Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-15
Freedman of New York Big Factor
in the Proposed Organization.
PACIFIC OVERTURES CONTEMPLATED
Young and Energetic Players De-
sired by the New Association.
SPORTS IN GEN ERA L

several old-tine situations were shown in
a new phase. The player quoted is one OF
the bright men of the big league and stands
very close to President Hart of the Chicago
club. He requested that his name be with
heiu for purely personal reasons. The
player said:
Notwithstanding the jibes and jeers
which the league magnateS are throwing at
the reputed originators of the new league,
they are to a man badly frightened The
one man they mostly fear is the New York
magnate, Andrew Freedman. When it was
seen couple of years ago that Freedman
would not enter into the small, underhand
methods generally adopted by the league
magnates different steps were adopted to
make him disguised with base ball and in
the end drive him from the national game.
AT that time Freedman's standing in
New York politics was not known and his
tremendous backing was an unknown guam
tity. AS this is the third year of Freed
mans existence as league president, 1t
can well be seen that he is far from a quit
ter. This season different tack has been
taken and to placate the New York man is
the latest move. AS a proof of what / am
saying, just notice the absence of abuse
from the newspapers heretofore antagon-
istic. writer's who can be elassed in the
official class and come under the head
generally as official scorers.
But Freedman like all men of his class,
reason he holds the trump card, and 1 can
not why where he can be worsted in
playing his Shrewd game. When [ was last
in New York several of the players on the
team representing that city told they
expected to lose one or more of their pitch
ers to Boston, Freedman's wish being to
defeat the other clubs in the fight for the
championship. Remember. this said
over a week ago.. Meekin was the man
selected to CO. and If the necessity arose
Seymour was also to be farmed' out. The
New York players said that the report
would go out that these men had been sold
to Boston, while. in fact, they would only
be loaned and next spring be bought back
by Freedman.
IF this turns out to be true. and the
league magnates should become informed
of the true situation, great howl will
probably go up. but Freedman knows the
ground he is standing on and has caught
his brother presidents in a clever trap.
According to the league constitution. an
amendment to which was cleverly passed
at the last meeting Of the league. it is al
lowable for one club to sell player on
trial. or. in fact, loan him out. Wagner did
this trick in the Casey sale. the little third
baseman playing for several weeks with
the Brooklyn club without signing a con-
tract This should be contrary to league
rules. but it has been smiled at in that
case. and also in the matter of transferring
players from the st. Louis and Cleveland
clubs.
Reserve GrOunda in New York.
''EIt the big card that Freedman has up
his sleeve is the diamond adjoining the
Polo grounds. My New York informants
told me that they had it from the inside
that the New York magnate would be in
terested in the new organization. but rs
side issue. His plan is to have a couple of
close friends take charge of the New York
end of the new league, and to them he Will
rent the other grounds, in this way having
revenge on his old enemies and probably
10 r1ArD 1,6 haes
season. There is nothing to prevent Freed
man from renting these grounds to other
parties, and should the best men of the
New York club go over to the new organ
ization they will do so with their eyes open
and with the full understanding that their
salaries will be guaranteed.
THE present New York club has been 4
poor drawing card this season simply on
account of not being higher in the cham
pionship race, but with such favorites as
Gleason. Doyle, Davis. Van Haltren,
OBrien, Rusie, Seymour and Warner play
ing on nearby grounds the attendance
would almost drop to nothing. When this
situation presents itself the little seven
headed by Messrs. Brush, Hart and Robi
son. will more than likely raise a great
howl over Freedmans action, but the New
York magnate will demand proof and claim
he has done all he could for the league I'M
der the circumstances. Such move would
oe strictly in line with the action of the
league magnates in years past and the
gloat would come from Freedman in the
matter of beating the devil at his own
game.
From what information 1 have picked
up | believe the magnates who have been
fighting Freedman for the past three years
will stop at nothing to bring about recon-
Citation between themselves and the New
York magnate Their only hope lies in
Uncle Bill Conant of Boston. He is even
closer to Freedman than Soden. and it will
be a months work at the least on the Bos-
ton mans part to patch up things. even if
I the New York magnate should finally listen
to the arguments put forward for the good
of the older organization.
Il can imagine Freedman saying to his
trusted friends in New York when the new
league bobs to the top. You go into this
| new league and I'll back you. but keep my
naIl's. under t cover. Come over into my
strengthen the club where needed, and
| make base ball boom. I'll make great to-
do over the matter to make my case look
good. but at the same time you mustn't
mind me smiling a little. When started in
base ball l tried to be straightforward and
above board. The other gentlemen of the
league frowned on my course. and 1 think
L have adopted the only line left open to me
"a line built up by themselves.
New League in Other Cities.
I'm other cities 1 cannot but see things
with a favorable light for the new organ;za-
| ton. When Baltimore was mentioned n
general laugh came from the magnates, and
the query was put What will McGraw and
Il
Robinson do with an opposition club in the
Lacquer This query can be answered by
saying that there will be no opposition
worthy of the name. Should McGraw and
Robinson go into the new movement they
Will take the present club intact with
them With the great game they are put
ting up this season against the strong
league clubs, what sort of a show do vol,
suppose an opposition team would hayeo
1t takes a good while to form a winning
combination. and there isn't a manager in
the country that could whip a team into
shape strong enough to withstand the
| craving power of the Baltimore club uuder
Ine management of McGraw and Robinson
rms Is outside the popularity Of the two
| favor. 30 e-oa III lheir
In philadeiphia the situation is also IA
'craole for the opposition The nresent
| owners of the Philadelphia club have nevar
been popular with the Quaker city puhIic
and several things have been done this sea,
| son to still further ALLEVIATE their natrons
| am personally acquainted with several
| people mentioned in connection with a new
club. and they are ready at any time to 90
| INTO the movement. AS Lew Simmons the
| Old Athletic club owner, says: "A man can
| go into Philadelphia with a hundred dol
| lars at present and clear hundred thou
sand in one season.
| Here in Washington I am not very we'll