Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-17
McGRAw WRECKS ORIOLES.
Persuades Six Baltimore Players to De-
sert to National League.


"Muggsy" McGraw has got his revenge
on Ban johnson. He has broken up the
Baltimore base ball team. at least so that
no game Is likely to be played in that city
today.
McGraw takes with him the following
players, who jump their contracts with the
Orioles: Cronin. Seymour McGinnity and
Bresnahan. Cronin and McGinnity are the
two star pitchers of the team. These four
men, with McGraw jumped for New York
last night.
Williams and McGann are also reported
to have jumped to Cincinnati.
1t is said that Kelley will Join the Gin
cinnati team within day or two.
For two days McGraw has been In Bal
timore, stopping at the Stafford but his
name did not appear on the register and
he kept his room most Of the time But
this apartment was the rendezvous Of
Orioles, invited to meet the former man.
ager Of the home team. That was easy,
because Captain Robinson, probably the
only man Of the whole crew who is on
the square with Baltimore, is out of the
city attending the funeral of his mother.
1t was rumored In Baltimore yesterday
afternoon that something out of the usual
would be doing last night, and when Presi-
dent Mahon was asked about 1t he told the
directors at the Northampton Hotel at 8
o clock, as there wauld be a meeting of
the directors to consider the question Of
selling the club.
When the reporters reached the hotel
none of the officials of the club was to
be found. The tip was out, however of the
raid of McGraw and the jump of the three
to Cincinnati 1t was soon proved to be
true.
The action of McGraw and the trick of
Mahon to throw of the reporters shows
the story that Freedman paid nothing for
the stock Of the Orioles was false.
Mahon and McGraw are not the men
to forfeit several thousand dollars for re-
yenge McGraw could never have gotten
the men out of Baltimore had not Ma
hon permitted It,
President Ban Johnson of the American
Base Ball League expressed but little sur
prise last night when informed that McGraw
had secured a controlling interest in the
stock Of the Baltimore club He was little
inclined to talk Of, the future except to
say that he would give Baltimore team
with which to finish the season in spite of
the schemes Of the Baltimore people. whom.
he asserted, had connived at the downfall
of the league in selling out their stock to
the National League. He denounced those
who had jumped the club and said that If
1t was their purpose to drive the American
to the wall by the sale Of their interests
to the National they had overshot their
mark He added:
.-They evidently overlooked the fact that
the lease Of the property in Baltimore was
made out in my name and that I now
hold that lease. In1S, OF course, means
that 1 can go right ahead with the game
in that city. Tomorrow, II necessary, can
plant a team there. But it's a question
whether 1 shall or not Just now. should
say that shall allow things to take their
course and then step in. I shall probably
await to see what the minority Of stock
holders In the club, represented by Messrs.
Goldman, Frank and Strauss do. Unless a
team Is placed on the field tomorrow after
noon against the st. Louis club, ready to
play the scheduled game, the stockholders
will. Of course, forfeit their franchise This
will forfeit the holdings that Mahon has
sold tonight to the National League when,
through McGraw. he sold his stock, which
was the majority stock of the club.
Friday shall have a strong team in that
city prepared to finish out the Baltimore
schedule. Each of the seven other teams
of the league will go to the front for me
and .send their surplus players. from which
a fast team may easily be constructed
LAS to Messrs. Goldman, Frank and
Strauss, who have fought against the Ma
hon-McGraw-Kelley policy all through, you
may say that the American will protect and
look out for them. Financially they will
be cared for"
Mr. Johnson says that the schedule ar
ranged for the Baltimore club will be PLAYED
out by the American League teams, though
he offered no suggestion as to how and