Omaha daily bee., 1889-03-14
WARD MAKES A HOME RUN.
The Captain Of the All-America
Abandons His Team.
HE SAILS FOR NEW YORK TO-DAY.
A Mysterious silence Preserved as
TO the Nature OF His business
on This Side of the
Atlantic.
The base Ball Tourists.

LONDON, March 10 New York Herald
Cable-Specal to THE BEE Captain John M.
Wards intention TO leave the Spadimg ball
party and sail for New York tomorrow has
been no secret among the members Of the
two teams or to Mr.. Spalding for some days
past. When questioned as to the causes
which necessita;e such action upon his part,
Ward simply said; ~ am called home upon
matters of purely private nature, and, as
have assured President Spalding nothing
but the most urgent reasons could induce me
to leave him at this time.'
Although little has been said about the
matter among the players, they have in-
dulged in much speculation as to the true
cause of Wards departure. Johnnie Ward
know that the Brotherhood of American
Ball Players wants him at home, and he is
going there; that is all there is to the mat
ter" said one of the All America team to-
night.
"Arc there any complications in the broth
erhood's affarsl" was asked.
mo. The brotherhood is rs II ever was,
and if it had not been for the action of .ho
national league clubs in undertaking to put u
new yoke upon the necks of ball players,
Ward would not be going home at present,
in my opinion"
TO What do you referF'
"The classification scheme You know
that every ball player In this tour has been
exempted from classification until fifteen
days after we have returned to New York.
In making this exemption the league has
shown its weakness. There are those among
us whom the league have not the nerve to
classify, like so many sheep in a stociyard
pen. They knew that the president of the
u th,.l ANI
to pacify us with this exemption snap, but it
won't work"
"What will Ward do on reaching New
Yorkl'
' ~ don't know, but you can rest assured
that he will act promptly. The league has
made mistake and they have got to correct
it before any man of this party not already
signed puts his name to contract for the
coming season.
1t is also intimated that the absence OF
Mrs Ward nee Helen Dauvray, has much
to do with Wards eager haste to return to
America. She joined the Spalding party at
Denver when the Spaldiug party were trav-
cling west toward San Francisco last Novem-
ber. 1t was understood that she would go
through to Astralia. She left him at Salt
Lake City, however. to return to New York,
and Captain Ward sailed for the antipodes
without his newly made wife. 1t was then
reported that she would reioin Mr.. Ward in
Europe and return with him to America.
Although she has recently been
to Paris and London she re-
turned to New York before her
husband reached Italy with the ball ans.
Since leaving her husband in America, Mrs.
Ward has announced her intention of going
back to the stage. it is believed that MIR.
Ward is opposed to any such arrangement,
and is therefore iourncying home to exercise
his authority in the premises.
Concerning Wards departure, President
Spaldng said tonight: II deeply regret 1t.
Ward tells me that nothing can alter his de-
termination; that matters of n private nature
of vital Importance demand his presence in
New York, and with this explanati on he
leaves me.n
"Do you know the nature of the business
that calls him therei"
"No he has not chosen to tell me moro
than / have told you and l have naturally
refraned from asking him.
A game of base ball was played between
the two teams on the lords cricket grounds
to-day. A large crowd witnessed tho game.
White, secretary of the American legation,
showed the members of the teams through
the two houses of parliament and the crypt
The dean of Westminster has invited them
to be present at a special service in the abbey
ON Sunday.