The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-24

Abbey was on the sick list at that time
he could not take the necessary rest to
get in shape again, and as a cOnse-
quence he was never the same for the
balance of the season. Halle Souder is
very popular with the Montreal fans
and they 'hope~to have HIM play again
when the season opens.
Al. Johnson, the second baseman of
the team, has been in the city since
last season closed and is now looked on
as Montrealer. His famous dog Rob
ber the mascot of the Montreal team,
and which was known all over the East
ern league circuit, died in Toronto a few
days ago, but so far his death has not
been confirmed.
Rochester-Wor was received. from
Pat Powers, yesterday, by the local
base ball magnates, that the annual
meeting of the Eastern league has been
indefinitely postponed. The meeting
was scheduled to be held in New York
tomorrow. The dispatch from Powers
announcing the postponement said only
that it was for the "best interests of
the league" and while this was rather
vague, the base ball people were per-
fectly satisfied with the explanation
They are of the opinion that Mr.. Pow
ers generally knows where he is at
ern league.
1t is natural to infer that the meeting
has been postponed because of the fail
ure of the National league magnates
to settle the circuit question at their
meeting in New York last week. That
is the inference, at any rate, that base
ball enthusiasts hereabout will prefer
to harbor, as it implies the possibility
that the Eastern league will get a
nf riE h;
will drop in case the 12-club circuit is
cut down to eight clubs, which seems
bound to be one of the results of the
free-for-all wrangle that was pulled off
in New York last week. OF course, no
advances, however restrained, could be
made to Washington and Baltimore to
induce them to cast their lot with the
Eastern league until they had been
formally cast out of the National
league, and it is figured that the post
ponement of the Eastern league meet
ing is due to this fact.
Until some other arrangement is
made, Rochester, base ball enthusiasts
will squeeze for and look for the addi-
ton of Washington, and Baltimore to
the Eastern league circuit. While it
is never safe to count on possible
development in base ball as a certainty,
there is every reason to believe that
Cleveland, will be dropped from the
National league circuit, and there is
also every reason to believe that they
will jump into a minor league as soon
as the big circuit is reduced. The most
natural jump for them is in the direc-
ton of the Eastern league, and with
this jump reckoned among the proba-
bilities of the base ball future, spec
ulation as to the shape in which next
= 10, ha
comes a pleasant if not an especially
profitable occupation.
A model circuit could be made up if
Baltimore and Washington were to fall
into line. Newark, N. j., is more than
anxious to get an Eastern league fran
chise, and would be desirable city in
the circuit with the two towns that are
now in the big league. Providence
would fit in right as the fourth city at
that end of the circuit. At this end,
Rochester Syracuse and Toronto would
be three of the bunch Of four. Right
here the base ball man who knows the
lay of the land, would say that Buffalo
should be the fourth club, and he
wouldn't need another guess; but Buff
falo is in the American league, and to
all appearances is destined to stay
there at least another year. 1t is the
easiest thing in the world, however, to
so she may as well be added to the
three named to complete this end of the
circuit There you have chain of
eight clubs that would make about the
strongest minor league that ever hap
pened. Beginning with Toronto, you
come down through Buffalo, Roches-
ter and Syracuse, skip over to Provi-
dence, step back to Newark and then
travel down to Washington and Balti-
f- al a
league as ever was figured out-and in
rare instances, paper leagues have been
brought to pass.
Syracuse. with the aid of a
telescope some person may be
able to discover where the Sy-
racuse club is on the Wrigley mat
ter. 10 the naked eye it would appear
that the. Syracuse club cuts no figure
in the case. President Powers of the
Eastern league has been and is now
making a gallant fight for the rights
of his league, and the National league
magnates have their thinking caps on
and a special meeting will be held later
! on. when the moguls will remove the
aforesaid caps and try and deal out a
! little justice to minor league. the
Rooters' club last Saturday night pre-
! pared a resolution, a copy of which
| will probably be forwarded to Presi-
| dent Young. The resolution is pretty
much 10 the point in the question un-
| der discussion.
The Rooters' club meeting Saturday
| night was largely attended and many
interesting subjects We're discussed.
The big league people were roundly GEN.
sured for their unjust methods regard
ing minor leagues and it took time TO
convince several Of the fiery spirits
that the minors can not break away
from the parent organization in one or
two moments. The old veterans, fol-
lowers of the game from the time the
first ball was tossed by professionals
cannot recollect an instance wherein
the protection that the minor leagues
pay for ever thoroughly protected,
The writer knows of an instance and
has documents in his possession that
would make mighty interesting reading
to minor league magnates should the
same ever reach the public print In
fact, these documents If made public
would deal a blow to the National agree
ment that would knock it so high that
it would never return to the earth.
President Powers is being commend
ed on all sides for his faithful service
in the interests of the Eastern league
and minor leagues in general and base
ball cranks have been looking long for
the minor league official that would get
UP and speak his mind before the Ma
tional leaguers. From the published ac-
counts Of the pow-wow at New York
1t would seem that there is. no love
lost among the magnates.
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