Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-13
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BIG BASE BALL DEAL
McGraw Deserts National Association
for American League.
SETTLED LAST NIGHT IN BALTIMORE
Manning to Locate in This City and
Interest Local People.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS

The magnates of the American League
| were in Baltimore yesterday and last night
| and the Sun of that city has the following
| to say of the base ball situation:
The base ball baby was christened at
| the Hotel Rennert last night. John J. Nc
Graw and Wilbert Robinson became spon-
sors for a Baltimore club, to be a member
of the family known as the American
League.
The local men who now own the Baltl-
| more franchise did not agree upon terms
until after 10 pm. At that hour they
| were satisfied that the American League
had a strong circuit under it's control, and
the two prominent ball players took charge
of Baltimore's end.
Messrs. Ban johnson of Chicago, Charles
Somers of Cleveland and Charles Comiskey
of Chicago arrived at the hotel shortly
after 8 pm. from Philadelphia Johnson
and Somers Immediately repaired to their
rooms where they were joined by Robin
son and McGraw and local press represen-
tatives.
Comiskey Joined Messrs Augustus Koch
and Frank c.. Richter, and they chatted
down stairs while the deal was going on
upstairs. Messrs. Koch and Richter are in
terested in the new national base ball as
Socation. After an interview between the
Somers the reporters retired. A little later
McGraw appeared and stated that he and
Robinson owned the Baltimore franchise
in the American League. He said the local
players had not yet been decided upon, but
he would fulfill his contract and give Bal
timore a strong club
He was not favoraby inclined toward
the Union Park grounds, even If they could
be secured. He thinks Baltimore should
start with the latest and best of appoint
ments. While there may be a change OF
one city, the following is understood to be
the circuit:
Baltimore. Washington, Philadelphia and
Buffalo in the east: Cleveland, Detroit Chi
cago and Milwaukee in the west.
The American League, as has been
stated. will be Independent of the National
League. The American should have signed
the national agreement September -, but
did not do so. This agreement will expire
on November 20.
A New Agreement.
To prevent conflicts new national agree
ment between the two leagues will have to
be made, and as each will have equal rep
resentation in this matter it will be an
equitable affair. 1t was evident from the
talk that the American League promoters
had thought considerable over this matter
and will be prepared to lock after it's inter-
est In the framing of a mutual agreement.
The leagues annual meeting will be held
in Chicago November 90 Within the next
week there will be a conference between
committees Of the two leagues, but it was
not stated where 1t would be held. The
American League will; be, represented by
its circuit committee, which is composed Of
J. H. Manning of Kansas City; Ban john
son, Charles Comiskey and Charles Somers
The National League will be represented
by Messrs. A. H. Sodent John T. Brush,
James A. Hart and Col. John I. Rogers.
The American League committee will re-
port the result of the conference at its an
nual meeting. The National League. will
hr1l sol trrrv ir7
cember 10.
Among the prospective changes will be
one combining the league clubs to not over
sixteen players Ofrcourse there will be
no drafting bv either Ieag11e, There will
naturally be considerable speculation as to
the result of the conference to be held
within few days by representatives of the
two leagues. Action taken then will not be
positive. especially on the part of the COM
mittee representing the American League.
1t will only furnish food for digestion at
the annual meeting of the league, when rep
resentatives from all the clubs in the cir
cult will be present
James H. Manning. former owner of the
Savannah and Kansas City clubs. will rep
resent Washington at the annual meeting,
as he has charge of the club there. The
Washington club will probably play the
grounds formerly used by the National
League team.
Philadelphia is to have new grounds and
they have been secured. Among those
named as a manager of the Philadelphia
club was Hugh Duffy. The Philadelphia
club is said to have very strong financial
backing.
McGraw and Robinson have had tenders
of more capital than is needed to run the
Baltimore club
McGraw's Statement.
After his talk with Johnson and Somers
McGraW said:
Il have made up my mind, for l believe
that Johnson has arranged everything in a
manner that will conduce to a greater gen
eral success of the national game than it
has ever before known, and l don't mean
that an extravagant statement. 1 have
heard that some of the National Associa-
ton forces have charged me with throwing
them down, but they have no basis for such
a charge. Until the present moment have |
not declared that | would go with the |
American League, and my relations with
the National Association were simply to be |
in position to know what they might have |
to offer. l stated all along that l would ac- |
cept the best proposition that would permit |
me TO play in Baltimore That is what [ |
have done. While l shall probably get less |
salary than l would receive managing the |
St Louis League club l will have an inter- |
est in the club. and will be able to remain |
at my home. 1 will at once begin to organ |
ize the new Baltimore base ball team. l be- |
lieVe We can get enough players to make !
up good team from the very start, and !
after one years experience We will have |
teams that are as good as any ever on the |
diamond. 1t will be great chance for the |
young players to show what they |
can do. and you will see base ball stimu- |
lated as II has not been for ten years. The |
only arrangement between the American !
League and the National League will be re- |
spec1lng contracts for players and to pre- |
vent conflict in playing dates 1 would con- |
sent to no close alliance at all further than
that and l utterly refused to become a |
party to any scheme that might involve our
games to be played on National League |
such as Philadelphia. We will be |
as strong and as Independent as the Ma
honai League, and public favor will again
return to the national game