The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-16
ANOTHER BALL LEAGUE
BAN JOHNSON SAYS HE BELIEVES
ONE WILL BE FORMED.
He Thinks, However, 1t Would Prove
Disastrous for the Western, and
Hopes 1t Will Fail.

According to Ban Johnson, who has been
the last of the Western Leagues existence.
He says q rival organization to the National
League is sure to be in the field next year.
He further announced that it would be but
a short time until the plans of the new
league would be made public.
The paper securing the interview claims
to have learned from other sources that
Comiskey. LOTUS, Manning and Mack have
already been approached, and are likely to
figure prominently in the new deal. Chicago
Is to have a place and a Western League
magnate is to be in control OF the club.
Chicago. st. Louis. Milwaukee and Detroit
are to compose the Western half Of the
league. while Pittsburg. Boston, New York
and another not yet disclosed will form the
Eastern half. Comiskey is slated as the st.
Louis manager, Mack is to engineer the new
Pittsburg team and the rest have not been
placed. John T. Brush, Stanley and Frank
Robson and James Hart, of the Chicago
club. have been in conference at Harris Of
fee. but told the newspaper persons that
their talk was of anything but baseball.
The dream is a beautiful one, but If it comes
true. what is to become Of Indianapolis?
In an interview at Dubuque last night
Lotus admitted there was something in
the foregoing scheme. He ar~raigned the
National League. pronouncing its policy
narrow and arbitrary.
An Associated Press dispatch received
from Chicago last night said: Ban Johnson.
president Of the Western League, made the
following announcement tonight: The
Western League as a body has no idea of
nGfartn q nrnnnCifi6nH IN nrO0niZ n rtNll
to the National League and institute a hight
against the present major organization. We
are now operating our ~ flnes soo under snod the
for US. / can say all We ask Is hat WI
be let alone and We will let others alone.
It would be suicidal for the Western
ton on the lines of the old Brotherhood
for the simple reason 1t could not possibly
hope for success. What individual members
OF the league are doing / do not know nor
can the league itself be held responsible"
The matter under discussion was the re-
port circulated yesterday regarding the al
clubs to rival the National in every way.
to go into the latter s. field and TO fight 1t
as did the Brotherhood in 1890. What has
been. told me about such an organization
has been Of a purely confidential nature,
Mr.. Johnson continued. Il have been told
many things about a new league, and | be-
formed, but believe me when / say the
Western League as a body hopes 1t will not.
league IN the field, encroaching as ii GER
tainly would on the best part of our terri
tory. We could not hope to live.
Il cannot tell what circuit the new league
Is likely to be. AS a matter of fact, the
whole thing. from what / have heard, is
simply in the crudest kind of state. / do
not believe the promoters of the scheme
have any idea what is to be expected. but
are simply beginning to agitate the matter
in order to get a clearer idea" -,
Captain Arson is certain an attempt will
be made to organize a rival big league, and
is equally confident 1t could be made TO
has been said in the last few days. to have
some connection with the Chicago team of
the new body, and will more than likely be
its head.