The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-23
THE INSIDE HISTORY
SOME INTERESTING DISCLOSURES
CONCERNING AL G. SPALD-
ING'S CANDIDACY
FACTS NOT GENERALLY KNOWN
Boom started for Him by One Who
Afterwards Deserted in the In
terests of a Scheme Revealed
I'm Brush Letter.

In the last issue of Sporting Life Fran
els C. Riehler, the distinguished editor,
gives the following history of Mr..
Spaldings candidacy for the National
league presidency:
On Dec Is, the fourth day of the Ma
tional league meeting, while the magnates
were deadlocked over the presiesntlal
question, Mr.. A. G. Spalding had heart
to-heart talk with the assembled local
and visiting newspaper men. At this con-
fab Mr. Spalding gave out the follow
ing CORRESPONDENCE which will repay care
fun perusal as it sheds much light upon
the true inwardness of the remarkable
PROCEEDINGS within the league meeting.
The correspondence as given out starts
with a letter addressed to Soden, FREED
man, Ebbetts, Roach, Dreyfus, Brush and
Hart league club presidents, written by
Robson and advocating Spalding for Ma
tional league president. 1t is dated Cleve-
land, Feb. /, 1901
t. Robinson's First Idea.
T think the National league should i'm
medfately do something that will at least
appeal to some of the baseball public and
patrons of the game in every city in this
country, and no matter how few there
might be in each city that would say tlat
the National league is trying to 90 sonie-
thing for the baseball public, that iittle
would be good start for Us in our pres
ent condition. We must all admit that
the affairs of the National league arc not
looked upon by the public as we would
like to have them, but we rather appear
to be in the background As compared
with the Ban Johnson American League.
In my opinion fully 95 per cent of the
newspaper writers are today faVorlng the
new Ban Johnson American league move
ment, simply because the National league
does not come forward and in some pub
lie way show the people that they Will
at least try and make change ana 90
something different from what has been
taking place for the past few years, and
I don't believe we can get back into cur
fold a very large percentage Of the news
paper gentlemen, who have practically
left us for the time being, unless we
show disposition to cater little more
to the demands of the public The new
American league has gotten its Loothoid
and has received the sympathy OF the
public, and has got the backing OF 80
per cent out of 100 per cent of the news
paper writers of today, and they have
brought this about within the past two
years, and it has all been done practical
ly by one man, and that one man IS
Ban Johnson.
don't believe we can get through even
this present season remaining before the
public in the same attitude that we nave
in the past, because of the sympathies OF
the public being with other people, and
not with US, and the strong influence OF
the newspapers and of the newspaper
writer's will have it's effect, and there
will &c only one result, The National
league will be the loser in the end. For
that reason I would like to see man
of the standing of Mr.. A. G.. Spalding
step into the presidency of the National
league and administer its affairs through
out the season, at least, l know OF no
one better capable of filing this position,
I'D none so good.
1 wish that we could unanimously agree
to tender the position of president Of the
National league to Mr.. A. G. Spalding,
and do so Immediately. If that could be
done and Mr. Spalding would accept the
position, it would be en- easy matter for
the National league to bring about some
other excellent ideas that have been nd
vanced by different gentlemen and BRING
them about at once.
1 wish to say in regard to Mr.. N. Il.
Young our president and secretary, that
I have nothing but kind words and good
wishes for him. I know that Mr. Young $
health has been so poor for the last few
wears that he has not been in a condition
to administer the duties of this office as
they should be, and think it would be
doing him the greatest good on earth fo1
the league to pay his salary for the bal
ance of the term and give him a vaca-
ton, which he so justly deserves.
Please consider this letter confidential
and it would do no harm for each presi-
dent to express his views on this matter
and at any rate let US do something
that part of the public will applaud lis
for doing, and we will soon regain the
foothold that We are entitled to have in
the national game of professional base
ball.
Reach Indorses Ii.
President Reach, of the Philadelphia
club, responded warmly, indorsing the
move to make Mr.. Spalding president
He wrote:
Replying to your favor of the LIST inst.
will say | have read the article that yoJ
enclosed, together with your comment:
on the same, and with you, l certainly
think the National league should adop
some measures that will appeal to the
baseball press and public, and see if thi:
feeling cannot be switched off that ap
pears to exist against our organization
although we ourselves, are largely re
sponsible for the condition as it exist:
today. To my mind, we have opened
the door wide for just such competition
that has now arisen. We have been ar
bitrary in many ways where concllator!
measures would be preferable and more
effective in our interests.
In your letter you mention A. G. Spald-
ing as the man to assume the presi-
dency of the National league. To my
mind he is everything that could be de-
sired for that position, and l think stands
UNIQUE, and alone today, having great
ability to adjust differences, as shown
in the past in the various enterprise:
where he has been engaged where it re
CURED great tact and ability, and he has
always come out successful in such un
dertakings and 1 know of no man in TIT
game. or out Of the game today, tina
would command the respect of the press
and public as he would, and l believt
if he could be persuaded to accept thu
position (but am afraid he would not
do not think it would take long before HI
would have us all headed in the proper
direction, and the National league speed
ilv reassume the proud position before
the country that it held when it's affair.
were conducted by such men as Hulbur
and Mills and at which time Mr.. Spald
ing was in the councils of the league.
also think it would not be long before
To accOmmO date those who are par
,,ca IF atnynizprG in ann1vinc