Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-13
BASEBALL POLITICS.
TEMPORARY "THROw-DOWN' OF
LEAGUE-MaGNATE brush.
POWER OF NATIONAL BOARD.
Tie Vote nt First on Sustaining IL
to the Full Extent Desjred-irush
Wins I'm the End, Howeyer-sunday
Ball.

CHICAGO, November l2.-In base-baE
circles to-day the uppermost topic is the
tie vote by which John T. Brush, the
indianapolis Cincinnati magnate. was
temporarily thrown down" in the matter
Of approving the minutes of the meeting
of the league. The point at issue was
whether the action of the National Board
in taking TO itself the power Of amending
the national agreement. and, by a unani-
nous vote, increasing its membership
from TO 3. including President Mick"
Young, ex-ohicio member, should stand.
An amendment found at the end Of the
national agreement. reads This agree
ment may be altered or considered at any
time by the unanimous consent of the
board. This amendment shall become
operative after February q, 1886" Such
a clause practically gives unlimited con-
troll to the board.
The minutes, as read yesterday, indi-
Gated that the league has approved the
action of the board I'm inserting the
amendment, and further ratified the in
crease Of membership from four to five.
Immediately there was a question as 10
the correctness of the minutes. President
Young and one or two others asserted
they remembered the approval OF the
amendment I'm question at the league
meeting. Several did not know, and the
rest were positive that no such action had
been taken, boldly announcing that they
would have opposed it at the time II II
had been under consideration
The pet plan, generally credited to Mr..
Brush. was to thus give the whole power
TO the board. rather than to the league
itself.
There is also a clause IN the league con-
stitution which provides that amendments
to the national agreements shall be adopt
cd only by the unanimous vote OF the
league The two clauses were, therefore
i'm direct contradiction 10 each other, but
the league virtually waived its right in
favor of the board, If the minutes were
granted to be correct.
Cincinnati. Cleveland, st. Louis Balti-
more. Washington. and Brooklyn VIII join
with Louisville In Mr.. Brush's favor, the
opposition consisting OF Chicago, New
York. Boston, Philadelphia, and Pitts
burg.
EARNEST LOBBYING.
Roth sides were earnestly lobbying all
the morning over the Arbitration Board
wrangle. and neither would admit defeat.
Only a vote can prove the success or ran
ure Of the Brush combine.
The negotiations delayed to-day's ses-
sion until after y o'clock. BY O'Clock
the league had become split into two fac
tions over the matter, and they held TWO
meetings far apart In the hotel and be
hind locked doors one, under the leader
ship Of Or. Stuckey. of Louisville. went 70
a room on the top floor, and the Big rive
remained on the parlor hoor. Al that
time the situation was chaotic, with Lou
isville holding the coveted balance of
power, and Stuckey making all kinds OF
demands for crack players in return for
his vote against the major combine. Inc
fixed demand OF Louisville was Tor Hall
man Of Philadelphia, and Catcher Gle
mentS and Right-Fielder Samuel Ihomp-
son. i'm exchange for Chick Frazer ana
McCreary. The deal for this trade was
started yesterday, out the Arbitration-
Board wrangle complicated matters.
At O'Clock the factions came together
and the report which obtained most Gre
dence was that Stuckey had been won
over TO support his old colleagues by a
liberal transfer Of players.
DIR. Stuckey said before the meeting OF
each faction at O'Clock: Il want some
thing the Louisville club wants some
thing. and fortunately the despsed Louis
willie club is in a position 10 dictate.
want concessions from both sides no mat
ter how l act. If remain with the small
or faction. the tie vote viii not be
changed. and Louisville will be in line for
representation on the national Board OF
Arbitration. For years we have been
mulcted and | firmly believe we have been
squeezed. with the intention of getting rid
Of u.s. We win demand the Strengthening
Of our team
"I am for Mr. Byrne OF Brooklyn. for
the Board Of Arbitration. lie has stood by
Louisville when we badly needed help
and never go back on n man who stands
by me- I do not care anything about the
Brush feature Of the case. Personally l
think no man connected with a minor
league. or interested IN a minor league
franchise. should be a member Of the ma
tiOnal board"
BRUSH WINS.
Brush won the fight when the climax
was reached at a late afternoon session.
DR.. Stuckey. OF Louisville became his
permanent ally. and the faction which
has formerly been unsuccessfully op-
posed 10 the "Big Five" minority-Bos-
ton. Chicago. Philadelphia, New York.
and PittsbuTg-became the Big Seven
in the American national game We
coup was recorded during the delayed
ended at 7.S0. A motion was put 10 re-
consider the adoption OF the minutes Of
the previous meeting. This was car
ried by vote Of 10 :. and the minority
realized that Mr. Brush had Outplayed
them I'm league politics. DR.. Stuckey
voted with the six on the adoption Of the
minutes. which leaves the National Board
of Arbitration practically with no au-
thority over the National League, except
as to minor league matters
The old members OF the national board
were then reelected.
The question OF the membership and
authority Of the board will be brought
before the spring meeting Of the league
By the hye-club combination, and another
lively tussle if promised. Brush. Robin
son. Byrne. and others Of the majority
were chatty and smiling over the situa-
ton. while Freedman. Soden, Hart. and
their colleagues were glum and reticent
after the meeting.
Tire following Board Of Directors was
elected: Messrs. Freedman. president;
Soden. Of Boston. Wagner, Of Washing
ton; Robinson Of Cleveland; Won der Abe,
Of ST. Louis; stuckey, OF Louisville.
In voting for the Arbitration Board,
the combination Of seven clubs held to-
gether against the five. and that ended
the struggle for the present.
II developed to-day that Vice-Presi-
dent Dehler' Of the Louisville Club and
not Dr. Stuckey. voted al yesterdays
meeting. in Stuckeys absence. with the
big Five" when the amendment 10 the
national agreement came up. This made
the tie vote and necessitated hard la
boring with Stuckey on Byrne's part to-
day. This delayed the meeting six hours.
Sunday ball, Il is said on reliable au-