The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-08
SPORTING NEWS.
Spalding Discusses the Baseball
Situation.
Five Clubs Send Replies to His
Circular Letter.
SOME VERY HOT SHOT.
Boston Believed to Have Joined
Out Against Freedman.
Ned Hanlon Thinks That a Vic
tory Is in Sight.

New York. Jan. "a. G. Spalding
has returned to this city. He found
here replies to the letter written by him
at Aiken. S. c., from the Brooklyn,
Pittsburg. Chicago, Philadelphia and
Boston clubs. New York. St Louis and
Cincinnati did not respond. The letter
received from Boston is considered most
important. Up to the present time the
Boston magnates have taken sides with
Mr.. Freedman in the baseball tangle,
and the reply to Mr.. Spalding's letter
will be watched with more than ordi-
nary interest Mr.. Spalding said.
Those responsible for carrying the
present baseball matter into court must
get out as best they can. without my
What effect will this lawsuit have on
the National league pending the de-
cision2' was asked
You will have to ask Freedman'S at
torney to answer that Pending a de-
cision Of this case am restrained from
acting as president and secretary
treasurer of the National league, to
which Office 1 was notified that L was
elected on December IA, 1901 Conse-
quently do not see how or anybody
else can do anything with National
league affairs while these court proceed
ings continue, and nobody can tell just
how long they will continue.
What are you going to do in the
mGanC1IneI
"Continue to act in my individual ca
pacity and see to it that. as Freedman
is now practically out of baseball poll
tics he does not get back again" >,
But Freedman says he isn't out
isn't he? Where is he, then? II
looks to me as if Brush, Robson and
he had quit playing baseball and gone
to studying law in Delaney Nichols
New York office. and if they apply
themselves to their new profession I'M
til this suit is finally decided they will,
no doubt, be ready for admission to the
bar
Are we to understand from that that
you consider Brush and Robson are out
of the game also?'
IT haven't taken the responsibility of
saying that. Before was elected Pres
ident of the National league named as
one of the conditions under which
would accept the Office, if elected, that
Freedman must get out for the good of
the game. and as the announcement
seems to have met with universal favor
with the public press, official players
and all those interested in baseball,
do not feel called upon to read any one
else out of the National baseball po-
litical party until it becomes apparent
that further sacrifices are necessary
notice that Mr.. Billings, of Boston, is
credited with expressing opinion
that the game would be benefited by
Brush getting out of it, and under
stand there are others of the same
opinion. If Brush gets out, I think
Robson should go with him. for 1t is
closely allied in a business way and as
apparently SO closely attached to their
personal friend, Freedman, that if one
goes the other should go, but as to
whether either of them should go, do
not feel like taking the responsibility
of making the decision.
Il also recall seeing some $500 bluff
offer that Freedman made for a bunch
of RobiSon'S players. but, judging from
Freedman's liberality in other direc-
lions, I think he must have known his
offer would not have been accepted
when he made it.
''I saw Nick Young and we under
stand each other pretty we'll. If you
think am hot at Freedman you ought
to see Young in some of his quiet, con-
fidential moods discuss the gentleman
Young feels very keenly the insults
that have been cast upon him by
IF Ban johnson and I ever meet I
will talk to him only in a personal
way"
''win your four clubs join the Ameri-
can Lacquer"
THAT is something for these four
clubs to decide. am not aware of any
invitation having been extended to
them to do so, nor have I been advised
that any of the four clubs are DESTROYS
of making such connection"
Ned Hanlon takes a cheerful view of
the situation, and is confident of such
a turn in the war and says the danger
has been overestimated. In speaking of
the situation, Hanlon said:
Il would not be surprised to see the
Boston management conclude to join
our forces shortly, in which case we
would have five of the eight clubs and
q majority. and which will end the
present baseball war. The Boston club
was seriously injured last season by
its American League rival. and the
public has no idea how much money it
lost Spalding is very strong in Boston
and the lovers of the game there want
to see him president of the league; So
in addition to the existing lack of popu-
larity, the Boston owners are adding
fuel to the flames by opposing Spald-
ing'S election.
I'VE are making every effort to have
Boston join our forces, for it will mark
the greatest event in the history of base
ball / mean by that, that we will not
only win our fight. but that the incident
will go down in baseball history the
most stubbornly fought since the or
ganization of the National League"
TAKES ORESCEuR FROM TEX A 6