St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-23
FISH OR CUT BAIT.
The Magnates Of the National
League Invited to Step
Down.
A Cool Million Dollars offered
for the Whole League
Outfit.
This Is Rating the Ten Clubs
at Exactly 100000
Each.
A Bona Eide Business Propo-
sition Made in Writing to
John B. Day.

New YORK, Feb. 22.-The mostgf.
gantic base ball deal that has ever been
heard of is now being carefully con.
sidered by the magnates of the National
Base Ball league. the men who fuf
years ruled the base ball world at will.
made laws and abolished them to suit
their convenience; men who
could make or break a play.
the minor organizations and who were
looked up to with awe. These men are
now invited to step down and out for q
consideration of sl,0OO,0OO. The cry Of
the league authorities has always been
that there is no money in base ball,
and that matters have been mis-.
represented by the players to the
gentlemen who are backing the
brotherhood, or Players National
league. Nevertheless, there seems to
be no inclination on the part of the
magnates to abandon the business. II
transpired yesterday that the modest
sum of 81, 100000 had been
OFFERED BY A SYNDICATE
through the law firm of Tracy, Mac
Farland, Twins, Boardmau & Platt, Of
-S5 Wall street, for the franchise Of
the entire National league, which en-
bodies ten clubs. This is rating the
clubs at 100000 each, and will no doubt
place the great base ball leaders In
rather an awkward position in re-
gard to the statements they have
made concerning their small profits, in
case they decline to accept this amount
of money. John 3. Day, president of
the New York club, was seen in refer
ence to the offer. He declined to be in
terviewed on the subject and seemed
greatly surprised that the matter had
become known. Several members of
the law firm who had made the offer
and who have figured prominently in
some of the largest syndicate purchases
that have ever been made in this coun-
try. were visited. and it was learned
that they had made an offer Oh Friday,
In writing. to John B. Day. of 81 .O90,U ZOO
for the franchise of the National league,
They have not had reply to their let
ter yet, as it is almost too soon. The
offer was made to Mr.. Day because they
did not know the address of
THE OTHER LEAGUE LEADERS,
but they expect Mr.. Dav to communi.
cate with his colleagues and give them
an answer in the course of a few days.
Transactions involving so large an
amount of money are seldom consum-
mated without careful consideration.
1t was intimated that Erastus WI
man might possibly be one of the
gentlemen composing the syndicate. but
nothing definite could be learned, as
Mr.. Wiman is now in Washington. Mr..
Boardman, a member of the law firm
referred to and Mr.. Wiman's private
lawyer, was interviewed. While he
did not state what business Mr.. W imam
was upon in Washington, he was very
emphatic in his assertion that Mr..
Wiman was in no way interested in the
scheme to purchase the entire National
league. Mr.. Boardman knew all about
the enormous offer. In fact, he ac-
knowledged having written the letter to
Mr.. Day making the offer. which is a
bona fide business proposition and is
made by wealthy and responsible citi-
zen of New York, who, no doubt, has
other wealthy associates with him in
the scheme.