Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-26

manager clarke DISSATISFIED.
special from Baltimore says that the
shallowness Of the American Association
scheme is becoming apparent there Han
Ion and the other league magnates do not
intend that the association shall last any
longer than it takes to knock out Ban
Johnson, John McGraw and the American
League.
Even Bill Clarke, who is at the head of
American Association operations in Balti-
more, has begun to kick. He said yester-
day that he had decided to have nothing
to do with the club franchise for Balti-
more unless the circuit committee of the
National League will turn over to him the
lease of Union Park until its expiration.
AT the recent meeting in New York the
| league decided to let the American Asso-
citation team have Union Park in Baltimore
for one year only. Mr.. Clarke considers it
too risky to take the franchise under such
conditions.
1T will be hard enough" said he, for
our club to get foothold at best, and if
we are to run the risk of having no home
at the end of the first season we will have
none of it,
Clarke has letter from President Soden,
but not a word does the Boston magnate say
about Clarke's release. He Immediately re-
Piled making demand for something def
Unite along that line.
President JOhnsOn's View.
A Chicago special dated last night says
IndI d week SOJOuTH III the east Ids COIi-
WINGED President johnson of the American
| League that there will be a war, but
short one In the first place, he is salts
| fled that the American Association will
| never begin the season, and second that
the National League will be decisively de-
feated within a month if hostilities are de-
clared. He has no fear of the outcome of
any fight which may usher in the playing
season.
Koch will not play American Association
ball in Detroit said President Johnson
Yesterday, land / expect that the associa-
ton will not play single game. No mon
ey has been put up and there is none in
sight. We will pay better salaries than
the association can offer and this will
enable us to retain all our good men and
get the best of the new material.
I'VE are getting men from the National
League, for 1t is well known that the re-
serve clause is not worth a farthing. Duff
| fy is an example of this. Soden would not
| give him his release, and he left Boston
without it.
II predict that the National will be ask
ing us for terms before the season is over.
l base this assertion on the friendliness
shown us in all the eastern cities. l was
satisfied that In Baltimore and washington
we would be warmly welcomed, but the re-
ception accorded us in Boston and Phlla-
delnhia was a great surprise to me. ven
ture to predict that We will outdraW them
| in every city where there Will be rival
| clubs. We are going ahead as tnouSn tne
| National was not in existence
Meeting of the Players.
A special from Cleveland, Ohio, says that
| the long looked for meeting of the Players
| Protective Association will be held In that
| city on February 2. President thinner sent
| on, a circular letter to all the members to
that effect yesterday. That the meeting
| will be an important one and that the play
ers will probably take decisive steps to
| force the National League to grant their
demands goes without saying. About fifty
| delegates are expected to attend.
II is said on good authority that an effort
| will be made to pledge all the players In
| the association not to sign with the new
| American Association on the ground that
| 1t was organized purely for spite. and that
| the players will also be asked to bind them
! selves not to sign National League con-
! tracts until that league recognizes their
grievances.
| 1t Is also asserted that it will be decided
| at the meeting to permit all players to sign
| American League contracts at once
The alleged dissensions and JealouS1eS In
| the players ranks will also be Sifted to the
| bottom and the traitors in the organization
| who divulged the contents of secret letters
from the headquarters will be ousted.
Louisville Franchise Sold.
special from Louisville says that ]. ].
| Saunders yesterday sold to I. F. Whitesides
a wealthy business man. the American AS
ISOLATION franchi~>., with the consent of
, -a.rry ruliiam Pulliam and Whitesides
left today for Indianapolis for conference
with Watkins and Brush, and will go next
| day to Chicago to complete arrangements
for the release of National League star.
name not yet made public, who will be q
player-manager. It In probable tukt -ths