The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-23
AMERICAN LEAGUES GROWTH,
STARTED IN 4 MODEST WAY, NOW
BASEBALL'S DICTATOR,
Formerly the western League. the Circuit
Has Gradually Expanded Through the
Enorts Of President johnson and e.. W.
SOmers-New York the Final Goal.

S"""y me western League, the Circuit
Has Gradually Expanded Through the
Efforts Of President johnson and &. ".
Semers-New York the Final Goal.
The remarkable success Of the American
League OF Professional Baseball Clubs which
was exemplifed the other day by a complete
surrender Of the National League which
has held sway over the national game for
twenty-five years, involves a story of per-
reverence against great obstacles and the
indefatigable work Of young blood mana
gers. who. by careful judgment and straight
forward dealings, have placed the new
organization in a position to dictate terms
at the coming peace conference to be held
on Jan 5.
To Bancroft Byron Johnson. the energetic
president Of the American League; to Charles
tomiskey president Of the Chicago club
to Charles W. Somers. vice. president Of
the American League; to j. +. Kilfoyle,
president Of the Cleveland club. and to the
corps Of efficient managers and star players
much Of the American Leagues predomi-
hence in baseball Is due.
Having conducted victorious campaigns
against the National League Clubs in B oston
Philadelphia, Chicago and st. Louis, II
remained for the American League to place
a club in New York city as a final stroke
Of diplomacy concluded TO win a long. up
nil fight. 1t was in the fall Of 1893. at a meet
ing Of the Western League NJ Indianapolis
that Charles Comiskey, then the mar ager
of the Cincinnati National League Club.
who was interested in the welfare OF this
hourishing minor league. named johnson
for president. at the same time informing
him that 1t the expiration of his Cincinnati
engagement, Comiskey would take Vest
en- League franchise and do all in his power
10 build up that organization to a major
league standard. At that meeting the cir
cult was made up of Sioux City, Kansas
city. Minneapolis. Milwaukee. indianapolis,
Grand Rapids. Toledo and Detroit, and in
1894. these clubs enjoyed most successful
season
II was than that President johnson had his
first tilt with John T. Brush. who not only
owned the Cincinnati National League Club,
but also controlled the Indianapolis Club
in the Western League. johnson turned the
Indianapolis Club down on two occasions
and from that time Brush proceeded to
antagonize him with all his power.
1t was at the fall meeting of the Western
League. held in 1894 at the Hotel Wellington,
Chicago. that Brush attempted to work
mp combination against johnson, but the
Indianapolis and Cincinnati magnate was
summarily defeated, whereupon he took
up his hat and left the meeting Then the
Western 1eaguers went ahead and sub
stituted st. Paul for Sioux City and the
franchise for the former city was handed
to Comiskey. In the legislation that fol-
lowed, President johnson treated the In
dianapolis club with great fairness. so
that at the end Of the season of 1895, Brush
came back to the Western League meeting
and made peace with johnson. He said
that he had been opposed to the Western
League president. but was satisfied that
he had shown competency as executive
officer OF the league, and in order to make
good his expression Of confidence he moved
to raise Johnson's salary.
Brush, however proceeded TO get up
a fve-year agreement to which Kansas
City, Milwaukee. Detroit, st. Paul and
Indianapolis were parties, and, according
to that agreement, a new member could
not he elected for the full term without
unanimous vote, while a club could not
Ire chosen for one year without a four
fifths vote. This agreement turned out to
be the cause Of more trouble, for after
Minneapolis had been elected to five
years membership and the Western League
men wanted to put a club in Columbus
with Tom LOTUS as manager. it was dis
covered that only votes could be secured
for that end. johnson conferred with
Brush and tried to induce him to agree to
atwo-thirds vote. but the Indianapolis and
Cincinnati magnate was obdurate, and for
eight days the Western League was held
up, voting unsuccessfully on this question.
Then Brush left the meeting and the other
clubs proceeded to elect Columbus with
LOTUS as manager. but at the spring meet =
ing Of 1898 the same trouble arose over
the attempt to admit Grand Rapids. The
trouble would probably have lasted until
this day had not Watkins and Goodenough,
representing Indianapolis. inadvertently
left the meeting room when President
Johnson took a vote Of the other clubs
and Grand Rapids was elected.
President johnson then instituted a de-
termined campaign against Brush. and he
was forced out of the Western League.
In the summer Of 1897 Grand Rapids was
dropped and Omaha was substituted, and
in 1898 Omaha gave way to Buffalo, the
circuit then being composed Of Kansas
lily, Milwaukee, Minneapolis. ST. Paul,
Buffalo. Detroit Columbus and Indianapolis.
Ihr oDNdiIcO III loob, ana lNeTl
il was that the Western League men, en-
couraged by success, concluded to expand
their circuit by placing a club in Chicago
and changing the name Of the organiza-
ton to the American League. In order
to get into Chicago II was necessary TO
secure the consent Of the National League,
for the Western League had all along been
operating under the protection Of the Ma
tional Agreement. which made it impos-
sible to invade National League territory
without official sanction; but when the
matter was placed before the National
League magnates intense opposition sprung
up, and goaded to desperation, President
johnson in behalf OF the American League,
finally issued an edict to the effect that he
would place a club in Chicago. whether
the National League consented or not.
Then 1t was that the National Leaguers
backed down and Comiskey transferred
his St. Paul franchise to Chicago, while
Columbus was dropped in favor OF Cleve-
land. The admission of Cleveland into
the American League brought into baseball
Soniers and kilfoyle. two young business
men who were noted baseball enthusiasts
and who by their loyalty and their fnan-
al,