The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-11
BASEBALL MAGNATES HERE.
ROWING TO FRIEDMAN, TBEY HAVE
MANY SCHEMES IN THEIR MINDS.

Brush Ready for Another Fight Against
Rowdyism-In Spite of Bon,bastio Talk
1t Il not Easy to Reduce tho Circuit or
to stamp Out syndicate Baseball.
The annual fall meeting OF the National
League OF Professional Baseball Clubs will be
held at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. beginning to-
morrow Nearly all OF the delegates will be in
town to-day to indulge In the usual lobbying
and wire pulling. The meeting bids fair to be
Of unusual Importance because Of game Of
out expected to be played by u number
OF club owners, who want to reduce the twelve
club circuit TO one OF eight. Not long ago
there was love feast between Freed
man Of tho New York club and John
II. Brush. president OF the Cincinnati
club Their enmity had caused a big split In
the Leagues ranks. and the war was waged
bitterly until Freedman made an attempt to
Kill the sport by refusing to place decent ball
tenn on the Polo Grounds. The game had re-
cetved u previous set back because OF the dis
graceful behavior Of the New YORK players.
who. with Frecdman's sanction and Joyco's
leadership, proceeded to bulldoZe the umpires
and disgust fair-m ndcd patrons OF the game.
, Brush headed movement two years ago to
stamp out rowdysm. lie had various kinds OF
legislation passed. but he might "a VOL have
remained silent The club owners the same
men WHO VIII ne ntTO tnlS NCtk COulu az
cent the rulings OF the umpires, even correct.
and through the agency OF their players. they
broke every rule framed to suppress disorder.
The poor patronage at the Polo Grounds year
hefors last was due to rowdyism
which has como to be generally known
,s ''Freedmanism." With unpopularity
staring It in the face. tho New York
Club. through it, president. then proceeded to
further kill the game with the idea OF making
all other owners. especially those who had OPP
posed Frcedmansm. bite the dust He said he
was ready to go on next year with tho same
policy and now veteran baseball legislators
like Sodeu. Brush. Rogers. Reach. Robson.
Kerr Drcytuss. Wagner aud Young stand
ready to answer the commands OF Freedman.
who is hailed by them as the new leader Of the
League. Standing outside the breastworks are
the owners OF the Brooklyn Baltimore syndi-
cate and the powerful Chicago Club,
Havtn. smoked the ripe Q, neaGe. freedman.
ton With n flourish Freedman opened nre
with the Information that at this meeting OF the
he TSgd nee e sEb HAY Ts syn
dicIte ball would be crushed. that Brooklyn and
Baltimore would te let out OF the League
It's Nervousness would be stamned out
In fact. ,Freedman vas particularly
npdsSS 'na that pas New ss
had always acted the part o. gentlemen. Then
soien, In hls mild manner. aaid mat every
would ike to s see the circuit reduced and tha,
At this meeting he aat his new alies Wouli
ger HanIon OF brooklyn before. the League.
charging them with fostering unfair tactics on
ihe diamond: But he disagreed With hi his New
should remain In the new circuit
From Brush, however. comes statement
upon sound judgment lie says the circuit
cannot be reduced without the consent oil every
be employed to bring such state OF affairs 10
aiocus. Brush senslbIv EXPLAINS the necessity
OF so-called syndicate ball with the state
land .syndicates Is the basis for
SOMA b Si Brush strikes the keynote.
though. by once more calling attention to the
existence o. rowdylsm and the need for its sup
preston. He IL evidently counting upon rs
sistanee from. Freedman. who in the pas, has
been the chief objection to reform legislation.
3. phae pR'a and soaen. p 10th 81 Whom have
long been aivoeates OF clean sport. so ,nr as
be found with the behavior q tho cham.
ons the sSt ns n
~ 'Mugsey" McGraw. were a disgrace to the
League. They kicked aga nst decision. con-
s stnrqally and wound w the season With nn.I,
Park that was turtheL proof that AbeIl.von der
Horst. HanLon and Ebtstts were ,cen.urable.
even though they had maintained discipline in
Baltimore was nc; the only disorderly, club.
however. The 81. Louis Club. owned by Frank
de Hass Robson. formerly OF Cleveland. and
managed by Tebeau notorious rowdy. was a
constant and nagrant vioator Of the, rules.
over Robson inst now. so that the ST. Louis
maenate may be called upon TO show his hand.
kerr OF Pitts .t another constant advocate
Pittsbures have never played anything. except
"hoodlum" ball since they entered the League.
been @ fS m9bbcd re iSa' c 1Ifs
visiting players have been subjected to all
he would stop the evil but, ike other 'erI mag nag.
mates; he has not made his promise good.
openly urged his players to Xii the Umpir" iS
Il another hard proposition. He has always
frequently sent aoft the cry OF robbery ' Al.
though time has been spent by Brush In trying
sr n,,s Ike cGnS into prFS
publication has aeprscated DISORDER. N but his his
The choking Of Umpire swar,wond in Brooklyn
by Center Fielder LANCE OF Chicago was
What are these maRnates going TO do about
z ! ms The question can be readily answered.
o ney S pIo9o6y MAXI PSuSG
figure in League baseball politics The mag,
orby foul 40 that the dollars will roll into their
.pHtrS' but 80 1ar tneY nave 1hiIeI 10 see that
their policy IL ruinous one. Rowdy ball play
ng lsnot popular. ~ tho empty benches at tho
POLO Grounds. Mt Baltimore. Mt Louisville. ut
cleveland and other towns prove, No sport in
America Ia conducted In such an unsportsman-
Ike manner as professional baseball The fault
lies with the magnates and they are held re-
sponsitle.
Tn" statements OF Freedman and soden that
they VIII do all In their power TO stamp out
So-callei syndlcate BALI are rather surpris-
ing. The New York Club was the originator OF
mat system In 1880 ard to-day its minority
nIock. about 40 per cent, ia owned by the
Boston Cincinnati. Brooklyn and Chicago
clubs, With this In view II Is reasonable to
EXPECT Freedman, The majority stocGhoIder
promptly 10 buy out the holdings OF Brush.
Soden., Abel and ]. W, Spaldng be-
lore he attempts to break up tho
brooklvn- Baltimore partnership. Freedman In
hls recent manifesto stated that he would now
loom The game no matter what II m ght cost
80 that an expenditure OF about 100000 in
SlplnR the syndicate evil out OF tho New York
cub would be hailed with delight by those who
are opnosed to foreign ownership In base bali
Looping down to n legal status OF the case.
tnn League Ia poweress to abolish syndicate
baseball unless n large amount OF money Is
Put ~ by those why say they want to abolish
me alleged evil The Brooklyn Club cannot be
imMrred against its will to sell the Baltimore
}!uD what Is more. any talk OF reducing tho
League circuit without the consent OF the
BROOKLYN md nnltImore ri 10 nopCapan