The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-24
THE BIG BASEBALL .TRUs.,
President spaldlng Says Il Is q Plot to Or,
ate q Monopoly and He VIII FIghtit.

AANaNNNAN 9RtAAAAAh AANA ~ - " A-AbN W AEBs
atsa Monopoly and He viii Fightit,
CHICAGO, Sept. 2S.-PFesident Spal,
ding, Of the Chicago base ball club, was
interviewed last night in regard to the
big base ball trust, He said; II shall
not retire from business on account Of
the great plot, but get the best team l
can together next season and 90 on.
The plotters may get tgroupd in Chicago,
but they will not play at Black Stocking
park. That is certain, | leased the
land five years ago from the Richmond
estate for Ave years, The lease expires
this fall, but have had an understand,
ing with the partner OF Agent Clark,
who has communicated with Mrs, Rich.
mond, 80 that for certain sum ] can
have the park next season. Nothing
Will be done about It until the war Is
over, And there will be war, ] was
not prepared for such q ponderous plot,
The league has taken O fatherly interest
In the Brotherhood, recognized 1t upon
the declaration by President Ward that
Ii was a benevolent order and aimed TO
improve the morals Of its members, II
can have no grievances that cannot be
done away with by the league.
.Last June President John Ward
,ealled on me-" continued Mr., Spalding,
Nsud asked that the committee OF which
Twas chairman call special meeting OF
the league 10 consider complaints from
the Brotherhood. what are the com.
plaintsT asked, Mr.. Ward was anx,
ious and said that the Brotherhood
wanted a modification OF the sales
system, a consideration Of the case OF
Catcher sutclifi against the Cleveland
club and tho abolition OF the clasaidCa-
ton law. i said that these were great
grievances and that l really did not see the
necessity for calling meeting while the
championship season was on, but prom.
ised to get the ideas OF Messrs. Young
and Day, my committee associates, aad
notify Ward oil the result, AlesSrs.
Young aud Day agreed with me and |
sent the promised notification to Mr..
Ward al Pittsburgh, July 2,
"a strike was talked OF hut did not
come. The Brotherhood voted on the
question OF strike or reorganization,
aud decided In favor OF Reorganization,
which means the big base ball trust.
"'rhe League has existed for fifteen
years, and tho game Is clear aud on
healthy basis, said Mr.. Spalding. Nov
all the purifying work Is forgotten by
the players, and long.chanCe capitalists
are ready TO slipi in and assume the pos.
sible profits that may come through the
game. Supposiug the games are as clean
as played under the National League
reign, will the public have any belief in
its purity under tho pooling system
and auspices OF an oath.bound &C.
cret organization OF strikers which have
plotted against the life OF the League,
through the care OF. which 1t became a
possibility. What will be the conduct
ot the teamsp
Can they stand less and can the men
behave themselves, stick together, make
personal sacrifices for the general good? /?
Certainly base ball eau gain no immgdi.
ate benefit. New York, Boston, Phila-
Chicago and Pittsburgh will
hght hard and go on with teams made
Il Is a Tremendous plot and 1 hope for
the good OF the game that all the ditIer-
ences between the league and its players
may be overcome and the threatened
break averted,"
Mr.. Spalding was earnest In what be
said aud declared that II the fight came,
while he personally would feel like re-
ti,iuu from bnse ball, vet he aud hie as. |
sociates would not be driven out OF a
business which they had built up by |
hard work and careful management.