Morning journal and courier., 1891-03-16
THE BASE BALL WORLD.

Review of the Events of the Past
 Week-The War to be Continued
 Its Effect Upon Minor Leagues
 The International League and Its
 Bright Prospects-The State and
 Connecticut Central Leagues-Buf.
 falo, Rochester and Toronto Solid
 for the InternatIonal-Notes
 The base ball WET between the American association and the organizations under the national agreement goes merrily on and it is now generally conceded that there will be no compromise or cessation of hos tilities this season at least. During the past week, the urprise of which, to the base ball world was the selling out of his interests in Cincinnati by A. L. Johnson to the Natio.a al league, it seemed as though the league had succeeded in obtaining the advantage over the association and that in consequence some measures would be adopted which would bring the two organ izations into harmony, and peace once more reign upon the base ball world. This idea was, however, short lived and was ruthlessly dispelled by the announcement from Cincinnati that notwithstanding Johnson's defection the association would retain Cincinnati in it's circuit and would place a club in that city at all hazards. This has at the pres ent time been practically accomplished by the incorporation of an association club there with a capital of $25, ,000, of which amount $20,000 has already been sub scribed. Of this amount, King Mike Kelly subscribed $1, ,000 and ln,s agreed to play with, captain and manage the team. He has already secured the signatures of several well known players to contracts and very strong team will be placed in the field. The affairs of the association are again in good working order, and what seemed destined to bring ruin upon the organization has been averted and the American association will continue to and remain outside the pale of the national agreement. Then the war goes on. The regular spring schedule meeting of the association was held and a schedule of games which includes Cincinnati dates in it's make up, adopted. Concerning the situation, the Sporting Life, the pro- nounced advocate of the American associ- ation says editorially:
 Nothing but praise can be given the Association for the manner in which it handled the Cincinnati problem and turned a disaster into victory. The de- lection of A. L. Johnson has really been blessing in disguise. Up to the time of the sell-out the Association was on the de- fensive in Cincinnati, inasmuch as John sons position, both as to his property rights and his team, was not absolutely as- sured, but was open to legal attack, with all sorts of possible legal complications and costly delays for himself and the asso- ciation. Now the boot is on the other leg, the league being the object of legal attack, while the association knows pre- cisely where it stands and is unhampered in action, instead of as heretofore impa- tiently ard apprehensiveIy awaiting the possible action of it's opponent. For Johnson it is likely to turn out 8 clear case of throwing himself away. As d member of the American asso citation he occupied an impregnable posi- tion regarding his Cincinnati interests and could perhaps have gotten out without loss of honor or money. Now he is likely to be legally prevented from consummat- ing the deal he made, and even if he es- capes from that pitfall he cannot escape later legal settlement with the other peo- pie who had equal interests with himself in the Cincinnati club, for whom he was acting as trustee. On these line troublous times are, in all possibility, in store for Johnson.
 For the National league the purchase of Johnson's interests looks at this time like waste of S30, ,O0O, which could have been better spent in maintaining a league club in the disputed territory. It was probably calculated that the deal was worth the out lay because it would seriously affect the formerly nerveless and chicken hearted 9 es7ociation and drive it out of Cincinnati, bag and baggage; or else force it into a compromise I return to the national agreement fc11. The association, however, is different Sanization now from what l it was, ha'.. discovered that it is able to walk with! eading- strings, and the re- suit has l quite the reverse of what Apropc. 2 the Association's secession from the na ional agreement, the follow ing from Albany seems to about hit the nail squarely on the head, and applies equally as we'll in this city as in Albany: In this neighborhood the rebellion of the Association is looked upon as the height of folly. They will lose their best players or go to the wall before the season is over, for if there is no agreement to hold them play CTS will go where there is the most money and the Association will be bankrupted if they try to pay League salaries. The folly of precipitating another base ball war over
 
 filled is monumental, but I presume this reason is rather pretext than cause. However, they should be warned not to fight through the press. The public is very, very tired of base ball wars.
 The break away from the national agree ment is to be regretted in many ways, but especially so in the fact that it retards progress in arranging teams for this sea- sons work in that it makes contract jump ing possible. Players are not willing to sign because they think they see an op- portunity of jumping into the American association, and perhaps secure an ad- investing money upon grounds, and clubs ! fearing that owing to the break, their men may be approached and perhaps induced to sign elsewhere, right in the midst of the ! season, thus practically disrupting their teams. In no league in the country has this state of affairs been more clearly exemplifed than in tho Interna- tional. A glance at one or two of the l cities proposed for this league will prove l the truth of this statement. Buffalo has l within the past week, immediately upon the announcement of the fact that Al. Johnson had disposed of his Cincinnati team to the National league, had an Amer ican association bee buzzing in the bonnet
 
 the new club in Cincinnati had strong hopes of being admitted. This chance is now gone and Buffalo is once more solidly in favor of the International league. Latest advices from President Franklin of the Buffalo club assert that | the club will not leave the International l for the American association in any event. | Several of the players of the Rochester and | Syracuse clubs have been taken by the maj jor organizations prior to the admission | of the International to the benefits under 1 the National agreement and several more are said to be contemplating a jump to the American association, if possible, un- less certain of their demands are a. a.ceded l to. In this city, Doran and Cahill have signed with the Louisvill American asso- citation team, and Lally,it is said will do SC unless he receives salary which is said to
 be double that paid him last season. Such are some of the evil effects conse l quent upon the break away from the Ma | ton agreement of the American associa-
 ton. The war will go on, but in no way
 will it be so disastrous as the one between
 the Players and National leagues last sea,
 son, which threatened the total destruc
 ton of the national game all over the
 country.
 l THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE.
 Advices received concerning this league
 are all favorable and indicate that the
 proposed eight cities, Buffalo, Rochester
 Syracuse, Toronto, Albany, Troy, Newark
 and New Haven, will all bt