Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-18
President Johnson Of the
American League Arrives.
CLUB STILL FOR SALE
LOCAL PEOPLE WORKING TO Sc
CURE MANNING AS MANAGER.
Golfers to Tour British Links-Indool
Base Ball Game-Good Bowl
ing Contest.

Base ball history, regards the Washing
| ton club, will probably be made during the
next few days. President Ban Johnson of
the American League accompanied by John
T.. Bruce. the Cincinnati attorney, arrived
| in Washington last evening and will remain
here for the remainder of the week or until
| matters locally are Strengthened out.
Mr.. Johnson had telegraphed ahead, maxi
ing an appointment with Wilton ]. Lam
bert. counsel for the Washington club, at
| the New Willard. but so many friends of
| the American Leagues president crowded
| into his room and remained SO late that the
| expected business meeting was turned into
a social affair. Mr.. Bruce in addition to
being Mr. Johnsons attorney. is secretary
| of the national base ball commission and
the fact that the two are travelling together
| can be taken as an indication that the great
| base ball leader expects to transact some
| business this trip requiring legal advice.
| From conversation had with Mr.. Johnson
| by an Evening Star reporter 1t was easily
| seen that he had not become discouraged
| over the Washington situation. The Ameri-
| can Leagues president has been confronted
| with so many tremendous difficulties in the
| past two years which he has overcome that
| the settlement of the ownership of the
Washington base ball club looks like very
| small affair.
TIOHllSc q OOOu S1uo 1CIC.
81 have not changed my views which I
| expressed when last in Washington about
| the local club" said Mr.. Johnson this
| morning, land the patrons of the game
| need not worry about the ownership l
| have guaranteed to place a good club IN
| Washington and I am sure the local pa
| irons will be given a splendid run for their
money throughout the season. OF course,
/ I cannot promise anything like cham
| pionship team. but 1t will be able to win
| enough games to keep up the interest
| throughout the season.
| "As to the sale of the club there Is
| nothing new to add / fully expected the
| club TO be in local hands by this time, but
| circumstances over which l had no control
| blocked the deal, and it is still up in the
| air. Matters of this sort sometimes take
| months to crystalize, and then again
| few hours are sufficient to reach a climax
/ l am confident that the Washington club
| will prove to be a good investment, either
| to local buyers or the American League,
| and for that reason l can afford to wait
! for bidders. The only reason why am
| anxious to dispose of the club is to take
| the matter off my hands and its consequent
| worry, and also to prevent cry of 'syndi-
cate ball, which several newspaper writers
| delight to dwell upon. The Washington
club will lose no more money, as an eco
| nomical manager can eas silly prevent that.
Mr.. Johnson was shown special dispatch
| from Providence. r. l., which said that
| ing dropped for that city, and gave it only
| a passing smile of derision. The American
League leader is too fully posted the
| local situation to be inveigled into a new
| circuit, and the report can be placed on
"the imagination list" ...-...-.
Trying to Bring Manning.
| Attorney Wilton ]. Lambert has been
working like a Trojan for the past two
weeks trying to frame up deal whereby
| James Fl. Manning will be called to manage
| the Washington club and as the latter is
| still in the city, there Is a big chance of
| President Johnson and the eX-senatoriaI
| leader getting together There is little
| doubt that Mr.. Manning can be secured if
| the right proposition Is put to him, but
| he is doing so well in Kansas City that no
| ordinary offer draw him away. No
| more popular man ever managed a Wash
| ington club, and the sport would certainly
| be given great impetus with Manning at
it's head
| If the Washington capitalists had secured
| the club there is no question that Mr.. Man.
| ming would have been the manager, and the
| local fans are hoping that he may still
| be prevailed upon to come here even should
| the American League run the club. The
| team outlined for next season does not
look over strong on paper. but every man
| is hustler and with a capable leader it
| might do wonders regards winning
| games.