The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-17
THE FIELD.
THE TRACK.

has not considered any of their re-
quests. The players seem to be better
organized than ever in the past and
they have sent out statement To the
effect that none OF the members of
their association shall sign any Nation
al league contracts until further notice.
It is now up 10 the two bodies to see
which one trlumphs. If the players
stand firm. and do not yield the league
will have TO meet them half way, as
the absence of the stars from the
game viii mean very small crowds In
the STANDS. and nobody knows this bet
ter than the men VINO own the teams
Already it is said that the old league
intends TO hold anOtheI OF those se~toc
meetings and consider the matter, and
for every inch they gain the players
owe q little something 10 the American
league Tor its recognition or their
rights. The question is VIII they be
grateful when the test comes?
A. G. Spalding. eX-president of the
Chicago ball club and Cor many years
one OF the most prominent men con-
nected with the national game, may
be placed at the head or the National
league at the meeting to be held neXe
month, if half the rumOrs now flying
around are true.
Spalding has been importuned re
peatedly during the last few years to
assume the helm. He has hitherto
turned a deaf ear TO the magnates'
wishes, always telling his friends that
he was too busy OF late. it is said.
Spalding has so arranged his business
affairs that he has considerable leisure,
and is now seriously considering the
proposition of the baseball men.
A. G. SpalGing, as head of the Nation
al league, would be q commanding fig
ure, man who could handle the mag
mates of the big organization even as
Ban Johnson does those of the Amer
lean. He would exact implicit Obedi-
ence. There would be no wild and wool
ly WTangiing, no slipShod methods, and
no trucking to this. that or the other
club owner. Spalding would keep
Freedman, Brush, Rogers and SOden in
harmony. They would have 10 be har-
monioUs or he would know the reason
why. The National league has troubles
of its own right now, and A. G. Spald-
ing is the one man who could play the
role Of Moses in the wilderness, and
play it to perfection.
He was IN conference with James 4.
Hart today, and discussed baseball
with the local chief for about two
hours.
Calm has succeeded the big meeting
OF the American league. Tt may be
only the calm before the storm, how
ever The fans are anXiOuSiy waiting
to see what will be the next step by
either American or National promoters.
and the players are getting ready for
some performances OF their own.
Some of the American leagUers are
still in the city and are working hard
upon some mysterious business. Charlie
SOmers, the new vice president, and
owner of the Cleveland and Boston
teams, is still here. SOmeTs declares
that he does not look for active war
fare. Neither do I expect to see very
much of a. grab game, either, by our
people or the National Why should
there be? Our players are pretty well
satisfied to stay right where they are.
and we have almost enough to go
around. We do not need to steal any
National league men, and we do not
think they could steal our players if
they wished to-"
In Michigan some tender hearted
statesman has introduced a bill in the
legislature to afford protection to UNI
pires Of baseball games. This. of course.
is introduced in-the interest of the pre-
servatiOn of the race of umpires and
for fear the national game would be
forced out of existence because of
lack of umpires. The results would
have been much better if the states
nan had introduced a bill providing
that none but competent men can of
ffciate at baseball games. The umpire
aNDfar1 Tcr. =