The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-10
FRANCHISE LEI
 FUR BIRMINGHAM Champ PieteRs Wil Have Charge of Affairs Here SAYS NEW LEAGUE IS WINNER Has Option on Two Pieces of Ground and WilI Let Contract for
 Building Grandstands and
 Fence at Early Date.
SAYS NEW LEAGUE IS WINNER

The franchise for the Birmingham club in the new baseball league has been given to ". Champ Pickens of this city and arrangements will begin immediately for the location of park and the organ ization of team.
 MT. Pickens went to Merfphis Friday night armed with letters of credit from severel prominent citizens of Birming- ham and on the strength of these .reeom- of conducting the new leagues affairs here. A conference vas held with Gen. eral Carnes. the promoter of the new organization, Charles Frank, Newt Fish CT and Caruthers Ewing. The letters MT Pickens bore were from two of General Carnes' personal friends and he imme- diately decided to entrust the franchise with the bearer.
 Mir. Pickens. accompanied by Charlie Frank, returned to Birmingham last night and arrangements were completed for turning over the papers. The pro- motors and packers of the new club have ample funds behind them and Mir Pick ems says they will have winning team in Birmingham and he expects to get the larger share of the public support if both leagues continue through the sea- son. He has options on two pieces of ground suitable for a ball park and the Cor 4faa tor1 of 70 prraOd- stands will be let within a few days.
 Jackson Makes Statement. When apprised of the turn affairs have taken Coffee E. Jackson, secretary and treasurer of the old Birmingham club, said last night
 T am very sorry to know that we will have two clubs as I think it will huri baseball in the south for some time tS come. Our club is in fine shape and wi are prepared to put up good ball mex summer,4,fOf course we are not looking for trouble but if it comes we are read. fer fight
 MT. Pickens says: We realize tha baseball is a paying investment in Bir mingham and with good team the pub lie will support the sport handsomely ne Otu iedBuC tAdo lldO hWO U Adho n1 I and furnished tailenders both seasons We propose to put in first-class tean and make them winners, if money cal procure good players. We will not b handicapped by a salary limit nor SO called protective association.
 "The league will be run on bushes: principles and the stockholders through out the circuit will include the bes business men of the various cities"
 The St. vrain Matter.
 The following extract from the Sport ing News throws new light on the St Vrain matter:
 Butte, Mont, October S-Editor of the Sporting News: Relative to the action at New York by the national board in the St. Vrain matter, where they fined him personally $1O0. suspended Charley Frank of the Memphis club. and cen. sured J. J. McCloskey, I wish to give you true account of the matter, and some facts which have not heretofore come out. I have seen so many conflict ing reports and stories about this case that it would be only right to state a few details which had personally to do with and I would be glad to make affidavit to the truth of what I say.
 Before the Pacifie-Northwes league was
 
 jumping from town to town on the coast organizing stock companies to bring about the formation of the league At the same time he was looking for material for the Tacoma club of which he was to be man. ager. While at Spokane he wrote me asking if 1 could sign St. Yrain for him St. Vrain was at that time working hers in boiler shop. While he had been triet out by the Butte team ip 1900 he was re leased shortly though McCloskey, wh was with Great Falls that year. though him promising, and wrote me about him l acted as St. Vrain's friend and advise in the matter, and drew up a typewritte agreement for him to get him signed wit McCloskey. At that time there were Il league contracts printed for the Pacin, Northwest league, as 1t was not yet ol ganized In the typewriter agreement was specifically stated that he was nc to be reserved, as I had advised hil right along not to go under reservatio in any of the minor leagues. Jimmy wer with McCloskey and developed into good pitcher, and McCloskey certainl lived up to his promise by putting tn exemption clause St. Vrain's regula printed contract, which, manager ( the Tacoma club, he should, in all events have authority to do. The statement c President Patrick Powers that when Mo Closkey found that he was not to be hel by the Tacoma club for 1902, he wrote tn exemption clause in St. vrains contract is absurd. for the reason that McCloske had a special contract that he was not t be reserved for 1902.
 l do not mean this as a reflection O MT w. H. Lucas veracity, but I kno that he was mistaken in regard to tt facts, and had he consulted me some tin ago. 1t might have saved lot of troub for the Southern league. The censure McCloskey by the board was entirely ul called for. as he acted only upon a jul and honorable course by keeping his wol with St. Vrain. McCloskey will aga have charge of the Butte club for 19t There is no disputing that he Is the mo competent and hard-working manager the league, and while he was alwa, modest as to his claims for the But team, every move that he made broug us up just one step higher. Mack h. developed as many players as any oth man in the business, and I have nev seen him very far off in his judgment a players ability. The general satisfa ton he gave to the Butte fans last SC son makes him indispensable for next
 After the return of the Butte boys fro their last victorious trip they were giv' benefit and blowout by the Butte e thusiasts. and were made the guests Bob Fitzsimmons at the theater, whe they were highly complimented by t ex-champion and presented with hors shoe of the Honest Blacksmiths' mal