The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-19
WOULD WELCOME PEACE
WATKINS FAvORs AMERICAN ASSO-
CIATION JOINING MINORS.
But the Minor Organization Would
A story About Mr.. Brush.

IF peace were offered on a reasonable
basis the American Association would not
hold out on triies in order to bring 1t
about" said W.. H. Watkins yesterday
when the question was asked him If there
is a chance OF the American Association
and the National Association of Minor
Leagues adjusting their differences. The
Association of Minor Leagues will meet
in New York next Thursday, and it would
not be surprising to hear that some over
lures for peace between the American AS
soclation and the minor leagues will be
made. Mr.. Watkins says the American
Association does not intend to send a rep
resentative to the meeting; the other side
has sent no invitation to the American AS
ISOLATION, and as far as he knows the AS
ISOLATION will not be represented in New
York.
1.-THE American Association would be
pleased to see peace, but l cannot discuss
how that could be obtained. We have the
logical organization and the circuit, and
We will retain it even if we have to fight
for 1t. There is no money in baseball in
minor leagues under the present state of
affairs. One or two club owners might
make a little money, but the others are
bound to lose. This will be the case as
long as the minor leagues are not organ
lied for mutual protection. There is no
doubt that minor leagues would prosper If
all the minor leagues were represented in
one organization"
I'm case the Association of Minor Leagues
invited the American Association to be-
come a member of that organization what
terms would the American Association die
was asked.
That is too much Of a leading question,
and l cannot state just. what settlement
would have TO be made before the Amer
lean Association would agree to become
ton
The great differences between the two
organizations is the question of which Is
entitled to have clubs in Milwaukee and
Kansas City. The American Association
was the first to enter those two cities. and
logically they should be members of the
American Association and not the Western
League, which is composed of smaller cities.
The American Association would never
agree to give up the two cities, and IL
there should be peace IL would mean that
the western League would have to back
down and out of those two places. The
Western League under the present condi-
tons has TO maintain expensive teams in
Milwaukee and Kansas City to be even con-
sidered opposition TO the American Associa-
ton clubs. That means that the other
Western League clubs would have to en-
ploy more expensive players. If the Asso-
force the western League out of Milwauo
kee and Kansas City and acknowledge the
contracts of players secured for next year
by Association clubs II Is believed that the
American Association would not insist upon
many other details in arranging peace. If
the Association of Minor Leagues does
with the American Association the coming
season will oe a repetition of the last-the
minor leagues will suffer more than the
American Association.
John T. Brush handed a bunch Of news
/ nanpr ClinninQS m q rennrfar vastardav
who ventured into his office TO inquire If
there was anything doing in baseball. You
will see that 1 am out of baseball. and
therefore 1 have nothing to talk about. At
least those newspaper articles say that /
am out of the game" said Mr.. Brush.
One Of the clippings was a reprint from
a Cincinnati paper that waged such a war
against Mr.. Brush when he was owner of
the Cincinnati club. TIL article In question
tried to give conclusive evidence that the
story that Mr.. Brush had purchased the
New York club was nothing more than
mere ~"tommyrot." 1t showed that the Gin
%cinnati club was sold for $4,000 and al
legged that 1t was $9O, 900 in debt at the time
Of the sale. Figuring the amount of stock
held by other parties, the article gave Mr..
Brush credit with receivfng but 10000 cash
from the sale of the Reds. 1t then went on
to say that the New York club Is a val
liable investment and could not be pur-
chased for less than several hundred thou
then insinuated that Mr.. Brush did not
buy the New York club and that the re-
ported sale was given to the public as a
stepped out. with the ultimate intention of
securing the presidency Of the National
League. Then Brush and Freedman would
have things their own way.
Some papers hire men at about $3.50 a
week to write baseball. That is all they
get and they figure the wealth of other
men in the world in comparison with their
own. 1 do not care to discuss the article
at this tine. as hardly think it is worth
the while. The meeting of the New York
will be another chapter for some of these
fellows to talk about"
XXX
Manager McGraw. of the New York club,
still declares that, except in one instance,
he has all the men he fished for safely
landed. Jesse Burkett is now said to be
the man McGraw is trying to land, and, IL
reports are true. Burkett is willing if he
gets the price. He is reported as saying he
will give Mr.. Hedges a chance to meet any
raise McGraw may offer him. The Fultz
case is still a mystery, as both Hanlon and
McGraw are sure they have the brilliant
outfelder. Mr.. Brush realizes the value of
a strong team in New York, whether the
Americans locate there or not, and he will
not spare expense in following such a
policy.
Mr.. Brush would not discuss the prob
ability of there being another national
agreement When the question was put to
him he said the minor leagues seem to be
getting along all right under the present
system. A new national agreement has
been discussed some of late. but it is hard
ly probable one will be made at the pres
ent time or even in the near future. If
the big leagues-the National and Ameri-
~can-would adjust their differences then
there would be a complete reorganization
| 80 hncahan hnt under the nFQSSnf Cfofp Of
affairs the minor leagues can have an or
i ganization to protect themselves from each
other, but cannot look to the big League
for protection or even hope to fight it.
A report from the Memphis incubator
says a new Southern League. to include
Memphis. Nashville. New Orleans, Bir-
mingham, Montgomery. Atlanta, Savannah
and Charleston, has been organized. The
new organization is the result OF the con-
troversy which has waged all season over
the rights of the Memphis club to Pitcher