Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-10
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
Lease for American Grounds
in New York Signed.
WORK TO BEGIN SOON
INTERESTING MATCHES IN
THREE BOWLING LEAGUES.
O'Brien Whipped Jeffords-Golfers tt
Select System-Big Chess Tourney
New Orleans Races.

The lease for the new American League
grounds In New York city was signed yes
terday according to President Ban john
son, but the location will not be made
known until late today, says the New YORK
Sun. The base ball men held another ses-
sion at the Fifth Avenue Hotel for several
hours, and adjourned until II o'clock this
morning President Johnson said last night
to the Sun reporter:
1.-The question of grounds was settled to-
day and the necessary papers have been
signed. 1 shall not make the location known
until tomorrow, for the reason that wish
to give all the details of the new club out
at once. At tomorrow's session of the
American League the New York franchise
will be formally awarded, and the stock
holders and officers of the new club will be
announced. Some of the stockholders are
new to base ball. but others are not, so
that the club will be in good hands. We
have chosen the most advantageous site
that 1t was possible for us to secure, and
we feel well satisfied with the result Of the
deal. We have selected man who will SUI
perintend the building of the grounds, and
work will begin in a few days. The delay
has been caused by various things. but we
have made 1t point to conclude all ends
of the deal before making any official an
nouncement. Tomorrow will be getaway
day. and most of us expect to get out of
town before midnight"
Frank De Hass Robson of the st. Louis
National League club visited the Fifth
Avenue Hotel during the day, and said that
he had positive information that the Amer
lean League had secured grounds on Man.
haitian Island and that he would lose six
S125 suits of clothes in bets. The Johnson
ties refused to say whether they had landed
north or south Of the Harlem river. but
base ball men al the hotel made all sorts of
statements. 1t is known that the sites
johnson has been considering for the past
two months are located as follows: Aston
estate, Jerome avenue and 161st street: the
estate at Lenox avenue, 1920. 143d streets
and Harlem river; the estate at 166th street
and Amsterdam avenue, and Fleetwood
Park. There is also another available site
in the Bronx.
Whichever site has been selected. the
new club will have to shoulder heavy
rent. said to be in the neighborhood of
$4,000 year. The salary list of the new
team will amount to nearly $4,000, while it
VIII cost probably $4,000 more to put the
new park in shape. In 1890 1t cost 500, 900
to build Brotherhood Park now the Polo
Grounds. although the first estimate was
$4,000. 1t can be seen, therefore, that the
entrance of the American League into this
city will prove pretty expensive under
taking but Johnson & Co. say that they
will make big money at that.
The American League will hold con-
trolling interest, 1t Is believed in the New
York club. This will be done as matter
of protection. President Johnson already
holds 81 per cent of the stock Of each club
In his safe. SO that he can keep the circuit
intact no matter what may happen. A
minority Of the New York stock will be
held by New York capitalists, who 1t is
said include number Of Influential BUSH
ness men: In the course Of time all Of the
stock will be held by New York people, but
until the club is a certainty and winning
proposition Johnson & Co. will keep an iron
grip r1on 1t. as they have done in all the
National League cities they have invaded.