The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26
CURRENT SPORTING TALK.
NATIONAL LEAGUE BhsBBhLL MAG
MATES WILL NEE THIS WEEK.

Iprlng meeting OF the National League OF Pro-
f~essional Baseball Clubs. which will he held at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel this week. may be IN
town by tomorrow night. This meeting bids
fair to lie one az the most important In the his
tory OF tho organization. for many questions
that directly involve the financial welfare OF
the clubs. must be definitely decided before
the playing season can BEGIN. Uppermost in
the minds OF the club owners who control the
larger cities Is the reduction Of the twelve
club circuit to one OF eight clubs. While men
like Brush. Hart, Soden and other influential
leaders say for publication that an elght-club
circuit for tho coming season Is nm impossi-
billy, the fact remains that these and other
owners have been working on the plan all
winter with the idea of having tho whole
scheme ready to he sprung at the meeting this
week. II the circuit is not reduced. therefore.
IL Is safe 10 say that obstacles. which The Sun
may explain later. have been thrown in tho
way. One reason which IL OF perhaps greater
importance than others IL that tho require
ment OF Sl5O.OOO in order to induce clubs to
withdraw NAV he regarded as too great a bur-
den. especially by those CLUBS which always
make money. As III Sun has pointed out.
the eight-club problem can be solved by drop
ping Cleveland. Louisville. Washington and
Baltimore. al dead baseball towns. With the
Baltimores transferred to Brooklyn and the
SlONcliuuS IluCtu III Y. bOUlSs lIo IlhkuuttN
have only Louisville and Washington to deal
with. irovidinR Cleveland and Baltimore are
willing to withdraw voluntarily. To get rid
Of Louisville and Washington. however. would
require the outlay of big money. as both OF
these clubs are not in such dire financial
straits as TO be compelled to accept any price
offered. But. until the Cleveland-S Louis
consolidation has been effected II will be al
most impossible for the magnates to proceed
intelligently with their plan to reorRanize
baseball rs II existed before the disastrous
Brotherhood war in 1880. As the champion
ship season will not begin until April 10 and
the 81. Louis trouble bids fair to drag along
into the middle OF next month. 1t is doubtful
whether anything final can be accomplished
In the circuit complication this week. Yet
there is plenty OF time to arrange matters up
20 as late as April /. and also time to fix up
other details outside OF the Won der Abe con-
~troversy.
There promises to be another mix-up at tho
League meeting. caused by the friction be-
tween Won der Abe and Muckenfuss. Beaten
to a standstill Ia the courts. Won der Abe is
still bent upon making trouble. for he has Just
elected himself President OF the st. Louis
Sportsman's Park and Club by voting 5000
shares Of stock when only 1000 were ever is
sued and by including the shares OF his chief
creditor. Edward Becker. who is anxious to
combine interests with Robson OF Cleveland.
Won der Abe, therefore. intends to como to the
meeting and demand recognition instead OF
Muckenfuss. who. as President and receiver
of the club. was admitted to the meeting last
December. while Chris was compelled to cool
Becker have appealed To the courts &c set aside
Won der Ahes illegal election. and it is said
case. But whether a verdict can I've handed
down in time to settle things. before the war
ring factions arrive at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
10 a question that Is Worrying some OF the
magnates. That :he League men. or. rather.
n majority of them. intend to use drastic meas
ures To land Robson and his Clevelands into
81. Louis there can he no doubt. Brush and
Hart have placed themselves on record as say
ing that when the st. Louis Club 10 sold bv the
receiver next month a purchaser not aceepta.
BILE to the League will not secure the franchise
or the right TO play baseball in St. Louis with
other National League teams. While ut first
this announcement was regarded as indicative
Of high-handed proceedings. it now appears
accomplishing this point in what seems to he
Legal form. According to these paragraphs in
the League constitution the magnates believe
they can operate their rlan to get Robson
into st. Louis successfully:
SEC. 4. Amy club. member Of this League. finding
shall have the right to ask the League for permission
10 dispose of its rights and franchises. as a mem Der
In the eventof this League giving it's consent to the
ship. providing said club shall, assume. together
, Nth t the r ri tSo I in,bi,,t franchises al II r. Of sad re;
member o this Learue. Provided. also. and il must
her. that the retiring club shall not be reiievoa or
s Esten rsd e fGom dn INTO c" 6t It to this fhGispII 'ssya ilis ss,,, ., ri, T0I IL
SAID contracts., responsibilities and Obligations have
s SssP IL .G mem P Ssr. fhp G ris%tn. trsnc IL 'ne S Siu0 accept
SIC. 5;-So club shall be admitted to membership
Sre Sd atA snd s s Sta'.sR a "RY astsmPa slF%'5 By Dc aoG Ut.
the city in which it is located. and that it j. rsgu.
Ilerly orsanized and ofiGsrsd, and, where the state
once be transmitted by the Secretary TO the Board
Of Di1oc;ors' WI, who shall immediatsly Investigate and
municated 70 the League through the S~ecretary.
bership shall be by ballot. a thrse!fourths vote being
requisite tor election.
In explaining. this Yesterday an influential
THE League holds the key to the situation
because 1t reserves the right to ACCEPT or re-
Club is admittedly, bankrupt. and there
fore cannot proceed. on this ground the
I 9dlssrs for h4 r.1mis shs r ts tr,Dt t. t ask o,n ne
franchise I" some other organization. which
must he acSe liable 10 The league. The latter
transfer the rights and franchise to Robson.
Just who the legal officers of the club now are
When. a legal election OF the Sportsman's Park
ana Club can be held in accordance with a
Of SaI .he D stoek. E Wiii:eiee sf Simseil Ya aF M NGlds most
President. i. cker will then apply othe League
Tor the rlRnt 10 transfer the franchise, which
he.hns already agreed to turn over to the Cleve-
land Club owner. In case Won der Abe instl-
tutes proceedings calculated to delay matters
until after ;he season opens. the League may
permit Robson to move into st. Louis and
play on new grounds already engaged. This
will be done on the ground that the st. Louis
Club. because OF its bankrupt condition,and ar
rears. has forfeited its franchise. Those who
have been behind this scheme from It's incep-
tion are pretty sure to avoid legal entangle-
mepts.'
When the matter has been settled 1t will de-
fine moro clearly the ownership OF n franchise.
which IN the past has mover existed on paper
IN legal form. but has been a sort OF verbal
partnership.
In figuring out tho clubs that are almost sure
TO back, Bru4h IN his reform, Legislation. 1t Is
believed that Boston. BrooElyn. Washington.
Chicago, Cleveland. Cincinnati and St. Louis
Are:solidly In line. II Soden has authority 10
cast the vote of the New York Club he may
turn y into the same channel. 1t is also likely
been a stickler for clean ball. will lie swunS
inIo line. too. The Pittshurg AID Louisville
officials are on record as Icing against
prush's measures. 1t, is doubtful whether
Freedman wall attend the meeting next week,
as he appears TO have lost interest In baseball