Evening star., 1902-02-25
Ball Players Are Jumping
the National League.
MANY CLUBS LOSERS
McGOVERN BACK IN NEW YORK
WITH BOTH THUMBS INJURED.
CAROLS Won Three Games From Busi-
ness Men in Poor Bowl
ing Contest.

New dangers and fresh complications now
threaten the base ball magnates of the
National League. The young players of
class and quality secured from the ranks of
the minor leagues are kicking over the
traces. Some Of the most promising young
sters in the bunch have already jumped
their contracts with National League clubs
and returned to their old teams in the
Southern. Eastern, Western and California
Leagues. while many others are likely to
follow suit. according to the Chicago Inter
Ocean. The excuse offered by these con-
tract jumpers is that the National League
is at present disorganized and in no shape
to open the championship season on the
basis of an eight-club circuit. They say
that under the existing conditions they pre-
fer to remain in minor company for at
least another season.
1t is fact that many of these minor
league stars are sincere in their rather pes
simstic view of the National League situa-
ton. For example, when Outfielder Davy
Jones jumped his contract with the chicago
National League club and signed with the
ST. Louis American League club he openly
proclaimed his lack of confidence in the sta
bility of the old league. Boston, Philadel-
phia. Cincinnati. Brooklyn and st. Louis
have also suffered from this epidemic of
desertion and contract jumping.
Cincinnati Worried.
Cincinnati, for example, has already lost
five men in this way and the indications are
that the club will lose at least two other
players between this and the opening OF
the season The result is that Bid McPhee
finds himself confronted by about the stiff
est proposition of his managerial career
Six weeks ago the signed contracts of Out
fielders Coulter, Hulsman and Doherty,
Catcher Abbott and Pitcher Archie Stlmmel
nestled in the strong box of the Cincinnati
club. and Manager McPhee was congratu-
lating himself over the fact that he mad
landed all the men he wanted.
Today the contracts stll remain in the
custody of the club. but the players have
deserted. Coulter declares his intention
of remaining In the New York state
League; Doherty has signed new con-
tract with the Boston American League
club, and says that he intends to keep 1t;
Hulsman. admittedly the best man turned
out by the Southern League, has returned
to the Shreveport Ua) team: Catcher Alb
bott is back with the New Orleans aggre-
CATION and Pitcher Stimmel has signed
with the new Louisville team of the Amer1-
can circuit
Thus it Is that McPhee now has only
Crawford, Bey and Dobbs for mis- out
field and but two catchers in P1etz and
Bergen. This means that Cincinnati will
be compelled to begin the season with even
a weaker team than that of last year.
Three of tie men signed by New York
have already deserted. Second Baseman
Smith returns to the Eastern League while
Outfielders Jackson and Mcintyre both de-
clare that they will not repor- to Freed
man this spring.
Manager Donovan of ST. Louis thought
he had diamond in the rough in Pitcher
Joyce. but Saturday the young twirler told
his friends that he had decIde.- to cut
loose from the team.
Back in Boston Al Buckenberger. the
new manager. will be forced TO find new
men to replace Outfielder Carney and
Pitcher Willis, as these young men have
recently given out that they do not intend
to play in Boston this year.
Brooklyn has lost Third Baseman Krug
and Outfelder Hildebrandt, who intend to
stick to the California League in preference
to taking chances of making good on Ed.
Hanlons team.
Outfielder Brown and two Of the new re-
cruits to the pitching staff have already
deserted the Philadelphia club. and two
ready to jump their contracts.
1t is no, difficult to fix the responsibility y
for this latest blow at the dignity and pres
owners, by their constant wrangling and
pickering have discredited their own or
ganization, not only with the press and
public. but with the players as well. AS a
natural sequence the magnates in these
but themselves for the existing muddle.