Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09
A REVIEW OF SPORTS,
The Meeting of the Players
National League.
THE OLD MAGNATES' WORK
hatterSon and Kemp's Claim 10 Row
for the Championship.
THE LAMBERT-JACKSON EPISODE

The old League magnates have had their
inning during last week and the big people
of the Players National League will have
theirs during the week just commencing.
The latter have much of importance to do
and how they will get through it remains to be
seen. However, there is one thing certain and
that is they cannot well do less than did the
old League magnates. But there is another
certainty, they will no: have such a difficult
problem to solve as the old League magnates
had. There is one suggestion that
might be made in good spirit
to those who will attend the Players
League meeting. 1t might be well to have
some limit made as to the number of public
letters issued by officials of the organization.
History has proven long ago that nine times
out of ten it is unwise for officials to rush into
public print. Without doubt the recent effu-
sions issued in behalf of the Players League
have done harm to that organization. 1t is not
good policy to court public controversy at
stages such as the present in baseball affairs
But probably one of the most important ques-
tions that will be discussed. if it is introduced,
will be that relating to the transfer of the
Buffalo team. We have often been told that
where there is smoke there is fire, and GER
tainly there has been any amount of talk
about the Buffalo team going TO be
transferred. That ST. Louis is catering for the
team there is no doubt, but whether Buffalo
desires to remain in the new League is not so
well known. There is, however. one thing
distinctly clear and that is # Buffalo desires to
retain its place in the Players League circuit
it will be one of the most unjust transactions
to force it out. don't for a moment imagine
that the new League leaders would think of
inaugurating their new venture by any such
unfair deal
Those Law Cuse..
Baseball enthusiasts who read the report of
the suit against Mailman yesterday in THE
DISPATCH cannot well fail to come to the con-
clusion that there is indeed little consolation
in the courts for the National League mag
mates. So far the legal efforts have been signal
failures. But the magnates may have been
prompted by Ternyson's philosophy when he
says:
"'Tls better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at ALL"
There is nothing like trying may be GOOD
maxim at times, but a man would be fool to
try and drive his head through a stone wall |
The courts are opposed to even the spirit of |
the reserve rule, and ever have been. This |
means tn 4 the wiseacres of the baseball bust |
ness should get to work at once and formulate |
form of contract in keeping with the law |
From the first have assailed this legal mode of |
warfare and every case argued only proves
that the mode is bad one. In all respects it
will do harm to the National League
The Old LEAGUE Meeting.
"AlIs well that ends well'' is a rrite and
happy saying and doubtless many of the ad-
mirers of the National League will think that
it very appropriately applies TO the meeting OF
that organization which was held in Cleveland
during the week. II we are TO judge from the
expressions of Messrs. Nimick, Scandrett and
others the termination of the gathering was of
the most harmonious character. The magnates
hadn't much to do but they were a long time
in dong il and despite the assurances of har-
mony fear that the long time spent in doing |
little means that the seeds of diScord and dis |
content were sown. The sum total of the work
done by the magnates seems to have been the
adoption of schedule but the stumbling
block to this was wehther OF not the schedule I
should be for ten clubs or for eight clubs.
This what we may call the pons
assinorum of the entire business |
and ultimately it was crossed by the adoption
will have ten clubs in the National League
The general opinion seems to be that the change
is not wise one. and i share the general |
opinion in this instance There is little en-. |
thusiasm in the new makeup even among |
those who compose the League. This is really |
one of the most significant features of the
eubl1e AT Nl1ulCk IOlO me the other |
day that "all the clubs were in favor of an |
eight-club League and that "all were sorry' |
now that it was a ten-club League Surely a |
disappointment and a general regret of this |
new circuit If regret in this instance means |
anything II must mean that the elements of |
success are not SO certain IN ten-club arrange
ment as in League of eight clubs. l fail
this. and will not be Surprised sed
a great change in the National League and |
probably another schedule. When the leaders
of an organization do not believe in the sound
ness Of the policy they have adopted, it would |
seem time to change it at all hazards There |
cannot be that faith and enthusiasm reposed in |
policy full of doubt and misgivings as there |
can be IN policy that is deemed absolutely
safe, and which has stood the test of years.
Only Themselves to Blame.
But whatever may be the consequence of the
ten-club arrangement, the old magnates are
alone responsible for it. They went into the
matter in broad daylight and with their ewes
open. On this point President Brush, of In
dianapolis, speaking the other day, said that he
warned the magnates of the difficulties of ten
clubs when Cincinnati and Brooklyn were be- |
ing admitted. At the time of that meeting the |
proceeding was assailed in the papers not
only because of the ten-club idea, but ,
chiefly because OF the direct injury there was
being done TO the American Association, There ,
is an old saying to the effect that we cannot do
evil and expect good to come out of it, and Ger. :
tainly the League magnates at the time in ,
question knew that the encouraging BROOKLYN :
and Cincinnati from the Association was doing !
that organization an irreparable injury and the !
act was, therefore, Of an evil kind. 1t is Quite
apparent 70 me that the magnates at the time | :
thought Indianapolis and Washington could he :
with later on without much trouble | }
President Brush, however. had his mind made | :
up, and he was in the League to stay except he ! :
was kicked out. That ended all further dinlo- | !
macy, and the magnates very reluctantly swal- y
lowed the pill that was extremely distasteful to
them. But in coming to the conclusion of | I
having a ten-club League there is much to he | =
admired in the National League, Had the |
magnates been ungentlemanly enough or Imay q
say depraved enough they could have meta | =
phorically speaking, kicked both Indianapo- y
lis and Washington out of the ROOM Irrespec- g
tive of the demands of fairplay the mapnates / :,
could have had an eight-cub league; but il is
pleasing to know that more manly spirit pre-
walls among these gentlemen. 1t is indeed
hatter1ng to the League maSnates that they
stuck to their manhood and adopted a some | Ii
what shaky policy rather than act unmanly and ;,
unfairly, and adopt policy that all believed =
would be absolutely successful Whether this i
spirit will be retained right along not don't
know. s
The League Schedule. n
haven't much time nor have much space {
to talk about the National League schedule.
L is before us all in all Its strangeness. r
Tor it will look strange to old League patrons s
think many of us will be surprised n
10 find that the opening date is not r
Until April 26. 1t is understood that "
he new Leagues opening day will be on April Ii
i, and we all, or almost all expected that hoth NJ
organizations would open their season on that n
late. The opening date of the old League | c,
would seem to give the new League a great ad- | e.
'antage. Cleveland opens out the old League T
eason and is followed by Chicago and Indian | Ii
Ipois. That Is not a bad arrangement Pitts. | n,