The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-05
TO BLACKLIST M'GRAW.
The Big League May Force Him Out
of Baseball Entirely.

NEW YORK. Feb. 4.-Some time ago it
was stated that the National League mag
mates would probably blacklist John Me
Graw for trying to jump Baltimore's ball
grounds and players TO the New American
Association. When McGraw asked Ed
ward Hanlon If the League really intended
TO apply the blacklist and incidentally
drive him out of baseball he was inform
ed that the League would not adopt such
an obnoxious measure and that the state
ment had been made without League au-
thority. But the man who gave out the
original story. and who is high up in
League politics. has reiterated his re-
MARKS. but this time ne goes into details
to show that while the League. as whole,
will not vote to blacklist NeGraw, there
will probably be an understanding between
the League men and the Baltimore club
whereby McGraw will be virtually driven
out of baseball unless he is willing 10
submit to unsatisfactory terms.
Unless | am greatly mistaken" said
this man. the Baltimore club. or rather
the Brooklyn Baltimore syndicate. will
deal most severely with McGraw when the
Association bubble bursts. The League
will not interfere and no officia! notice
will be taken of Mctiraw's rebellion ex-
cept by his Immediate employers. When
the League circuit is reduced McGraw
will find himself assigned to the Brooklyn
team. He will not be sold TO any other
club and will receive a contract that Will
call for a nominal salary. Then he will
remain idle, as no other club can engage
him, and in that way he will be driven
out of the game almost as effectively as
the blacklist could do it,
There is one piece OF information that
IIa AS-ociotiCu nrnn,nfarc fipH Cuf in
due time Several of the so-ealled hackers
in lnsir midst are not hackers at all; but
agents of the National League. When mat
ters come to a showdown these agents,
who are posing as hackers, will throw the
Association down hard. The Providence
people went TO the recent meeting at
Philadelphia ready 10 do anything in the
interest of the National League. IN fact,
they were League agents. who got into
the meeting room ostensibly as delegates,
but for the real purpose Of finding out the
actual financial strength Of the various
Association clubs and then reporting the
facts to the League men, who were not
far away from the Continental Hotel.
DO you know why the circuit commit
tee. headed by Brush. has not yet closed
a deal with Wagner for the withdrawal Of
the Washington club. Well. I can tell
YOU the facts. Wagner has been playing
shrewd game. II the League had bought
him cut OF Washington last December he
would now be at the head of an Association
club ut Philadelphia. Wagner was fully
prepared to back an Association cldb in
Rogers town, but he could not take a
chance so long as the League held up the
circuit reduction plan. Brush and the
others suspected that Wagner would make
some such move. and consequently they
put OFF Negotiations for the sale OF the
Washington franchise until the last mo-
ment When the circuit is reduced Wag-
ner will receive certain amount NJ money
from the League and a franchise in the
new Eastern League. which will be very
strong combination.
The Eastern League, by the way, will
include Washington. Baltimore. Philadel
phia. Buffalo. Toronto, Montreal, Worees-
ter. and Providence. unless all signs fail.
Buffalo is tired of the American League
and will come back to its first love.
THE three league plan will be carried
out unless. of course. this Association
movement should pan out after aif in
which event there would be baseball war
for keeps