The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-03
A. C. SPAULDING OUT
MOSES OF NATIONAL LEAGUE ASKS
MAGNATES TO ACCEPT HIS
RESIGNATION
w. G. TEMPLE TO BE PRESIDENT
Withdrawal of Big Leader Ends Bit
ter Internal Struggle Which
Threatened to Wreck Premier
Baseball Organization.

| NEW YORh, April Z.-InG NdllOudI
| league baseball war is practically ended.
| A C.-Spalding has resigned his claim as
| chief executive of the big organization
and the Office will be rendered to VIII
liam G. Temple Of Pittsburg. There will
be noN further contests in the courts.
Mr. Spalding's letter of resignation was
| presented to the magnates at the second
days session of the peace conference at
the Fifth Avenue hotel. The letter was
presented by James Hart president OF
the Chicago club.
The letter was addressed to the Ma
ticnal League and American Association
of Professional Baseball clubs and reads:
Gentlemen: In accepting the presi-
dency OF the National league, to which
Office L was informed last December l
had been duly elected, promulgated the
following platform as the policy Of my
administrations
To promote, foster, elevate and per
petuate the game of baseball, the national
field sport Of America
" To eliminate ali Objectionable feat
ures that may tend to degrade and de-
mor&liZe the sport
- TO inculcate in the governors Of the
game, club officials, umpires, players and
everyone interested in or connected with
the national sport, a realization of what
true craftsmanship is and to subordinate
tie financial side of the game
TO cultivate among the players q de-
sire Tor the highest athletic development,
that they may by their skilIfulness, in
teS1ty ana gentlemanly department, both
on and off the field, raise their profession
to high plane and add luster and in
terest to the national game.
TO establish a central governing body
IN which all professional baseball interests
Shall be properly represented this body to
be clothed with ample power to carry into
effect these and other objects that tend
10 MAINTAIN i the integrity and high stand
ard of the game
Conditions have arisen which in my
opinion, make 1t impossible at this time
70 carry out all the principles embodied
II the ABOVE platform, and as no com
promise or modification Of these principles
VIII be satisfactory to me, l have decided
10 discontinue further efforts in this d.
rectiOn and hereby tender nv resignati~n
as president of the National league ana
without delay iN
1 wish to emphaticaIly declare that L
am prompted in this action solely bv the
peheI that prolonging a fractional political
warfare INTO the playing season would be
dlStasteful to the public, injurious to the
National league in particular, and to pro
1esslonaI baseball in general Respectfully
"A. G. Spalding''
mus ends one of the bitterest internal
struggles that has ever shaken the Ma
uonal league, and which threatened to
wreck the premier baseball organization.
"hlle Mr.. Temple has not been formal
ly elected to the chief executive office OF
the league, it was decided unanimously to
offer him the place.
How 1t All Happened.
AT today's session all were present ex-
CepI ADeH' OF Brooklyn. The magnates
| discussed the matter Of constitH+ioref
amendments with a view Of establishing
some KIND of executive head for the
league Mr.. Hart told Of going to Cali
IoFhla, When he talked league matters
over with Spalding. The latter said he
saw ne could not accomplish some things
| ne proposed doing and said he thought
ne ought to resign. He then wrote the
letter and gave it to Hart Here Hart
presented the letter to the meeting. It is
dated March 8.
There was some discussion as to what
should be done with it. Freedman and
MS followers contended that Spalding
had never been elected president. and
therefore could not resign the position.
Inc matter was solved by a motion to
| simply declare the incident closed.
| ..eXt came the work Of selecting a, presi
dent for the League. The name of Edward
Is. Ialcott former owner of the New
! YORK league, was first proposed, but if
was found that he could not accept the
Office as he would not be able to come
to New York to live
freedman and Brush then made a prop
osition to do away with the office of pres
ident and for the appointment of a com
mlttee OF three members in whose hands
the governing power of the league should
be placed. There was instant opposition
to this and a lor g. drawn-out discussion
Freedman and Brush finally gave way
and the matter of the presidency was
| again taken up.
Soden, of Boston, was mentioned but
declined. Hart proposed Harry Pulliam's
name, but Pulliam in return proDosed
| William G. Temple, of Pittsburg
Freedman was opposed to the selection
OF any man until such man had come
before the meeting and announced his at
| titude and the nature of his policy in
| case of election. He said he did not
want to vote for the man until he had
talked with him and knew What he pro-
| posed to do to better the baseball sItua
| ton 1t was pointed out that Temple
was broad-minded man and one with a
| reputation for fairness and loyalty.
There has been a lot of talk said
! Freedman, 'about taking my club away
from me. [ want to know what you pro-
pose doing about that. Does anybody
! want to take my club away from me?''
| one of the Spalding followers disavow-
| ed any and all intention of a desire to
! take Freedman's club away from him.
The question of Mr. Temple was again
! taken up and unanimous vote taken
ts tender him the presidency
Then an adjournment was had until 8
| o'clock in the evening.
A telegram was sent to Mr.. Temple
| who is now in Florida, advising him of
the action of the league and asking him
if he would accept the presidency.
Temple Is Well known.
Mr.. Temple was at one time owner of
the Pfttsburg club and is man of large
means 1t was ne who donated the Tenn
pie cups to be played for by the clubs
| finishing first and second at the end of
! the league season. He is known as a
| lover of~the sport, but it was felt here to-
night that he might possibly decline the
| honor rendered him because the league
has decided to establish it's permanent
! headquarters in New York and he be-
| ing a business man, may not find it pos
sible to spend all his time here.
1t has also been decided to make the
offices of president and secretary treas
| urer separate. The latter Office will, ac-
dered to N. E. Young. Mr.. Young said
! tonight he would accept the office,
| though it necessitated his coming to New
York and establishing his office there.
More About Proposed Leader.
! PITTSBURG, Pa, April Wv. c. Tenn
| pie is well known not only in Pittsburg,
| where he IS one of the city'S principal
| business men, but throughout the coun-
| try, as an admirer and promoter of gem
| tlemanly sports. His knowledge of base
| ball is thorough.
| For several years he was connected
| hSloer and one year as president. On
| account of his business ha wac 11nah1a ~