Waterbury Democrat., 1901-12-27
BASEBALL BREEZES.

New York. Dec 27.-The news from Oipcinnati that Colonel J. D. Ellison and others have organized q ball club fo represent that city in q league to be controlled by \. G. Spalding. and the fact that Spalding has been confer ring i'll Washington with Edward B. Talcott, the former owner of the New 1ofk club. caused another stir in base ball circles yesterday. Following Spalding's pointed statement sent out from Washington to the effect that he will consider himself, president of the National league until the courts decide otherwise, the above information serves to strengthen the belief that a gigantic reorganization plan to control professional baseball is under full headway. To bear this out one can easily recall the statement made by Spalding during the recent meeting of the league here that he had been in fa- yor of a scheme to place all the clubs in the hands of local capitalists and thereby do away with what is known as syndicate ball. Just what Spald- ing has had up his sleeve since he read Freedman out of the National league baseball political party has been mat ter of conjecture, but this, unexpected move in Cincinnati appears significant, for with Ellison 6 Go in harness there 2 severe blow will be, aimed at the alien ownership of John T. Brush Whatever Spalding is up to now, it may be said that he is acting solely as an individual and not as president of the National league. He has the un- divided support of the Brooklyn, Phil adelphia, Pittsburg and Chicago clubs.
 Ac,1 of ic, 11o | on the afternoon of December r, two days before the Freedman-Spalding in- junction suit came up before Justice Scott, there was an important confer ence in Jersey City. which was attend ed by John I. Rogers of Philadelphia, c. H. Ebbets of Brooklyn, Barney Dreyfuss of Pitsburg, and :. Lawyers Riddle and Northrup. It was agreed then to allow the injunction to stand temporarily until the legality of Spalding's election had been definitely decided by the courts. When Spald- ing's attorney, therefore, consented to a continuance, it was with the under standing that he would be supported, no matter how long a delay there might be. It was learned yesterday that the Freedman faction, consisting of New York, Boston, St Louiss and Cincinnati, are anxious to reconvene the league meeting, but as the opposi- tion show no indications of complying with the request, it is impossible for the league to get together as q body. In other words the Spa1ding contingent declare that the others must give in or go to the wall in the inevitable wreck.
 It is not a breach of confidence to say that there is any amount of local capital in Boston ready to place a new club under the Spalding regime and also that in this city there are men, whose names will be published at the proper time, who have agreed to take hold when Spalding says the word. Not many days ago Spalding made the statement to a friend that he could raise $5,000,000 to put ball clubs into any cities where certain people did not feel willing to accept the situation as it has been put up to them by the pub lie. To set at rest idle rumorS, Ban Johnson. president of the American league, is unalterably opposed to any scheme that will include Freedman, Brush and Robison in organized base ball. Johnson states that he, person ally, is opposed to a twelve club league circuit. but believes that two big leagues, operating in conjunction with the minor leagues, with Spalding's in- fiuence and support behind the whole combination, will place baseball on a plane sure to win back the support of the American public That Spalding and Johnson understand each other thoroughly, there is not the slightest reason for doubt.