The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-11

club in. Milwaukee, which is not. very
probable, it will be financed by some
other person than Fred G. Gross ex-sec-
rotary of the old Milwaukee club in the
American league. 1t was announced in
Chicago yesterday that the Western
league would place a club in Milwaukee
and that Fred Gross would have the
franchise Ban Johnson being credited
with the announcement. Mr. Gross was
seen this morning and issued the follow
ing statement:
"If President Ban Johnson made that
statement in Chicago he did so without
any authority whatever. You may say
for me that will have nothing to do
with the Western league or any other
minor league. ] am out Of baseball for
good and will not even act as secretary
for the st. Louis club, as has been an
nounced. I may retain am interest In the
st. Louis club, but will not be connected
with the club actively. Messrs. Quin and
Havenor, who have the franchise in the
American association, need have no fear
of me entering the field, for I will not.
If I can assist in any way in getting
a good team for this city I will gladly
do so, but as far as being connected with
any club it is out of the question. can
not believe that Ban Johnson ever made
such stattment IF he did I will make
it my business to call on him and have it
understood in plain English that 1 am
out Of baseball"
1t appears that since the Western
league magnates met and elected new
president in place of Thomas j. Hickey,
resigned, the move has been to grab Mil
waukee, as they realize that the brewery
city is valuable territory. However, Quin
and Havenor have the call here now and
the fans will watch tor the team to be-
put in the association.
Ohio Towns All Right.
"And I am not nervous about Toledo
and Columbus continued the president
of the American Columbus transferred
her franchise last season, but the change
was made because the town demanded
faster ball. and it will have faster ball
when the American association season
opens. I am willing to wager new hat
that at the close Of the coming season
Columbus and Toledo will make a better
showing for the year than any other two
towns in the circuit.
Mr. Bryce is one of the prominent
business men of Columbus, and the cluD
is owned by stock company Of ll0 busl-
ness men, who have invested their money
because they want to see their town have
fast baseball You need not fear for To-
ledo. That town will make as good II
not a better showing than Columbus.
that the Western league may have with
Ban Johnson and the American league.
ssAt the close of our meeting" he said,
81 called upon Mr.. Johnson and asked
him If he would respect our contracts.
He replied that he would be delighted to
do this, and that was all that we asked
for. We are willing to go ahead and take
care of ourselves, and We will take care
of ourselves. ~
Of from
the association of minor leagues was
touched upon he simply said that he re-
GREETED that certain parties found 1t
necessary to vent some of their spite IN
this manner. He did not know how the
Association of Minor League clubs could
expeI him after he had withdrawn from
the Western, for he did resign from the
National association when he left the
Western.
''I am sorry that these men find it neo-
essary to say these things" said Mr.
Hickey. ''All the preparations for this
new association was done open-handed
and above board Before the season
closed last fall I was informed by Len
non, Tebeau and Beall that they were
through with the Western league. They
wanted their towns represented in q fast
er league, for they had discovered that
the baseball public was not satisfied with
the grade of ball presented.
ST plcced myself in communication
with TIE different club owners and the
plan Of having the American association
and Western league working together
was discussed and agreed upon. Not a
protest was made. We were to organize
the American association and reorganize
the Western league. The Western was to
again become a successful six-clup
league, and the bigger towns were to be
included in the new association.
No Double Dealing.
There was no double dealing intended
and all were satisfied. I could advance
an explanation for the sudden change Of
heart experienced by these men, but I
simply want to say that the charges of
scheming and plotting are false. The
only protest made by these men when
the plans were smashed was that the
| matter should have been discussed at a
meeting of the league and not with indi-
vidual members.
Il think it would have been better for
these men to have adopted the six-club
league. That plan would have made the
league a money-maker. Instead, they
have voted to fight and will go ahead
again, and try to push into towns too big
for the league. 1t will be another season,
like last year. If they insist upon doing
this it is their own work, but 1 really
feel sorry for these men,
President Hickey is too busy man at
the present time to come to st. Paul on
a pleasure trip. He came to talk over
the affairs of the association with George
Il. Lennon, the st. Paul magnate.
Inc presence of the associations presi-
oent In the city compels the suspicion
tnat the American is to make another