Organized baseball's player contract reserve clause was upheld in a federal court case decided in Grand Rapids in 1914. The reserve clause bound a player to his team for as long as the team chose to keep him, and he could not play anywhere else unless traded or released. Its object was to keep the wealthiest teams from signing all the best players, which it was feared would destroy America's national game. William F. Killifer of Paw Paw, star catcher for the Philadelphia Nationals, signed a new contract with the Chicago Federals. When he changed his mind, the Federals sued to force him to play for them, but they lost. The court ruled that the reserve clause in Killifer's old contract giving the Nationals first call on his services was legal and binding. The reserve clause was enforced for another 50 years.