The sun., 1896-10-06
BASEBALL POLITICS.
A FI6HT ON IN THE WESTERN
LEIG UE, AND Il H0T ONE, TOO.

Hndianapolis aud minneapolis Want to Re-
.iEn and Break Up the Circuit, white
the National Board Is Asked TO Rack
Them Up-No Fad OF Wire Pulling.
Winter baseball is under way. The magnates
have begun their annual wire pulling and
scheming. and the end is not yet. The National
Board. consisting of n. +. Young, John 4.
Brush, c. II. Byrne. and A. H. Sodon, met at
tho Fifth Avenue Hotel yesterday morning,
and Oh the surface there seemed to DO most
harmonious gathering in session. The members
of this august body, which is the highest court
of appeals in baseball. were quiet aud subdued
when seen In the corridors. but inside the sacred
precincts of the famous Parlor + there was
merry time. As is usually the custom OF the
magnates, they had nothing to say for publica-
tion beyond the fact that the conference related
to little insignificant business but to one on
the inside 1t was apparent that there were other
matters OF vastly more Importance that called
for their attention beyond tho mere considera
tion OF routine business.
The bulk of the time consumed by the legis
lators in the star chamber was devoted to fight
that Is on among the clubs of the Western
League. President Ban johnson OF that body
and Owner NJ. r. killilea of the Milwaukee
Club were on hand to be heard by the Board. as
we'll MS Secretary Cote of the Indianapolis Club
and John Goodenough. President Of the Minne-
apolis Club. When the Board went into session
at 1880 o'clock, Chairman Young read COM
munication from Messrs. Cote and Goodenough,
asking that the Board authorize the rcsiEna-
tion Of Indianapolis and Minneapolis from the
Western League, and also grant to these clubs
the necessary protection for them to hold their
players.
johnson and killilea Immediately declared
that this was scheme op the part of John I.
Brush. who. they claimed. was the real owner
OF the Indianapolis Club, to break up tho West
ern League, organize q new one, and inciden-
tally turn down johnson, for whom Brush has
no partiular love. Brush. on the other hand.
declared that he was not the owner Of the In
dianapolis Club was merely small stockholder
In 1t, and had no axe to grind lie also stated
that as q member OF the Board he was prepared
to give q fair ruling on the merits OF the evil
John l. Rogers of tho Philadelphia Club was
present to act as attorney for the Western
LeaEGe ds and he promptly began to talk in his his
Board, under the stipulations OF National agree
mept had no Jurisdiction IN the matter, and that
II the case was even considered by the Board 1t
would be carried TO the courts. He said that
the Boards power was limited to disputes
and players and associations but that 1t did not
extend 20 troubles existing between clubs In one
organization, He set forth that this was mat
ter to be decided by the Western League alone
and that the indianapolis and Minneapolis
clubs were acting with malice toward the other
clubs in their League.
Byrne soon informed the Philadelphia lawyer
that the Board had plenty of jurisdiction. and
that as there was no other way OF settling the
case. the Board would shear It. Rogers then
protested against Brush hearing the evidence
and voting upon it. claiming that the Cincin-
natl maRnate was directly interested He was
overruled.
willing to accept the designations of the two clubs
and were prepared to III the vacancies. But
was apparent that the Indianapolis and Mime
apolis clubs were ghting to disrupt the West
They she showed W. TT that W Grand ID Rapids ". had been been
illegally admitted to the circuit by q rul-
ing Of the President which they srgued was
unparliamentary, and also urged the claim that |
BY an illegal vote each club had been compelled
70 pay ten per cent. OF the receipts into the
they said that they had lost $4,000 each this |
year because OF the presence of Grand Rapids
which was said to be Omaha. and that as the
d ci9cdt had & been @ nn arranged FOR I'VE years they
johnson and Killilea said that this was all |
nonsense: chat Grand Rapids had been legally |
ehs ,y aer e
been adopted and the season had been under
Brush was trying to 81 Secure rec control m Of Western
League OF his own. with Indianapolis and |
0At o o'clock last night the Board after re-
cess Of an hour went int session to make de:
the quest on pro and con and also the point es
to the Jurisdiction of the Board. Then arriving
AZ no conclusion, thcy ao1ourheu until To-Day. |
They said emphat!cally that no vote had been |
taken. although 1t was rumored in the cor |
ridors that there was deadlock in existence. |
Byrne and Brush standing together against |
Soden and Young. 1t certainly looked that |
way for later in the evening Byrne and Brush |
went away together while Soden, Young and |
4. g. spalding paid Il visit 10 a ne!ghboring |
theatre
The corridor Of the hotel was crowded with |
baseball men all day. and there were all sorts OF
rumors abroad. but nothing definite could be |
nailed down. The mysterious private confabs !
on all sides among those magnates present made |
that in due time there will be other matters to |
interest the baseball world besides League |
squabbles and petty grievances.