Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-07
BASE BALL PUZZLE
Everything Chaotic, but Magnates
May Soon Solve Problem.
M'GRAW SPEAKS CONFIDENTLY
johnson and Somers of the Amer
lean League Confer in Cleveland.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS

The present base ball situation is almost
| as much a puzzle as that which is being
studied by the different ministers in Pekin.
| 1t is all a matter of cit is reported or lit
| is said,' and there will be nothing definite
known until the representatives of the con-
| tending forces hold their meetings and
| adopt decided lines of action.
| The National League has adopted policy
| of silence; the American League is
! strengthening its forces and the New Ma
| tional Association is perfecting details.
eltner an enemy friend of the older
body.
From the scare stories that are being
| sent out it would appear as though the enc
mics Of President Johnson and the Ameri-
can League trying to brighten him
out of the east. One Of these. sent out from
Louisville Saturday night was to the eff
| feet that the Wagners would be To-
Gated in this city; Won der Horst
Robinson in Baltimore, and Arthur
Irwin has the backing of Havemeyer
| in Boston. Every one of these assertions
| looks ridiculous on it's face. The Messrs.
| Wagner good fellows, but their connec-
| ton with a club IN this city would kill all
interest in the national game. Over in Bal
| timore McGraw and Robinson have all the
| money they want with which to start a club
| and are not on the best of terms with Mr..
Won der Horst, while in Boston, Mr.. irwin
is backed by the Charles River Park peo-
| pie and, in addition, has a friend in Phiia-
| delphia with all sorts of good money.
The Louisville writer has evidently been
| told a few unimportant secrets about the
! New National Association, and guessed at
| the rest
What McGraw Says.
John McGraW was shown the Louisville
story in Baltimore yesterday, and said:
You may look for such fake stories as
| these from on, possibly to the begin
ming of the base ball season. They are in
spired with a purpose, and connecting my
name with the new organization is done to
accomplish an end 1t will not do so. 1t is
too late to affect any one connected with
the American League. l say now as
have said before. L am with Ban Johnson
and his league, and will sink or swim with
them. We will swim all right, and 1 stake
my reputation a man and ball player on
the assertion.
While these fake stories may create
doubts in the minds of some who do not
understand base ball business. they do
not cause me any anxiety, all will be
Strengthened out when the ball season be-
gins.
For the interest of the game. 1 hope
there will be peace between the National
and American leagues. If it comes to war
l am enrolled under Gen. Ban b. Johnson
and don't think there is better general
| in the business. The National 'magnates'
| did not find fighting among themselves a
profitable business and L think they should
nave learned lesson that would prevent
their gong out of the way to look for trou-
| bic For the welfare of the national game
and for all interests concerned | hope there
| will be peace"
Louisville Story Denied.
| In long special from Milwaukee Presi-
| dent Matt killilea of the American League
| club In that city also makes strong de-
! NAL Of the Louisville story. He says that
| McGraw and Burns of Detroit have signed
a legal document pledging themselves to
| the American League for ten years. and it
| is almost an impossiblity for them tn 90
| back on their signatures. Mr.. Killilea
would not admit that Boston is to be taken
| into his organization, but said that in case
| of trouble that city may come under Presi-
| dent JohnsOns wings. AS to the desartion
| of Mr.. Watkins with the Indiana polls cub
| it is natural sequence. as the hoosler
! city has been dropped from the American
| League and new berth has to be
| lected. Mr. kililea only laughed when a
! consolidation of the American with the
| New National Association was mentioned.
| While President Ban Johnson has been
| going over the western end of his organ
ization completing details and bolstering
| up his followers Charles Somers of Cleve-
| land has been doing the same in the east.
Mr.. Somers was in Boston, Philadelphia
| and Baltimore last week, and it was eX-
! pected he would come to Washington but
| as Mr.. Manning is in the west the Cleve-
| land man doubtless decided to hurry home
and arrived there Saturday night. Mr..
Somers accosted in the different east
cities mentioned and questioned by
the newspaper men as to his plans, but
nothing could be learned.
SOmers and johnson Confer.
A special from Cleveland under last
nights date says:
President Ban Johnson of the American
League is in this city comforting with Vice
President Somers of the Cleveland club
relative to placing Il club of that league
in Boston. Mr. Somers returned Saturday
evening from his gum shoe" tour of in
vestgation in Boston. Philadelphia and
Baltimore He had such important news to
impart that Johnson arrived from Chicago
a few hours later to confer with him.
Neither would give out any details and
were eyasive as to the Boston situation,
but both dropped broad hints that the
American League, if it possibly can, will
invade that city.
Somers declared that Boston. if taken In,
would make fine American League town,
and that the outlook in Philadelphia and
Baltimore is very CHEEKY. Johnson said the
outlook could not be better for the Ameri-
can League. we have the rail and no one
can pass us" he remarked with a smile.
He also smiled broadly when asked about
McGraw. and said that that popular player
would remain loyal to the American
League. AS proof, he said he had received
a letter from "Nfuggsy to this effect.
As to the report that the National League
is preparing to revive the old American As
sociation, Johnson said:
There is nothing whatever in that story.
1t takes thousands Of dollars to organize
league. and Col. Rogers of Philadelphia
says members of his league cannot afford
it, We will have nothing to do with those
fellows. Even if the American Association
was reorganiZed it would not affect at
all or change plans in the least. The
American League is not worrying
President Johnson left Sunday for Chi
cago. He intimated before his departure
that he would call a meeting of the Ameri-
can League some time this week.
There Is no question that the New Nation
al Association, under the leadership of Edi-
tor Richter of the Sporting Life, has sue
ceeded admirably in keeping its plans
cret although 1t Is known that he and his
companions have done considerable hustling
since their surprising meeting In Chicago.
There is now but little doubt that this or
ganlzation has the good will Of the Ma
tional League and the support of the latter
body is expected to follow when the time
Is ripe. Mr.. Richter Is known to have held
one or more conferences with Colonel Rog-
ers of the National Leagues circuit COM
mittee since his return from Chicago. but
| both gentlemen have sealed their lips to in
reviewers. The members of the circuit
aaffh n Nati 7 hox,