Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-10
 BASE BALL FIGHT CERTAIN.
The American League Circuit Is Com plete and It Looks Solid.

plete and It Looks Solid.
 Ban Johnson says that the Ameri- can leagues circuit will begin the sea- son next April with Boston, Philadel- phia, Baltimore and Washington in the east, and Chicago, Milwaukee, De troit and Cleveland in the west. He also declares that no effort will be made to take National league players away from their present empowers until his application for protection has been formally denied. In the mean time it is said that the American league men will reach an understand ing with leading players of the major organization, so that if general re- volt becomes necessary there will be no confusion. To clinch matters, every club but Boston has deposited in Johnson's hands 51 per cent of the stock so that the American league president can control the situation himself without further consultation with the owners. By consenting to take in Boston, the American league has thrown off the mask and may be considered to be at open war with the National league. As long as Johnson refrained from listening to Boston's demands, the impression prevailed that he had a secret understanding with certain National league men by which he was to keep out of the Hub. But it now appears that since the meeting of the magnates in New York last month. at which they openly ignored Johnson's demands for recognition, the American league has been working quietly with the idea of springing its plans when all details had been ar ranged.
 Whether or not the American leaguers were successful in securing backing for their new Philadelphia club when Johnson and others were in that city q month ago matters not. Suffice 1t to say that some arrangement has been made by which the proposed packers of the National association in Ouakertown have agreed to handle the franchise there in the interest of the American league, thereby fortify ,ng Johnson where he was weak. It is safe to say that the National league will never consent to the placing of American league clubs in Philadelphia and Boston. Consequently a request by Johnson for protection will certain ly be turned down. This means that there will be base ball war in which | the National league and the American i league will be the combatants. The l ball players are expected to go to the | American league if they obey the in | structions of their leaders. but they are more likely to sign with the high est bidders, who in any event will be the magnates of the elder body. The | American league men say that in the | event of a war they will so arrange their schedule that there will be nc conflicting dates with the National league in Boston. Philadelphia and Chicago. Johnson says further thai | there is no reason why his circuit should not be allowed to proceed un molested. as two clubs can live in the three cities mentioned above and tha1 in the other towns the National league will not be affected at all. According 10 the present plan, the American l league clubs will be backed and man aged as follows:
 Boston. A. A. Irwin. c. A. Brame1 and Julian B. Hart; Philadelphia Connie Mack. 4. H. Koch and others Baltimore. McGraw. Robinson X Co Washington, James Manning and NJ | J. Scanlon; Chicago. Charles Comis | key; Detroit. James Burns and GeorgE Stallings; Milwaukee, Matt Lillillea Cleveland, c. w. Somers.
 This arrangement disposes of tht yarn that the American association i. to be revived. When Buffalo has beer
 dropped by the American league Own CT James Franklin will probably mak, an application for a franchise in thu Eastern league, while Indianapolis
 and Louisville, together with kansa, City, St Paul and Minneapolis, will b. left to the Western league. In thi
 manner the base ball tangle will b'
 unraveled, so the public will not b.
 further confused. l is believed tha
 the Players Protective association ha
 been waiting for this latest turn in tn
 base ball situation with the idea o
 making a final demand for concession
 from the National league. In shor
 if the big magnates turn down bot
 the American league and the Protec
 tive association there will probably b a combination between the two fac
 tionsss As a matter of fact, there ha
 been secret understanding betwee
 Johnson and Attorney Taylor for seN
 eral months. the latter being asked t , keep the ball players in line until th ' proper time arrived for concerted a' 7 ton.