The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-14
JOHNSON TALKS OF GROUNDS.
SAYS AMERICAN LOCATION HERE
mas NOT BEEN FOUND.
Bot there's an Anchor 70 Windward In tho
shape Of m Option on Another Suit.
able Plot IN Case OF . slip-up-Bruah
IL Grabbing Up All Available sites.

The story published In yesterdays SvS that
che American League had secured grounds
here In the vicinity Of Lenox avenue. i+oth
street and Harlem River created no end OF
talk among baseball men. The Information
was based upon a letter sent by Willie keei"r
to friend in San Francisco. and named i46th
street a. the obstacle which would have TO ""
removed before the grounds could be avail
able for ball playing. The letter also con-
tanned the news that the American League had
purchased half the property for s?25, 900. with
90, 900 down. and had leased the other half for
ten years. When Ban johnson. president Of
the American lea que. was seen last night at
the Criterion Hotel and asked about the story,
he said:
1T IL somewhat Of q puzzle 20 me. While
the location named Is not correct. II Is true
that as far as the real plot IA concerned the
American League has purchased half of the
property outright and leased the other hllf for
ten years But how Keller hsd any such in
formation T. mystery. GriNth. who viii
manage the New York Americans. wrote to
Keller some time ago about signing with vs.
and said that We had grounds Ciuchtd here.
but he does not know the location even now.
Neither does hs know that We purchased half
the grounds and leased the other half II Is
not true that we want to have iASth street
closed In fact the closing OF a street does not
enter into the deal AT all.
.The American League has cast an anchor
70 wind ward however, and haS secured an
option on another piece OF property. also on
Manhattan Island which has 10 street through
n and which can he turned into r fine park
II is not so conveniently lo' stsd ~ tn" grounds
We are banking on gbut IT i \ safeguard.
While President johnson says that iteth
street l. not involved, tho-" who haV. been
securing Manhattan Island for grounds say
MI, hs 9T@ Soct G 81 b. on t4 "GA tSn1
Is enough available property w there to pro-
vide for two big ball parks But III. eros:
ono Of them viii have 10 h. closed b. fore a
park large enough TO met the requirements
Mennwhiie the New York National League
club. Of which Brush Is president. is securing
options ON various sites thought TO be III tie
nave 6aen cosr.lsd Eeysn,h lar av snh b
tween Sixty.sinth and Sixty-cighth streets;
suffers Harlem River Park. Second avenue
avenue. below ltsth street, g Not that has
not yet been mentioned Brush's friends
say that he win put M hot arsuinent to
prevent the American ga" landing in here
The Efforts of tn. National l.nsu" men
20 enter into negotiations with thir young
rivals have not ceased. Robson of st Louis
was hunting w Somers and kilfOvle ye-t"r-
day, but he could not 1nd them lie wanted
70 go West with either OF them last night to
talk things over. but neither Somers nor
KIlfoyle was ready to leave tie city one Of
the American lelgu" men In town made an
1nfsTeetlng state lis11 last ElkUt 10 the
financial status " that young organization.
lie said.
only two clubs in the American lost money
last season They were Baltimore and De-
troll and neither dropped inucl. Boston
made about $4,000, Philadelphi1 cleared
10000. Cleveland was f25.0bn TO the good
while Chiclgo, St Louis and Washington
all finished ahead on the season fach
Ameroa League club paid 10 per cent Of tie
gross receipts or each game Into the sinking
fund which has been swcllod into an amount
90 carry four losing clubs through two seasons
at least Wien we get New York Hoing,
the American will coin money faster than We
Can count II There l. much more money IN
base ball than TIE public has any idea OF aud
the So called high salaries OF players are not
so hard to pay after all There was never
q more PROSPEROUS baseball season than last
year and TIE end Is not yet
Jack DOYLE will be a member OF Hanlon's
Brooklyn team next year and play first base
He signed contract yesterday. and he said
he was glad 70 Ia with Hanlon ugain. as his
etyle Of ball Ste in with Hanlons IDEAS. He
played first base under Hanlon on the Balt-
mores when they were pannHit winners.