The Washington times., 1901-12-16
SPALDING MAY
HOLD A TRUMP
Says Freedman Will Leave
Baseball Today.
news TO new YORK TEAM MANAGER,
A Suspicion That New National
League President Has Majority
of Clubs Stock - A Statement
to the Press-Controversy De-
clared Thing of the Past.

NEW YORK. Dec 15.-"At 4:SO o'clock
tomorrow afternoon Andrew Freedman
will get odt of baseball and A. G. Spald-
ins wins"
Such was the announcement made by
Spalding this afternoon at o'clock
Newspaper men who asked the new presi-
dent of the National League what he
meant by this statement we're laughingly
waved aside with the further remark:
Il mean just what ! say. in twenty
four hours / will announce here that An
drew Freedman and a. &. Spalding sepa-
rate, as far as the issue is concerned, and
that Spalding wins. Then there will be
other issues that viii be similarly
treated"
Mr. SpaIding's Statement.
Then Spalding went away and prepared
q statement for the press, in which he
said Of Freedman:
81 can understand why the meeting OF
Friday night and early Saturday morning
migEt seem farcical and my actions
hystericsl. but ne must soon begin TO
think that there is a certain sequence
of events in this controversy. Mr.. Freed
man, in stating that ! pTeoipuated the
brotherhood war of 1890. indicates his
ignorance of baseball history. in which.
II he will look it up. he Will hnd / had
something to do with the conduct OF that
campaign to its final settlement and /
am thankful ! was not handicapped
through that fight with Andrew Freed
man.
Charges Not Upheld.
name to the so-caIed Freedman Brush
baseball busted trust must fan fiat after
my announcement to the press as to the
efforts made last summer through Mr.
Hart, cnly for the one special purpose of
protecting the interests of Mr.. Freedman
and his fellow stockholders of the New
York Club, and getting his baneful intiu-
ence out Of the National League.
Il have had no correspondence with
Ban johnson. but | did see him about the
middle OF October on my way from Cali
fornis TO New York, ard from casual COM
ments that he made on Andrew Freed
man. ! believe he Will be with me in this
controversy.
a Thing of the Past.
Now, Mr.. Freedman. as the public
must be pretty well surfeited with this
btANttli ~ VI s-Bd4NlEE anu
Andrew Freedman, and as practically the
case is made up so far as / am con-
cerned, unless you have some real eyi-
dence to offer, j am unwilling TO permit
my name TO be any longer coupled with
that of Andrew Freedman, and here is
where We part.
AT i:30 O'Clock tomorrow afternoon at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel ] viii announce TO
the reporters that / will treat this con-
troversy between US Gs water that has
passed The wheel. and will introduce new
Issues into the baseball campaign looking
toward improved conditions in our great
national sport"
Freedman Makes No Reply.
Freedman said, when asked for an in
teryiew:
There is nothing that Mr.. Spaidlng can
say that is worthy Of reply from me. TIE
interests Of the stockholders OF the New
York club viii be amply protected"
Robson when he heard OF Spalding's
defiance, asked to have ii repeated to him |
half dozen times.
THE only construction ] can place on |
It," said the st. Louis man, lis that he |
must have a card up his sleeve, for other /
wise he would not make such hold bluff. |
1t appears to me to be possible that |
Spalcing in some way has secured control |
OF a majority Of the stock in the New |
York club