Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28

beer-drinking are not allowed. The Asso-
citation won't want any such city, and 1 NAV
not be wide OF the mark if the Association
magnates rush to Milwaukee. They want
that city; it is not only a Sunday ball town,
but it certainly is beer-drinking town.
And it is worthy of notice that Milwaukee
Is not only an applicant for an Association
franchise, but is extremely sanguine of sue
cess. 1t is also worthy of note that Boston
is not now so enthusiastic about an Associa-
tion franchise as it was.
xx
Another Unsettled Matter.
There is one other matter not yet settled.
refer to Mr.. Al. Johnson's case. My
readers will remember that have at various
times urged that his claims for compensa-
ton should be honorably and fairly at
tended to. On this point my mind has
changed; changed completely, and I will
now proceed to state my reasons. Without
any justifable provocation Mr.. johnson
has done everything in his power for some
time past and is yet doing everything
within his power to wreck and ruin the
work of those gentlemen who so laboriously
are getting things iuto shipshape again. 1t
is not Mr.. Johnson's fault that every good
been retraced; in every way possible
he has tried to poison the minds
or PLAYERS who want to re-establish
the old orde' of things, and to SOW discon-
tent among the gentlemen who have had
money at stake. All these efforts of Mr..
johnson have been without justification,
and prompted only by remarkable inability
of judging human nature correctly. Mr..
johnson was offered 500, 900 by the National
League and this great offer was made despite
the fact that the National League were not
morally, legally, socially bound; nor were
they in any way from sense of duty COM
relled to pay to Mr.. johnson one brown
cent. Just cogltate on this fact for mo-
ment Why, Mr.. johnson must have lost
his senses. He actually refused this gift of
S29, GOO; for gift it was from top to bottom,
and gift from gentlemen whom he
had tried his best to ruin in the
baseball business. 1t was as much gift
and blessing as the showers of mama to the
Israelites. But he not only spurned this
generosity, but has energetically endeavored
TO ruin every prospect Of peace. He cannot
now expect to be recognized by National
League or National agreement supporters.
Ii it is possible ior Mr.. johnson to spring
into existence a new League that will wreck
the N L. the sooner we are aware of the fact
the better. Let him proceed at once with
his work and if he can do what he says ne
can, be will do us all favor. National
League magnates would like to know
OF latent powers that are strong
enough to ruin strong organizations.
l. Mr.. johnson has one let him
produce it, and if it is as powerful as he
represents 1t to be, why he will get all the
money he desires to kill it. From a base
bali standpoint Mr.. johnson has done
public in jury; his financial losses were the
consequence of his own defective judgment,
and as a matter of absolute right the National
League certainly were not responsible for a
cent of it. Without doubt Mr. johnson has
been his own executioner, and the idiotic
"manifestoes" with which his name is identi-
fed point unerringly to the fact.
About Our Local Club.
Before resuming the story of the years
sporting features 1 want to say few
words about our local ball club. am sure
everybody at all interested in baseball in
and about Pittsburg will feel very happy
over the fact that we have gotten our club
organized at last. Lots of patience was
needed to do il, but the work has been ac-
compIshed. Our mutual friend, Mr. j. P,
O'Neill, has been made President 1 am
glad OF that, and so are we all, think, for
there is every indication that ne will make
a very good and successful official. That
he will work for the clubs interests like
Trojan goes without saying, and all that is
required is for the balance of the directors
to give their confidence to him and Mana
ger Hanlon. The other appointments
OF officials are all very satisfactory, and
trust that the team of players will be made
up satisfactorily. 1t is to be regretted
that there seems more or less trouble ahead
regarding the case of Mr. Burnham. He
evidently still cliEgs to the notion that he
has claim on the office of manager of the
club. 1 am not going to argue his claims
pro or con, bat do trust that the misunder-
standing which caused the entire trouble
will be looked at by Mr.. Burnham in gen.
erous spirit. He is too able man to stoop
down so far solely to cause trouble and an
noyance. By acting generously in the mat
ter he has everything to gain. As man.
and nothing will add more to his fame than
acts of forbearance and generosity.
4
Some More Leading Features.
To resume our talk on the years events,
the sport that comes next for mention is
football. The year has indeed been re-
markable one for football, and while there
may not have been any extraordinary hap
penines in particular the season, generally
speaking, has been an unusual one
Of course, Harvard's victory, after so many
defeats, stands ont with a little prominence
But everything in football this year has
pointed to the fact that we may ex-
pect that sport to be more popu-
lar throughout the United States next
year than it has ever been. Association
football has made a marked impression, and
it is safe to say that during the last few
months of the year it has gained wider
popularity in America than it has during
any five years it has been known in the
country. Whether or not Association rules
will ever supersedc the American Rugby
rules is not for discussion at present, but
venture to say that recent events in football
prove that sooner or later the brutal features
of Rugby football will have to be elimi-
mated. Well, then, football players have
had nothing to complain about during the
year.
Events Among Cricketers.
As far as cricket playing has been con-
cerned there has not been much to enthuse
over in this country, and as far as have been
able to judge the events of the year would
seem to say that something must be done