The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-09
FIGHT IS ON FOR GOOD
BASEBALL LEAGUES PREPARING
 TO ENTER FIERCE CONTEST.
Regulars and Outlaws to Have Separate Meetings in Birmingham Monday-Signing Players for
 Two Montgomery Teams.

The last ditch seems to have been cross ed in Southern baseball affairs. and un- less there is a very material change in the next few days the fight is on for good.
 Hickey, President of the American As sociation, has had star charlber con ference with President Palmer of the Nashville club and General Carnes of Franks outlaw league, hut nothing do- ing was the words given out after the meeting.
 MT. Hickey and Mir. Palmer have re- turned to their homes, and General Carnes states that he will burn several big bun dies of Uncle Sam'S paper. In the mean time both sides are going serenely ahead just as if the most brothcrly love existed.
 Rim is reported to be signing some fast men for the Southern Association team told Southern Lea gue) here in MontSom- cry and Whistler, Is said to be doing the same thing for the local end of the outlaw league.
 Never has a baseball meeting been fraught with so mucht significance as the one to be held in Birmingham next Mon- day-or, to be more tNplictt, the dual meetings for the outlaw meeting is slated for Birmingham on that day as well as the Southern Association.
 One of the first moves that President Kavanaugh will make in tbe campaign will be to institute suit aSainst Kent, who is said 10 be shy about sN,5oo or the funds of the Southern Association. The resrl: of the Birmingham mee Sngs may be the end of what has promised to be bitter fight. At any rate, focus of some kind may b. reached.
 F. s. Barnard of The Columbus Dis patch regarded as the official Hickey tAmerican Association) organ, has some interesting comments to make on the Southern baseball situation. Barnard will attend to editing the baseball gEide for the American Association in 19R and writes follows in faraway Ohio:
 Charley Frank is presumptuous. 10 say the least. when he announces that the
 rnr C. Nl.n,-,, 6erht fn same principle the American Association stood for last year.
 ''The American Association was not St- tempting to injure any other leagues in- tereSts or any individuals financial fn- yestments. The only people who suffered at the hands of the American Associa- tion were those who carried the fight into the association's territory and got the, worst of the conflict.
 The Southern League. on the other hand. was born of rebellion and will be launched in spirit of revenge because one man was not permitted to run the league of which he was a member, nor to dictate the policy of the supreme body to which his league owed allegiance. Frank has one packer who thinks that he has been wronged, and that one man is going to sink lot of money in spirit of revenge. Frank has said that the American Association will either support the new organization, or at least will be friendly to It.
  tradict Frank previous to the declaration of peace with the minor leagues because 1t was to the advantage of the American Association to have the minors worried as much as possible until the new asso- ciation's rights were recognized. Now, however. the situation is changed It be- hooves President Hickey and every club owner in the American Association to come out fiat-footed and declare their al- legiance to the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, of which the association is now a member in good standing.
 The National Association should take drastic measures to nip Franks league in the bud. There Is one way that this can be done. Let the National Association take a mail vote on the question and an player who plays single game in the new Southern League will be ineligible to play with any of the National Asso- ciatior clubs. This would not be an in- justice to the players because they would be forwarned and if they would cast their | fortunes with the new Southern League. | they would do so at their own risk This | is the Cnly way that Frank can be headed off. for there is no doubt that he has the money behind the league to put his plans through If he can only get the players. A personal letter of notification, telling the consequences of playing with the new league from President Pat Powers to every minor league player in the country
 would do more to kill Franks plans than anything else that could possibly De done"
 The ruling of both the National and American Associations with regard to the Frank league is shown by The Sporting Life, whose editor. Mir. Richter, was pres ent at the meeting of the National Board in Chicago. It says:
 Before adjournment the National Board appointed Mir. Lucas committee of one to go to California with a view of getting the California League into line. President Kavanaugh was also au- thorized to call upon the National Board
 for any assistance he might need to choke off the proposed new Southern League. The American Association through Pres'- dent Hickey. also rendered its friendly of- fees in the same matter. after wntcn the board adjourned sand the magnates dis persed to their various homes. tired, but very. very happy. And so ended a mo-
 mentcu us and far-reaching event in minor league history, second only in import ance to the organization of the National Association a year ago.
 The Sporting News says: "The play CTS ho have agreed to play with one of tion' are advised to sign contracts with the clubs which, under the National As sociation regulations, arc entitled to their services Frank is not eligible to play
 with Southern League team. or with | any club member of a league under the | National agreement He is past his prime as a player and the California League Is | his only refuge. and If negotiations now | per ding are successful that door will he l closed against him. The Memphis club can make it's neace with the Southern As | sociation and the National Board by re- | pudisting Frank and protesting repent ance for it's rebellious course, Ii has for | feited its territorial and player rights. and will be fortunate if they are restored. President Kavanaugh has mapped out an