The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-08-09
FIGHT FOR BLOOD
The Baseball Leagues Are
Battling For Existence.
PLAYERS THREATEN DIRE THINGS

But Both Sides Arc Beginning to Real
ixe the Suicidal Features of Schedules
that Confict-Brief Notes About the
Men on the Diamond.
The struggle between the "new masters"
and the "old masters in baseball for
public patronage shows no signs Of dimi-
mutton. Indeed the strife, If anything, was
intensified at the meeting Of the Players
League at Philadelphia, at the conclusion
of which Secretary Brunell said to a re-
porter: 'The men who have money in this
enterprise know just what they are about,
and have sufficient funds to carry the
Players league to success. We have
no fear Of the results, but will go on
strengthening u clubs and perfecting
our arrangements until we have fought
the National league out of existence"
"Out of existence" was the first slogan
against the "old masters" then through a
varied assortment of Live and let live"
and "Fair competition and other watch
words the new masters have got back to
first principles again, and nee more an
nounce their intention through their Off
cial mouthpiece to run the old league
out of existence. Such has been their in
tention all along, and having finally como
out flat footed with the announcement the
public will have more respect for them
than when the purpose and policy Of the
Players league was kept under cover.
On the other hand, the National league
men seem to be quite as determined as the
enemies of their time honored organization,
and profess to be both willing and able to
sustain an unlimited amount Of strife. They
make quite as positive declarations az the
Players league people, and profess to be
satisfied with the situation and the progress
they are making with the public. They
contend that despite the declarations of
their opponents and the cry of "free ball"
they have beaten the Players league daily
in legitimate paying attendance for two
weeks to the tune of Two people for one,
and are perfectly satisfied to let the verdict
Of the people settle the question.
The situation of affairs has delighted the
partisans of both sides, while it has much
disappointed those whose sympathies, while
strong for one side or the other, do not
blind them to the fact that professional
baseball in this country is in very bad
shape and that the game has received a
set back and will have a still further one
II some sort Of compromise is not agreed
upon for the campaign of 1891 that will
give the game in New York city at least q
chance to recover from the ~stagnation in
which it stands, owing to the baseball war.
These people recognize that neither side
c., very we'll quit, but they also recognize
tt at unless some agreement of non-inter-
ference is entered upon the public is
liable to quit both clubs SO far as making
q profit is concerned. But there seems
now no chance for any tacit truce, for both
sides are aggressive and bitter. Whether
the feeling will urge them into making
another conflicting schedule remains to be
seen. If it does professional baseball on q
profitable basis in the city of New York
will be next to impossible for the National
league and most improbable for their op-
ponents.
The main stumbling block in the way Of
an arrangement of a mountaineering poll
cy, which many conservative people think
would enable both organizations to live
and make money, is the steadfast belief
of the National league CLUB owners that
there is not room for two leagues of the
first class rival clubs in the same city.
They have held to this view from the in
ception of the new league, and the Players
league magnates have come to the same
conclusion, and are now apparently frmer
believers in it than the National league
magnates. The war will not end until this
stumbling block is removed, and nothing
now seems likely to do so except another
season of financial disaster.
AS I recently predicted the Cincinnati
team couldn't hold the pace on their
eastern trip, and have been passed by
Philadelphia, Boston and Brooklyn. The
Ci%ncinnatis have not done quite as we'll az
some of the other western teams In both
leagues, but they have not been lonely in
the field of defeat, as it is remarkable
fact that since the western clubs came east
they have not averaged a victory more
than once in five games played. I think,
summed up, that out Of fifty games last
week in the two leagues the eastern clubs
won almost forty.
THINGS THAT ri MI
That Boston, Brooklyn and Philadelphia
will have a hot race for the National
league pennant.
That Chicago, Boston and New York
will make the running for the Players
league championship.
That Buck Ewing's confidence in Brother
John is now having it's reward.
That Tim Keefe continues to be the
greatest pitcher the game ever produced.
That the latest mot perpetrated by Sam
Austin is that Papa Calvin has fallen of
in his batting.
That Joe Hornung never played such
ball in his life as he IL playing this season.
That Bassett, McPhee, Pfeffer and Rich
ardson are the greatest second basemen we
have and that if you drew the names from
q hat you couldn't draw the best or the
worst Of the four at one pull.
That strong boy Crane is getting into
running order.
That John Henry is mourning for a diar
mond pin, $50 in cash, q gold watch and q
friend. The friend got the watch, pin and
cash to hold and is still holding them.
That. Manager James Mutrie has two
great sprinters in Herman and Henry and
that ha In willing To back either Of them