The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-06
SCRANTON CLUB
STAYS In LEAGUE
That Decision Was Reached by the
Owners Last Night.
MANY PLAYERS TO BE RELEASED
Moro Than One High-salaried Man
and Several Accused of Dissipation
Are to Get Blue Envelopes--Pitcher
Tom johnson signed--Two Pit
chers to BE Reieased--Revivcd In
terest in the Game Is Expected.
what President Powers Says.

The Scranton base ball team Is to be
continued in the Eastern league. That
much was decided at a meeting OF the
owners and z. r. Powers, president of
the league, at meeting held last night
in the office of II. p. Simpson in the
board of trade building.
1t was further determined to release
more than one of the high-salaried
players and three who have been ac-
cused of disslpating. Two pitchers also
are to be released. Tom johnson signed
and the club conducted at reduced ex-
penses until the close of the season.
The releases are to take place with
only the customary ten-day notice just
as soon as new players are secured to
take the places of those who are to get
the congo.
Another important conclusion, though
by no meanse definite, was to perfect
q new organization at the close of the
season with the present owners inter-
ested.
Since it was first rumored that the
Scranton franchise was to be sold or
thrown in the air to fall where it
would, there has been a great deal of
speculation as to the probable result.
Yesterday when the Scranton club in
Buffalo met defeat and finished its two
weeks trip without winning a. game,
the conclusion reached by the cranks
was that Saturday would see the DEATH
knell ring.
POSITION OF THE OWNERS.
The owners would not have been
blamed for choosing any course out of
the situation. They had got together
team that was on paper second to
none in the league and had given the
players every privilege and every bit
of kind treatment that had ever been
accorded a similar lot of men. This
kindness has been returned by rank
quitting, Indifferent playing generally
and dissipation.
In addition to the discouragements
mentioned was that of losing money.
With all those handicaps the owners
have concluded to stay by the ship un-
til she sinks for fair.
This afternoon, Providence will begin
three-day series here. Two new
players, Jim Fields, the Buffalo first
baseman, and Barry, Buffalo infelder,
may be seen in Scranton uniforms.
They were offered to Scranton for Mas
sey and Gunson. Massey and Boyd
were offered in exchange and it is not
unlikely that the deal was consumated
in Buffalo last night by Manager Griffin
who, instead of leaving for home with
the club at 7.30 o'clock, remained there
| until today in order to make the trade.
! Syracuse, it was reported to the Scran-
| ton owners, had made overtures for
| Beard.
Pitcher Tom johnson, who was with
|
| bought by Philadelphia, will be in uni
| form and on the coaching lines today
| The two pitchers to be released are
not known, but they will probably be
| Harper and Gillon.
MANY NEW FACES.
At all events, almost any day may
see strange faces In Miner uniforms
and Scranton will have the distinction
| of the greatest shake-up of any club
this season. With such an object in
view it would be expected that a man.
agement would try to sell to the best
| advantage possible, the players slated
| for release, but Manager Griffin has
| been given instructions to issue the blue
envelopes just as rapidly as new men
| are secured.
To Tribune reporte~ President Pow
ers expressed himself as highly salts
fed with the decision of the owners
and admitted that he would have bent
every effort to keep an Eastern league
club here had not the owners reached
this conclusion. He said he was op-
posed to any transfer of the Wilkes
Barre or Scranton franchises TO east
ern or New Jersey or any other cities
either this year or next season.
THE remedy proposed" said Mr..
Powers, 'is the only way to bring about
better work by the Scranton club. In
dividually the players win rank with
those on any other team in the league
and when the season opened / was
not by any means alone in the opinion
that Manager Griffin would land his
men somewhere near the top. But from
what is told me the success of the
team as at present constituted was i'm
possible and if I We're the owner !
should do just as has been done. The
club is not so low in the race as tC
preclude the probability of a better
relative position in the next two
week"