The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-18
BRAND new LEAGUE
TROUBLE PROMISED IF DREYFUS SIS
ATTEMPTS TO FORCE A
SETTLEMENT
SPALDING FIGHTERS ARE B0LG
Plan to Organize New Association of
CIubs-Neyv Deal Would Leave
New York Out in
Cold.

CHICAGO, Jan. ia brand new base
ball league, with A. G. Spalding as Its
official head, may make a bid for public
patronage when the playing season of
1902 opens. If Col. Barney Dreyfuss does
finally decide to transfer the Pittsburg
club from the National to the American
Spaldmg will undoubtedly organize a new
league, and what is now New York will
not be included in its circuit. Spalding,
with the aid OF Hart, Reach and Rugers
will not find it q difficult task to organize
a new eight-club league, made up of the
following cities: Brooklyn, Boston
PHILADELPHIA and Washington in the
East. and Chicago Pittsburg, Cincinnati
and St Louis in the West. AS matter
of course this would mean two clubs
and conflicting dates in all of the afore-
said cities, but Spalding can command
the necessary capital, and in order TO
gain his points will carry on the cam
paien for baseball triumphs, no matter
what it costs in dollars and cents.
1t is difficult to predict just what effect
such a move viii have on the game and
with the public. These chickering's be-
tween the rival leaders in the clashing
baseball faction have taken such a seri-
Gus turn that not man in the group,
from Spalding down, can afford to weak
en-. At the same time, under the exist
ing conditions the game is bound to suf-
fer To begin with, the creation OF
new circuit would mean the passing OF
the National league. In truth there is
precious little left of the old league as
it is, for if Pittsbrg joins with New
York and Cincinnati in jumping to the
American the circuit is ruined for all
time
1t is not difficult to outline the policy
of the men who are shaping the future
OF the American league. They are fgur-
ing on eventually shaping up twelve
club circuit composed of the following
cities: Chicago, st. Louis, Detroit, Cleva-
land. Cincinnati Pittsburg, New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Wash
ington and Providence.
With this group Of cities on their list,
the American league people figure that
they will be in a position to control all
the choice baseball territory in the cOun-
try But in order to consummate this
scheme of wholesale expansion they will
be forced to admit to their council cham
Der Andrew Freedman, John t. Brush
and one or two other men who are not
popular with either the press or public.
In addition to these heavy holders they
VIII meet with the opposition of A. G.
Spalding and the league which he will
direct. This means that the ball players
viii continue to jump contracts and draw
abnOrmally high salaries for at least an
other season. Under such conditions there
is absolutely no profit in professional
baseball and all the magnates will lose
money.
None of the diplomats of the game
were in a talking mood yesterday.
CHICAGO. Jan. IA. G. spaIding the
enjoined president of the National league,
Will have a conference with Ban John
son, president Of the American league,
tomorrow. and from this meeting inter-
esting developments in the present base
ball situation may be expected.