(LOT 8)
Players' League Constitution - Unique "Draft"
As noted in the prior lot, the Constitution was an integral part of the Articles of Agreement. However, due to its' significance, a 11-page draft of the Constitution is presented herein as a separate lot. Similar to the Articles of Agreement and By-Laws with respect to rarity; having discussed this document with several hobby and/or baseball experts including the National Baseball HOF, to the best of their knowledge, no other copy of this remarkable offering exists in either a museum or private collection.

Due to the fact that no signatures are included at the end of this document from league officials and/or owners, this is not the officially signed "Constitution", residing as only a "Draft" copy. However, this is no manner minimizes its momentous significance for it truly stands as the only known original "Constitution" draft that provides a detailed account of the 1890 Players' League guidelines. As noted in the background section immediately preceding the lots, a constitution is a statement of existence and the organization's basic rules and purposes. This sole existing Players' League Constitution does exactly this, with noteworthy sections as follows:

• 1. Section 1: The Association is given the name of The Players' National League of Base Ball Clubs.
• 2. Section 2: This is the key section of the Constitution where the League's purpose is stated: "The objects of this League are to encourage, foster, and elevate the game of baseball, to enforce proper rules for the exhibition and conduct of the game, to protect the mutual interests of professional baseball players and baseball clubs, and to establish the baseball championship of the world."
• 3. Section 4: Each team was to designate one non-player stockholder or partner, and one player, as members of the League's Board of Directors, the group who would manage the League.
• 4. Section 6: The League's Board, on an annual basis, was to appoint, from amongst the Directors, a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary-Treasurer.
• 5. Section 9: Details fourteen possible reason for a team's expulsion from the League. The most interesting of these is "for taking part in any game of ball on Sunday."

Many of the critical guidelines presented in the Constitution are what any historian would expect from such a document, with this lot also including a receipt for payment for typing up copies of the Constitution. However, what we find truly fascinating is one of the potential reasons for qualifying for league expulsion with respect to "playing baseball on Sunday." The previously hallowed aspect of worshiping Sundays as well as certain sanctified religious holidays is a by-gone concept in Major League baseball (as well as many organized businesses). A classic example of this previous "respect" for the first calendar day of the week correlates to the immortal Christy Mathewson whose mother "forbid" him to pitch on Sunday's.

Ironically, Mathewson eventually was dubbed "The Christian Gentleman", directly tying to his mom's hopeful wishes. Another definitive instance of this religious respect was the great Sandy Koufax's refusal to pitch on Yom Kipper, arguably the most sacred of all Jewish holidays. Section 9 of this simple 127-year old document clearly portrays how America previously held Sundays in the utmost esteem, and while this concept has surely changed over a century of time, it serves as a steadfast reminder of an ever-evolving nation. This awe-inspiring "Constitution", synonymous with our "Founding Father's" document that governs the United States, carefully lays out the groundwork for a new baseball League that would ultimately challenge the National League and American Association owners for retaining their brightest stars.

MIN BID $1,500
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