The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-30


Rogers do not miscarry the greatest
base ball deal of the year will be con-
sGmmated before the spring meeting of
the National league. 1t is a deal in
volving the reduction of the league cir
cult to eight cities; the regeneration of
the Brooklyn. st. Louis and New York
clubs, and the graceful retirement from
base bali of Andrew j. Freedman, who
Is at present the official head of the last
named club
The cleverest men in the National
league are now at work on the details
OF this gigantic scheme and are conf
dent of succeeding. Here is an outline
OF their plan: First of all the New
York and Baltimore clubs are to be
malgamated. This is to be accom-
plished by giving Won der Horst, of
Baltimore a half interest in the club,
inducing Freedman to retire, and elect
ing John Il. Day the nominal president
of the reconstructed organization. Han
Ion is to be made manager and given
small block of stock. He is to pick
the Giants of $50 from the ranks Of his
own Orioles and the present Giants.
The politicians of the league are conf
dent that such a team, if placed in New
York, can and Will earn a net profit of
Sl00,0 900 to $l50,000 each year. Further
more, such team would prove the big
gest boom the nations game ever en-
Joyed. Secondly. the big deal involves
the reconstruction of the Brooklyn
team. This is to be brought about by
placing the pick of the Louisville and
Washington players with the best men
on the Brooklyn's present list. Third
~ and lastly, Baltimore, Cleveland,
Washington and Louisville are to be
dropped from the circuit in order that
the league may operate on an eight
club basis the new circuit to consist of
Chicago st. Louis. Cincinnati and
Pittsburg in the West, and New York,
Brooklyn, Boston and Philadelphia in
the East
CAN BE DONE.
At first blush this looks like a pretty
large and expensive contract, but a
careful analysis of the existing condi-
tons shows that it can be carried
through for a comparatively small
amount of money. To begin with, the
only outlay of hard cash will be spent
IN buying out Louisville and Washing
ton. The owners of both teams will
sell. AS far back as the last meeting of
the league the Wagners and the Louis
Vile people were told to place a price
on their base ball holdings. True to
their training as league magnates
these worthy gentlemen first placed
fancy prices on their teams. Wagner
said they would sell the Washington
franchise, players and good will for
$4,000 The Louisville. job lot was
placed at the same figure AS a mat
ter of course these figures were not
taken seriously by either side, for all
the wise men knew that Louisville
would jump at a $4,000 offer while
the Wagners would think twice before
declining $4,000 for the Washington
club. Since the league meeting the
II u hT~n
preparing for the worst They sold
Setback to Cincinnati for So 200, and it
was real money at that, and also
agreed to hand over Catcher Farrell to
Boston in the spring, receiving in re-
turn a 81 900 check and the thanks of
the rateful Bostonians With this
nest egg of $4,000 in cash the Washirigs
ton owners are calmly waiting for an
opportunity to consider and ultimately
accept an invitation to sell out to the
league.
The Louisville owners adopted an
other tack. They tried to raise a big
fund by popular subscription. The
charity scheme" failed, and now they
are more than ready to consider any
reasonable offer to shut up shop 1t
Will not cost the league the price of a
bad cigar to unload Cleveland ard
Baltimore. The Robinsons are only too
glad to get their igh-salaried team
away from Cleveland and into ST.
Louis. They have been too long in the
game to fight for losing territory.
One of the conditions imposed on
Won der Horst will be formal surren-
der of Baltimore's interest in the
famous ten-year agreement. Won der
Horst would make a bigger sacrifice
than that for the opportunity to get
into New York on the ground floor In
the classic language of the esteemed
magnate, Baltimore and Cleveland are
both dead ones" and in allowing them
TO get out the league is doing Won der
Horst and Robinson a favor.
FREEDMAN MAY GO.
Naturally the most difficult part of
this rather complicated transaction is
the readjustment of affairs in New
York and Brooklyn. First of all Brush
Soden, Hart, and the other reconstruct
tors found themselves confronted by
Andrew Freedman. This cratic in
div1dual has been a disturbing factor
ever since he broke into base ball and
at present is hardly on speaking terms
with the majority of his fellow mag
mates. He mas repeatedly announced
to the world that he and he alone
owned the controlling interest in the
New York club. He has also announced
that in spite of the opposition of the
Gotham press and public he intended
to remain at the head of affairs The
truth is that majority of the stock of
the New York club is owned by Rich
ard Croker, the master of Tammany.
and Andrew Freedman. The minority
stockholders are A. G. Soden, of Boston.
and John 7. Brush, of Cincinnati. Be-
tween them Soden and Brush have
1000 invested in the club. Through
the mediumship of certain politicians
Brush and Conant have at last been
, able to bring direct pressure to bear on
Croker They have convinced the mas
ter of Tammany that there is enormous
profits in winning team in Gotham.
In word, they have finally triumphed
over Freedman's strange influence over
Croker. Freedman is to retire from
the presidency and John B. Day placed
d. in nominal charge of the club. Won
der Horst is to be given a half interest
and Hanlon will have absolute control
of the team.
Brooklyn is not to be forgotten. for
the league intends to have no weak
spot in the rich metropolitan district
1t will cost Abel a neat lump of
money, but in the end he will have the
majority of the Louisville and Wash
ington stars on his pay roll. Fred
Clarke may be selected as the manager
of the reconstructed Bridegrooms.
Amateur Boxers.
NEW YORK, Jan. 29.-The Amateur Arb
letic union boxing tournament will be con