The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-31
BY BILLY MAC.

Much DaSeDall history mas DeeH IHdue
In the West during the past week. G.
Tebeau, of Louisville, had his revised
constitution adopted by the American
association, and then captured the
Western league, and, last and best OF
all, the Charter" members of the as
ISOLATION presented to the baseball
world their now famous "iron-clad"
agreement to stick together to the
finish.
This agreement was the prize chap
ter of the history built during the sew
en- days, for it proved many things to
the fans of the Western end of the cir
cult who up to this time had refused to
be convinced that all moves being
made by the overworked club owners
was not for the best interests of all
concerned.
In springing this agreement the
/magnates worked off the mistake of
their baseball careers. They appre-
ciate this fact now and it is safe to
say that if another attempt to paint
brick is made at the spring meeting of
the association the advice Of some ex-
perienced man, as well as the opinion
of the highest legal talent" will be
listened to.
1t is more than probable that the
next time the club owners insert their
brogans in the gum shoes one pair will
be furnished to President Grillo, for
without doubt this new and apparently
strenuous president of the associa-
tion has by this time furnished his
magnates with his candid opinion of
the coarse work.
Grillo, had he been admitted to the
secret agreement meeting, would have
at least been able to engineer the plan
ned sensation had he failed to have his
way in sidetracking the whole scheme.
Grillo would never have allowed two
agents of the league to carry two
copies of the agreement to two towns
for two papers who would be asked to
consider the exclusive news their re-
ward for the generous treatment shown
the association. Grillo, too, would at
least have ascertained what treatment
the agreement could expect to receive
when it reached the sporting writer's
of the association.
Now Reaping the Harvest.
But the magnates refused to let their
president in on the secret plans, and
now they are reaping the harvest All
through the circuit the agreement that
was designed to fill with awe all scott
ing ones is being picked to pieces, and
the pieces are furnishing he fans much
food for reflection.
In the East, where the towns all ex-
pect to go into a faster league when
the merger is carried through, the
sporting writer's are feeling sorry for
the poor deluded folks of the West
who think they see in this agreement
an escape from the bush league, for at
least seven more years. The Eastern
writer's admit that the magnates mere
ly signed the agreement to satisfy the
suspicious fanatics, and that the in
strument was made public for that ex-
press purpose. AS proof of this they
point out that the Eastern magnates
scorned to carry home copies of the
paper, as the conditions in the East
did not demand any explanations"
What makes the mistake of the mag
mates all the more glaring is the care
less admission made in the signatures
to the instrument that Watkins Is the
owner of the Indianapolis ball team.
Mr.. Watkins has been introduced as
the owner of the Minneapolis ball team
and this gives the control of four clubs
in the association to two men-Wat-
kins and Tebeau.
The fans now have positive evidence
that syndicate baseball exists in one
half of the association and how much
exists under cover may be learned
later. Toledo is one suspected town
and with Bryce, of Columbus, anxious
to improve baseball conditions in his
town, Milwaukee and ST. Paul look
anything but strong enough to break
up any plot to change the baseball map.
Sell to Stock Companies.
The first chance to save the associa-
tion from the finish threatening 1t ap-
pears to have been offered the mag
mates. A Milwaukee report tells of an
offer being made to C. Havenor by
number of Beer City business men who
would organize a stock company and
purchase the Milwaukee franchise.
The Columbus club is 9w operated
by stock company, and 1t is said in
Kansas City that Tebeau, If he is will
Ing, can turn over his Kansas City
stock to company of business men in
that town. Toledo has always been
considered good ball town and If the
magnates who control the stock in that
club are willing to show their hands
they can without doubt turn the fran
chise over to the business men. Some
move of this nature will have to be
made, at least in Kansas City, If the
magnates would avoid referring to the
dull season of 1904 when they sit in at
their next winter meetings.
Little Known of Seasons Plans.
The club owners of the association
are evidently convinced that too much
publicity has been given their move
ments this winter for, now with the
season close at hand, the fans are able
to learn but little Of the teams that are
to represent their towns this year.
The fact that number of the old
players are holding out in the hope that
EIT0 cured to stay cured. Eminen!
N the medical press eeclare my cures