Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-08
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
Washington Club Before
American League Meeting.
NO PL YERS SOLD
SMALL STOCKHOLDERS BLOCKING
REORGANIZATION PLANS.
Trotting Board of Review Disposes Of
Cases-Bowling Matches-Notes
of the Boxers.
70 PLAYERS SOLD

Reports from the meeting of the American
League in Chicago are very encouraging to
the Washington enthusiasts, as the stories
about transferring the club to Providence
and selling the few stars the team to
other clubs were knocked on the heal
and buried once for all. The local base
ball situation is certainly complex one,
but the people now in charge are positive
that with patience and persistence along
certain lines the Washington club can
finally be placed on a solid financial. as
we'll as playing basis.
These lines, in nutshell, are to the eff
feet that desirable players will be sold
in the future and rigid economy in the mat
ter of salaries be practiced to such an ex-
tent that the club will show at the end of
each season a sufficient profit to knock off
part of the big floating debt. The club
could doubtless be placed In a splendid con-
dition at once If all the local stockholders
would chip In their proportion to an as
sessment large enough to pay off the debts
and enable the officers to send the team
south for spring practice. But several of
the small and large holders are holding
back and. as a result, it will require about
four seasons to clear up the atmosphere,
whereas a little enterprise and liberality
would bring about this state of affairs In a
months time.
Mr. Minor at Meeting.
A correspondent at Chicago has the fol-
lowing to say about the Washington club:
'B. S. Minor represented the directors of
the Washington club, and, as secretary of
the club, also represented the league, which
holds a minority share of the clubs stock.
His report showed the club had made a few
thousand dollars on the season.
mo proposition that Mr. Minor was able
to make to the minority stockholders in be-
half of the Washington people was accept
able, and the offers made by President
Johnson of the league, to Mr.. Minor, act
ing for the Westinghouse, were not ac-
copied.
According to Mr.. Minor. the principal diff
iculty the Washington stockholders are
encountering is how to get rid of certain
people from the company who hold stock
to the extent of one or two shares. These
stockholders refused last spring, when the
new plant was established, to stand an
assessment on their stock and also re-
fused to sell out A few who hold stock
worth at par not more than $3.50 are
blocking the club directors from handling
the club advantageously.
According to Mr.. Minor, plenty of Wash
ington business men are ready to take hold
of the club and make effort to put
winning team into the field as soon as the
full control of the organizations affairs can
be secured
Another correspondent says that before
the league magnates went into executive
session 1t was decided that the Senators
were to stay in Washington, and that
Adrien G. Arson was not to have control.
Persons from Providence, eager to get into
the American League, were in Chicago urg-
ing their claims, but President Johnson and
his fellow magnates agreed to stick to
Washington and take urgent steps to
strengthen the club.
To Hold on to Players.
A part owner of the Athletic club. and
n odi nf da1phia uir his
paper the following special from Chicago
which will prove interesting reading to the
Washington fans" He says:
1.-THE first last and only proposition
which engaged the attention of the moguls
was the Washington club. That ensational
combination has gone through rather
precarious experience during the past two
seasons very like that of a cut loaf, a slice
off is never being missed. Though the
Senators collectively did not carve hicks
in the stick of base ball fame, individually
there are several of the bunch who would
strengthen many teams. So long as the
Washington club was to be a sort of child
of the league there was no good reason
why deals which would add to its ex-
chequer and contribute to the playing
strength of the others should not be con-
sidered. AS a matter of fact every deal
made last season resulted to their financial
and artistic advantage.
1T now looks, though. as if Washington
will no longer be a ward of the league.
Substantial Washingtonians have announc-
ell their willingness to take hold, and, ami
mated by local pride, will endeavor to give
the capital city a winner. Neither the
prospective new owners of the Senators nor
the American League believe it wise to
consider any proposition. no matter how
tempting, looking to the transfer of any
players.
THAT is why Stahl will not play first
base for the Bostons next season, and why
Cassidy will not be found at short for the
LIT ATar lTno all do
sirous of securing Cassidy, not because he
believed Monte Cross had deteriorated in
a playing sense, but because. all things
considered. he thought that Cassidy would
be of more value to his team. On another
team, where his immediate time and atten-
ton would not be distracted by personal
business affairs, Monte Cross would I'M
doubtediy regain the form which he show
ed in 1902 and which was conspicuous1y
absent in the last two seasons.
Plans Knocked Awry.
This unexpected switch in the Wash
ington situation has knocked many plans
galley west The st. Louis people are will
ing to consider proposition for Wallace.
If it was a monetary affair only something
might be doing, but they are not after
dirty dross. They want players, and if he
gave them what they want, Connie Mack
would have to build new infield. There is
no chance for Wallace at ST. Louis terms.
Those who were inclined to think that
this meeting was not going to develop
something out of the ordinary will have to
revise their dope, for it has. War to the
knife. the knife to the hilt, has been de-
clared against the spit ball.
at is claimed that this particular ball
will drive the batsmen to the foolish house,
send the catchers to the hospital and ulti-
mately put the national game on the blink.
This is sad, but it might be worse. Those
who want to perpetuate the game have not
been asleep. Not they. They have already
devised scheme by which the blighting
effects of the spit BALI shall be counter
acted.