Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-14
FORM NO BIG FOUR COMBINE
Rumors of Base Ball Deal Denied by
President Reach.
JOHN NJ. WARD is STILL RESERVED
New York CIub Declines TO Let GO
Its Hold on the EN-Cnptain-Gos-
sip of the Mngnntcs' Meet
Ing Yesterday.

NEW YORK, Nov. 13.-The first days ses-
sion Of the magnates representing the twelve
clubs comprising the National League and
American Association of Professional Base
Ball Clubs is over, and no revolutionary moves
have been made. Early in the day there
were conflicting rumors as to the formation
of the big four" Boston, Philadelphia
Pittsburg and New York were said to have
combined to make things exceedingly inter
estng for the other eight cities represented
in the league, and their object was the aboli-
tlon Of Sunday playing Allied to this, 1t
was said the quartet would insist on the
adoption of the double umpire system. Pres
ldent A. j. Reach of the Philadelphia club
denied most emphatcally that he or any
other one representing the Philadelphia club
had entered into combine, and that the
first intmation he had OF such thing
reached him through this mornings papers
EX-Captain John NJ. Ward requested the
board of directors to have his name erased
from the reserve list of the New York club
claiming that under the rules a contract
should have been proffered to him at the
close of the season of 1894, and as this was
not done, he asserted that this omission re-
leased him. Furthermore, he claimed that
the keeping Of his name the list injured
him in his profession as a lawyer, as it
retired permanently from the ball field
Wards request laid over in order that
the board could take further testimony in
regard to the matter.
Chris Won der Abe of st. Louis made a
claim for remuneration in the case of the
we'll known pitcher, Mcfarland. but. after
due deiberston, the board decided that Nc
Farland rightly belonged to Cincinnati and
| that the st. Louis presidents claim should
not be allowed.
III,
| business shortly after o'clock and the
regular meeting of the league did not con-
vene until 4. This session lasted for over
two hours and adjourned until tomorrow
afternoon. After he meeting Mr. Young
said the only business transacted was the
formal awarding of the championship TO Bal
timore and the reaiing of the treasurer S
report, which accepted.
During the day there was a large attend
| ance Of umDiTes. who were summoned to
| appear before the league to tell what treat
| ment they had received at the hands of
| players during the season. This is evidently
| move made by the delegates to enforce
| stricter regulations for the protection of UNI
| pres against obstructive and abusive players.
| The Eastern league was represented very
! largely, and Jim Manning of Kansas City
was on hand representing the Western league
| III order to have the Eastern and Western
| minor interests represented on the national
| board, which has the deciding of all claims
and differences arising in the minor clubs
| President Powers of the Eastern league said
| The matter would be more fully considered
| at their meeting in December next and their
! claims would be laid before the national
| board next year. Among the prominent man
| ayers who were looking for good exchanges
and constantly talking to the many players
who were gathered together in the corridors
| OF the hotel were Arthur Irwin, Dave Foutz,
| Ned Hanlon, Buck Ewing and Connie Mack
Arthur Irwin was very anxious to secure
| Nash from Boston, but President Freed
| man and he delayed little too long in com
| ing to terms, the Philadelphians traded
| Billy Hamilton, the outfelder for Boston 5
| third baseman. Hamilton will take McCar-
| thy's place in the outfed for the Bostons
! and Nash will play third. The New Workers.
| made several unsuccessful attempts to trade
| Doyle off for a good player and considera-
| tion, among those named being Latham of
| Cincinnati and Cooley OF st. Louis.