Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-16
THE SPORTING NEWS.
BASE BALL.
WILL DONAHUE QUIT GAME?
Word Comes From Him in Philadelphia That He Has Bought a Hotel Other Notes.

It is very evident that Frank Don- ahue really meant what he said when ne made the statement that unless he received his former salary of $5,OOO he would retire from the baseball field and go into business. Word comes from Frank at Philadelphia that he has purchased a hotel in the western part of that city and the base ball diamond will see him no more. He will become a full fledged boni- face and will cater to the needs of the hungry and the thirsty as well. That is what Frank says now, but when he sees that little $3.5OO slip ping away from him he may reconsid- CT his determination to quit the dia- mond. There are not very many ho- tel keepers pulling in profit of $70O per month and that is just what Frank would earn or get in the five months of baseball. Then, too, the hotel would be a handy thing to fall back upon if baseball should not prove satisfactory or if Frank should lose his grip on the ball.. Perhaps he does mean to quit, but those who know him best will never believe it until it becomes a fact
 : z
 From statement made yesterday by Joseph Gordon, president of the New York American league club, there is trouble i'll store for the Pittsburg National league club in the event of a decision by Chairman Hermann in favor of Brooklyn's protest against Gordon's statement, which also in- cludes some inside. facts about the re- cent base ball conference at Chicago, is as follows:
 Chairman Hermann will render q decision shortly, and the New York Americans are ready to abide by it, for we believe that Mir Hermann is man of fairness and will make a ruling m strict accordance with the merits of the case. But We wish to say that if the decision goes against us it will mean that the Brooklyn club cannot play Sunday games at Ridgewood, and that all the clubs in the two big leagues will be restricted to the cities named specifically in the joint peace agreement. Fms will include the Pittsburg National league club, which has grounds in the city of Allegheny instead of within the limits of Pitts burg Tn the event of ruling against us, therefore, we will file letter of protest with the national commission against the Pittsburg club and, fur thermore, an application will be made for franchise to operate major league club i'll the city of Pittsburg proper. If the peace agreement is to be enforced in such manner, We wish to see that no favorites are played.
 President Ebbets of the Brooklyn club has given out in an interview re'a- tive to the Chicago conference, which has prompted us to follow suit. We would not have talked for publication had MT Ebbets remained silent. but as he has made several statements which are misleading, we feel that they should be answered.
 Tn the first place, the American league men at Chicago did not ind11lge in bluff and buster. MT Far~e'rs statement that he made an agreem mt with Manager Hanlon by which the Brooklyns could have share in the dates at Ridgewood was not refuted. 1t was shown that the agreement was made by Messrs Farrell and Han'on at the Bennings race track last fall. It was also shown and MT Ebhets ad- mitted 1t. that after the agreement with Hanlon had been made MT Eb- DeIS Op1ueu u6SOllduOitS WILL AID'oHt Hussey for lease of Ridgewood park. MT Ebbets also admitted refuctan antly that he had asked Hussey for writ ten proposition on the subject. which was duly considered. although Mir Eb- bets tried to convince the commission that he merely wanted TO listen.
 It is a fact that MT Ebbets raDuli- ated the authority of Manager Hanlon. before the commission, to do business for the Brooklyn club. although the National league men present said that they had never heard of such pro- ceeding before; that hanlon's authori- ty had never before been questioned by them in any way.
 AS Mir Hermann was placed in an awkward position, the American league men suggested that the lawyers of Messrs Fsrrell and Ebbets get to- getner here Aad select any supreme court justice to decide the case, but MT Ebbets would not consent. He said that the commission. consisting of two National league and ono Amer ican league man, was good enough for l.. r1,se rrya Y1n+