The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-03
SPORTING NEWS.
Baseball Magnates Do Their
Usual Talking.
Each Thinks Peace or War
Rests With the Other.
is BANS LAST CHANCE.
National Says American Must
Come to Terms.
Meeting in New York July %
Will Settle 1t.

New York, July 3.-It rests entirely
with President Ban Johnson, of the
American league, whether or not there
will be a baseball war. If he attends
the meeting called for July %, and con-
sents to have Davis play with the New
York Nationals, peace may be con-
tinued. If he does not President Pull
liam, of the National league, and
President Powers, of the National As
ISOLATION of Minor Leagues, will meet,
draw up national agreement with
the American league declared an out
law organization and it's players at the
mercy of the contracting parties. This
is the baseball situation as seen in New
York. Many of the best American
league players are said to be dissatis-
fled and to be ready to jump to the Ma
tional league If the peace compact Is
declared to be abrogated.
! The causes which have led up to this
/ intended cornering of the baseball mar
ket between the organizations headed
l by Harry Pulliam and Pat Powers are
said to be the dilatOry tactics pursued
by Ban Johnson.
! The placing of Elberfeld with the
/ Highlanders. it is claimed, was only
the first step toward a wholesale trans
! fer of stars to the New York invaders.
which, had it been successful, would
have resulted in the abrogation of any
national agreement by the American
! lea @ua.
These dilatory tactics have resulted
| in bringing the National league and
/ National Association of Minor Leagues
closer together, and Pulliam and Pow
ers are now ready to go ahead without
the Americans. Johnson is to have a
! last chance. If he fails to pay any at
teption to this invitation Pulliam and
Powers will go ahead and formulate
National agreement. The document
will h. ~ act
CARNATIONS, and the American league
will be left out in the cold-an out
law, with no standing, and with its
players unprotected.
With the National league controlling
most of the stars and the National
association having jurisdiction over
| every minor league in the country, ak
cept the outlaw organization in Cali
| fOrnia, the American league, it is
claimed. will have little or no oppor-
tunity to gain recruits, and with the
! National league preying on its players,
the opposition would soon die of dry
rot.
On the other hand, if Johnson decides
to attend the meeting and get under
cover he will be compelled to accept
existing conditions. which include the
recognition of the New York clubs
right to George Davis
Comiskey, of the Chicago White
Stockings, to whom Davis was as
signed is preparing to secure an in
its the Windy City next Saturday, re-
straining McGraw from playing Davis
in the Illinois city.
The Cincinnati club has made a for
NAL request for a meeting of the Ma
| tional league to consider the Davis
case. 1t will be held if six clubs sign
a petition to that effect.
HERMANN SANGUINE.
l. Cincinnati. July 3.-The manner in
which the baseball situation is viewed
in New York, as outlined in the above
dispatch, was made known to President
Hermann last night.
1T is not true that the Cincinnati
club has made formal request for
meeting of the National league" said
the president of the Reds club. I'VE
merely suggested that such a meeting
be held, and that suggestion was made
to Mr.. Dreyfuss.
'At this time 1 do not care to make
an expression concerning the probabili-
ties of the meeting called for July Is,
! that it would be hard matter to con-
troll players in the minor leagues.
| know of no law in baseball which would
| compel minor leaguerS to sign with
either the National or the American or
to prevent them from signing with the
league of their own choosing, or The
league offering the best inducement.
AS yet have not received President
Pulliam's answer to my letter, and
there is absolutely nothing new in the
situation, SO far as l am aware. The
only message 1 have received bearing
upon the subject in controversy is a
letter from Mr.. Robson, of the st.
Louis club, indorsing his letter to Pres
ident Pulliam- In both he indorses the
stand l have taken and agrees that
the transfer of Elberfeld from Detroit
to New York was no violation of the
peace compact on the part of the Amer
lean league.
Il am satisfied that the matter will
be amicably settled in few days. ana
that everything will come out right in
the end"
UP TO THE NATIONAL
Chicago. July S.--ln regard to the for
nation of the national agreement be
tween the National the American and
minor leagues, as suggested by the dis
patches from New York, credited to
Pulliam and Powers, President John
son SAID:
Il have heard nothing from Pulliam
regarding the meeting mentioned in
the newspapers, and If Pulliam fol-
lows the precedent set in the Davis
case I probably will not receive his
letter until after the date of the pro-
posed meeting.
Two weeks ago informed President
Hickey, of the American association,
and Secretary Farrell. of the National
Association of Minor Leagues, that the
American league stood ready to shape
things uD for the minor leaguers at
any time, and to do all that it could for
the best interests of baseball If the
National league intends to break the
peace agreement and start another war
however, can hardly see any use of a
national agreement. It is still up to
the National league to get together and
declare itself.
Thousands Won and Lost.
Chicago, July 3.-To lose $4,000 on one
race and then turn around and win $50.
coo on the next, is the story of the
Drake and Gates Betting operations at
Washington park. Drake and Gates en-
gineered one of the biggest killings of
the season in the fifth race. Pat DUNES
| Tnhn MrC1ffrlr <0f r.