Waterbury Democrat., 1902-03-22
BASE BALL.
Meeting of the National League Next
 Week.

While the magnates will indulge in general conference on the rubber shoe plan on Monday, especially at night, they will not convene formally ill Joint until Tuesday. The const- tuition of the league requires that SIX clubs sign a call for a meeting, and It is safe to say that New York, Boston, Cincinnati. St Louis, Brooklyn and are the six. As 4. c. Spalding, the enjoined president of the league. was in the chair when the De cember meeting adjourned and as the league cannot legally meet until Spald- ing issues a regular call. the nagnates have decided to get together in novel way The Freedman four-Freedmall, Soden, Brush and Robison-have made arrangements to meet i'll this city not later than Monday night. The Spald- ing four -Dreyfuss, Rogers, Hart and Ebbets-will come together simultane- ously. Messages will pass betweeen the places of conference and several peacemalSers will go to work. When the coast seems clear there will be confab between Brush and Hart and then a meeting of the whole, probably i'll secret.
 On Tuesday, unless present plans fail, the league will meet and the scheme to place matters in the hands of N. B. Young. Brush and Hart will be consummated A schedule will be adopted and umnires will be appointed. This is the method of procedure out lined by the different clubs, without consulting Freedman, who still says that a president will be elected, that Spalding will be obliterated and that the league as a body will have to once more bend the knee=to the New York club. While the magnates are confer, ring. however. there may be surprise ill store for them. Rumor has it that A. c. Spalding has left California for the east and. may bob up here at any moment. If he comes he will surely attend the meeting, if only as an hon. orary member. It is said in Chicago, on the authority of Hart. that Spald- ing will make his fight all over again, if the decision of Justice Truax, which has not yet been handed down. is un- favorable to him. From Chicago, by the way. comes the strange report that Freedman will not attend the coming meeting ill person, but that the New York club will be represented by no less celebrity than 'Christy'' Mat thewson, the star pitcher. Freedman believes that the magnates can surrer- der to Matthewson just as gracefully as they can to anybody else from the New York club,'' said q base ball man last night. ''but if Spalding shows up, it is dollars to dimes that there will be no surrender at all and possibly an- other base ball earthquake"
 
 John T. Brush offered Freddy Parent the former New Haven shortstop. $4000 to desert the Boston Americans and go to Cincinnati Freddy suggest ed to the Boston club that it come down with more money, and he will probably get it.
 Thomas J. Dowd will not play with the New London base ball team this season. His official declination of the offer made him by the local manage ment was received by Manager Shea this morning and Dowd is now counted out of the plans of the club. Tom wrote from Holyoke. He said: tI couldn't think of accepting your propo- sition. I feel sorry you couldn't see the advantage of turning the club over to me. New London Day.
 John McGraw, manager and third baseman of the Baltimore American league team, may never be able to play ball again. Last year he broke his leg, but apparently was all right when he left for Hot Springs seven weeks ago. A recent accident, however, has laid the great player up and his physician says that unless an operation is per formed he cannot play ball this year. anN perhaps never. McGraw says that he can walk as well as ever, but that running around the bases and sudden starts after hits have become impossi- 1 ble. Many experts have pronounced McGraw the best third baseman in the country, with the possible exception of l Collins of the Boston Americans. With out him the Baltimores will present a team that will not class with Chicago Boston, Philadelphia and St Louis.
 Manager F. l.. Shea announced yes l terday afternoon that he had decided upon captain for the coming sea- sons baseball team. All negotiations have been declared off with Tom l Dowd of last years Boston American league. The services of Tom Bannon have been engaged to captain the team. For some time past Norwich and New London have been trying to get Bannon and the local manage ment succeeded. Ramon is known here. He has played with the East ern league for three seasons Last year he was with the Syracuse team, that afterwards was moved to Brock. ton, Mass. There are six Bannons playing ball in the United States and four of them are brothers. One of the brothers was a member of last years New Haven team.-New Lon
 don Telegraph.
 The stockholders of the Hartford base ball club met last night and S2, 800 was subscribed by the old stock holders. Some who did not attend tht meeting will be seen during the weeI and next Friday night another meetins will be held, when directors and officer. will be elected. The $2.SO0 was sub scribed by eight men. Manager Refs ling was present and he reported tha
 he had secured Doran, a famous left
 handed pitcher. Negotiations are a1s,
 under way to get Sullivan. who wa,
 Toronto's winning pitcher last yea
 aud who started the winning streak O
 the Canadian team. Doran and Sull1
 van will skin the state league if the,
 are landed While the players are or
 dered to report on April IA the mos
 of the men will get here on the 18th :. Some of the officials S11poastad fo Man