The Minneapolis journal., 1902-11-01
IS THE LIST RIGHT?
- -
American League, According to It's
Own Statement Has Gutted
,..... ..E E.s - t5
the National Teams. s
Younger Organization Promises to
Have All the Best Of It in
80. Playing Strength.

Since the publication by the American
League a week ago OF the list Of base
ball players alleged to be signed by
magnates have been busy denying the ac-
curacy Of the roster. It would be
strange If they did not. From the list
published, the American has made even
heavier inroads upon the talent of the
older league than it did last year. The
National must put UP a bold front while it
can. :~E.51. q ..a '..... ~ =, {.
3 Consider the men the American has TAX
en- away, according to its own statement.
There are Ghesbro, Leach and Smith Of
Pittsburg Newton, Donovan, K1tson and
keeler OF Brooklyn; Long, Willis and
Demont Of Boston; Matthewson and Bow
erman Of New York; Hulswitt and White
OF Philadelphia; and Crawford Of Cincin-
natt1. That bunch in; itself Is enough to
weaken the National League to great
extent. Tannehill. O'Connor and Lefty
Davis We're previously counted lost by
P1ttsburg, SO their names are not given in
the foregoing summary. t..-,..
National League Clubs Gutted. -
But in Chesbro, Smith and Leach the
American has taken the best pitcher. the
pest 1nhelder and one of the best catchers
from Pittsburg; In Newton, Donovan and
kitson, the body of the pitching staff, and
IN keeler the matnstay Of the outfeld
from Brooklyn; in Matthewson and Bow
errnan, New York's best battery men. and
IN Long and Demont the keystones Of the
Boston 1nfield, not to mention Willis, the
best pitcher OF the Boston Nationals In
other words. the American; If its state
ments are true. and the men stick, has
Quilted tho three best clubs Of last year 8
Nat1ona! league and taken almost all the
pest men OF the league as q. whole
Tho NatlC,al league magnates denv that
any OF their men have proven unfatthful,
and the players themselves have concealed
80 much from their employers, that both
leagues may make their assertions in per-
iectly good faith. Matthewson and Craw-
FORD are currently believed to have signed
contracts with both leagues, in which case
1t VIII be simply q question Of which club
bids highest for their services, - -. =
10 an outsider it looks as If both leagues
We're making q grave mistake In hiring
contract Jumpers. The American league
mas practically eliminated the reserve
clause: out most players and clubs make
a distinction between desertion and con-
tract jumping. The NsstionaI leaguers
seem most culpable in ENCOURAGING The
latter of1ense. They have no scrupIes IN
| tempting back any Of their players who
| clubs. r. E-I'.g.Is 'e' : 2 - -
| But as long as .'rlbber Logging" !,
allowed, SO long the clubs will have to nav
fabulous prices to the players. TO an out
slider 1t looks as II both leagues might
90 well to revise their contracts 30 thai
they would hold water in a court. In thai
case they would have a legal ground 70,
procedure against MEht-beeled members
OF tho bah playing fraternity.
| Weaker Clubs Strengthened.
But accepting as correct only a part o,
the American leagues published roster
Ban Johnsons organization has strength,
ened It's weaker clubs, and will start out
the season with q better balanced league
than last years. Detroit has secured
some good new pitchers, an infielder an6
an outfielder. The Detroit team was
strong last year, but was rent by interna
| dissensions. It Is to be presumed that The
new owners Of the club have pac1fied the
warning elements. The pick OF tho Balti
more club Is retained for the American
league New York team, and number q
| good new men added. WASHINGTON claim.
I Demont Of Boston, and has secured tws
or three good young players. The frs
Ave clubs in last years race have take1
In each three or four minor league star,
or National league celebrities. Altogethel
It looks like a. very strong. evenly balancet
bunch OF teams.
The American league circuit has beer
immensely strengthened by taking in New
York, the city which has been the league,
! objective point for two years. Compar
ing the circuits OF the two leagues. botl
organizations have teams in nve citiss
New York, ct. Louis. Philadelphia, Chi
cago and Boston. For the other thre,
the American has Washington. Detrot
and Cleveland. while the National ha
Brooklyn. Pittsburg and Cincinnati. Gin
oinnau and Pittsburg with winning teams
are slightly better than Detroit or Wash
ington. but Cleveland under any ciroum
stances is better than Brooklyn. Their
Is little to choose between circuits, bu
upon the american than the America,
has made upon tho National. thu younge
organization will DO way ahead IN play
Ing strength.
The American association has not -