The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-12
MOTHER PIPE
DREAM STARTED
STORY THAT CINCINNATI AND
PITTSBURG WILL FLOP.
Rumor Says National League Base
ball Magnates Want to Quit the
Sinking Ship and Get on Board Ban
Johnsons Craft-Reputed Secret
Agreement of Dreyfuss and Her.
mann.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service.
| New York, Dec. 12,-President
johnson Of the American league, was
in town all of to-day, closeted with
fclub a greater part of the time.
Several National league men re-
manned i'll town and they were busy
discussing a story that leaked out late
on Thursday night. 1t involves a re-
ported secret agreement reached
few weeks ago, to which, it is said.
Garry Hermann Of Cincinnati Bar
lJohnson were parties, leading to the
\ transfer of the Cincinnati and Pitts
burg clubs from the National to the
/ American, league.
/ .FItN appears, according to the story
related by baseball magnate of
vertacity, that at meetings of the Ma
tional baseball commission in the
west, Hermann informed Johnson
that the National league outlook was
dubious and that he wanted to save
his investments. Hermann went so
far as to tell Johnson, so the yarn
goes, that he had put $4,000 in the
Philadelphia club and had advanced
$1,000 to the ST. Louis club, in re-
turn for stock which he pronounced
not worth 80 cents a share. Herr
mann declared that in his opinion un-
less the ST. Louis club got $4,000
illOI z " lioSONSI lllC "lIllSI CApSHOC>
it probably would go into the hands
of a receiver.
Hermann and Johnson have been
fast friends for years, and the latter,
after listening to the tale,T so rumor
has it, informed Hermann that. the
American league did not wish to vio-
late the peace agreement, but that
personally he was anxious to help
Garry out Of his dilemma, if possible
Hermann intimated that the Gin
. cinnati club would like to have g
place in the American league and
also declared that there was nothing
: to prevent him from leaving the Ma.
tional league ranks. Hermann also
stated that his friend, Dreyfuss o.
Pittsburg, was tired of putting VI
. money to help out losers and alst
saw more revenue in playing agains
the stronger American league teams
: Hermann. it is said, guaranteed tt
;. on to say that Johnson was ready tt
: do business by dropping both Detroi
: and Washington, letting Cincinnati
. into the western end of the American
: league and Pittsburg into the eastern
Things were going along nicely whel
somebody let out a few hints whicl
y reached the: meeting of the Nationa
lleague. There it was that Hermann
Il was asked to show his hand, and a
Il the sky was not clear he was openl
IS rebuked when the. majority Of tn
delegates refused to elect him to an
: of the leagues offices.
Yesterday the statement was mad
that Hermann and DreXfuss had de
v cided to remain together, and tha
n they would be the means of breakin
IS up the National league circuit.
Joe Cantillon, manager of the Nil
: waukee team Of the American asso
- citation, while in Chicago to-day, de
r.. clared that the deal which had bee
4. planned for an amalgamation Of tn
Z association and the Western leagu
y had been temporarily shelved. bJ
= frankly admitted that such negotia
tions had been under way. 49,.
'"The plan of the consolidation &C
- vocates is now much greater adde
10 Joe. 1T is believed by most of tn
$, association and Eastern league ma&
:, mates that the consolidation of til
! American and National leagues int
a twelve-club circuit will take plac
ere long-probably by 1905.
In such event, it is intended
.. make UP league Of the foIlowir
le cities: Milwaukee, Indianapolis, CT
Il lumbus, Louisville, Buffalo, Toront
IL Detroit and Cleveland This leagr
- would be compact and exceeding
: powerful. Just watch for doins
along these lines inside Of two years
Cantillon has his Milwaukee teal
IS for next season sketched out. tho fl
be from completed. Herman Schaefe
30 with ST. Paul, is slated for Milwauke e
- Schaefer has refused to stand for
: trade, and says he will play at S
Paul or Milwaukee, or jump to Cal
fornia, where he has been offel.e
n 50, 400 for the season. t&