Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-03-15
LEAGUE GOSSIP.
What the Recent Meeting Sug.
gested to w. I. Harris.
SMALL CHANCE FOR EIGHT CLUBS.

Strengtu the american AssOctnuoD fre-
pared IN Fight Hard for u.
My ideas Of what the National league would
except in that my belief that indianapolis
would not he forced out proved correct. Ger
tsinly II unaniDity on the part Of the other
clubs and persuasive eloquence could have
done the business there would be only eight
clubs in the League today; but John 7. Brush
was determined not TO be dislodged, and with
typical Indiana persistency he held the fort
and Is still holding it.
There are great many people in the vicin-
ity Of New York, and In other places, too, who
firmly believe that Brush will yet capitulats,
and the League will only have eight clubs
when the bell rings. II seems to mo rather
forlorn hope, aud yet know that some Of
the New York club managers still believe
that Brush will weaken.
Messrs. Soden, Spalding and Robson, the
committee who tried 10 argue Mr.. Brush
into selling out, are persuasive mon, and II
they could not talk over the Indiana man
there In little chance Of others succeeding
The schedule has been made and the ten
clubs seem TO he fixtures That ten clubs will
handicap the League financially il quite evil
dent II forces them to lap of fourteen
games from the quota Of each club, and this.
together with eight open dates, gives a total
loss Of twenty two games TO each club, en-
failing tho sacrifice Of the receipts such games
would bring, which may safely be estimated
at $4,000 = club. Then comes the loss In
drawing power, owing TO the weakness Of
two or three OF the teams. Washington is
lamentably deficient In playing material
Pittsburg Is not over strong, and New York
has not got the team that its importance re-
qures. Still, by the time the season opens,
six weeks from now, Mr.. Day will have
team that will satisfy New Workers. Pitts
burg will strengthen some, but where Walter
Hewitt is to get team TO represent WASH
ington that Is Of any account as compared to
the others, Is one OF those things no fellow
can find out His chance seems to lie In the
disruption OF the International league, but
that organization seems no tenacious of life
that there ishope for II yet
The Brotherhood has prepared its schedule,
and its managers are In high glee over the
discontinue Of John b. Day and at the pros
poets of the new league. They say that John
7. Brush by refusing to get out Of the league
more than makes amends for having per-
suaded nine Brotherhood players to stick to
the League. One Of the minor leaders ad-
mitted to me the other day that with eight
clubs, with the indianapolis players In New
York, the playing strength Of the two leagues
would be pretty vol balanced. But" said
this gentleman, "they amt In II with ten
clubs" II is just possible that they will he
In II with ten clubs and very much In 1t,
think when all the lines are SGT for business.
And there is yet good chance for u reduc-
tion from ton to eight clubs.
Collectively the Brotherhood has about 10
per cent the best Of the League in players, I
believe. Compared team for team, SO far as
paper calculations can demonstrate It, the
Brotherhood has much greater advantage
In some places. Leaving New York aside,
because the League team Is not completed,
the Brotherhood appears TO have the strongest
teams at Chicago, at p.stsburg and at Clevo-
land. In Brooklyn the League team leads
At Philadelphia and Boston !. Ia very near q
stand or At Buffalo tho Brotherhood will
not have League opposition, but the Indian
apolis or Cincinnati teams arc far superior to
the Buffalo aggregation. The League will
have no opposition at Washington, Indian
apolis or Cincinnati OF course these are
estimates based on paper strength. When
actual playing Is made the test II may turn
out that the weak are strong and the strong
weak. Such are the possibilities Of baseball.
The preliminary exhibition series give one
few tips in this direction, aud with fair
weather the practice season promises to be
interesting and exciting.
The American association, which seemed
last December to be hopelessly knocked ont,
has recovered from the shock much better
than any one expected It would. 1t has com,
pleted its circuit and will start out with eight
cities, which are all liable to do well with
twenty -five cent ball. The list comprises
Brooklyn, Rochester, Syracuse, Philadelphia,
Toledo, Columbus, ST. Louis and Louisville.
The Association has lost the prestige it en-
joyed last year. Although still major
league and party to the national agreement
of the first part, II really classes little better
than the Western association, and even the
Atlantic association is liable to push II for
Importance as league.
The Association this season has a pretty
hard row 70 hoe In several OF Its cities In
Philadelphia and Brooklyn 1t will have two
clubs in opposition, and all strong ones, too.
Tho Athletics, however, have q strong hold
on tho Philadelphia public and may pull
through, but the loss of SO many OF the old
favoritss win hurt the club a great deal
Still, with Welch. Purcell Seward and Rob.
inson left Manager Sharsig may make both
ends meet, but that they will make dollar
profit few baseball men believe Indeed, the
opinion prevails that all the Philadelphia
clubs will lose money.
The future Of the Brooklyn American asso-
citation club seems TO me to rest very largely
upon whether or not 1t is permitted to play
Sunday games. II II is, the team may pull
through with small loss. Otherwise it will
not be in II financially, even though its salary