The times., 1899-05-08
AN UPHEAVAL IN
BASEBALL AFFAIRS
The Two Eight-Club Leagues
Scheme Taking Shape.
Washington May Go Into The Pro-
posed American Association.
ported TO HIVE Been Reached
With the Wagner Brothers.

New 1Orh, May a.-Nnile tne National
League teams are busy on the diamond
the magnates are still scheming to bring
about a reorganization OF the circuit TO
the end that two eight club leagues may
be formed under control of the National
agreement. From time to time THE Sun"
has published the undeniable statement
that the plan formulated means the re-
tirement of Freedman. Rogers. Kerr,
Dreyfuss, and others from the councils of
the League. The leaders in this move
ment are prepared to let Greater New
York take care of itself for the present for
they already have a powerful ally here in
the newly constructed Brooklyn club
The syndicate formed to back a new
club 10 supplant Freedman's Polo Grounds
outfit includes several influential Tamma-
ny officials and is prepared to put up
$500,Go0 in cash TO build grounds stands,
and roadways, in addition to securing the
finest players available. the grounds
have been selected and are just on the
other side Of Central Bridge, facing
Jerome Avenue. The members of the syn
dicate have received assurances that when
the upheaval comes they win get fran
chise. This is taken to mean that the
Eastern circuit will be confined to Bos-
ton, Brooklyn, New York (under new
management and ownership),S and Phila-
delphia, with Chicago, Cincinnati. Pitts
burg, and St Louis in the West. 1t has
been learned that the magnates have
reached an agreement with J. Earl Wag-
ner and his brother. who own the Wash
ington club. whereby that city Will go into
The proposed American Association. Fur
ther information is that Wagner, in re-
turn for his willingness TO withdraw
Washington, has received assurance that
he can take his pick of two other fran
chises Philadelphia and Pittsburg-under
certain conditions.
This point brings to the surface one of
the most important factors in the reor-
ganization plan. The Sunday ball ques
tion bids fair to be the pivot on which the
whole baseball world will turn in the next
year or so. The league leaders say that
Rogers must either sell out to Reach, his
partner, or suffer the consequences of a
baseball war by the placing of Wagner in
Philadelphia with a new eLague franchise.
II Rogers will consent to get into the back
ground, however, and allow the Philadel-
phias TO play Sunday baseball games in the
West there may be some sort OF compro-
mise The same thing applies to Kerr of
Pittsburg- No matter what happens Wag-
ner. will be protected and provided for.
The new league. composed of Boston,
New York Brooklyn. and Philadelphia, in
Louis. and Pittsburg in the West, will con-
troll, therefore, in such a way, that seven
clubs VIII play Sunday ball, the Boston
club being the exception. As Sunday
games are not permitted in Pittsburg, that
club and Boston can rest every Sunday
: that the Eastern clubs are in the West
while Chicago Cincinnati, and St Loui-
are meeting New York, Brooklyn, and
Philadelphia As no Sunday games can be
played in the Eastern cities unless one of
the local clubs goes over 10 Weehawken
with an opponent for Sunday champion
ship game now and then, there will be no
trouble in this section. But Piitsburg must
play Sunday games with the three other
olubs in the West in order to even up.
The proposed new American Association
will, according TO the slate drawn, within
q week. be made up of Providence hthle-
tics of Philadelphia. Baltimore, and Wash
ington in the East, with Buffalo Indiana
polls, Cleveland. and Louisville in Ike
West. As all these towns, except Provi-
dence and Buffalo, will be controlled by
League club proprietors this circuit will
be under the guidance and protection Of the
larger organization. Providence has been
picked out because of the fact that Sunday
games can be played near that city. Should
Rogers give way to Reach the new kthle-
tics Of Philadelphia will be run by the
Nagners. But if the latter receives a
League franchise for that city the associa-
tion club there will be run by a syndicate
Baltimore and Washington. have agreed to
go into the new association and so have
Cleveland and Louisville. Indianapolis in
which Brush is indirectly interested and
Buffalo, which Is owned by James Frank
lin, have been approached and are in line.
Milwaukee, Kansas City, and St Paul
are no, after franchises, and in case Cleye-
land and Louisville fail two of them Will
be admitted.
Wagner is in town with his Washington
team, and has had several conferences
lately with Hart, yonderhorst, and Will
liam Murray, who manages the Providence
team Wagner was interviewed today.
When the above story was told TO him and
he was asked what he knew about it, be
said:
Il viii neither deny nor affirm it. The
League is arranging matters for the fu-
ture, that's certain. but / cannot diyulge
any secrets"
is not this Sunday ball question the
vital point in the whole reorganization
plan2" the reporter asked
Il can't deny that Sunday baseball
games are so profitable that the majority
OF club owners want TO play them,'' was
the reply. In some Western cities more
money is taken in and divided on SUNDAYS
than during the entire week The pubic
wants Sunday ball, and the new League in
tends TO provide il generously"
There is rumor that Frederick X.
stearns, the Detroit millionaire, who fer
merly owned the League championship
team In that city, will be at the head of the
syndicate which will control the New
York club 1t is said that Stearns will be
the president.
CENTURY RUN POSTPONED.