The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-19
MAGNATES AND BALL PLAYERS LAY
PLANS FOR THE SEASON OF 1908

This Is the season Of alteration Tor the
baseball magnate. the player and the root
or. The two former are engaged in laying
/ plans for the coming season. while many Of
the fans have donned overroats and mufhers
and are making the gridlron resound with
their e~xulting yeHs.
An exceedingly dun week In baseball was
the record for the last seven days a few
| exhibition games were all the attractions
offered in the hcrsehiie Arena and even
| these lacked the vim and enthusIasR neces-
sary FOR the life o. the national game.
There was not even a sensational story
IN circulation regarding the alleged deser-
ton from one league or the other OF a
prominent star The game Is simply dead
and until the league m~agnates get together
and make things interesting for each other
there viii be nothing doing.
From far on Japan comes the report that
the great American game has Invaded the
Land Of Flowers. Surgeon William G. Ed
wards Of the steamer Glengarry. gives the
Z following account OF a game played near
Kobe:
The game was played between a Kobe
club and a plcked-up nine The Little Men
or the EaZ handled themselves very well
indeed. and while new 10. the game /
think that a good team could be built from
LnE material 4 E1ha
The balls and bats were the same "a are
Used in the United states and the-Ameri-
can League rules were used The names OF
the players will doubtless prove OF interest
70 American readers.
"ReEulsrs-NunobIki. p; T~uckuwara. G.;
Kamagaws. 10: Taksradjuka, %: Tugbija.
5b.: N0rdukuJL .: TuG. J. = Nssate, C
picked tesm-sIajasini. p: Mako. C.:
SAUNA. ID: Jdida. p; Arima. 3b Icho-
me. $ Mstonashi. L T.; TahiEudi. c. T.;
kiyamari, T l.
E E;Fai Team ~
Attorney CantreIl. who was appointed by
the Southern League. TO go TO Tacoma 10
/ take ~deposI10ns in the case OF the rights
81 the Memphis Club 10 Pitcher ST, Nrain.
has returned. and the evidence in the case
/ Vraln's services. II IL expected this will
I put an end 10 the war which waeed dur
ing the entire season or tho Southern
League.
The American League has now a chance
I 10 enter PittsburE. 10 land right In the
center OF the city. u a site here T. de-
| sired. on last Tuesday morning a YOUNG
business man secured option en- nve aSres
from the Courthouse. and reached By sew
/ en- street ear lines.
This plot. has long been sought. but the
owners have steadfRstly refused to allow
= ball park 20 be located there. In some
way the objections have been overcome
by the friend u the American League. and
one hour after securing the option. the
| lucky business man wired johnson Of the
He was Instructed to meet Win Mercer.
then here with the All-AmertCans, and Aler-
Ger was instructed BY johnson to look after
the runored find Mercer examined the
grounds Wednesday morning and wanted
10 leave his check 10 close the option, but
Johnson must come to Pittsburg himself
to close the deal. Mercer at once wired
johnson that the deal should be closed
that there vas the chance OF a lifetime
20 get into the heart o. Pittshurg and IN
position 20 strike at the National.
Before leaving PittsburE Wednesday Mer-
/ GER assured the one having the lease that
! President Johnson would close with him
and very quickly A correspondence IL now
on and johnson - expected in PitshurE to-
morrow. il is claimed by friends OF the
American here. that President Dreyfuss
was too confident and went 20 sleep. prey-
fuss l. not In town-Cincinnati Enquirer.
Clarke Griffith has returned from New
York and from his manner Il appeared
that the little managers scouting trip
through the East had been successful.
Il must admit that I was after players
said Grinith. and I got some all tight. or
course. there were some whom / wanted
and could not land. but I secured some
League a lot next season
Griffith said that he had seen George
Davis while in Gotham. and stated that
the Tumor that Comlskey's shortssop vas
60 leave Chicago was entirely without
In regard To the o~ft-repeated report that
ne was to manage the New York American
League team next year. Griffith was rather
r%eticent. That IS q matter which l. still
undecided said Griffith. There Is one
thing certain. however. and that Is that
I will never leave Comiskey unless ne slvcs
his consent. and he 30 far has not done
30 definitely"
The American Association and the West
erm League 20 seems are 10 again buck
I horns another season Mr. Van Brunt and
J his associates OF the Western seem willing
to stick together az long as Nr. Van
I B-lut'S barrel holds out.
There vas q fierce drain on II last year.
Sull IL vas thought Mr. Van Brunt was
bIufing. The American Association men
must now go on the theory that MI. al
/ Brunt proposes TO stick. so they must use
more strenuous measures to down the op-
| position even II thew have TO go INTO the
western for their star players.
The American League is in danger Of fall
/ ing into the error made by the National or
SANITATION two years ago by allowing good
/ men 20 get away from them when a little
more money would keen them In the ranks.
| The St Louis club has let Harper. a pitcher
! whom some American League club might
have used TO great advantage. 20 to Gin
cinnxtL. There Is danger Of 4 repetition OF