The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-15
EIGHT CLUB LEAGUE
President of Philadelphia Organiza-
ton Favors Reduction.

Philadelphia. Nov. 15.-President A.
J. Reach of the Philadelphia club is at
home again after a trip to the west.
In an interview he openly declared that
a majority of the National League
magnates were in favor of cutting
down the League circuit to eight clubs.
THE national game was badly hurt
during the past season by SO-caIled
syndicate features of the sport said
President Reach. An unwieldy circuit
has also tended to injure the game, but
there are now indications that the cir
cult will be cut next season, and it is
to be hoped that Barney DreyfuSS gets
the franchise in PittSburg, as this will
leave Louisville out of the reckoning.
There are several cities now embraced
in the national circuit which could cas-
lily support two baseball clubs. Chicago
is one and Philadelphia is another. It
would not do, however, to identify the
two clubs in one city with one another
in the least, and for that reason they
should be distinctly separate. In Chi
cagO it would be a mistake were a
team of the American League to play
on the grounds Of the National League
club"
It is understood that President Hart
has given his assent to the admission
of the American League club in Chi
cagO, provided the team will play it's
games on the West Side ball park, the
grounds now used by the Chicago team.
President Johnson, conducting the ne
gotiations for the American League.
has refused to accept the conditions,
it is said, and has made the declaration
that the American League club shall be
located on the South side Speaking
on this phase Of the negotiations Mr.
Reach said:
In my condition 7 think it would be
a mistake for the American League to
use the grounds of the local National
League club. My partner in Philadel-
phia, Col. Rogers, has been in favor of
letting our grounds to any new club of
recognized standing should one get
fOOthOld in Philadelphia, but I do not
believe in the ACCESSIBILITY of the
scheme. People would more or less con-
found the two clubs and it would be
bad for baseball all around"
Touching on another matter connect
ed with the game with which he has
been associated since the sport was in
its infancy, President Reach was equal
ly explicit.
There is no doubt that lover of
baseball must look back on the season
of 1889 with some regrets" said Mr..
Reach. mo one, for instance will dis
pute the fact that so-called syndicate
baseball hurt the sport a great deal
during the last season. 1t was IN
fortunate to say the least Then there
were other things to be taken into con-
sideratiOn. The unwieldy circuit was
means of detracting from the sport.
There is now some hope of getting
shorter circuit for next year, and I,
for one, hope it will come. Should Mr.
Dreyfuss of Louisville secure the Pitts
burg franchise it would have the effect
of putting Louisville on the market
and it would probably then be cut out.
LAS to Cleveland, 1 think that p cent
ball would succeed in that city, taking
everything into consideration. I do not
think the Robisons have treated the
baseball going public right in that
| town. The Ohio city may yet, though,
be saved to baseball, but it may not
be in the League next year.
For myself-and Col Rogers is of
| the same mind think that two clubs
| in Philadelphia would be a good thing
4 for the game. / do not know what the
new leagues is going to amount to- but
remember the times when in past sea-
| sons games the old Athletics and our
/ team used to divide So, 600 or 81 600 be-
tween them. It was not unusual that