October 4th, 1906
Manhattan, NY
Just ahead of the 1906-7 LBL Meetings in Manhattan, Union President Thomas W. Hershey sent a letter to the Sporting Times detailing the increased membership of the LBL Players Union, including many popular stars across the league. Hershey included his “formal warning” to all LBL General Managers that anything but a “Yea” on Proposal 1906.02 (Arbitration Increase) would be met with a full strike from that franchise’s Union members.
A similar threat was leveraged by Hershey and the Players Union in 1903, resulting in the striking and eventual release of pitcher Jesse Smith by Twin Cities.
The threat to strike is in relation to Proposal 1906.02: The Arbitration Increase proposal. One of the campaign promises of Commissioner Jacob Parker, this proposal offers a 30% increase to the baseline arbitration standard of all LBL players. Leadership from Baltimore already came out in opposition to the proposed increase. The Union claims any vote but “Yea” to 1906.02 will result in their union players sitting out the year.
Commissioner Parker, a progressive reformer and outsider to New York City politics, promised to officially recognize the Players Union in his election campaign. When the moderate vote was split upon the death of founder Alexander Madigan, the progressive platform of Parker prevailed. With Parker’s official recognition of the Players Union, more ballplayers were emboldened to add their names to the growing list. If the Union is successful in strong-arming General Managers into favorable legislative outcomes, more players are likely to join in the coming years.
The league currently operates at a $90,000 salary cap for each franchise–a measure opposed by the Players Union. Under current arbitration standards, the best players in the LBL earn around $3,300 per year. Surplus funds, therefore are diverted to large cash bonuses for Free Agents each offseason. This often results in new Free Agents making more money in one season than a top player in the league makes in ten.
Management argues that players are more than adequately compensated for their talents, and any increase in arbitration should be met with an increase in salary cap.
The published names of official LBLPU members are annotated below:
SS JACOB KALBERER – Baltimore Clippers
RF HARRY BAILEY – Baltimore Clippers
CF ARVID HUNT – Boston Banshees
SP WESLEY THRELKELD – Boston Banshees
C JOHN WEETMAN – Boston Banshees
3B CLOVIS JUBY – Brooklyn Whales
SP LESLIE BENNEY – Brooklyn Whales
SS DANIEL WHITE – Chicago Doves
3B DOM SHEARER – Chicago Packers
SP JOE BUCHANAN – Chicago Packers
3B MIKE THOMPSON – Cleveland Athletics
SS DOMINGO BASNETT – Cleveland Athletics
LF RICKY MCCOY – Detroit Giants
SP ALOIS GODDEN – Detroit Giants
3B ANTONIO CAPALDI – New York Bakers
2B BILLY HOPKINS – New York Bakers
RP PETE HYATT – New York Bakers
C CHARLES AYSCUE – Philadelphia Brewers
SP DANNY EDGERTON – Philadelphia Brewers
C FRANK STILGOE – Philadelphia Brewers
LF CHARLES BIRD – Pittsburgh Oilers
LF RANDY SLIGER – Pittsburgh Oilers
SP FREDERIC HAYTER – Pittsburgh Oilers
1B BOBBY HEWITT – Pittsburgh Oilers
2B FRANZ SLAUGHTER – Providence Angels
RF MADISON ALLIGHAN – Providence Angels
SP JIM SUTTON – Providence Angels
CF TENNESSEE MEARS – Richmond Rifles
C CELESTIN ROBLEY – Richmond Rifles
SP MATTHEW HOLIDAY – Richmond Rifles
SP IVY MAW – Richmond Rifles
LF ZACH PIZZA – Saint Louis Beavers
2B BLAINE WHITE – Saint Louis Beavers
1B PHIL WINTERS – Saint Louis Beavers
2B EUGENIO CARNE – Saint Louis Reds
SP WILLIAM BARROW – Saint Louis Reds
1B MURPHY STOBERT – Saint Louis Reds
LF MARION CHATTAWAY – Twin City Empire
RF WALTER HALL – Twin City Empire
1B RAYMOND STEVENSON – Twin City Empire