here tomorrow of all aU American league club owners Mr John Johnson on said this afternoon that if a strike order is obeyed by the players players' play play- ers ers' era ever eter American league ball park v will l close its s gates all players players' salaries will be stopped and the striking players play play- ers era will be punished for their action Fulls Fultz Talks Drastic Action Mr Fultz declined to make public the tho terms of tho the ultimatum but said he would Issue NIO a statement outlining It later In the da day It was reported that the commission had been given until Jul July 2 22 to reply to tho the demands In the event of ot an unfavorable or able or unsatisfactory reply Mr Mm- r. r Fultz said ald the Ule Pia ers era fraternity would take drastic drastic drastic dras tic action Mr Ill Fultz was unwilling to Sl say what tho the nature of or this action would be bo boThe The between the tho fraternity and the National commission in the Kraft aft case Iso arise from a recent ruling ruUn by the commission that Kraft belongs to the tho Nash llIe club of ot the Southern tion The tra fraternity claims he belongs to tho the Newark Internationals and that he heIs heIs heis Is entitled to the salary paid al him by the tho Newark club which Is higher than he would receive from Nashville Kraft aft has refuse refused to report to the tho Nashville Nash Nash- yule ville club chub In taking taking- this stand he ho acted on the advice ad of the fraternity Herrmann Horrmann Will Not Talk CINCINNATI 0 O. O July 20 Chairman Chairman O. August Herrmann of the National Baseball Baseball Base Base- Baseball ball commission said today todar ho he had not received reached the Hie ultimatum 0 of the Baseball Players Havers' fraternity and therefore could not discuss the matter John Johnson on Threatens Tight right Tho The American league Is If ready to meet this Issue with a solid front declared Mr lr Johnson Our club owners are arc a unit for war It Is about time that this fraternity nonsense should end We Wc have been very en e y patient with Mr Fultz Fults and his associates but they have gone too far tar and w v wo Intend to call their bluff blute You Vou can en eay sa for me that It If the tho American Ameri Amen can h. h league aUe players or a majority of them obe obey a strike order on Wednesday every American league club will close Its gates all nil salaries will bo stopped and wo we will Inflict heavy fines on tho the players who thereby violate the tho letter and spirit of ot their contracts Explains the Trouble You can cam also EJ say ray that this strike will be 10 the tIme last st conducted by Mr Fultz and his fraternity for we wo are prepared to keep our grounds closed for tho the rest relit of or the sea sea- fon son no nu matter what It may cost us Kraft aft belongs to the Nashville club and that club hoc has a just claim on him There Is no way out of ot tho the present tangle unless a major lea league e club buys Kraft aft from Nash- Nash Ille ville I understand that President Farrell of ot the New York Americans i Is ready to buy Kraft Kratt but personally I hope ho does not close the deal dool until after Wednesday FO so that the tho American league can call the tho fraternity's bluff blua Ful Fultz tz Makes Sta Statement t. t David I. I L. L Fultz president of ot the tho fraternity frater nit said I 1 hope that the trouble may be settled amicably President Fultz outlined the cat case e of ot the players' players fraternity In a general way al although although although al- al though he refused to either affirm ordeny or ordeny ordeny deny that tho the ultimatum to the tho national commission contained any such drastic threat as a strike or walkout of ot the tho players In the majority la leagues es who are arc also members of ot the fraternity lOr L I have ha not the power to order u a strike he continued Such power Is Sa vested In the board of directors tors I hope that n n no such euch drastic action LoUon will be necessary necessary essary but I will wiil sa say that the members of the fraternity believe In the Kraft aft case the they ar arf are Justified In demanding that th tho action as outlined In a n number of ot letters to the national commission be bo followed fol fol- fol 10 lowed bowed e 1 The nil national commission In ordering Clarence Claronce O. O Kraft the player in question to report to Nashville violated paragraph 18 IS of the agreement between the tho players' players fraternity and national agreement national na as- leagues which reads Pay Reduced in Transfer Before a major league player shall be released outright or under an optional to cliss A or a lower classification lion Ion his hili services service shall first be tendered to all class AA A. dub clubs j nt at a price not to ta exceed 1000 and then to all class A clubs at a price not to exceed cx If he be a a. drafted dratted player tho the club from which he lie Is IB drafted shall have prior claim to all other clubs In its classification It Is tho the federations federation's contention that this procedure was not adopted in Kraft's Krafts c He was ordered to report to Nash yule at ot a 0 reduction In salary of a n month and when ho he refused lie hl was as suspended sus sus- sus- sus and has been without pay for forn or n nearly rl live n weeks weck |