The Minneapolis journal., 1902-03-15
SPORTS
IT'S A REAL LEAGUE.
Eastern Writers Haven't Got the
American Association Right.
THE WESTERN STILL IN THE AIR
Boyer and Lusky for the Min
neaDolis Team.

After a while the eastern sporting writ
ers will begin to realize that the American
association is real baseball league and
that the Western league will have some
difficulty in crushing Hickey's organiza-
tion. There was much prejudice against
the new league organization because 1t
would not koWtow to the National assoc.
citation, but decided to go alone, and the
row that was made, blinded many writer's
to the real facts. AS sensible men they
should have seen that a band composed OF
Colorado Springs Des Moines, Peoria,
Omaha and st. Joseph would have a super.
human task in croWding Milwaukee, Min
neapolis,s Louisville. St. Paul and, Toledo
off the baseball map.
The American association is full
fedged league while the Western league
really doesn't know where it is at Van
Brunt of ST. Joe. is trying to place club
in Milwaukee. Fred Gross, formerly Of
the American league club, is nominally at
the head of affairs in the beer city, but he
is protected from financial loss by Van
Brunt. In other words he is mere figure
head and is charging the Western league
good price for his ball park. Hugh
Duffy will be the manager, but must
come into the market at this late day to
secure players. Duffy is a splendid ball
player, but is hopeless as manager. His
failure last year although backed by al
most unlimited funds proved conclusively
that he lacks all the elements of leader
ship.
James Manning of Kansas City, and
William Rourke of Omaha, are back of
the Des Moines team, while President
Whitfield, also Of Kansas City, is sponsor
for the Peoria team. With all these "rot-
ten boroughs" the Western league pre-
tends that it is strong and vigorous. If
it can keep alive during the coming sea-
son it will surprise most people and 1t
will not be blamed if it fails to crowd
the American association to the wall.
The sporting Life" says:
Thomas Burns, the wealthy owner of the
Colorado Springs club, has supreme conf
dence in his luck. He says the organization
that harbors him will live. This ought to
be encouraging for the Western League Con-
versely, 1t will be depressing news for the
American Association, which cast him forth.
But it's good betting that, were the thing to
be done over again, Mr.. Hickeys league
would still reject Colorado Springs, even with
the mascot Burns attached. A good circuit
is more esential to a baseball league than
mere luck.
! Manager Wilmot Of the Millers has
| made two valuable additions to his back
| stop department, having signed Catchers
Boyer and Lusky. The latter was claimed
| by indianapolis and Toledo and by the
| Waterbury club in the Connecticut league,
and Wilmot's good luck in landing the
man is liable to make others very envious.
! Boyer, in addition to being clever catch
er, is said to be a strong batsman. Wilmot
| has lines out everywhere, and will begin
hauling in before long.
Joe Gantillon asserts that among others
| he has signed Perry Werden for the Cali
lfornia league. There is one advantage
in being in California, but Perry Werden
has shown no disposition to complain
against the climate Of Minnesota, and
''Black5 Joe'' must have been dreaming
| when he made that announcement
The Western leaguers are doing thei1
best to rush Dale Gears cowboys. st
Joseph has enticed Outielder William
Hartmen away and Manager Nichols of the
other Kansas City team has fcapturet
Norwood Gibson, the college pitcher.
George Stallings Indignantly denies tn,
| statement that he has consented to d.
the dirty work Of the Eastern league II
bribing American association players / t,
desert He says that he knows of n,
fund for such a purpose and that he 1la
not received cent from any source. H
has all that he can do to bring his team
Of bisons together and get them in condi
tion before the season opens.
The baseball war in Kansas City be
tween the adherents of Dale Gears play
ers and Charley Nichols ball tossers i
growing fierce. The Journal, which i
supporting the American association mos
enthusiastically, has been sued for libe
by President Whitfield Of the Wester
league. He was referred to in the pape
as "grafter,' and responded by bring
ing suit for S25, 900 damages While Whit
field has tied himself up with the wron
crowd, the sporting writer's should re
member that he has borne an honorabl
name in journalistic and sporting circle
) for a generation. There is enough ma
terial for attack on the Western leagu
without resorting to personal abuse c
President Whitfield