Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-11

efforts to cleanse the sport. which 10 grad
ualfy falling into disrepute.
Several amendments to the playing rules
will be offered, including one that will COM
pei the cacther to play up close to the plate
all the while. II will also be decided on
what lines the schedule Of 1899 will be com
piled; whether upon the old two-trip
schedule or the four-trip plan introduced last
season.
vanderbeck OF Detroit still poses a. the
Observation-Disclosures hero" In a major league
sensation. Following UP his alleged $4,000
offer for the Cleveland franchise, he now
claims he has offered the owners OF the
Louisville club $45, 900 for the Louisville
franchise. The stockholders Of the Falls
City club acknowledge that the oher was
made. 1t is reported that IL the Detroit
magnate will lack up" his bid to the tune
Of $50, 900 the Louisville stockholders "
sell their interest. In the event that Van
derbeck comes into possession Of the Louis
willie property, the other eleven Grub owner
may be called upon for a poll OF votes to de-
termine whether Detroit succeeds Louisville
in the big league.
Ex-Presldent Van Brunt Of the st. Joe club
is reputed to be the prime mover In an enort
to revive the old Western association, out
on decided expanded lines, made possible by
the changes in the Western league and one
possible severing OF the ties that Dino
Louisville, Cleveland and even Pittsburg to
the national organization. With Buffalo and
perhaps Toronto in the Western league, the
latter will gradually be losing Its western
flavor. Should Detroit replace Louisville in
the big organization Bourbonville would
doubtless be in the Western. Then II. at
the expiration Of the ten-year contract, the
major league returns to an eight-club cir
cult, as is quite probable, the cities dropped
out, among them Cleveland and Pittsburg,
would want to get into the second best
league, which would be the Western. Thus
in time the Western league would become
an eastern organization. and the western
clubs would be dropped out on account OF
distance. 1t looks, therefore, like good
business sense to take time by the forelock
and start a successor to the Western
league, filling up with cities like st. Joe.
Des Motnes and others Of this class until
the appointed time comes. This may be
Van Brunt's scheme and is feasible enough,
as he has plenty Of money and is well
backed. 1t is reported that he will attend
the big league meeting and ask for sup
port.
The Pirates will have pretty nearly a new
team next season. Beaumont, the young
phenom from Milwaukee is slated for left
field, while Slagle of Kansas City IL to be
In the middle. Veteran Patsy Donovan will
still hold down the right garden. Williams
of Kansas City will be at the left corner
Of the inner diamond. Ely will be at short
and padden at center. hut tits rumOred that
a new guardian Of the initial sack will be
found to succeed Clark. McCreery and Nc
Carthy are to be hawked for a new back
stop, as Shriver is to be sent along the slid
ing board, although Bowerman will be re-
tanned. The twirling force will be changed
and will look something like this: Tame
hill, Gardner, Pardee and Gear Of Kansas
City, Lever and Rosebrough Of the Inter-
state league, Sparks Of Richmond and
CLARA" Payne, the old-time southpaw, who
will try the Maui act.
The Quaker management has signed Roy
A. Thomas, a crack amateur outfelder, for
next season. Thomas started his career
with the University Of Pennsylvania Base
Ball club and has been with amateur teams
since. In 1894 he made the phenomenal
batting average Of 63.2, and has been strong
with the stick at all times. For three sue
~cessive seasons he played on the Orange
Athletic club team without dropping q fly.
He Ia "a years old.
Freedman is said to have offered Louis.
Vile Joyce, Herman and Others unnamed for
Dexter and Clark, but the Kentuckians ad-
vised Andy to apply a derrick to his offer
In the shape Of a big, fat bonus.
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