The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-19
SPORTS
THEY'RE NOT AFRAID
Minneapolis Baseball Owners Elk.
pect No Trouble in Keeping
I'm Men Signed. "}'
Prest. johnson Says St. Vrain and
slagle Will Surely Be Here
e IL, -. Next Season.

The Pacific coast newspapers evidently
think the Northwest league has
lost something in the men signed by Man
ager Wilmot for the Minneapolis baseball
club for 1908. The Seattle Post-IntelH-
gencer says that St. Vrain, Slagle.
Schmeer and Anderson. who were signed
by Wilmot last fall, must play in the
Pacific Northwest. league or not at all.
According to the Post-Intelligencer, the
peace agreement concluded between the
National association Of minor leagues and
the American association stipulated that
all players signed from the Pacific North
west league must be either paid for or
returned to the clubs with which they
played last season. It LIS also stated that
st. vrain has a fine of 800 hanging over
his head which he must pay before he
can sign anywhere.
President Ed Johnston OF the Minneapo-
lis club said to-day when shown the clip
ping from the Seattle paper, that the
agreement between the National Associa-
ton and the American Association pro-
vided that all players signed by any club
on or before Oct. 20, 1902, should fulfil
their contracts. AS the four players men,
toned above signed with Minneapolis be-
fore that date. Minneapolis will not be
obliged to pay for their release.
Letters from St. Vrain and Sla8le re-
ceived this week by the Minneapolis man.
agernent say that these players will play
with Minneapolis and have no intention OF
backing out of their contracts. Sch1neer
and Anderson are now on the coast, and
rumors have reached the Minneapolis
management that they intended to jump
to the California outlaw league. The lat
ter organization, however, IS pretty GER
tain to come under the wing Of the Ma
timal association before April !, which
Will preclude Anderson and Schmeer
jumping.
With regard TO ST. Vrain Mr.. Johnson
said that the speedy pitcher had paid
his fine and was In good standing, 80 that
little doubt is entertained that all -FOUR Of
these men will play in Minneapolis in 1908.
The action Of the New York club in ty
ing up the Philadelphia and Pittsburg
clubs and Harry Pulliam, president of the
National league, so that they cannot vote
to ratify the peace treaty with the Ameri-
can league at the meeting in Cincinnati,
it is believed, means either the disruption
Of the National league or continuation OF
the baseball war to a finish.
AS the National league clubs stand on
the peace proposition, it is 6 to In favor
of adopting the compact as signed by the
two committees ten days ago. New York
and Brooklyn are in the minority. If the
majority, including the entire western end
of the circuit, decides to ignore New York
and Brooklyn, the American league will be
increased to ten-club circuit, with Bos-
ton, New York, Philadelphia, Washing
ton and Pittsburg in the east, and Chi
cago St. Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati and
Detroit in the west. This will be accom-
panied by the consolidation of the riva
clubs in Boston. Philadelphia. Chicago anl
st. Louis. which are all acting in harmony
in an effort to establish peace. Gin
cinnati and Pittsburg will be added tt
Johnsons circuit, leaving the New Yorl
and Brooklyn National league clubs froze1
out Of the organized baseball.
II the New York and Brooklyn clubs
on the other hand, carry their point ant
make the other National league clubs
yield. the American league will go alon:
about it's business. grabbing up the sta
players, putting a new club in Pittsburs
and simply driving the National leagu
to the wall all along the line.
John T. Brush says he was willing t.
give permission to the American leagu
to come to New York and willing to sem
Deehanty back to Washington. 1t wa
not until the American league had an
nounced it. had purchased property O.
- Manhattan island for & new club an
would play here anyway that the Nations
league sued for peace. AS for Delehanty
he signed a two-year contract twelv
months ago with the Washington Amer
lean league club, had his own lawyer dra'
UP the contract. He received $4,000 las
year and has drawn 81 600 in advance fO
this season. Brush induced him to brea
his contract, Which was 1rOnclad, by offer
Ing him $4,000 a year with the New Yor
club for three years and paying him $3.50
in advance. According to all ba seball me
this was a glaring case of contract jump
ing which the American league could nc
stand for. Men well versed in law an
baseball rr''S say that Brush has no legs
nor moral r. 1T to Delehanty's services.
While th< r'ional league is wranglin,
the America: "'Ie is making rapid PREF
arations for tit. earning season. AS 500
as President johnson is able to be abo,
he will go to New York and make publ
the location Of the new grounds. With
the last twentyfour hours positive ASSN
ances have been received in New Yo1
from Johnson. G.. w. Sonlers, J. F. lie
foye and other American league men tn;
they have not been blocked in New You
and that work on the new grounds wi
begin before the. first Of March.
The schedule meeting of the America
league will convene at the Fifth Avent
hotel the second week in February.
The fielding records Of the Nation
league have been given out by Secreta>