Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-25
National League Circuit Cut Down to
Eight Clubs Yesterday.
MAGNATES ARE WORKING SECRETLY
Washington and Baltimore Ticketed
for Eastern League Berths.
ON TIE BLOCK

League magnateS, VINO nave been holulES
secret conferences at Cleveland lately
Washington is to be dropped from the big
| league, as it was exactly ten years ago
and is to be given a place in the Eastern
League. Just as ten years ago it was per
| mitted to enter the Atlantic League. Bal
| timore is also to be dropped, and will be
given the same privilege to enter the East
ern League Base ball historians remem-
| Der that Washington's stay in the Atlantic
League was short. Although 1t had by far
the strongest team in the league, the peo-
pie stayed away, and the club finally dis
banded.
The Conference at Cleveland.
Says a special from Cleveland, Ohio:
For the past three days the members of
the committee appointed at the last meet
ing of the National League to devise ways
and means for reducing the circuit have
been in conference in this city, This COM
mttee is composed of John T. Brush of
Cincinnati, James A. Hart of Chicago Ar
thur H. Soden of Boston and John l.
Rogers of Philadelphia
SO shrouded in mystery have been the
movements of these men that it was not
known until late hour last night that
they were all positively in that city Rog-
ers and Brush went there on Sunday even
ing ana were Joined on Monday morning
by Hart and Soden. So careful were thew
ana 10 avoid newspaper reporters that they
TOOK up quarters at different hotels aad
registered under assumed names.
Brush and Robson of the Cleveland club
were seen together on Monday but posi-
lively denied that they were in Cleveland
Tor any business which might in any way
De connected with base ball. In the case OF
Rogers and Hart, who are not So well
known in Cleveland, it was easier to escape
detection and the conferences which have
S peeh taxing place for the past three days
aryna fa1H r.
these members of the committee at their
respective hotels
To make secrecy all the more certain
the members of the committee went to the
motel where the conference was to he held
siHgiE, departing in the same manner and
never being seen together on the street or
hotel lobbies
Shut out from the prying world and nm
hampered by outside influence of auy sort
the work of the committee has borne fruit.
In fact. there has been much base ball his
tory made in Cleveland during the past
few days
Last night ii was learned from an author
itative source that the reduction of the
circuit to eight clubs had been accom-
plished. subject to the approval, of the
league, which will be fort Incoming at the
meeting in New York next month. So re-
liable is the Information that although a
member of the committee might give more
explicit details the news could not be con-
Sidered more authoritative.
The four clubs which will drop out of the
league are Cleveland and Louisville in the
west and Baltimore and Washington in the
east In each case the players and fran
chiSe have been bought outright by the
league, the figures being satisfactory both
to the committee and the owners of all
four clubs. and subject only to the ratifi-
cation of the league body, which rati-
fication. it is said, will be duly given.
The purchase money for the players and
franchises of the four clubs is to be OBJ
tanned by setting apart 10 per cent of the
x~i,,,a
until the sum Is fully made up. The
amount will be considerably lesseued by
the sale of the players and franchises. all
of which will be disposed of by the league
and not by the club owners.
Sold to Minor Leagues.
The Cleveland and Louisville franchises
will be sold to the Western League, or
American League as it is at present called
and of which Ban Johnson is the president.
In the east the Baltimore and Washington
franchises will be purchased by the East
ern League. which will extend its circuit
to those cities.
Figures have already been named and
agreed upon for the sale of these fran
chises by the circuit committee as repre-
senting the National League, and by Pat
Powers and Ban Johnson, representing the
Eastern and American leagues, respect
lively
In this manner Is Mr.. John T. Brush s
scheme of three leagues. all working under
the direction of the national body, borne
out.
The players of the Cleveland. Louisville,
Baltimore and Washington clubs are to be
disposed " in the following manner: The
league will set what it considers a fair and
just price for each player. Then the New
York club will be given first pick of all the
players in the four clubs, comprising more
than sixty men. and some of them the very
cream of the league.
In this manner it should be possible for
Vprlx 70 hoy Of
est clubs in the league, which has long been
desired for business reasons. Then, again,
Brush. Soden and Hart are heavy stock
holders in the New York club, and are most
| interested in its financial success, and the
granting of first choice of players will act
in no small way to soothe the injured feel
ings of Andrew Freedman.
After New York has selected such play
| ers as may be desired, second choice will be
| given TO Chicago, as it is also desired that
| the leading city of the west should be rep
resented by an exceedingly strong club in
order that the waning interest in the ma
| tional game may be revived in the windy
| city. The other six national clubs will be
| privileged to buy such of the remaining
| players as they may desire. and the balance
1 will be thrown on the market to the East
| ern and American leagues, first choice being
| given to the new Washington and Balti.
| more clubs.
Thus the circuit committee has sought tc
| bring order out of chaos in base ball at
| fairs ard there is good reason for believ
ing that its work will meet with the ap
| prevail OF the league as a body at it's com
| ing annual meeting in New York next
month
There is no doubt that the committee ha.
also conferred with representatives of tn,
| clubs bought out - Cleveland, Louisville
| Baltimore and Washington. President Bar
| johnson of the American League Presiden
Franklin of the Buffalo Club and a score o.
| lesser lights in the base ball world are alst
| in Cleveland.
Among the National League people il
| Cleveland are President Ebbitts of Brook
| lyn, Ned Hanlon Of Baltimore and Brook
| Ign. Harry Pulliam of Louisville and Johr
| Ward of New York.
President Ban johnson of the Western
| League tried to be mysterious, as become:
base ball magnate, when caught just be
fore leaving Cleveland last night. He LEI
slip number of things. however, which
| were of interest One was that Cleveland
| was TO be given to the Western League
| and that the Robisons would dispose OF
| their interests to local company of cap
itaiists. He admitted having been in a re-
cent conference with Brush of Indianapo