Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-21
BASEBALL NOTES.
4, c. Spalding Tenders His Resigna-
 ton as President


 The representatives of the Brooklyn. Pittsburg, Philadelphia and Chicago baseball clubs of the National league will hold an important meeting in P1ttsburg tomorrow. The object of the conference is to disclose to tha public whether these four clubs de- sire to continue the campaign as mapped out by Spalding or whether they deem it advisable to capitulate and join hands with the Freedman combine. Pending a decision. Rar- hey Dreyfuss holds the resignation of Spald1ng from the presidency of inc National league. For some time mast opaldlng has been in possession of in lornatlon to the effect that some of HIS ailles, particularly the officials of tue bfookIyn club, c. Fl. Ebbets and huWard Hanlon, have been worrying over the situation and were inclined 10 weaken It has also been learned by Spaidlng that the Brooklyn cl,,b mas been anxious to know how if would receive $25, 900 due for +ba elimination of the Baltimore cIuh from the league as part of the reduo- tlon of the twelve club circuit +o ai9l+ clubs; that the Brooklyn cl1b annarN enlly has been ready to flop either wa V if guarantee of this payment sbo,,1s appear; that the loyalty of the Eroo,s- lsn cluo has been questioned eyer since haiilon and Ebbets refused to attend the Buffalo conference in snite oi personal requests from Spalding ana that the Brooklyn people have been charged with secretly dickerino . wlth wlth the opposition to the end tbaf the league factions might get tooetbs CT under the old regime.
 4,o n,oo+ing tomorrow tl,aro- Iore.. the Brooklyn club will have an excellent opportunity to define its +rna position. For publication all of tba Spaldlng club presidents have da1 ciared themselves in favor of fiob+;no 10 the bitter end. Spalding has ninna6 The utmost faith to their uttaranco, Dut III view of the above informa+ior ne mas decided to take radical action On february 14, accordingly. Snallino sent out q circular letter to Nracsrs Barney Dreyfuss, Harry pnllia n John l. Rogers, A. J. Reach ~ IT hppets, F A. Abell, H. R. Vondar- 1orsI ana James A. Hart. in which ba ulu not mince matters. but proceadad ,o place these magnates in 2 nosi+ion where they are compelled to sba,u Wnether they mean business o,. not
 Enemies of Spalding will GOV +l,4 III making this move he has afln;+taa uereat, but as matter of faot ba stands ready to make good all of bis plans. If the four SnaId;na v Iis stand by him. he will proceed to o,.l.a., ,.,s Ea another league. wjtho,,t rofo,s.' s'n- 1o lne court proceedings. If tbe tho ioohiyl club weakens and breaks 1.e 1ie goInDlnation, it is said that ina
 l.tspurg and Chicago clubs will IulcNy go into the American leaoua lhe Chicago club combining with co lniskey,s club of that city, the An,ari- ean league games to be played on tlo Nationai leagues grounds The pitts ourg club will take the CIeva,ana iranchlse. If the PhiIadelnhia Nc Ilonal league club wishes to foIloyv suit. a combination can he raadi1v made with the Athletics. who ra,,rn sent the Quaker City in the Amarioan league. 1Aiiieilcah
 A move of this kind will mal<a +bo American league circuit the stronoast Ill the country and will vir+,a11r wreck the old National league. Snald- Ing will then find backing to b,,;,a grounds in New York for tha trans Ter of the Washington Amarica,, Ieague club there as the new Naw York club in Ban Johnson,s circnit This will precipitate a fight all aIong the line and the American Ieapua will pc prepared to parallel the Boston New York and St Louis clubs of the National league. Tn the trust plan which was defeated by Spalding the Brooklyn club was slated for cold deal. Ebbets has admitted that the Brooklyn club was to be thrown out of the National league circuit. so that if the Brooklyn club. because of a de- sire to get the S250OO circuit pay- ment, should decide to abandon Spald- ing. it would be a case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
 Freedman and Brush. in seeking to get the New York and Cincinnati clubs into the American league. have been turned down.sa This is a positive fact, upon the authority of one of the American leagues most prominent club owners. The American league is anxious to see the SpaIding clubs stick together and has consistently