The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-13

been heard by Rourke, and, not to be out
done the Omaha man has issued a state
ment to the public. Mr.. Rourke gives
1t out in cold terms that he will fight any
attempt on the part of the American peo-
pie to place an American association team
III the Nebraska town.
And Rourke does not stop with this
plain announcement. He goes on to say
that the American association franchise
in Omaha is owned by William Rourke.
He points out that he has deposited $500
to protect his interests in the new organ
ization, and hints that any attempt to
fool with Omaha will call forth an in
junction.
This plain announcement by Rourke
mixes things more thoroughly for the
fanatics endeavoring to keep up with this
little baseball war. Rourke says he holds
the American association franchise in
Omaha and yet on the face of the re-
turns, he appears to be one of the leaders
in the fight against the new organization
He claims he holds the American fran
chise for Omaha, and at the same time is
busy informing the fanatics of his town
that the Western league will play ball in
his park and that the Western league
team will be the winner.
Rourke can hardly expect anyone to
take seriously this last announcement
from his headquarters. II he holds the
American association franchise in Omaha
and has $500 deposited to protect his in
terests, he will, unless the American as
ISOLATION framed up a queer agreement,
either play American association bali or
forfeit his $500 and take the chance OF
finding competition in his town.
Rourke has not been expelled from the
American association up to date. and he
loo III +i,,,a I,n of n
ehise for Omaha He may be right in
his clam that the FRANCHISE is his and may
have the right to sell the franchise. All
this must be admitted, but Rourke can
hardly make himself believe that he has
the right to hold the American franchise,
and by holding it keep the American out
of Omaha.
Eastern Writers "Wise.'
The critics way down East are now
paying attention to this Western fight,
and the Eastern papers are bringing to
the West all sorts and styles of wild and
weird gueSseS at the cause of all the
trouble.
Writers who. followed the Western
league circuit last season know that long
before the season closed Hickey and his
followers were planning to improve the
grade OF ball for the bigger towns Of the
circuit, and yet from New York comes
a story describing Hickey as tool en-
ployed by National league magnates i'll
an attempt to smash up the national
agreement of the minor league clubs of
the country.
The New York Sun devotes consider
able space explaining how Hickey was to
be used. Boiled down, the guess is that
Hickey was, by withdrawing from the
National agreement, to start a stampede.
Other minor leagues, by this withdrawal.
would be given a chance to follow suit,
and the finish would be accomplished
when the national agreement would be
wrecked. Then the National league, al
ready sorry for Withdrawing its protec-
ton, was to step in and offer new
national agreement for the minor leagues
to sign.
The story looks well in print but it
uses up much valuable space. 1t is hard
for any one knowing ball players to be-
Geve that the National league is anxious
to return to it's old agreement with the
minor leagues. The national agreement
decided upon by the minor leagues last
fall is a good thing-for the minor
leagues-but this new agreement does rot
look in any way a handicap to the Ma
tional league.
When the big leagues can, the average
ball player forgets all about the reserve
list of the minor league he is working
in, and if enough money is forthcoming
he does the rubber leg turn and lands
in the big league that extended the in
vitation. The average ball player thinks
only of today and With large money in
sight agreements refuse to hold him.
Though the stars do not appear to be
forming into horseshoe shapes, Mr.
Whitfield. president of the Western
league, continues to talk in a cheerful
confident vein. Before leaving Chicago