Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-15
CHANGE IN TACTICS.
Base Ball MaEnates More Friendly
TOwan Brook yn- Baltimore Party.

rowan
There has been strange change in the
base ball situation at the National League
gathering in New York. For three days
the board of arbitration and the board of
directors have been meeting every day,
their sessions lasting from one to six hours.
When asked what had been done, the mem
bers, one and all, have refused to give any
information. AS a matter of fact, not one
word of news has been given out officially
since the meeting began. All this time
Messrs. Brush, Freedman, Robson and
Soden have made themselves very scarce
about the hotel corridors. More significant
than anything else has been the personal
treatment of the Baltimore-BrOoklyn own
ers. Mr. F. A. Abel said last night that
Brush, Robson and the others had hardly
spoken to him since the meeting began.
Whispers came from the inside of the
board meetings through confidential chan
nels that Brooklyn had been fined heavily;
that Boston had asked that $1,000 of the
fine be RENTED. but that the league re-
fused to remit any of it. 1t was even hint
ed through the same channels that both
Brooklyn and Baltimore were in danger;
plined, and 1t was generally believed that
the combine intended to ride rough shod
over Baltimore and Brooklyn in order to
force them out Of the league. Messrs.
Abel. Hanion, Ebbets and Vonderhorst are
still In total ignorance of what has been
going on and what the combine intends to
DO TO them.
Contrary to expectations, the Baltimore
Brooklyn owners showed no sign of cha
grin. fear or perturbation, and merely said,
when asked. that they intended to main
tain their rights. 10 u
Suddenly there came a surprising change.
John T. Brush came down into the corridor
last night and waylaid Messrs. Abel, Han
lon and Ebbets as they came in together.
Messrs Abel and Hanion; nodded very
coolly and walked on, but Brush got Eb-
bets and asked him to sit down and talk.
Brush was very cordial, assured Mr.. Eb-
bets that they were an friendly to Brook
lyn; that Brooklyn should be treated fairly,
and incidentally put In the argument that
all Brooklyn needed to make it pay hand
some dividends was for Newt York to have
a good team.
In the meantime Mr.. Robson, who had
avoided Mr.. Abel. followed and greeted
MIN most enusively and in 2 most friendly
manner, and Hanlon came IN for his share
of the new affability. "There has been a
great change In sentiment or in tactics -
said Mr.. Abel afterward. Mr.. Hanlon
agreed, but neither would pretend to say
what 1t meant. Nobody seems to know
with any degree of defniteness what the
change portends.
MI Brush made remark to a friend last
night that league affairs were in "a very
the outlook for an eight-club league was
never prlghter. Another man, very close
to Mr. Soden of Boston, declared that not
penny would be paid to buy out any club,
tinue.
1t Is believed that the systematic ignoring
OF the Baltimore Brooklyp men and the
threats Of fines and discipline was expected
10 pr1ng them to the point of begging for
mercy: 1t failed. Now they will be soft
soaped and argued with and promised
things. They viii be assured that with the
handsomely and they could get good money
for the Orioles. Whether this will have
any more effect on Hanlon & Co. is doubt