Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-15
Local Base Ball Syndicate Calls a
Meeting for Tomorrow Night
WAGNERS EXTEND The OPTION
Probable Investors Getting Matters
in Shape to Acquire the Club.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS

De given the opportunity tomorrow night
| OF making good their expressions and be-
ltefs Mr.. Michael Scanon has mailed
postal cards to prominent local lovers of
the national game. notifying them that
| meeting would be held Thursday night at
o'clock In parlor l Of Wizards Hotel.
| 1t is proposed to form a local syndicate at
this meeting to buy out the Wagners' in
| terest in the Washington club. and here
after run the organization in the interests
of the city, and, secondly, reimburse the
promoters of the new enterprise should it
be success.
While time limit given on the op
ton offered Mr.. Scanlon by the Messrs.
wagner, the latter are willing to extend the
privilege OF buying the club. The Wagner
brothers have tried for years to give Wash
inston winning ball team. but failure fol-
lowed failure. and now they are ready to
step down and out and let others take up
the running.
The Washington club, franchise in the
National League, lease on grounds and
reservation of all the players are offered to
Mr.. Scanlon for 10000 While the Wash
ington players not all in the star class
there are enough of them to bring fully
Sl6No If placed on the market tomorrow
Inc other $4,000 represents franchise in
the National League a valuable holding
at any time or place, and a lease Ma
tonal Park until 1903.
President YOung's Belief.
President Young of the National League
| is particularly DESTROYS that the Washing
ton club shall be bought in by local CAPT
taiists. He is on the best of terms with the
Messrs. Wagner but recognizes the fact
that they want to sell, and being thor
oughly posted on the financial end of base
ball, does not want to see the present op-
portunity slip by. Uncle Nick is in fact
SO enthusiastic over the local situation at
present that but for his connection with
the National League, would probably buy
up the franchise himself Mr. Young IS
thoroughly honest and master of all the
inside information of the National
League. His assessments of a certain per
centage of receipts from every club give
him the closest information to the money
that is being made by the different clubs
and for this reason his statements are re-
garded as strictly reliable and authentic.
Mr.. Young has been approached by promi-
nent people asking for information about
the Washington club, and to all of these
ne has been most enthusiastic in advising
purchase as paying investment. He has
told these people that the Messrs. Wag-
Ter lost money in but one season since they
owned the club, their first in Washington
ana IN but one season was the team worthy
to represent the capital of the United
States.
The Club a Money-Maker.
Take the handicap Of foreign ownership
three positions of the championship race
almost season in and season out and yet
money was made. Reverse the order of
things. Place the team In popular local
hands. strengthen the club so that 1t will
be factor in the championship race, as It
is proposed to do, and at the very least
10000 will be cleared on the season. This
Is conservative figure and larger amount
could be named without fear of contradic-
ton.
Base ball will always be played in Wash
trgton. Outside the pride among league
nagnates in having g club at the national
capital. there is the undeniable fact that it
Is a money-making city. Opposition need
never be feared, National Park is the
only available site within the District
reached in the time limits that base ball
requires. This fact should not be lost sight
Of by prospective investors.
Proposed Sunday Games.
Another enterprise connected with the
club that has not heretofore been available
financial aid is that of Sunday games
at home. 1t is believed that at least twenty
games will be scheduled for this city next
season on the first day of the week. and a
big revenue is expected from these CON
tests. The club risks nothing in the new
venture. A contract has been signed By
local railway line to the effect that the
latter will inclose the grounds, erect proper
stands place the diamond in first-class
shape and give them absolutely free of rent
to the Washington club. All the club own
ers have to guarantee is that they will play
the Senators on the grounds proposed and
have as opponents other clubs of the Ma
tiOnal League.
Mr. Michael Scanlon, the head and front
Of the present movement to purchase the
Wagners' holdings in the local club, has
been Identified with base ball in Washing
! ton almost from the time a professional
| club has been located in this city IN the
| early days of the Anne rican and Union AS
sociations and Nationa! League his name
was always coupled up with winning
! team and It only in the last season of
the American Association in this city that
| he had his first failure. and that was
| brought about through the need of neces-
sary funds.
Early Base Ball History.
The history of the different seasons of
base ball in Washington up until the
Messrs. Wagner took hold, is interesting
at this time. and is as follows:
| In 1878 the Nationals were outside the
| National League, but under Mr.. Scanlon's
| manag cement the club considered the
strongest and finished at the top of the
| outside organizations
| The National Association was organized
| in 1879 and in that year the Washington
| club finished second under the guiding hand
| of Mr. Scanlon. The Albany club managed
to finish top that year, as they strength
ened their club In the last week of play.
| securing the best men from the National
| League and even at that won out by only
| one run Old-time Washington fans re-
| call that season with considerable enthu-
| SLASH -
| The second year of the National Associa-
| ton, 1885, furnished Washington's crown
| ing glory as the club was handled so we'll
| that year by Mr.. Scanon as to finish first
| The great strength of the Washington
| club was maintained in 1881 by Mr.. Scan
| lon, and the playing ability of the team
| caused the downfall of the National Asso-
| citation, as it was too strong for the other
| clubs and they ali disbanded in turn after
meeting the local club. When the disrup-
| ton came the Washington club was far in
| the lead. u.
| Base ball. professionally speaking was
| dead in Washington in SO and 49, but in
| "a Mr.. Scanlon was the prime spirit in the
| organization of the Union Association, and
his club that year was again among the
| leaders. -,
In 1885 Mr.. Scan1on took his club into
| the Eastern League, and after an exciting
| and successful season, the Washngtons
| came out in first place That was the year
| that Billy Nash and Dicky johnson set
| the base ball world on fire through their
sensational work with the Richmond team
| The National League took Mr. Scanlon
and his club under it's wings in 1886, and
| although the club was entirely new to the