The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-25
JOHNSON IS At OUTS
WITH BARNEY DREYFUSS
Baseball Negotiations Between the
Heads Of Leagues Are
Called Off.
THE CRISIS IS REACHED

NEW YORK, Jan. 24.-President Ban
Johnson, of the American League, has de-
clared off all further negotiations with Bar
ney Dreyfuss, of the Pittsburg National
League club, relative to the drafting of
playing schedules for the coming season,
and before leaving for the West Saturday
night. he declared that the only men con-
nected with the National League whom ne
cared to do business with were August Herr
mann, Of Cincinnati, and James A. Hart, of
Chicago.
"A crisis has been reached in ma or
league baseball" said a magnate, Saturday
night land il will require the most delcate
diplomacy to avert another struggle to a
finish. The American Leaguers, with John-
son at their head, cannot be blamed for the
present tension, they are only insisting
upon what they believe TO be right ana
just"
The crash, long expected by conservative
baseball men, came Saturday. In the news
papers, the statement was made tnat
Dreyfuss had set forth the fact that the
National League would open at the Poio
grounds on April Il, in spite OF the Amerl-
can Leagues intention to open here on the
same day, and that McGraws men would
also play at Harlem on Memorial day, con-
trary TO the general understanding between
the two leagues. When Dreyfuss saw the
stories ne proceeded to deny them with
vehemence He said he had never talked
about the schedules to anybody except Ban
johnson and Frank Farrell, and that the
whole business was a lie pure ana simple.
Yet as a matter of fact, Dreyfuss gave the
entire story in an interview with J. Z.
Morse, a Boston newspaper man, VINO
promptly repeated il to Johnson and local
newspaper men on Friday night.
About noon Saturday Dreyfuss called up
Johnson at the Criterion Hotel on the tele-
phone, and this is the conversation that took
place. according to the American League
president:
Headquarters to-day to talk over the Sched-
ules?' asked Dreyfuss. .
II am still confined to my room," replied
Johnson. ''Why can't you come up here?"
Have you got schedule draWn!' quer-
fed the Pittsburg man.
mo What is the use of drawing sched-
ule until we can agree on the big holiday
dates and plums? was Johnson retoTt
II have two schedules" snapped Drey-
fuss land if you have none / see no reason
for a conference. Besides, you are talking
In this mornings papers"
See here Dreyfuss, don't you refer to
newspapers. You have been chattering away
ever since we left the Loughrey Club in
Cincinnati. You have made all sorts of
statements at Pittsburg and New York
about the schedule and also about the
American League. Now, L want to say
that 1 do not care to see you or your
schedules, and will have nothing more to do
with you in any way. | Will talk over the
schedule later, perhaps, with some man
from your league who does not do so much
talking"
Johnson hung up the receiver with bang
and, turning TO several newspaper men,
said:
''It is ridiculous for me to attempt to do
business with man who is not inclined to
be fair"
Johnson, after n confab with Farrell, left
for the West tonight. He will be in San
Francisco on Feb. 2, together with James
A. Hart and Edward Hanlon, to hold con-
ference with the Pacific Coast League, look
ing to the admission of that body TO the
national agreement.