The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-09
WESTERN IS BUSY
WHITFIELD AND HIS FOLLOWERS
PLAN A SERIES OF
MEETINGS
ROURKE WILL HOLD OMAHA
American VIII Have to Secure New
Observation-Disclosures Conference
at Kansas City
Today.

Today if Van Brunt can take the time
from his ST. Joe street car business the
Western league magnates will meet in
Kansas City and resolve that the Amer
lean association, the new Hickey league
of professional ball clubs, be expelled
from the baseball world.
The Western league club owners are
again on the move. Yesterday several of
the Western magnates followed Whitfield,
their president, to Omaha, end today
they are with him in Kansas City. The
resolution expelling the American asso-
citation from the baseball world should
have been passed yesterday, but Van
Brunt, the st. Joseph magnate, was too
busy to catch the train TO Omaha, and
the meeting was postponed to today,
when Van Brunt is to be in Kansas City.
Whitfield and his followers look wise
when asked the reason for this sudden
meeting and attempt to convey the i'm
preston that the Western has a big
trump card concealed within easy reach
ing distance but the baseball fanatics
keeping in touch with this war can only
feel sorry for the Western collection OF
club owners
Whitfield and his followers may hint
of strange happenings for the near fu-
ture, but though it is hard to say it,
the meeting of the Western magnates
in Omaha yesterday looks a last desper-
ate effort to hold the organization to-
gether The meeting looks more than
anything else a simple attempt to bolster
up the waning courage of one William
Rourke. reputed owner of all baseball
franchises for Omaha.
Hold ROurke in Line.
The moves made by the leaders of the
two warning factions during the past few
days compel the belief that Whitfield
and his supporters hurried into Omaha
to keep Bill Rourke from jumping the
fence.
Whitfield, the president of the Western,
was in Chicago just previous to this mad
dash to Omaha. He did not appear in
hurry to meet with the other members
of the Western league, and intended to
discuss the situation with number of
Eastern club owners before returning for
the scheduled meeting of the Western.
Then came the report that Hickey and
Bandle, of the American association,
were in Omaha looking for ball park
site. This report was followed by a sec
ond one telling that Bill Rourke was
thinking seriously Of accepting $4,000 for
his Omaha grounds.
Whitfield said he didn't care whether
Rourke sold out or not, but the next
report told of Whitfield and six or seven
other Western magnates hurrying on 20
Omaha.
The Western held a short meeting in
Omaha yesterday, and will hold an
other today in Kansas City. The sudden
meetings mean jdst one thing. Rourhe
has weakened, and now it is up to the
Western to take care of Rourke.
RGSIrke has been offered 5000 for his
parks. This offer is made by the Ameri-
can association. Rourke, like every other
baseball magnate, is in the business for
the coz hard dollars. Sympathy, the
baseball magnate leaves to the fanatics,
and Rourke does not differ from the
other magnates.
The American has offered him $780,
and he can sell out and quit ahead of the
game. Rourke asked for time to con-
slider the offer That means just one
thing. Rourke will ask the Western for
its best proposition. Rourke will have
to be assured that he is to go through
the coming season without chance to
lose. no matter what the conditions.
This is the proposition that will be con-
sidered at the Kansas City meeting to-
day and if the Western league loudly
announces at the close Of the meeting
that Rourke has decided to remain true,
1t will mean that Rourke has been as
sured that he will be protected from loss
Late reports received firm Omaha last
night would indicate that the Western
has agreed to see that Rourl1e does not
quit the coming season on the wrong
side. A special to T h G l o b says:
Although Thursday is the day for a
final answer by the Omaha magnate-
Rourke-regardin his consent to sell, It
is said confdentiaIIy that the Western
league man has no intention Of selling
out to the American association
This morning there was a gathering
of the Western league magnates. Presi-
dent Whitfield and Manager Burns, of
the Colorado Springs team, went with
Manager Rourke for a tour of the city
to sound the business men on the ques-
ton of Rourke's popularity and standing
and came back satisfied. Tonight Rourke