The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-13
SPORTING news.
johnson Reported to Have Cap
tured Strong Players.
Callahan, Griffith and Taylor
Are Now Claimed.
THE THREE FROM HART
Fftz Says the Cincinnati Prize
Fight is Doomed.
Thinks Gov. Nash VIII Stop 1t
Without Fail.

Chicago Feb. 13.-Late last night
strongly backed z-umor was afioat tnae
Ban johnson had played a trump card -
that Callahan. G1dfhth and Taylor, the
Chicaeo clubs crack pitchers. had All
agreed to play with the American league
this season. The story caused more gea-
sfne excitement among the local rams
thar all the canards sprung 20 far this
winter, and was freely discussed IN
places where baseball men congregsate.
Don't know anything about II, SAT-
Barry Mccormick, the Chicago snort
stop. If it is true, it means the biggest
tear-up baseball has ever seen
James "a. Hart Of the Chicago CLUB ol9
NOT leave the city yesterday. he stayed
rfEnt in his Office and told every pot.y
that he had made no peace overtures 10
the American league Meanwhile, down
In New York, the scribes were announc-
ing a National league meeting, to begin
this morning, and telling just how Jas
IA Hart would rule the roost.
1.-THE National league meeting - not
due today" said Hart. In fact II WAL
not come of for about ten days"
Baltimore, which has not in the past
been the home of the baseball fakir, was
out strong yesterday with a tip to the
effect that Hart was patttng Ban john
son On the head and calling him nephew
All this, so saith Hart, is fiction, and he
further Rverred last night that peace
was to be sought by the American
ted all the trouble
TIE Baltimore story was exaggerated,
and the New York reporters are twisted
Nevertheless the trend OF the current is
noss all for peace. Even the denials filed
by Hart and johnson tend to show
which way the chips are drifting.
Denial or no denial the fact In patent
that the good old National league doe1
not want a fight Soden, Billings, AID
Corant are not after q scrap.The Brook
lyn team has lost money at home, AMI
d0e1 not care to enter on any military
engagements Polite Brush is after tie
dollar. not after milling. Hart has no
dividends to give away, and does not
care TO declare assessments on fha
stockholders freedman is mean enough
10 Lope to see everybody loses but the
FACT that he has come to life and engag-
ed some good young players shows that
he would rather make than break. The
idea Of the RobisOns, with their heavy
losses of last season, looking for fight,
IS RIeesome bur1esqlIe. ThePittsburg peN-
pie are peaceable fellows at the worst.
Down in Philadelphia "a. J. Reach likes
the American league club so well he viii
put some money Into It. Looking on tie
other side Of the fence, the American
1eaguers, with small capital, must ur-
dergo heavy expenees for new stands
and the equipments in four new cities.
No night wanted there. either. And the
players who need the money, are willing
TO fall in line on any provocation.
There was much talk last night to til :
eject that the deal with PHILADELPHIA
had been at last completed, and that
Taylor, Callahan, and young Hughes
were to go to Quakerville for the mighty
Delehanty and Billy Lauder. The talk
however was vaguely indefinite, ana
Callahan himself could say nothing
about it.