Evening star., 1900-12-17
MANNING IN TOWN
Washington's New Base Ball Magnate
Arrived This Morning.
ENTHUSIASTlCOVER LOCAL PROSPECTS
inspecting Possible Sites Where
the New Senators VIII Play.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS

President James H. Manning of the
| Washington base ball club arrived in this
| city this morning from Philadelphia. AS
| has already been told, Mr.. Mannins's trip
to New York to be in attendance at last
| weeks National League meeting was sim
| ply to look over the ground and see how
matters were drifting Nothing was done
| which concerned the American League.
| and after friendly chats with the different
base ball moguls. he drifted over to Phia-
| delphia for a few days and was in close
| consultation with President Johnson.
| Absolutely nothing has been doEe dur
| ing the past week." said Mr.. Manning to
| a Star reporter this morning, in the way
| Of base ball development that concerns our
| league The National League people have
| seen fit to totally ignore our organization
| and we have concluded to go along the
| lines We first determined upon.
"One thing the Washington people can
rest assured Of, and that Is I am coming
| into this city and coming to stay. Every
| base ball owner in the American League
has signed a compact to stick together
| for ten years and ann slated for this city
| that long at least and perhaps longer.
This afternoon I am going t. look
| around the city and inspect the different
sites for new grounds that have been rec
! commended to me. At first l did think
| ly terms with the National League and
that National Park in this city would be
| the home Of my club here. But from the
present outlook there is big possibility Of
a base ball war and new plant will have
to be fitted up for the American League
! club In Washington.
| American League Not Frightened.
IA base ball war will have few terrors
for the American League people. When
| we were friendly terms with the Ma
| tional League, their managers drafted all
our best players, and when war is once
| declared they cannot go any further.
| LAS to the claim made by the National
| League people that they defeated the Brother
hood movement they must remember that they
| will have practical base ball men to deal
| with this time and an organization the
| members Of which have perfect confidence
| In each other. Our circuit of eight clubs
has been completed. but the eighth city has
| not been decided upon as far as the public
| Is concerned.
| Mr.. Manning is staying at the Raleigh.
| and when he asked for his mail this MORN
| Ing. Clerk Collins had over an armful of
| letters to give him. Who they were from.
| was Of course secret, but from the hand
| writing it could easily be conjectured that
| several base ball players were looking out
| for number one.
Speaking about securing players for the
| Washington club. and especially going into
the National League for them In case of
| war, Mr. Manning said:
Will Meet League Raids.
| 'It was not my intention to make over
| lures to any man under contract with the
National League, but II the report Is true
| that Manager Selee has been dickering with
| Padden of our Chicago club then it's war
| There are several National League men
| that 1 can sign, and just as soon as 1 find
| that Selee or any of the other National
| League managers have made offers to
| American League players / Will go after
| them and sign them as soon as find out
| they have taken the initiative in the raid
| ing line
| 1--WE have some Of the fastest ball play
| ers in the business, capable of playing
great article of ball. as the followers of
the game will learn when the American
| League opens. We will surprise the base
| ball world. We are not hunting fight but
! will meet 1t If forced upon The threat
! of the National League to place clubs in
| Washington and Baltimore in opposition
| to the American League is ridiculous.
| Does the National League think the
great American public is composed of
| fools? When Baltimore and Washington
had ball teams did they not take the peo-
Pies entertainment away from them and
| do they suppose the people of Washington
| and Baltimore now going to support
| them in their efforts to kill the American
| League off and block high-cass sport? No,
sir, the residents of the two cities will not
permit it. The American League is well
| organized body. with abundance of sound
| backing. W e nave the money, the OfSanl-
| zation and the practical experience, and
will be supported in our efforts.
| President johnson Coming.
President Johnson of the American
| League will join Mr.. Manning in this city
| tomorrow night and Wednesday will go
| over the local field and probably decide
| upon a loca aton for the Washington club.
Ban Johnson has one ambition, that of
| seeing the American League the equal in
power and strength of the National League.
| This has been his one aim and desire for
| the last three years.
| When Johnson elected president of
| the old Western League in the fall of 1893
he was sporting editor of u Cincinnati pa
per that was not friendly to President
Brush and the Cincinnati ball club. He
hesitated before taking the position. Mr..
Brush then controlled the Indianapolis
club, but finally accepted.
The first year there was no friction, and
Mr.. Johnson showed himself capable Of
running the affairs of the league.
The second year. however. a small war
cloud appeared on the horizon. In 1894 the
indianapolis club of the weakest
in the league. at the close of that season
President Brush drafted several crack
players. ostensibly for the Cincinnati club
but before the season of 1895 was more
than a few weeks old these players. to-
gether with several others, We're sent to
Indianapolis.
This raised protest among the other
Western League club owners, and gave rise
to the farming system. They claimed that
Indianapolis, through its relations with the
Cincinnati club had an unfair advantage.
President johnson agreed with them and
he and President Brush locked horns The
fight lasted nearly two years, but in the
end President Johnson won, and during the
stormy fall of 1897 succeeded in having. a
rule passed which prohibited any man in
terested in a National League club owning
a club in the Western League. President
Brush was forced to transfer his stock in
the indianapolis club.
Johnson had no easy task handling the
affairs of the Western League. Almost
every season brought about changes in the
circuit. Before he had been in office two
years he saw that there was one or two
undesirable men In the organization who
sooner or later, would wreck it, and he at
once set about to get them out. In every
case he was successful, and in their places
secured excellent men, and added great
strength to the lea Each he