Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-02
BASE BALL,PR0BLEMS
- "a u
American Leaguers SAID to Be Pre-
pairing a Big Surprise.
M'GRAW STEADFAH, f0BAN JOHNSON
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Players Association lmportant Fac
yCss 1t
tor in the Situation.
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ls+F ns
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS
SStf N9
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS

The base ball situation today promises to
clear itself up, principally by reason Of the
firmness of President Ban Johnson of the
American League. In an interview pub
lished In Chicago yesterday Mr. Johnson
said that he was as determined as ever to
go along on the lines originally laid out for
the expansion of the American League
The action of the National League mag
mates in ignoring Mr. Johnson and his col
leagues and also in 'endeavoring to foster
rival organization injurious to the Ameri-
| can League may lead to still further ex-
pansion by the latter association. When
Mr.. Johnson decided to come into eastern
| territory, Washington, Baltimore and Phil
adelphia were selected. with Buffalo to
make up this end of the American League
The latest developments indicate that Buff
falo may be dropped, and in place of that
outlying city either Boston or Brooklyn be
taken in 49,.
In Brooklyn the magnates representing
| that city in the National League have been
treated very harshly by their brother mag
mates, indicating that their presence is not
wanted by the parent body at the end Of
the ten-year agreement, which expires next
rail-. Mr.. Abel, one of the largest stock
holders Of the Brooklyn club, has come out
f1at-footed against fighting the American
League, anu SOlue HlOUtnS ago ola not heS-
| itate. in the course Of an interview to call
his brother magnates in the National
League almost all the names that belong
In the libelous class Mr.. Johnson has
never intimated that the Brooklyn club
was wanted by the American League, but
| many close followers Of the game who can
| read between the lines know that the city
Of churches would be a welcome addition
to that organi .ation.
Over in Boston Mr. Arthur Irwin has OBJ
| tanned control of the. Charles River Park,
and last week he was a delegate to the Sc
cret convention of the newly-formed Ma
tlonal Association, which was held in Chi
cago. The Indications are that this new
association will not go into the field this
spring. Mr. Richter, who has fathered the
National Association, has been fighting
along the lines, anything to beat the Ma
tional League for many years past 1t
Is the natural sequence that should he see
that his association cannot take the field he
will drift over to Mr. Johnsons side and
do all he can to make the American League
success in its expansion movement BY
giving up Boston and throwing in St. Louis,
two of the strongest members of the Ma
tional Association Mr.. Richter would be
doing good turn forhMr., Johnson and IN
cidentally a great thing for base ball Mr.
Richter and Mr.. Johnsonrat the present
writing are classed us enemies, but base
ball antagonists counpdop Kery little when
financial or business proposition is con-
sidered b sri
NcGraw Remains Steadfast
Yesterday 1t was refert4a that John Nc
Graw. the prospective owner and manager
of the Baltimore club in, the American
League. had gone to New York to see Pres
ident Freedman upons BUSINESS relating to
base ball, and that the Publications were
and ' once s mors s{ nS Of f0 hs Ns
tional League When1Mr johnson. in Chi
cago, was telesraphed this report he is
ported to have. sad sshat, should Mr.. Nc
Graw desert his cIgaIlszatiop il would make
no difference in his plans, as ne had every
| thing arranged for a club IN Baltimore and
would place team in that city under any
circumstances hMr. McGTaW returned to
Baltimore last night at a 1ate hour and
Immediately contEadicted the wild reports
concerning his intentions He said:
You know any manis liable to run over
to New York without telling the world all
of his business. Il want to state emphati-
cal1y that am, considering no, offers from
the persons mentioned by rumor making
them. I am with each passing day more
than ever with the American League. and
have the fullest faith in its success. My
desertiOn. If contemplated such thing
would make no difference with Mr.. John
son. He understands me thoroughly, how
ever, and knows as well that l am in the
American League to stay as he does that l
am not so important person to be able
to wreck a league. 1 will also say that /
am not negotiating with Mr.. Freedman or
any one else with reference to deserving
the American League"
Players a Big Factor.
While the National, League has evidently
been placing all the hurdles" possible in
the way Of the American League, it Is
more than probable that the energetic Mr.
johnson has not been idle It Is now stated
that a bomhshell of unusual proportions
may be exploded within the next two weeks,
and when this explosion comes 1t is init
mated that many prominent players Of the
National League will be found to have been
the material Nth which that explosive was
constructed. special from Baltimore
says that Johnny McGraw has in his pos
session letters the contents of which would
make the National League magnates walk
the floor at night. These letters are from
great many Of the most famous stars of
the diamond. and 1t is plain from their
trend that the writer's would hail with JOY
chance to jump the older organizatio
and thus rid themselves from what they
consider their bondage.
There is no intention on the part of the
American Leaguers to grab the players OF
the National League, but they are working
SO that II it should come to a game of
grab the American League would be in a
position to do the most business.
The recent visit to Baltimore Of Hugh
Jennings. secretary of the Base Ball Play
ers' Protective Association. was more sig
nifcant than was thought at the time.
Jennings had several lengthy talks with
McGraw and Robinson. and there Is now
pCiieCt between the players
organization officials and the expansionists
that may bring grief to the National
League.
They Want to BE Free
An idea Of the powerful sentiment among
the players antagonistfc to the National
League was gathered from the following
statement made by Jennings: @'~
I'D much rather sign for 81 200 with the
American League and srvehit a chance to
build up than to accepPs2.bo9 from the Ma
tional League and be 4aiSye in every sense
Of the word: a brgak IT, the American
will look at things tha way 1 do II the
National League insists Ignoring US we
have got to do somethngs".
further under the cShdinSns that have
made the Protective AssaSiation a neces-