The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-06
BRUSH IN GOOD HUMoR.
Returns from National Meeting, but
Has Little to Say.

JOnn l. Brush CHAIRMAN OF the executive
committee OF the National League. re-
turned from the New York meeting yester-
day. Not in recent years has Mr.. Brush
appeared in such good health and humor.
He was in excellent spirits last evening.
and when he was offered congratulations
for the manner in which the National
League trouble ended he remarked that
everything might have been all right a
few months ago, but for certain obstacles.
He did not remark what those obstacles
were. but it was plain to see that A. G..
Spalding and the men who had placed such
faith in him up until a few days ago were
the obstacles referred TO. When asked
what the National will do now, Mr.. Brush
said: 1T has been minated in part of
the press that the public has heard enough
or the magnateS and desire 10 know some
thing about the teams for the coming year.
The men who Will represent the National
League teams on the diamond this summer
will now occupy the center of the stage
for awhile. Many of the clubs have a lot
of players signed, and Cincinnati had more
than have reported, but things may shape
around into good form yet. When the
League meeting adjourned in New York
II was with the purpose that the executive
committee was to meet again in New York
as soon as convenient. The date for that
meeting has not been set, but it Will be
before long. There is really nothing to
talk about, except that everything is now
harmonious in the National League and
time alone will tell what our plans are"
< <
Without appearing in the lists of I'VE
told you So" it might be said here that it
has been stated numerous times in the
sporting columns of this paper since the
National League meeting last December
that A. G. Spalding would lose in his fight
10 gain the presidency of the National
League. Within the past few weeks rea-
sons were set out why the League would
repudiate Spalding and the magnates would
meet and patch up their differences. This
came to pass last week when representa-
tives of all the National League clubs met
in New York and the dove of peace spread
its wings over the two factions and every
thing ended tremendously. II was decided
to make the Spalding matter a record of
incident closed" He could not resign
from the League presidency. because he
had never been legally elected to that of
fee. Hence, Mr.. Freedman was right in his
regarding the acceptance Of
Spalding's resignation" When the news
was sent broadcast from New York last
December that a. CT. Spalding had been
elected president and would revOlutiOnize
baseball a large majority of sporting wri-
ters focked to Spalding. He was the
Moses of baseball, but yet they did not
stop 10 consider how he would carry out
has many "ultimatums," principally one to
GUST Andrew Freedman from the National
League. Spalding ana his followers did not
consider that Mr.. Freedman and Mr.. Brush
had property rights that could not be
usurped because one man did not take kind
~ to them personally or even i'm a business
way. Spalding did not make good one
or his threats, and now he is looked upon
as a ~laughable character. Freedman and
Brush won, and part of their ideas of i'm
proving the legislative strength of the
League have been adopted. They held the
whip hand throughout the controversy and
came out with flying colors. The incident
is closed" and so much the better, and il
Is safe 10 say the factiOnal differences that
cost more than can be figured will prove
beneficial to all sides. Hereafter there
should be no more factional fights, as they
are very annoying, TO say the least. Only
a few weeks ago it was suggested in these
columns that the National League must
fight the American to win back strength
and favor. The National magnates have
decided TO wage a fierce war against the
American. The Journal has stated that
the National Will have nothing TO gain by
compromising with the American. while.
on the other hand, by concerted efforts. it
viii win in its fight against Ban Johnson's
organization.
BY W. c. Temple refusing to accept the
presidency of the National League, owing
TO business reasons. the National magnates
who opposed the idea Of a board of con-
troll were won over and a governing body.
composed of John T. Brush, chairman.
James y. Hart and ~. II. Soden. was Sc
lected to run the affairs Of the major or
ganizatiOn this year. 1t is believed that
at the meeting of the League magnates
last Thursday night the men who opposed
Brush and Freedman last December and
would not listen TO Brush's plan to improve
the League saw their narrowness and al
lowed Mr.. Brush 10 explain his plans. Mr..
Brush no doubt modified his control plan
so that IL would not have the siightest color
OF trust TO it. and the League decided
the best il could do was 10 place its af-
fairs in the hands Of a board of control.
which has been Mr.. Brush's pet scheme.
Mr.. Brush is the most aggressive figure in
National League circles to-day. and with
the cooperation OF Hart and Soden this
board should devise means 10 place the
National upon the same plane IL occupied a
few years ago. Mr.. Brush is I'm favor of
fighting the American League. as he real
ICES such a course will have TO be pursued
for the National TO win. The bid for play
ers viii be a lively one. and the result is
not a conjecture, for the National has more
brains and money than the American. The
American Will feel the effects OF the war
this year more than the National felt last
season and this spring when il slept peace
fully and allowed the American TO steal
players right and left. 1t will no doubt
be an open warfare for talent this spring
and next year the National will be on ton
although the battle will be "A costly one
Already some or the American League
clubs are totterlng. McGraw has served
notice on the fans OF Baltimore that unless
they turn out this year he will sell his
stock and get out OF town. The increase
OF admission in American League Cries
will cause several other club owners to issue
prOclamatiOns 10 the fans of their cities
that they VIII have TO give better s,.aDor
or the teams will be removed elsewhere
Cleveland and Washington will feel thu
encts OF being against losers this year. and
they viii no doubt want to pull out next
year. New York will not be invaded by the
American, as Johnson could not find a To-
cation in the metropolis. and as Dreyfuss
let out a little secret last week that he
had been tempted and Temple had been
offered an American League franchise in
Pittsburg, but would not accept. there
seems 10 be no places open for the Amer
lean League when the time comes for II
10 shift two or three OF its clubs. The
American Is up against a proposition that