The San Francisco call., 1896-11-13
BASEBALL MEN
ARE NOT AGREED
Attempt of the National
Board to Gain Full
Control.
Trouble and a Deadlock Caused
by the Discovery of a
Little Joker.
LOUISVILLE HURLs DEFIANCE.
Stuckey's Stars in a Position to
Demand Concessions as
Peace-Offering.

CHICAGO, I'LL, Nov. 12.-As on yes
| terday the corridors of the Auditorium
Hotel were thronged this morning with
baseball men of high and low degree, and
gossip of the diamond predominated.
The uppermost topic of the morning wGs
the tie vote by which John T. Brush, the
indianapolis and Cincinnati magnate, was
temporarily "thrown down" in the mat
| ter of approving the m inutes of the first
| meeting of the league.
| The point at issue was whether the ac-
| tion of the National Board in delegating
| itself the power of amending the National
| agreement by a unanimous vote, in in
creasing its men bership from four to five,
| including President Nick" Young, ex-
officio member, should stand. An amend
| ment found at the end of the National
| agreement reads: This agreement may
be altered or considered at any time by
the unanimous consent of the board. This
amendment shall become operative after
| February II, 1896"
| Such clause practically gives unlimited
control to the board. The minutes as read
| yesterday indicated that the league has
| approved of the action of the board in in
| serting the amendment and further rati-
| to five.
Immediately there was question as to
the correctness of the minutes. President
Brush and one or two others asserted they
remembered the approval of the amend
ment in question at the league meeting.
| Several did not know and the rest were
| positive no such action had been taken,
boldly announcing they would have op-
| posed it at the time if it had been under
| consideration. The pet plan. generally
credited to Mr.. Brush, was thus to give
| the whole power to the board rather than
to the league itself. There is also clause
\ in the league constitution which provides
amendments to the national agreement
shall be adopted only by the unanimous
vote OF the league. The two clauses were,
therefore, in direct contradiction TO each
other, but the league virtually waived its
| right in favor of the board, if the minutes
were granted to be correct.
| Both sides lobbied all the morning over
the board wrangle, and neither would ad-
| NIT defeat.
The National League at o'clock had
become split into two factions, which held
| meetings far apart in the hoiel and be-
hind closed doors. The one under the
leadership of Dr. Stuckey of Louisville
went to a room on the top floor and the
| big five remained in the regular meeting
place on the parlor floor. At that time
the situation was chaotic, with Louisville
| holding the coveted balance of power ana
Stuckey making all kinds of demands for
| crack players. The fixed demand of
Louisville was for Hallman of Phiiadel-
| phia, Catcher Clements and Right-felder
Sam Thompson, in exchange for "Chick"
Frazer and McCreary.
The deal for this trade was started yes
terday. but the arbitration board wrangle
complicated matters.
At o'clock the factions came together
and the report which obtained most
credence was that Stuckey had been won
over to support his old colleagues by a
liberal transfer of PLAYERS DR.. Stuckey
said before the meeting of each faction at
z O'Clock: 81 want something, the Louis
vile club wants something, and for once
tee desplsed Louisville club is in a posi-
| ton to dictate. There must be conces-
| sions from both sides, no matter how l
act. Ii remain with the smaller faction
the tie vote will not be changed and Louis
Vile will be in line for representation on
the National Board Of Arbitration. For
wears We have been mulcted, and / firmly
believe We have been squeezed with the
| intention of getting rid of us. We will
demand the strengthening of our team.
| am for Mr.. Byrne of Brooklyn, for the
board of. arbitration. He has stood by
Louisville when We sorely needed help
and / never go back on man who stands
2 by me. l don't care anything about the
| Brush feature of the case. Personally
think the men connected in a minor
league franchise should be members of
the National board"
The re port was circulated in the hotel
rotunda that Andrew Freedman of New
York had offered certain members of his
New York team as a peace offering to Dr.
Stuckey for the vote OF Louisville. Bill
Clark, Connaughton and Stafford were
the players mentioned.
John 7. Brush OF Cincinnati won the
factional fight in the National Baseball
League when the climax was reached at
the late afternoon session. DR.. Stuckey of
Louisville became lis permanent ally and
the faction which has formerly been un-
successfully opposed 10 the "big five"
mlnority-Boston. Chicago, Philadelphia
New York and Pittsburg-became the
"big seven" in the American National
game.
The coup was recorded during the meet
ing, which began at o. clock and ended at
7:3O. a motion was put TO reconsider the
adoption OF the minutes of the previous
hCrdHe. WIS C6IIltQ pY u VOI6 Oh 4
TO 5, and the minority realized that Mr..
Brush had outplayed them in league poll
tics. DR.. Stuckev voted with the six on
the adoption of the minutes which leaves
the National board of arbitration practi-
caily with.no authority over the National
League except in minor league matters.
The officers of the National Board were
then elected and the membership remains
at four, President Young not having the
rlght TO vote. This question of member
ship and authority OF the board will be
brought before the spring meeting of the
ieagne by the five club combination and
another lively ,ussle is promised. Brush,
Robson, Byrne and others of the major
ity were chatty and smiling over the Sit
uation, while Freedman, Soden, Hart and
their colleagues were glum and reticent
after the meeting.
The following board of directors was
elected: Messrs. Freedman, New York:
Soden. Boston; Wagner, Washington
Robson. Cleveland; Won der Ahe. ST.
Louis; Stuckey. Louisville. In voting for
the arbitration board the com bination OF
seven clubs held together against tie five.
| and that ended the struoolo TO- A. !.