The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-02
WATKINS EX0NERATES BRUSH
SAYS THE CINCINNATI MAN WAS
THROWN DOWN BY LEAGUE.
indianapolis VIII Have Baseball This
Season, but Definite Plans
Have Not Been Made.

the past week. which eliminated in the
throw down of the American Association.
for which he acted as foster-father Pres
ident Watkins places the entire blame of
the death of the American Association upon
John /. Rogers, of the Philadelphia club.
and says that Brush and Freedman did
everything in their power 10 aid the Asso-
citation. Watkins says that indianapolis
will have baseball this season, and 10 day
he will meet Quinn, of Milwaukee. Kocn, of
Detroit. and whitesiies. of Louisville.
Whether indianapolis will be In the West
ern League or I'm another new organization
will not be decided for a few days. Pres
ident Watkins gave out the following state
ment regarding the organization of the
American Association and the causes of its
subsequent death:
MIR. WATKfNS'S STATEMENT.
my first Eastern trip In the interest of
the American Association was taken dur
Ing the middle of January, when | met
the National League circuit committee In
New York. After a conference with the
mcmbers OF the committee we were told
TO go ahead In Baltimore and make our
fight there, no matter what turned up, and
we would be assisted by the committee.
We went To Baltimore, as suggested by
the National League committee. and there
found Bill Clarke and asked him to take
hold OF the club. Clarke Informed us that
he had no capital himself. but could raise
$4,000 or $500 among his friends. Then
we held "A meeting and Clarke Joined as In
New York and there represented that he
could get together a sufficient amount TO
finance the Baltimore club.
"a. III. Koch was secured for phIladcl-
phia. He had an understanding with a trust
company I'm that city whereby he could pur-
chase or lease at "A certain price the piece
OF property which Is now occupied by the
American League. He had "A certified check
for $4,000 and New York drafts for $1,000
I'm his pocket. and saidi he was ready 10 go
ahead In Philadelphia. The next day "A
meeting Of the American Association was
held for the purpose of completing. the
organization when word came from ishlla-
dclphia that the only organization that
could represent that city would be the
Philadelphia Athletic club. and that If II
play on the Philadelphia National League
grounds. Mr.. Rogers. who gave this ulti-
matum, said that u the Proposition Was
recognized he would come TO the meeting
of the National League circuit committee
and OF the American Association. but other
A PROTEST MADE.
MIR Braman. attorney and hacker OF Ar
thur Irwin and the Charles River Park
Company. and Mr.. Noyes. of the Washing
ton Star and principal owner of the stock
In the Washington club. were completely
dissatisfied with the proposition submit
ted by Mr.. Rogers anu protested against
anything OF that kind. They insisted that
we secure another city. but this we could
not do. and SO we decided to go on with
the circuit as originally intended. We
completed our organization and went to
Philadelphia and secured the signature Of
the Philadelphia Athletic Club to a one
year agreement. Then we returned to our
respective homes.
"One week later | received word from
Clarke that the men he had expected TO
back and had failed tp do SO. and Harry
Pulliam was sent East TO look after the
Baltimore situation. He found things
Philadelphia matter. After a week he
found IL impossible to interest capital In
Baltimore.
During the week Pulliam was I'm Balti-
more there came an urgent demand from
the club owners for an election OF "A presi-
dent, and c. Il. Power. OF Pittsburg. was
selected and / immediately went 10 Pitts
burg and explained the situation TO him and
sent him on 10 meet Pulliam I'm Baltimore.
The two men returned dissatisfied with
their trip. and then | went on East with
Power and Strengthened out matters I'm
Washington, which had become strained on
account of the Philadelphia situation.
ollOAiiOAN IN p<ALllAlOtE.
1--WE cleared matters there and then made
a trip to Baltimore. We found no capital
in sight that could lie relied upon, and
made up our minds that we would have TO
seek sewhere for ~inancial aid IL we con-
tinued Baltimore in the circuit. L then
wired Arthur Irwin to come to New York
and meet us, and we saw Andrew Freed
nan. of the New York National League
club. We laid the matter before him. and
he said he would willingly put up his share
for the maintenance OF a club i'm Baltimore.
but did not think II a good idea for National
League money To back an Association club.
He said, nevertheless, that he would put
up his share of the fund. National League
their spring meeting. I've met members of
the League informally on Monday and
Tuesday of this week. In the meantime we
had seen Irwin and secured a declaration
from him as TO his purpose. He said that.
owing TO the action of Rogers, every dol
lar of capital behind him had deserted him.
and that, as he had no money TO go on
by himself and carry on a fight with three
clubs in his city, he would, of necessity.
have to retire. That left Baltimore and
Boston out of IL.
ION Wednesday we went before the
League with a circuit Of four clubs in the
West and two in the East. Prior to this
and Brush and asked If 1t would be possible
for US to secure Providence and Worcester
i'm place OF Boston, baltimore or Philadel-
phia. Both gentlemen said that we could
not, as IL would take away clubs from the
Eastern League and disrupt that organiza-
ton. We thus had to go ahead, if AT All.
as originally outlined. Then Washington
was all we had left I'm the East. which gave
us but one leg TO stand on. as Philadelphia
was an uncertainty. We went before the
League and made explanations Of what we
had done and gave the cause OF the entire
trouble, which originated in the stand
taken by Rogers in Philadelphia, and we
informed the League that that was where
the entire blame for our failure lay. The
American League people went into Phil
adelphia the day after we vacated that
city and secured the grounds we would
have originally had.
TERRITORIAL RIGHTS.
after making our statements. I asked
that we be allowed to continue our terri
torial rights in the West and in. Wash
ington so that we could protect the invest
ments made in those ciies and also protect
the money paid 10 players in advance on
prospective salaries. These requests were
referred to the national board.
Previous 10 the meeting OF the national
board the next day we had an informal
conference with Harry Pulliam. of the
Pittsburg club, and he informed us that
Pittsburg was ready TO pay its share OF
the expense OF any club We could secure.
Mr.. Brush was also seen and he asked us
IL 1t was possible TO secure any city TO ill