Thursday, January 4, 2018

Frank Moffett's Club Rules for 1897

As published in The Knoxville Daily Journal on Sunday, April 11, 1897, here are the Club Rules as set forth by Frank H. Moffett, manager of the Knoxville team, the Indians, part of the Southeastern League that year.

Club Rules

First - The players of the Knoxville Base Ball Club shall be amenable under these rules to the club manager at all times as regards discipline and good behavior.

Second - Every member of the team shall report to the captain promptly for practice on the field or at the club house at such times and frequently as the manager may deem it necessary and no excuse of absence or dilatoriness on such occasions shall be taken unless it be for sickness or inability.

Third - The player, unless ordered differently by the manager, shall appear on the field on the days when games are to be played until the tap of the gong at which time the whole nine shall come on the field in full uniform.

Fourth - No profane or obscene language shall be used on the field or in public by a player in uniform.

Fifth - Gambling in any form among the players is positively forbidden.

Sixth - Drunkenness, association with prostitutes or men known to gamble or bet on games will cause immediate expulsion.

Seventh - At home and away from home every player must report at the hotel at 11 p.m., and retire to his room for the night.  No player shall lie abed after eight o'clock in the morning when absent on trips unless he be sick or disabled.

Eighth - On days when games are to be played no player shall smoke a cigar or cigarette or pipe after two o'clock p.m., nor shall he smoke at any time after the game unless he has removed all of his playing uniform.

Ninth - Every player is required to respect the uniform of the club and shall see that said uniform be not disgraced.  No member of the team while dressed will be allowed to sit in the grand stand.

Tenth - The captain shall have the control and playing of the men in charge while on the field during the game and at practice without interference from anyone except the manager and in case of latter only in changing the men.  To the captain every player is required to render implicit obedience when directed while at play.  The manager shall have the arrangement of the nine in every game and shall be absolute in declaring what player shall or shall not play.

Eleventh - All salaries will be paid by the manager on the 1st. and 15th., days of of each month, and no player shall be allowed to ask the manager for an advance or any amount of salary before it is due.

Twelfth - No pass from a player to the ground will be honored and all players are prohibited from asking that such passes be given to any one on their account.

Thirteenth - While absent on trips, while on the cars, the players must conduct themselves in a gentlemanly manner.  Upon arrival at hotels they will quietly place their satchels in an obscure place and look upon the register for their rooms and then have their baggage sent there immediately.  The manager will be very strict in regard to behavior in and about the hotel and corridors and rooms and table.

Fourteenth - Each and every player must give his strict attention to all orders issued by the manager and guying among the players on and off the field is positively prohibited.

Fifteenth - The manager shall for every violation of these rules inflict upon the offending player a fine of five to ten dollars and such fine will be deducted from the player's salary at the end of each pay day.

Sixteenth - The captain is as much responsible to the provisions of these rules as any of the other players.


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