Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-11
FORESTALLING AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
New Eight-CIub League to Be Gov
cred by the National Agreement.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS


| partner to the western metropolis was of
| the utmost Importance. While in Chicago
| Mr.. Reach said that he was opposed to
syndicate ball. wanted the league circuit
reduced to eight clubs, and that he would
| not oppose the placing of a second club in
| the Quarker city. Mr. Reach's companions
| during his stay In Chicago were President
| Hart of the Chicago club, Ban Johnson,
president of the Western. American
| League, and Charley Comiskey, manager
| of the st. Paul club. Guesses have been
! made as to the real purpose of Mr.. Reach's
visit, but prominent member of the base
| ball world in this city, speaking of the
matter, doubtless comes very near hitting
| the nail on the head. The following utter
ances can be taken as almost official on
! account of the speaker being very close to
| the National League. He said:
To ForestaIl Quinn's Association.
There is only one way to view the trip
| of Mr.. Reach to Chicago, and that is that
| its object is to forestall the new American
Association. I am speaking by the book
when l say that the promoters of the new
| association can rest assured that they are
up against a strong proposition when they
do battle with the National League mag
mates. No stone will be left .unturned to
| bring about the downfall of the promoters
of the opposition, and the purpose of Mr..
Reach is to start the first fight toward
this end
1.-The Chicago papers said that Mr.. Reach
| consulted Ban Johnson with the idea of
| his taking the presidency of the National
League, but the real motive was the sur
render OF three clubs by the latter
THE National League will fight the new
association, but instead of pickering over
large salaries and players, 1t will be case
of placing an opposition in the field them
selves
President Hart has practically consent
a H.
cago, and it is the intention to take In
dianapolis. Milwaukee and Detroit from the
Western League and transfer them to the
opposition. This will be the western end of
the contemplated association engineered by
the National League.
In the east the reduction of the National
League circuit will leave out Baltimore
and Washington, allowing these two cities
to work unopposed the third club to be
the opposition in Philadelphia and the
fourth in Providence.
The eight cities mentioned will work
under the national agreement and will be
given all the encouragement possible by
the National League, and in addition are
already equipped with club organiza tons
and have plenty of money. Two exceptions
may he noted in Philadelphia and Chicago,
but these two will be the strongest of the
eight.
Ban Johnson is a stiff proposition as a
fighter. and will probably be hard to bring
around, it means the reduction of the
Western League to six cities-kansas City,
81 fdul, minneapolis, COlumDuS, Buffalo
and Cleveland--but Brush, Reach and Hart
are good persuaders.
1.-The strength of the new organization,
as contemplated. lies in the fact that it can
be pulled together inside the next two
weeks and be ready for work at the next
meeting of the National League, and l be-
lieve this program will be carried out.
Weakness of the Quinn Party.
The promoters of the American Associa-
tion Messrs. Quinn and Schaefer. mean
well. but they are opposed to shrewd bust
ness men and men who are thoroughly
versed in the base ball business. They are
working or the line that the men they have
brought into the association will stand by
them Herein lies their weakness. A
throw down is on the carpet, and the men
to do the trick the ones who controlled
the new movement for them in the east
while they were taking care of the western
end.
with one of the strongest clubs In the
east jumping their association at the last
moment a hole will be created that will
carry dismay to Messrs. Quinn and Schaefer
for the time being at least, II not perrna-
nently. The deserving club will certainly
carry its players along, and the gap will be
yawning one.
with opposition clubs in Detroit and
Milwaukee. and three clubs in Chicago.
what sort of a chance has the American
Association in the west? Three clubs in
Philadelphia won't do. and there Is only
so that the eastern outlook is also bad.
League Magnates VigiIant.
Apparently. the National League mag
mates sleeping; but let me tell you that
they are at present hustling as they have
never before. The brotherhood fight was
not a marker to the present situation as
at that time they had the players against
them Now the players hold a neutral DO
sition. and will go with the clubs Offering
>, Ia,
sition confronting them does 1t appear
probable that the hackers of the new
American Association will offer excessive
salaries and be able to live?
Summing up the whole situation from
the outlook at present, 1 would say that
the National League has at last awakened
to the fact that their organization is
threatened with disintegration and have
agreed to pool all losses or profits on the
new venture. Baltimore and Washington
will be paid nice sums to drop gracefully
into the ranks of second-raters, thereby
keeping them away from the American AS
ISOLATION. and placing the eastern end in
good shape. Their western end looks weak,
but the eight National League clubs will be
making mint of money, and will be able
to stand the losses with equanimity.
This situation will be rounded up by
the time the National League holds its
meeting in New York next month, and then
the next move will be up to Messrs Quinn,
Schaefer and their friends"
President Youns's Belief.
President Young of the National League,
when seen this morning by an Evening
Star reporter, said that he knew nothing
whatever of the new movement, as out
lined above. Mr.. Young is most emphatic
in his belief that the National League as
now constituted, will play out the ten
years agreement, and that this will be the
organization the new American Associa-
ton will have to combat next year. At
present Uncle Nick is head over heels in
statistics relating to pitchers records dur
ing the past season working both night
and day on the figures, which will be ready
to give to the public in about a week from
today.
When asked by the reporter if a majority
of the National League magnates voting
together in meeting could not compel the
Boston club to fall in line as to the buying
out of clubs not desired, Mr.. Young said
that 1t was impossible to take such action
as it required a unanimous vote of the
twelve clubs represented to change the
constitution.
A story comes from New York that
secret meeting of the National League
magnates prominent in the legislation of
that body was recently held. and that it
was decided to throw out the Brooklyn
al, loax he iv