The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-31
OMAHA BASEBALL MAGNATE TRY
ING TO Do AN AMBIDEx-
TROUS TURN
SAYS HE HAS TWO FRANCHISE
Word Sent TO the American Man-
ayers That They Must Keep
Hands Off Omaha Is
Disregarded.
LENNON NAMES HIS PLAYERS
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Dee. 30.-William
Rourke, of Omaha, the baseball magnate
who has attracted more than usual at
tention by his great circus act-the at
tempt to hold baseball franchise in
each hand-must now wind his way to
the courthouse. William thinks he owns
the American association franchise for
Omaha. The American thinks he is on
the outside, seated well toward the rear.
William, today, while the American as
sociation was in session here, sent around
word of trouble. Mr.. Rourke said plain
ly without mixing his lines, that any at
tempt to toy with his property the
American Omaha franchise, would SIM
ply mean a way to the courthouse.
The American magnates heard Mr..
Hickey read the warning and immediate
ly awarded the franchise to another man.
The other man will have the franchise.
Rourke thinks he has it, and if he makes
his boast good, our little league will have
an injunction turn all of it's own.
Right at this time the Western league
looks like the head of a scared turtle
all in. The American association start
ed off it's meeting today sparring for
wind. 1t looked like just a plain bluff,
just an attempt to make Whitfield feel
bad by seeing meeting of what he styles
proposed league" under his very nose.
Then a short, thick-set man with a
brand new raglan arrived and said he
was from Omaha. He also asked for
Hickey. The obliging hotel employees
found the American president and the
man from Omaha at once announced that
he had come from the pat Grove" town
to get that Omaha franchise. Mr.. Hickey
had been expecting the man from Omaha,
and Frank Bandle once ball player,
now an Omaha resident with rather
obese bundle of money, was introduced
to the American magnates. He declared
he was ready to pay for chance to par
ticipate and was welcomed into the foid.
Mr. Bandle will secure his franchise just
the instant the chimes, if there are any
in this town. announce the hour Of mid
night This delay is compelled by the
fact that the American people insist that
perhaps Rourke has a right to claim the
ownership to a franchise until midnight.
Rourke was notified to come along to
the meeting with the paltry sum of $500
in his pocket to pay his guarantee. 1t
is now eleven o'clock, Mr.. Rourke and
the $500 are still missing and the meet
ing is waiting for midnight. II Rourke
arrives before that time, and he prob
ably will not, he is it. If he delays,
Bandle gets the franchise and Rourke
can go to the court house.
Lennon announced at the meeting that
ST. Paul would have downtown park
for ball this season. Sunday games and
holiday games will be played at Lexlng-
ton. He also notified the magnates that
he has claimed all and signed part of the
following list:
Pitchers, Cogan. Chech,, Cook. Evans
Glade; catchers, Hurley, Phelps, wilson;
infield, Kelly, Brain, Schaefer, SHAY,
Huooins and these others: Holly Dill
lard. Gokey Mills, Folsom, Lumley
Bean, Congalton, Mills, Winters, Buggs,
Warner, Reardon, Jessup
The association will complete its busi-
ness tonight. With Omaha settled, the
chances of the Western look very bad.
Tebeau appears to be in it in this town
and Manning, though he insists he will
fight it out, is still looking for ball
park. Whitfield simply says the West
ern league will have it's inning when the
meeting is held here Jan. A.
Meeting Well Attended.
REPRESENTATIVES of the eight cities which
are to comprise the circuit of the new
baseball league, as outlined by its promo
ters, met in executive session at the Bal
timore hotel and took the recesSary ac-
ticn to complete the organization of the
association Three secret sessions were
held behind closed doors, with President
7. ]. Hickey in the chair. The mag
mates in attendance and the cities they
represent are as follows:
H D. Quin and w. Klingman, Milwau-
kee; W. H Watkins and Rauschaupt, In
Gianapolis; Charles ]. Strobel, Toledo; L.
J. Brice and Murchison, Columbus;
George E. Lennon st. Paul; Walter Will
mot. Minneapolis, and George Tebeau
and Dale Gear, Kansas City. Omaha was
represented by proxy by II. D. Quin, of
Milwaukee.
The most important business transact
ed consisted of the adoption of a consti-
tuition, the awarding of the various fran
chises officially to the respective mag
mates of the association, and especially
the disposition of the Omaha franchise.
The constitution does not differ ma
terially from the constitution of the old
Western league, only minor changes being
necessary to suit the purposes of the
new association. 1t was decided that uni
form tickets should be used in all of the
towns.
Hickey Has the Lease.
The leases held by the magnates were
turned over to President Hickey and the
session adjourned.
Mr. Hickey stated that he had three
year leases on parks in seven citieS-all of
Continued on Seventh Page.