The Washington times., 1902-12-26
big Ed" DELEHANTY
A BONE OF CONTENTION
Baseball Leagues May Fight
Over Player.
TROUBLOUS TIMES AHEAD
National Magnates Likely to Be In
vested With Power to Act
at the Peace Meeting.

dL LuE 4 GulE DAEELluE.
NEW YORK. Dec. 26.-Ban Johnson.
president Of the American League. has
just announced that he has received
word from Garry Hermann. chairman OF
the National Leagues conference com
mittee. that at the peace negotiation that
is to be held at Cincinnati on January
8 the National League representatives
Will probably have full power to act.
When Hermann. Hart. and Robson
we're appointed a committee to meet
The American League men IL was with
the understanding that they could only
recommend peace terms and could also
merely listen to the ideas Of Johnson
q Co. But az the American League
meeting al Chicago last Monday. full
power was delegated to Johnson. Somers.
Comskey. and KiIlnea to ratify any
treaty Of peace that the National
League would agree 10. That put Il Up
to the National League to invest its
committee with similar power, which
Hermann now says Will be done.
lowering War Clouds.
In some quarters the opinion prevails
that there will be no peace in the base
ball world after all II is believed by
certain baseball observers that there are
so many knotty problems TO be solved.
particularly on the question OF players
who have jumped contracts. that the
two leagues viii be unable to get to-
gether
Men who believe they can speak by
the card are insisting that the American
League men viii make no concessions
al all, but viii insist upon an absolute
surrender by the National League. in
volving the relinquishment Of certain
players Of the Delehanty stripe and
others
it looks as IL Delehanty viii not only
be bone Of contention between the
two leagues. but viii also be the cause
Of no end or trouble in the National
League itself John J. Rogers. princi-
pal owner OF the Philadelphia Nationals.
says that Delchanty legally belongs to
him and AYERS that Brush has no right
20 sign the player under the rules.
Rogers has fled a long protest with
the National Leagues board Of direc-
tors asking that the New York club be
prevented from playing DeIehanty next
season. Rogers in his protest sets forth
the fact that Delehanty is bound TO
the Philadelphia club by the same kind
Of contract which Lajcse signed and
which has been pronounced valid by
the supreme court OF Pennsylvania.
To Keep Delehanty.
II Rogers protest does not stand. he
saws fHaf hc VIII secure an Injunction
which will prevent Delehanty frsm
ing vItn Jne New Yolks In .ug Sia.s
Of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile Brush hag
positively asserted that Delehanty will
remain with New York even il the war
with the American League must con
tinue in consequence.
Manager McGraw. Of the New York
Nationals. has released Second Base
man George Smith to the Boston Ma
iOnals Smith played in Rochester un-
der the management OF Al Buckenbur- /
ger. who IS now in charge OF the Boston
team. and who has been after Smith for
the past year BY letting Smith 90. Nc
Graw has evidently made up his mind
that he viii play second base himself
next season, but he may find himself
short Of innelders IL George Davis and
Norman ElberfeId stick TO the Ameri-
can League.
II is said that the New York Ameri- |
cans will report 10 Manager Clark Crit !
nth at Cincinnati early In March ard
viii 20 South from that city. The first
American League game. II is said. will |
not be played here before May Is. The
schedule meeting Of the American |
League viii be held at the Fifth Ave !
nue. Hotel possibly on Tuesday. Janu- |
airy -. OF a week later