Evening star., 1901-10-22
American League Signs Twenty-one
National League Men,
MANNING ON NEXT YEARS PROSPECTS
Official Batting Averages Promul-
gated by President johnson.
PORTS IN GEN ERAL

Moves in the base bau world are begin
ming to assume almost gigantic proportions,
and from this time on startling news can
be expected almost daily. The news from
Chicago that Magnate Comiskey has lifted
the ban against Heidrick, who signed a
contract with him last season and then
repudiated it. going to St. Louis, is most
important. and the chances are that Presi-
dent johnson of the American League viii
probably issue a statement lifting the boy
cott against all contract jumpers Ccmis-
key is one of the shrewdest base ball man
ayers In the country, and when nc with
drew his protest against Heidrick he doubt
less received permission to go after Pitcher
Christy Matthewson, the wonderful tw;rler
OF last seasons New York team Reports
from Chicago say that Matthewson viii
sign with the White Sox for next season,
and it is now in order for the other Aineri-
can League magnates to make rush ior
Dinneen, Willis and Sheckard.
Manager Manning had only one player
throw him down" last season, and that
was Jimmy SIagle, but the little iielder had
signed no contract, but simply Siven his
will be forgiven and taken into the sena-
iorial fold, but there is nothing definite
about the matter. Slagle certainly played
splendid ball while with the WagnerS In
THIS city ana also prlOr TO lndL, Wncn Will
Manager Manning in Kansas City Jimmy
has not been heard from recently, but it
was known last summer that he " )uld
have joined the Washington team at mo-
ment's notice had an invitation been ex-
tended to him.
When seen this morning Manager Man
ming had very little to say about the pres
ent ball situation as regards Washington.
He refused to confirm the report of the deal
with the Philadelphia players, but said
he vQ a
first-class in and outfielders. Mr.. Manning
arrived in Washington last night from his
visit to Detroit, and while he consulted
President Postal of the Senators and Presi-
dent Ban Johnson Of the American League
he had no information about the contract
Jumpers being forgiven. Mr.. Manning said:
National Leaguers Signed.
There will be no confidence broken when
say that the American League has signed
fully twenty-one National League players
for next season.
Every club in our association will be
stronger next season than 1t was last.
With the exception of Detroit and Cleve-
land, every club in our league will have
players who were with the National League
last season / cannot gle out the names
of these men, because that Is informant ton
that belongs to the individual club owners
and may be of benefit to rivals. The
Chicago club has probably signed three
Philadelphia five and st. Louis five.
Detroit has signed only one new player
that l know of so far, and he comes from
a minor league. Manager Armour of Cleve-
land will bring several new men with him
from his old club at Dayton. The new
team at st. Louis has all the men signed,
but there will probably be one or two more
signed before the season starts.
1T" is the general impression In the west
that the American League has lost four
men. but have my doubts about the mat
ter, Shortstop Conroy, who played with
Milwaukee last season, is slated for Pitts
burg, but / am sure he signed two years
contract last season with the Brewers.
Catcher Smith, who played with Connie
Mack last season, will probably return to
Pittsburg.
THE Chicago, ST. Louis, Philadelphia and
Baltimore clubs have very strong look
next season, but | willing to take my
chances against this quartet II 1 can only
pull off one or two more frst-class men.
These deals are pending ana should they
be successful l am sure the Washington
fans will throw up their hats and rejoice
when the names are made public.
President Johnson's Announcement
President Johnson has given out the in
formation that Manager Manning has Sc
cured four National League players for
next season. and it is almost foregone
conclusion that this quartet takes in the
Philadelphia players. It can be very easily
make public his deals, as with a suit on
Wolverton's hands against the Phiiadel-
phia club it will be the better policy to
keep quiet for the present.
Manager Comiskey is evidently not at all
afraid of hurting his patronage by trying
TO win the pennant again next year for
Chicago. His team this year was quite a
fair one, but should his deals go through
successfully his next seasons team Will
line up something like this: Catchers, Me-
Farland and Sullivan; pitchers, Griffith,
Callahan, Matthewson and Patterson; first
base, Isbeil; second base, Tom Daily; third
base, Hartman; shortstop, George Davis.
with an outfield made UP of Mertes, Green,
Jones, Mcfarland and Hoy. This is quite
an aggregation. to say the least, and what
the other American League magnates are
thinking about when sizing up this team
would prove interesting reading 1t is all
right to have a strong team, bat the Chi
cago team seems to have an oyerabundance
of talent and on paper should make run
away race of the championship. But star
teams have proven failures in the past
] and history may repeat itself next season.