Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-13
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
Ban johnson. Announces New
York Grounds.
LARGEST IN COUNTRY
DETAILS OF THE STRUGGLE TO
GET A CLUB IN GOTHAM.
Stables Arriving at Benning-New Or
leans Races-Palm Beach Golfers
Chess Masters Tourney.

Ban Johnson, president OF the AiheiieoN
League, last night in New York issued TINS
statement on the plans of the American
League in New York:
1.-THE New York American League ciun
will play ball this year at grounds located
between 165th street on the south. i"o'''
street on the north. nth avenue on the east
and Fort Washington road on the west.
1.-THE location, of course. is on Manhattan
Island. and fulfills the promise made by the
American League. The grounds are not
intersected by 16Gth and 10th streets, and
are the largest in the country.
.On the east side they are 1917 feet long,
while on the west side the length is IT'S
feet On the north they are Cos feet wide.
while on the south they are $50 feet wide.
1.-THE 16Sth street station. of the new I'M
derground road is located at the northeast
corner of the grounds. AS the subway Will
not be completed in time for use this year,
pa,rvns of the American League VIII De
compelled to the surface roads. which
PASS within a block of the properly on Am
sterdam avenue. The Sd and 9th avenue
troieys go direct. while all the elevated
roads transfer to the 125th street cross
town line. which also passes the SOUNDS.
'"I'he new president Of the New York
American League club will be Joseph Cor
don, who was associated with John b. Day
in the New York National League club flf-
teen years ago.
Will Do Some Blasting.
'It will be necessary to do some little
blasting on the property in order to get t
in shape, but the contractors will begin
work tomorrow morning, and work on the
stands will follow within few days. There
will be seating capacity for $4,000 specta-
tors.
1.-The plans for the stands have been SUBJ
taI 70 he hI,il ri a
permit has been granted to proceed with
the work. The property belongs to the New
York Institute for the Blind. and has been
leased by the American League club for ten
years. President Gordon has engineered
that end of the deal from the start, and has
greatly assisted me in keeping things quiet.
1T was In the latter part of August, at a
meeting of the American League Club.
held in Cleveland, that we took our first
official action toward invading New York
CITY, By force of circumstances we were
compelled to place the cart before the
horse-that is to say. we were forced to
sign all of our players for the New York
club before we got grounds or backing here.
1--WE found that we could gather in
bunch of the Pittsburg players-Leath.
Tannehill, Chesbro. Bransfield. Conroy.
above-named players were signed except
BransfielG, who accepted the terms offered
him by the agents Of the American League.
and who also agreed to sign a contract, but
Pittsburg for the coming season. Of the
other seven Leach. Conroy ard Smith
jumped their contracts and went back to
Pittsburg.
Keller Signed by johnson.
eat the recent peace conference at Gin
cinnati Conroy was awarded to the New
York Americans. Manager Griffith played
an active part in rounding up the players
for the New York team and signed all Of
them except Willie Keller. I personally
conducted the negotiations with the little
Brooklyn star. 1t took a great deal Of
money to land this team, which l have
every reason to believe will rank high
among the leaders in the American League
race.
1.-The new club will be incorporated in a
few days and Mr.. Gordon will be elected
to the presidency. 1t will be then up to
him to look out for the New York end Of
will meet with the hearty support of the
base bali public. Mr.. Gordon has been
identified with base ball in New York be-
fore this, Is well known in real estate, po-
litical and social circles and his club has a
barrel of money with which to make good
! everything in connection with the local
situation.
1T has been long. tedious affair from
start to finish, but the American League
has made good, just as it has in every
proposition it has undertaken"
There was a large crowd at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel, including magnates. players
and fans" when President Johnson made
his announcement. Mr.. johnson was hearth
ly congrat ulated on his success by all pres
emit
President Gordon is a member Of Tam
many Hall and of the New York Athletic,
Democratic and Tilden Clubs Associated
with him will be John B. Day, the old
base ball man. once president Of the New
York National League club.