Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-15
ESPECIAL rELEeRAn 70 rHr D1srArcH.I

! al johnson, OF Lne local Oraucn VI tnS
Brotherhood of Baseball Players, who is
now prominently identified with the move
ment in all its branches and ramifcatiOns,
was in talkative mood the other night,
and, in response to an inquiry from THE
DISPATCH man, took an hour or two OF his
valuable time in detailing his connection
with the new movement and outlining some
of its history in the past few months. 1t is an
interesting story, and throws hight upon great
many matters that the public hitherto has been
entirely unacquainted with.
"My first connection with the Brotherhood" !"
| said Mr.. johnson, 'in fact my first knowledge
that such an organization was in existence,
dates back to the second time that Pittsburg
played in Cleveland. If you will take the
trouble to recollect. you will remember that
! the Pittsburg club at that time, after losing so
many games in succession, came to Cleveland
and ba dly trounced the home nine after the
latter's disastrous trip in the East One night
as 1 was In my room near the Hollenden, Ed
Hanlon, of the Pittsburgs, met me and out
lined to me the scheme with which you are now
all so familiar. Great Scott, Ed said L this
is big thing If you can only get some way in
which to hold all these people to an agree
ment' told him that did not know man
of the Cleveland club and that would think
of the matter before negotiating with the play
| ers"
VERY we'll" said Hanlon, "rn tell you what
I'll do. Pn make an appointment with you and
Twitchell at the Weddell House for tomorrow
night"
"An right" Ireplied and on the following
night Twitchell and Hanlon met me at the
weddell Twltchen came in at one entrance
and Hanlon at the other, to avoid suspicion.
eI,,
"Here, this appears to be good thing. I'm in
IT FOR THE DOLLARS,
il there's any il, and will meet with the rest
Of your club and hear what they have got to
say"
Previous to this, mind you, Hanlon had told
me that on the night prior to July 4, the clubs
Of the League had taken vote on the question
of striking or reorganization on plan outlined
by John NJ. Ward, in which $4,000 cooper
ative corporation was TO be the basis. 1t was
decided to reorganize. although there were
men who voted for strike. After this decision
the players began casting about for capital and
friends.
"When Hanlon first broached the subject to
me, by the way, he was desirous of knowing
whether had any grounds on my line. Yes
said l, I have a Sunday grounds at Byerle's
Park and grounds at Brighton. After had
become acquainted with the whole scope Of
the thing told him that il he was sure Of hold
ing these men together I'd secure better and
more permanent grounds and 60 into the thing
on = permanent basis.
"Well, we had a meeting, and all Of the Is
players Of the Cleveland club were there. Han
Ion was there, too, and the whole scheme was
thoroughly talked over. had a man in thu
hall to keep anybody from getting into the
room that didn't belong there, and fixed the
policeman on the corner SO he wouldn't be curl
Gus about so many ball players coming into my
OlQCa tOpptlnF There War1 Ornaf fhinpa
talked about. The next night there was another
meeting, and brought sort of a contract that
had in mind myself and engaged Mr.. Russell
to legaiize Well, that contract was amended
and discussed until its mother wouldn't have
known it. Clauses we're inserted and taken out
and everything possible done to suit all parties
concerned"
GLASsCoCK AND DENNY.
'The next club that came along here was In
dianapolis and 1 invited the men of that or
ganization up to talk the matter over. Glass
cock and Denny were both there and Glass
cock said: Here, Eve been playing bali all
these years and never knew that such scheme
existed before They were all in favor of it,
and the matter was discussed freely in every
detail until everybody understood it Both
sides of the scheme were broached and every
time meeting was held we impressed it upon
the players that if there were any of them that
did not think it would be sure 20, or saw
difficulties in the way of the new league
they could pull out.
''fhe next club that came was New York and
then Ward and had good chance to work
together. We asked all the team over to my
room, and for the first two nights everybody
came but Ewing. Finally John said to me:
I'll tell you what it is, Al, I am afraid that we
can't carry Ewing with u.s. The other mem
bers of the team seemed little dubious as
Buck didn't come, and finally on the third
the rest of you can't went across to the HoI-
llenden and was gone about & minutes. When
I cameEback Buck was with me. 1t was SO
still in that room that you could have heard a
measure was outlined to Ewing. When the
contract was ready he said: I'm as good
Brotherhood man as any of you. 1 would in
sert clause in that contract or agreement
that when we go around to parties in these |
cities asking subscriptions to our new corpora
tions, it be stipulated that gambler or sport
ing man be allowed to take any stock have |
lots Of friends among them to whom / would |
apply in minute fo2the loan of dollar if |
was was hard up, but dOn,s believe it would be
put TO the meeting and carried"
ABOUT THE PHILLIEs.
'ButI am getting little ahead of my story. |
Before New York came Philadelphia played |
here and all of that club was let into the |
scheme. Bufinton. Fogarty little schriver,
Farrar and all Of 'em except Clements came up |
to see me. Clements never came to a meeting |
The whole thing was gone over with them and |
everything explained satisfactorily. Clements |
wouldnt come 70 the meetings, but seemed to
Fogarty, Clements. Farrar, myself and others |
were talking about the scheme when George |
Howe and Harry Wright came along. Fogarty |
Instantly changed the conversation very neatly |
by beginning to describe some prize tight he |
had seen somewhere and Clements helped him |
''While the New York club was here had
the contract or agreement that had been settled
upon struck on on typewriter, and sent the
copies around New York, L remember, went
to PIttsburg In great feather after they thought
Ewing was with them, expecting to win three
straight games, but that's where they dropped
three"
ssThe Boston,club came next nm tl,. LIST and
as usual we had all the men up to nv room
and talked with them. All the Boston men
agreed to play, and there didn't appear to be
the slightest opposition on their part That
was the day, you remember that TWitcheIl
made his big batting record. That night the
Cleveland club entire signed the agreement.
name to the contract, and Cleveland was the
first club to sign for the Players League The
Boston men took their contract with them, and
went on East
I'VE had figured the question Of dollars and
cents pretty close, knew the percentages, and
Stricken. Of the Clevelands, was keeping tab on
the turnsule, SO that we knew about how many
people we're in daily attendance at the Cleve-
land grounds.
'The clubs we're now pretty well fixed all
along the line. had telegraphed Ward how
many men had signed, so he could use it to
influence the rest OF the boys. About this time
I was called away from Cleveland to Boston
in connection with private business. I saw
the Boston players while was there, and
q meeting was held on the second night and
all
THE BOSTON PEOPLE SIGNED
the agreement. including Clarkson. Morrill, was
made acquainted with what was going on and
be was to do the outside work for us From
Boston went TO New York and met Ward.
The indianapolis club was then in the city. /
hunted up Ward and we talked over the matter |
IF sigaing the men of both teams, Would you
ign Glasscock and his team now, or wait until