The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-02

GOOD YEAR AHEAD
President Johnston Of Local Baseball
Club Predicts Successful Sea-
son This Year.
American Association Meets in Chi:
cago Saturday -Tebeau Knocks
the St. Paul Club.

President Johnston Of the Minneapolis
baseball club has returned from Chicago
where he held conference last week
with President Hickey of the American
association. He predicted successful
year for the league, and said that Chicago
baseball men all spoke highly of the Min
| neapolis team.
The annual meeting Of the associa ton
will be held in Chicago Saturday, when
| the circuit will be decided and some minor
matters settled. Much dissatisfaction was
expressed over the quality of the base
| balls last year, and an effort will be made
to secure a better quality Of spheres for
the coming season.
George Tebeau, president Of the Louis
vile club In the American association, is
still of the opinion the association will
have team in Chicago. He said:
Except st. Paul. every city in the as
ISOLATION is better as a business PROPOSE
ton than Chicago with three clubs. Any
other proposition would be an improve
ment on St.. Paul. Visiting clubs lose
money there and managers tire of going
there.
All favor transferring st. Paul to Chi
cago and will use every endeavor to per-
suade Lennon to move If he persists in
staying, then Chicago will not be invaded,
and no sane person would think Of trans
ferring any of the other seven clubs.
This talk of the big leagues fighting
the association If we enter Chicago is all
bosh They have only themselves to
blame. When they abrogated the national
agreement they knocked down their claim
to territorial rights and went among the
minor league pirating players. If the
minor leagues had any desirable territory
they would have taken that.
he oiot ~,
singing players and will add SO per cent
to the playing strength Of the association
We will serve as fast ball as the major
leagues"
The fate Of the foul strike rule used by
the National league for the past two years
will be decided at the Joint session of the
American and National league committees
this week, and the deliberations of that
body will be Of considerable interest to the
ball fans throughout the country.
The critics are practically unanimous in
predicting that the rule will go, and the
old rules used by the American league
decided, it will undoubtedly be settled
arnicably. but a long discussion is likely
to precede the final decision. 80. ~!
President Hart of the Chicago National
! league club is the father Of the foul strike
rule, and Ned Hanlon, his companion on
the National league rules committee, has
also been an ardent supporter Of the law.
The rule, which calls a strike "a foul
hit ball not caught on the fly, unless two
strikes have been called" necessarily
helps the pitcher, and at the time the
| change was offered it was Colonel Harris
plan to .equalize matters by allowing the
batsnan to. take his base on three balls
| instead of four.
| In the discussion which will come ur
! this week this phase of the change will
| undoubtedly be advocated by President
Hart, and perhaps by Hanlon.
Still showing the signs of his severe
illness, which kept him at his home 70,
three weeks, two weeks Of which he had
! lain in bed, Ban B, Johnson, president OF
the American Baseball league, visited his
office in the Fisher building in Chicago
Saturday. Johnson said:
II see there are many stories af1oat re.
| garding the site for the grounds in New
York city. Well, we are going in there
and nothing now can prevent US: The
grounds are assured and we will play bal
there when the time comes for the open
Ing games in the spring. =: g: ;i:.T@
Il do not know when I will go toSNev
York, but I expect to do SO soon. Their,
Is quite bit Of business to be looked
after there-not so much the grounds
problem as other business. The date To-
the New York meeting has not been de-
! cided upon, but I expect it will be helt
about the latter part of next month";
The informal conference Of the presi
! dents of the western clubs in the Nationa
Baseball league at Cincinnati yesterda,
WAS without results. President Hart o
the Chicago club was not present. Presi
| dent Hermann Of the Cincinnati club
President Robson of the st. Louis clu1
| and President Dreyfus Of the Pittsbur,
!, club conferred during the day on variou
matters, but last night they said they ha
done nothing and did not expect to d
anything a this meeting, although the
will be together again to-day. They ar
all in favor Of asking the western clubs O
the American league to cooperate wit
them for an interchange Of games befor
is no doubt that the proposition will be &C
companied with a schedule Of dates tina
! Mr.. Hermann has prepared.
Brooklyn patrons Of baseball may hav
the pleasure of witnessing some famou
old stars at Washington. Park this season
The Brooklyn club has claimed Hugh Jen
nings, Joe Corbett, Jimmy Hughe!
Charlie Irwin and Eddie Wheeler. Unde
the agreements reached by the America
and National leagues any player not /
the list of other clubs, may be claimed
jennings, COrOeCL, Hughes, Irwin an
Wheeler are not included in. the list
players apportioned at the joint confer
ence Of the American and National league
and Brooklyn has claimed them. Unde
the reserve rule no other club can hay
these men.
Buffalo and Providence are still Amel
lean league possibilities. These citi,
have not come into line in the Easter
league circuit There is a hitch, and
looks as if the hitch would remain an vi
certainty until the American league shov
it's hand on Manhattan island. The Eas
ern league adjourned Friday after thr,
days session at New York without Sc
ting the circuit question. The America
= league has been flirting with these tv
cities and, while Buffalo is the city the
want, it is believed they will take Pro,
idence if they cannot get Buffalo.
At a meeting of the newly electt
board Of directors Of the Sioux Falls Bas
ball association, Colonel John Emmke W;
elected president of the organization. TT
remainder of the officers will be elect,
at the next meeting of the board. It
now an assured fact that Sioux Falls W
during the coming season again have
baseball team which will be able to no
It's own with any Of the teams of II
northwest.
At meeting Of the board of directo
Of the Milwaukee American Associate
| Baseball club Saturday officers we
elected as follows: President, Charl
| y