The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-13
BATTLE ROYAL IN BASE BALL.
THE LEAGUE SPLIT INTO TWO
HOSTILE CAMPS.

delphia and Pittsburg stand To-
gether Against the Other seven
Clubs in the League-LOuisvilIc
Holds the Balance of Power ana
DIR. Stuckey Demands Important
Concessions Before AlIigning Him
self with Either side-An Agree
ment Finally Reached.
Chicago, Nov. 12.-In base ball circles to-
day the uppermost topic is the tie vote by
which John T. Brush, the Indianapohs-Cin-
cinnati magnate, was temporarily thrown
down" in the matter of approving the min
utes of the meeting of the league The
point at issue was whether the action of
the national body, delegating itself the
power of amending the national agreemnt
| by unanimous vote in increasing its
membership from to 5, including Presi-
dent Mick" Young, ex-officio member,
should stand
An amendment found at the end of the
national agreement reads: This agree
ment may be altered or reconsidered at
any time by the unanimous consent of the
body. This amendment shall become OPP
erative after Feb. "a, 1896"
! Such a clause practically gives unlimited
control to the board The minutes, as
read yesterday, indicated that the league
has approved the action of the board in
inserting the amendment and further rati-
fed the increase of membership from A
to 5.
Immediately there was a question as to
| the correctness of the minutes. President
| Brush and one or two others asserted
| they remembered the approval of the
amendment 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 opposed it at the time if it had been
| under consideration. The pet plan gen
| orally 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 that amendments to the national
| agreement shall be adopted only by an
/ unanimous vote of the league. The two
| clauses were, therefore, in direct contra
| dction to each other but the league vir-
| tually waived it's right in favor of the
| board, if the minutes were granted to be
| correct.
| ClnclQndLl, CueVeldnQs 6I. LOUIS,
| more, Washington and Brooklyn will join
| with Louisville in Mr. Brushs favor, the
| opposition consisting of Chicago, New
| York, Boston, Philadelphia and Pittsburg.
Both 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 fall
ure of the Brush combine The negotia-
tions delayed to-day's session until after
II o'clock.
| BY O'Clock the league had become split
| into two factions, over the arbitration
board matter, and they held meetings far
| apart in the hotel and behind locked
doors. The one under the leadership Of
DR.. Stuckey of Louisville, went to room
on the top floor, and the big five re-
manned in the regular meeting place on
the parlor floor. At that time the situa-
| ton was chaotic, with Louisville holding
the coveted balance of power and DR..
| Stuckey making all kinds of demands for
| crack players in return for his vote
| against the major combine. The fixed de-
| mand of Louisville was for Mailman of
| PHILADELPHIA. Catcher Clements and
| Rightfielder Sam Thompson in exchange
| for "Chick" Frazer and McCreary. The
| deal for this trade was started yeSter-
| day. but the arbitration board wrangle
| complicated matters.
| AT 4 o'clock the factions came together
|
| ence was that DR.. Stuckey had been won
/ over to support his old colleagues by
| liberal transfer of players. DR.. Stuckey
| said before the meeting of each faction
/ at o'clock: 81 want something, the
| Louisville Club wants something, and for
| tunately the despised Louisville club is in
| a position to dictate. I want concessions
| from both sides, no matter how 1 act. II
/ 1 remain with the smaller faction the tie
vote will not be changed, and Louisville
| will be liz line for representation on the
| national board of arbitration. For years
! we have been mulched, and L firmly be-
| lieve we have been squeezed with the i'll
| tention of getting rid of us. We will de-
| manh the strengthening of our teams.
am for Mr.. Byrne of Brooklyn, for the
| board of arbitration. He has stood by
Louisville when we so badly needed help,
| and never go back on a man who stands
| by me. 1 don't care anything about the
| Brush feature of the case. Personally,
| / think no man connected with a minor
| league or interested in a minor league
| franchise, should be a member of the ma
| tional board"
| Mr.. Brush won the fight when the eli
| max was reached at the late afternoon
| session. DIR. Stuckey of Louisville became
his permanent ally and the faction which
had formerly been unsuccessfully opposed
| to the big Five" minority-Boston, Chi
cago, Philadelphia. New York and Pitts
| burg-became the big Seven" in the
| American national game. The coup was
| recorded during the delayed meeting,
| which began at 4 o'clock and ended at
| 73O. A motion was put to record the
adoption of the minutes of the previous
meeting. This was carried by a vote of
to 8, and the minority realized that Mr..
Brush had outplayed them in league poll
| tics. DIR. Stuckey voted with the six on
the adoption OF the minutes, which leaves
the national board of arbitration practi-
cally with no authority over the national
league, except as to minor league mat
ters. The old members of the national
board were then elected and the member
ship remains at four, President Young not
having the right to vote. This question
of the membership and authority of the
board win be brought before the spring
| meeting Of the league by the fve-cluh
| combination and another lively tussle is
promised.
Messrs. Brush, Robinson. Byrne and
others of the majority were chatty, and
smiling over the situation, while Messrs.
Freedman, Soden, Hart and their coll
leagues were glum and reticent after the
meeting.
The following board of directors was