The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-09
Willy JOHN $. BARNES.
Finger Of Suspicion Pointed ut the
Spokane Manager.

Recent Developments In baseball affairs
in various parts Of the country reject any,
thing but credit upon the doings of John
s. Barnes. The WHY Spokane manager is
evidently in baseball for all there is in it,
and always has several strings to his bow.
His recent effort to cut clear from the Spo-
kane Falls club without its knowledge or
consent in order to better himself finan-
cially by signing with Sioux City, was
properly sat down upon by the board of
control II seems, however, from the
statements Of Second Baseman Ward that
Barnes was not only to make the jump
himself, but was TO use his influence to
have Ward and other strong Spokane
players transferred to Sioux City, receiv-
ing therefor neat bonus. 1t is said, too,
that he is also mixed up in the recent
illegal signing of reserved players by the
clubs of the California League. Most
OF these players are on the re-
serve list Of the Spokane club,
and 1t is thought that Barnes has for some
time been aware of the fact that outside
clubs were tampering with his men and
gave at least a tacit consent thereto. This
certainly looks rs if he expected to secure
some pecuniary return for their transfer.
Another evidence of the none-too- good
reputation Barnes has made for himself,
appears in a letter from Jack Huston,
printed in a recent issue of the Sporting
Life, i'll which the pitcher from Texas
rakes his old manager fore and aft for his
methods. He even hints that Barnes got
the better of himself and other players by
several dollars in purchasing railroad
tickets for them. Huston, in his righteous
indignation, goes n step too far, however,
in sweeping denunciation of the Pacific
Northwest League and the country which
supports 1t. going So far as to say that one
cannot procure the necessaries of life with
out he has at his command princely
salary. 1t is true that, as in all
new countries, living is higher here
than III the long-settled East. but
prices are not nearly SO enormous
as the wratliy pitcher describes them to be.
Neither can any ball player. with NE pos
sible exception of some Of Barnes men,
complain Of the treatment they have re-
ceived at the hands of the officials of the
Pacific Northwest League. On the con-
trary, it has been most liberal. Further
more, there are peculiar advantages offered
to industrious men. should they come to
work during the winter months. Advices
from the East convey the intelligence that
Illusions letter has done considerable in
jury to this league. especially to Spokane
Falls, and that Barnes will find il hard
work to gather a good team and keep
within the salary limit. Notwithstanding
all this most Of the players who were here
last season are anxious to return.
Reports from across the mountains have
for some time seemed to indicate that the
directors of the pennant-winners of 1880
are wearying Of the ex-prizefighter and
think Of replacing him with a player-man-
ager This Is denied, however, in the fol-
lowing special from Spokane Falls to the
observation-disclosures:
SPOKANE FALLS, March s.-[Special Thomas
+. Jefferson, president of the spokane Baseball
meeting OF the directors eli the Pacific North
west League The report that John g. Barnes
will be retired as manager of the Spokane club
is emphatically denied by the directors of the
club, who say that Barnes management last
season was entirely satisfactory and that he is
regarded as the best man who could possibly be
secured. Barnes ;, says the PLAYERS reserved by
season, notwithstanding the fact that some of
them have signed with sacramento Barnes
also says spokane will have the strongest team
in the league in any event. The action of Man.
agcr McCloskey, of Sacramento, in saying.tha
he has signed reserved players, will be inyesti-
gated at the forthcoming meeting of the direc-
tors of the Pacific Northwest League.
The Minneapolis Times gives an excel
lent summary of the status of Barnes case
i'll these words:
Sioux City has signed J. H. Clifford. of Column
bus, as manager vice John S. Barnes, dumped
by the board OF control. By-the-bye baseball
crank speaking to a Times reporter, the other
day, about the &c ion of the Western Association
in blacklisting Barnes, said .'While Barnes
may have been concerned in some deals outside
OF baseball that have the color of sharp play
and there Is no absolute record of even this fact
his baseball record is above suspicion OF crook
cdness of any kind
mo one can deny the fact that he is one of the
shrewdest baseball managers in the United
states, and during his brief career in the field
he has developed more young players and sold
more OF them, than any club in the country, not
even excepting Spauldings.
"sowders brought S4,200; Duryea and Earle,
5000: Pickett and young Sowders, $3.50. Riley,
500; Carroll, $500: Crooks being the only one
that Barnes let 60 without a bonus.
1T looks az ii the Western Association was
more afraid OF him from a managerial stand
point than any other reason
This Is scarcely just to the members of the
board of control. II any man has a reputation
Tor unfairness and throwing people down." no
enterprise can profit by his connection with it,
Even in the midst of its worst troubles baseball
has maintained reputation the only honest
professional sport, the only form of athletic en-
tcrtairment in which victories are not bought
and sold X is almost imperative. and certainly
important, TO the continued popularity of the
game, that il should continue to be like Cesar
wife, and il cannot so remain If men of alleged
dishonesty are allowed 10 manage prominent