Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-15
Why He Proposed to Pool His Team
With the Phillies.
BOTH CLUBS STRENGTHENED
Half the Money Would Have Been
Spent for Two Stars.
WHAT THE LEAGUE HAS DONE
special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Speech Correspondence OF The Evening star.
PHILADELPHIA October ID. 1897.
After the adjournment of the league
meeting today The Star correspondent had
long talk with J. Earl Wagner with ref
erence to the proposed Washington-Phila-
delphia deal. Mr.. Wagner SAID: I'm order
to place myself right before the Washing
ton public / wish to explain through The
Star as fully and clearly as possible all the
facts and circumstances with reference to
that matter For the past eight months
the owners of the Philadelphia club have.
at oft-recurring intervals. made overtures
to me for the purchase Of three or four of
our star players, offering me a cash consid-
Grafton that was a small fortune in itself
for their services Yet we have persistent
ly refused all overtures, as we had deter
mined that under no circumstances would
we sell for purely cash consideration any
of our star players. A representative of
the Philadelphia club called at my Office
last Saturday to see me 9 asked me to
make some proposal for a deal that would
be for our mutual interest. In answer
told him that I would think the matter over
and would see him on Monday. 1 thought
the matter over seriously from every
standpoint, and came to the conclusion that
1 could afford to make a deal that would
not only strengthen the Philadelphia club
but would leave me with as strong club
as l now have, and on Monday 1 made
them proposition-which was published in
all the newspapers-tI-at we would pool all
our players. Philadelphia having thirty
four and Washington twenty-four; that
would allow them to select twenty players
for which they were to pay me $4,000 and
transfer to me all the players not selected;
or that would select twenty players and
pay them $3O,OUO. This proposition was
submitted to Messrs- Reach and Rogers
and at their request time was given them
until II o'clock Tuesday for their acceptance
or rejection. Tuesday l was notified that
the proposition was rejected and the mat
ter ended there. Now as to the effects of
the deal and the motives that prompted
me to make the proposition l will explain.
What the Result Would Have Been.
1T would have put strong club in Phila
delphia, a contamination devoutly wished
by all the league clubs, and would have
left me with as strong team as 1 now
have, as I will show you. I would have lost
Mercer, Mcclure, De Montreville and Sell
bach and possibly McJames and some of
our new men. 1 would have received Tay-
lor, pitcher no will win as many games
as Mercer. He Is one Of the star pitchers
of the league. when properly surrounded;
John Clements, q catcher that has no su-
perior and few equals in the league; Tom
my Dowd, a fast and reliable fielder; Dick
Cooley, another fast man and hard hitter;
Lave Cross, a third baseman above the
average, and, in addition, / would have
gotten some youngsters that are said to be
fast enough for any company. In addition
to these men, in case the deal had gone
through, the Cleveland club agreed to let
me have Childs and Young for $4,000.
which, under the circumstances. I could
have afforded to pay. Now figure a team
NJ NJ haf oil nd toll uvho fhor or
not, taken as a whole, the Washington
team would not have been as strong. If not
stronger, than the present team. The ex-
ira men which we would have had, ali
good ones, could have been used in trades
that would be advantageous to the club.
You can talk with the magnates and ball
players present at this meeting, and the
consensus OF opinion Is that 1t was good
trade for both clubs.
Nov we will look at the other side of the
proposed deal from Washington stand
point Suppose my proposition to select
twenty players and pay 10000 had been
would have had one Of the strongest clubs
in the league. Added to our own stars we
would have had Taylor and Clements. Dele
hanty. Lajoie Jack Boyle. Tom Dowd. Ell
berfield and some other stars of lesser mag
nitude. Was l not justified in making the
proposition?
1T is almost impossible to secure single
star player. When you approach a mag
f,dtt W HO mas n prayer you want anu pro-
pose deal he simply laughs at you, or
puts price upon him that Is prohibitive.
why don't you buy Childs and Young
for $4,000. and leave Philadelphia out OF
the deal?" asked The Star correspondent.
Because Robson won't sell them. He
only consented to do SO in case the deal
with Philadelphia went through. He agreed
to that because 1t would be helping Phila-
de!phia. Every league magnate would
make sacrifice to strengthen Philadel-
phia. They all realize that a strong team
In that city means better business for the
other eleven clubs"
Mr.. WaEner's Ambition.
''If have a single ambition In this life
1t is to get winning ball club in Wash
irgton. and with the nucleus I now have
I feel sure that will accomplish it. I
think with the new men obtained from
Toronto we will be greatly strengthened.
Managers and players from eastern clubs
with whom I have talked tell me that
McHale, McGann and Wagner are three
as good ball players as there are in the
country. McHale especially is regarded
as wonder at center field. have not for
one moment been unmindful of the best
interest of our Washington patrons. and
while some may question my motives they
do so from a mistaken standpoint II
was prompted by selfish motives I could
sell off my star players and my franchise
for more money than could make in the
business In twenty years"
Inc stars representative talked with al
mcsr all the prominent nsagnafes, ban
players and newspaper men, and the TanaL