New-York tribune., 1901-12-18
A NEW BASEBALL LEAGUE.
HOW FREEDMAN's CLUB MAY BE
FROZEN OUT.
. NEW NETWORK CLUB BEING ORGAN
TZED TO TAKE A PLACE IN THE FffO-
POSED TWELVE CLUB LEAGUE

Details of the plan by which it is proposed
to complete the job of oustins Andrew FREED
man from baseball were learned yesterday I'm
g. man who is close to the leaders IN the ueai
.,,d who knows what he is talking about 1t
involves combination of all the pasepai pow
ers Of the country excepting Freedman ana 'he
roer who have stood by him in his fight against
A G. Spa1dng and his supporters anu u -
goes through as planned, and it seems hKelS
+bo+ - will Freedman will have his grounds,
his club and nobody to play with but BOSTON,
81 Iouis and Cincinnati. The owners OF the
three last named clubs are likely TO hustle to
get in out of the rain as soon as they real'%e
that they are on the wrong side OF the oeaI
A Neyy-York club to take the place in baseball
formerly held by Freedmans club Is actually IN
process of organization, and the promoters OF
the new club have secured options on property
that would make a desirable ground. It's exact
location cannot be announced at this time put
it will be easily accessible-as easily to all 1nr
tents and purposes, as the Polo Grounds OF Man
haitian Field Mr.. Spalding and the men behind
him are determined to leave no loOphoe for
Freedman's escape from the dilemma in which
he Will find himself, and the achievement OF
this result is the more likely because Ban John-
son, president of the American League ana r
T. Powers, president Of the Eastern League are
no more in love with Freedmanism than is MI
Spalding Neither of them would listen TO any
proposition from Freedman which should have
as its object an entrance into their league on
the other hand both of them, well as the
men they represent, favor the anti-Freednan
element. and are willing to give what help they
can toward the success of the fight against
Freedman methods.
There is it was. learned yesterday, under con-
sideration the formation Of a new twelve club
league. which shall include the American
League clubs and the clubs OF the National
League that have stood behind Spalding-
Brooklyn. Philadelphia, Chicago and Pittshurg-
The league is expected contain, beside the
four National League clubs named. the Boston
American team, the new American cluo no"
being formed in New-York, the Baltimore
American club, the Washington American club,
the Detroit and Cleveland American clubs ana
new American club in st. Louis In Chicago
and in Philadelphia II is expected that the
American and the league men Will pool thelr
interests and merge into a single club in each
case. II Brush proves repentant, Cincinnati may
be admitted. Robson, OF St. Louis: Soden. of
Boston. and Freedman. of New-York. then
form a triple league and play by themselves
If they like.
The plan provides for a board Of control that
shall include representatives from all the
lea gUes in the country. well as from the
players association, and which shall operate
under a new national agreement IN ali proha-
bility Ban Johnson would be chosen president
Of the new league. Mr. Spalding does not care
for the presidency. His main object IS TO end
the toboggan slide that baseball has been TAX
ing since Freedman became prominent in it.
and as soon the game IS on its feet again II
NAV be expected that Mr. Spalding will retire
to the background. But he is likely 10 be
pretty conspicuous hgure until IL is plain that
Freedman is put away 70 stay.
The temporary injunction obtained by Freed
! man preventing Mr.. Spalding from acting as
! president Of the national league. is returnable
| for argument before Justice Scott tomorrow
! II is hard TO see how Freedman's case will be
| bettered, even if the injunction is made per-
n1anent His difficulty IS that in all proba bihty
/ he can't get anybody to play ball with his club
| any more, except Boston. ST. Louis and Gin
| Cinnati.