The Indianapolis journal., 1903-10-04
ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED
ASSOCIATION MAGNATES WILL
ELECT NEW PRESIDENT.
Player and Salary Question Will
Probably Receive Attention-Cir-
cult May Not Be Changed.

In all probability a new president of the
American Association will be elected at the
meeting of the association directors in Chi
cago tomorrow. There has been little spec
ulation on who will probably succeed Thom-
as jefferson Hickey as the chief executive
Of the principal minor league of the coun-
try. The announcement of Hickeys resigna-
tion as president a few days ago came as
such a surprise that the club owners have
had little time to consider the most suitable
man to elect to the office President Wat
kins, of the Indianapolis club, stated yes
| terday that there had been no correspond
ence between club owners, as far as he
knew, concerning the question of new
president. and little will be known until the
magnates meet in Chicago to consider the
| matter.
1t is the intention OF the American AS
| sociation club owners to select a man to fill
Hickey's place who has been Identified with
baseball and who has a national reputation
in the game. There is a probability of
sporting writer being elected to the office.
The affairs of the American Association, in
the future. should be easier to manage than
| in the past. When the American Associat ton
was organized bitter war was being
waged between the National and American
Leagues and the National Association of
Minor Leagues carried on a bitter siege
against the new organization. 1t was
through the efforts of President Hickey and
! the conservative yet aggressive and thor
| ough business policy of the board of direc-
tors that the association was able to carry
| on Its night against the National AsSocia-
| ton. Hickey and the directors succeeded in
bringing about peace with the National AS
soclatlon on terms that were equitable TO all
concerned. Minor leagues did much after
peace between the two organizations was
| declared. Then came peace between the two
major leagues and later the national agree
ment With peace In baseball the affairs Of
manage In the future. But yet 1t will take
man at the head who possesses thorough
knoWledge OF the legislative side of the
game as well as good executive ability TO
successfully pilot the association. 1t is to be
| hoped the association will make mistake
In selecting its president.
| In all probability the seasons business,
| which is generally transacted at the regu-
lar November meeting may be disposed of
at the special meeting tomorrow. There has
| been rumor of a change in the circuit, but
it may end where all such rumors generally
terminate-in smoke. A few days ago a Chi
cago paper published story to the effect
| that the American Association circuit
would be greatly changed, but w. H. Wat
| klns says such a thing is impossible as,
| from business standpoint. 1t would be very
Ioonsn TO make the changes that were sug-
gested. Only one change is considered pos
| slDle, and that Is not very probable. Omaha
| has been considered American AS
sociation possibility, but 1t would be rather
hard to determine what city to drop in order
| to make room for Omaha.
The magnates will probably consider the
player and salary question at the meeting
tomorrow. Nearly every club in the Ameri-
can Association carried a salary list last
season entirely too large. and since peace
now reigns the question of salaries, which
| Is paramount to a baseball club, will receive
consideration. Salary limits have been made
and broken with the same regularity that
| every playing season comes around. Clubs
will not maintain their teams inside of the
salary limit, but as for mutual benefit it is
likely that the clubs will decide to make
some kind of rule regarding fancy sala-
ries that will make 1t possible for them to
make money.
The sudden suspension of the Western
Leagues championship Sept. 17-ten days
ahead OF schedule time-has caused a great
deal OF friction between the clubs and their
players, because most Of the clubs dis
banded their teams at once and cut the ten
unplayed days from the salaries of the
players. The latter, of course, raised great
howl and claimed that such action would
make the Western Leagues reservation
invalid. In order TO be sure of their ground
the club owners appealed to President Sex.
ton for an authoritative definition of the
Western Leagues right and position in the
matter. President Sexton held that if the
clubs made written notice of reservation
on each player prior to Sept. 25 the reserva.
tlOn would De valid. AS the Western League
, | received the consent of the national board OF
the National Association to close its season
ahead of schedule time the mulcted players
will have no recourse within the Nationa
Associa ton, as there is no appeal from
national board ruling 1t is also doubted
that the new national commission can as
sumo any jurisdiction in the matter withou
a serious clash with the National Associa
/ ton, which claims, and will fight for tn,
right to regulate its internal affairs as i
sees fit. 1t must be said, however, that tn,
Western Leagues act mistake, botl
from a business and sentimental stand
! point, and an injustice TO the players; an(
/ in all probability it's consequences will
i plague the organization indefinitely.
! The worlds championship series between
! Boston and Pittsburg is attracting grea
attention. 1t is still impossible to pick &
winner between Boston and Pittsburg not
withstanding the Boston Americans carried
the odds in the betting. Large crowds hav
witnessed the games that have been PLAYED
3 in Boston and the players will deriv
enough profits to buy nice sauce for thei
snowballs this winter. Other post-seasol
games have attracted attention and it ha
been noticeable that the National Leagu
2 teams have won a majority of games from
. | he Ann