The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-19
BASEBALL In 1891.
The National Game Will In
crease in Popularity.
rue LEAGUE REoRGANizED.
-. western Association Climbs Higher
--Abner Powell Not Given Up
Az Amateur League.

The clouds of war that have fioated over
.be bsseball horizon for so long have
e,sarsd away and the prospects for sue
eesdll season in 1891 seem bright. On
rrday last treaty OF peace was effected
= the joint session in New York city of
ths National League, the American Asso-
r;afion and the remnants of the Players
Il league. The Players League was alb
h .orbed by the American Association, which
xill present quite different circuit from
hat Of last year. Boston, Chicago, Wash
iorton and Philadelphia Players League)
xere admitted in place of Rochester, SYRIA
suse Toledo and the Athletics. Rochester
surrendered her franchise for considera-
L ion Of s.. 500. Toledo for $500 and SYRIA
n,se for 81 1000. The Athletics had pre-
yiously forfeited theirs.
The new circuit will now be made up of
gas,on. Philadelphia, Washington and
| Baltimore in the East and Louisville.
rolnInbus, St. Louis and Chicago in the
West. The league will be composed, as
,ast year, of Boston, New York, Brooklyn
and Philadelphia in the East, and Cincin-
matt Pittsburg. Cleveland aud Chicago in
The West This arrangement places two
elnbs each in Boston, Philadelphia and
Chicago Philadelphia has for years
shown her ability to support two major
;earg,e clubs. but the plan will be an ex-
] verinental one in Boston and Chicago,
whose only experience in this direction
was last season during the fight between
the National League and the Players
/ League, and this is no criterion.
| Another important feature of the meet
/ inc was the admission of the Western As
] soCiation to the new national agreement.
| II now ranks equally with the League and
the Association, and promises to have
j strong circuit for 1891. The present mem
/ bership is made up of Milwaukee. st. Paul,
Minneapolis, Kansas City, Omaha. Dem
yer. Lincoln and Sioux City, although
there is talk of dropping the three last
named cities and substituting Toledo, De
treit and Indianapolis.
The announcement telegraphed from the
i Northwestern League meeting at Tacoma
Y that Abner Powell is under reserve to Spo-
kane Falls and Seattle can lay no claim to
BIS services until he is regularly released,
is serious disappointment to the patrons
Of baseball in this city. The Spokane Falls
outielder made an excellent impression
here last season, both on and off the field,
and the news that he had come to terms
With Seattle gave general satisfaction.
Il The fact that Powell is reserved by Spo-
kane Falls does not necessarily mean that
i he is not to come to Seattle. Indeed, il is
| not improbable that he will be seen at the
head Of the local club. The Seattle di-
Iectors had made up their minds long
since to have Abner manage their team,
/ and they still cling to the idea. If his re-
lease can be arranged satisfactorily it will
be done, but until then they will have to
keep hands off.
To man mp tree it looks as if Man
ager Barnes vigorous fight for Powell's
services is scheme to profit financially by
. selling the players release However, the
Il recent action of the conference committee
= d the League and Association, abolishing
the sales system, will effectually prevent
the carrying out of any such plan.A The
Northwern League, being underline protec-
lion of the national agreement. will have
% abide by the laws laid down by the
q principal parties to it. What the outcome
the Powell matter will be can only he
surmised. Nevertheless, ii is pretty safe
ios say that the much-sought-after player
will not be with Spokane Falls next sea-
son II the VI 200 salary limit is adhered to.
he is too high-priced man for that. This
league cannot afford 10 keep him unless it
De IN the capacity of player-manager, thus
aiiording him an opportunity for larger
salary than he would draw simply as a
ball tosser.