Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-12-03
American League Magnates First
DAVIS Session Without a Rifle
BAN JOHNSON REF ELECTED PRESIDENT
Jolly Fat Men Easily Outplay the
Golden Eagles.
S ORTS IN GEN Err A l.

President Johnson said the meeting of tho
American League in Chicago this year
would be harmonious one, and thus far
1t has been. The magnates gathered in
that city yesterday and there was not sign
OF friction.
Mr.. johnson was elected president again
by a unanimous vote and c.. W. Somers
of Boston was made vice president Thus
will the reports about trouble between
Somers and the league be stilled.
MiIwaukee's Case.
The task of transferring the Milwaukee
franchise to St. Louis was not taken up
for a long discussion. F. c. Gross was
the only representative Of the Milwaukee
club at the meeting, and while he stated
the wishes of the Milwaukee owners, moth
ing could be done without the presence Of
Kililea.
1t is understood that the whole matter
Is left to the disposition Of President
Johnson, and he decreed long ago that the
club would be moved.
Mat Killilea will doubtless have a por-
| ton of the stock. If he desires to become
part owner of the club he may do 50.
and If. the other hand, he wants to
get out of base ball. the club will be taken
off his hands entirely, providing the price
asked is to the liking Of the American
League.
Although the meeting was adjourned, ac-
cording to the bylaws, at o'clock, the
, magnates did not stop their conferences
until long after midnight. They were
| talking over the men which each club has,
and the inroads which have been made in
the ranks of the National League.
Connie Mack claims Hartsel. He says
there is no doubt that the little fielder
will be with the Athletics next season.
I n T., y,,I; %
that he has not signed yet. and ''Topsy''
stated not long ago that, while he had
Mack's contract in his pocket, he had re-
turned the advance money which had been
management.
Demand for Bonner.
Cleveland claims Frank Bonner, the Ca
madam star, whom Manager Frank Selee
of the Orphans tried to get The Cleve-
land management says Bonner's name is
attached to a Cleveland contract. The
management also says that it knows that
Bonner has signed with Chicago too
I'VE are not afraid of losing Bonner,
though, said a Cleveland man yesterday.
while he may be signed by Chicago, we
will get him. The case Is a peculiar one
Manager Armour. for Cleveland. went af-
ter Bonner about month and a half ago.
He found him at Montreal and got his
name to contract.
Manager Armour told Bonner that lust
as soon as the contract was sent to Cleve-
land the advance money would be sent to
Bonner. The player took the contract to
his room, and, after reading 1t carefully,
signed it and mailed it to the Cleveland
Ball Company. There happens to be a
firm in Cleveland which is known as the
Cleveland Ball Bearing Company, and the
letter with the contract in 1t was deliv-
cred there.
For this reason the contract did not
reach the office of the Cleveland club until
several days after it should. In the mean
time, while Bonner was waiting for his adj
vance money, Manager Selee of Chicago
found him and asked him If he would sign
with Chicago. Bonner did not tell Selee
that he had signed for Cleveland, but
thinking that the Cleveland management
had thrown him over and seeing chance
to get even with Armour and Kilfoyle, he
attached his name to Chicago contract.
"A day or two later he received his ad-
vance money. and then he was in trouble
He knew that he would have to repudiate
one of the contracts, and he went to
Manager Armour and stated that since
he would rather play with Cleveland he
would ignore the Chicago contract If the
Cleveland club would stand by him. The
Cleveland club promised to do this. since
1t considered 1t had better claim on Bon
ner than Chicago, having secured his sig
nature first"
Season a Week Longer.
A committee of three on playing rules
was appointed to report at the schedule
meeting, being composed Of Mack. former
Umpire Frank Dwyer. now manager Of De-
troit, and Kilfoyl
To the board Of directors were elected
Philadelphia, Boston. Detroit and Cleve-
land 1t was decided the playing season
should consist of 40 games, as heretofore.
The season will open April % and end Oc-
tober 5, week later than last season.
which opened April "a and ended Septem-
Der %. There was discussion Of holiday
dates, but no action was taken, as the
meeting.