Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-17
A PLAN THAT FAILED
Herrmann's Attempt to Put
Pulliam Down and Out.
HOW IT SLIPPED UP
TIM MURNANE TELLS ABOUT THE
NATIONAL LEAGUE MEETING.
Finds Base Ball Politics Funny Prop
osition, and That It Takes a Wise
Man to Hold His Own.
By T. II. MURNANE.


NEW YORK, December 16.-Base ball is
a funny proposition, after all. It takes a
wise man. trained continually to the hour,
to hold his head above water In the great
political whirlpool of our national game.
Yesterday Mr.. August Hermann of Cin-
cinnati wore the kings crown among base
ball diplomats. Today the Cincinnati mag
nate looks like a withered exotic at a flower
show. From the big man of base ball Mr..
Hermann has been relegated to a back
seat by the boy president OF Kentucky,
and from a weak negative official Harry
Pulliam has jumped at one bound into the
limelight as the biggest man In the old
National League.
John I. Brush saw swell victory when
some time ago he enlisted Mr.. Hermann
in fight to depose the boy president
Hermann played old-style politics, and
while meeting Mr.. Pulliam almost weekly
never gave away his hand, figuring to
throw a surprise into the marked official.
Not word had reached the outside world
of the plot TO shoot the young president to
pieces until Learned of the scheme last
Tuesday night. when President Soden of
Boston figured out that Brush had PuIiiam
booked for about five-foot-nne on the mat
There was no intimation of what Herr
mann might say. 1t was thought that
had. and the betting was 10 to / on Pull
liam. Hermann chuckled on the dead
easy victory he would have when time was
called for the harpoon throwing.
Secret Divulged Too Soon
The story got out too soon, however, and
few of Pulliam's friends were rot ned
New York, Boston, St Louis and Cincinnati
were lined up together, and all guns trained
on President Schettsline of the Quaker club
with effect. Mr.. James A Hart of Chicago
was tipped off that he had fine chance
for honors, so he was Immediately meas
ured for a halo and came east as COM
promise candidate Pulliam quit and John
NJ. Ward stood for the nomination Mr..
Ward was not seen until the night before,
but felt quite sure that he could give up
the time called for. President Johnson
heard of the scheme and saw in 1t plot
to insult the American League, and he
threw few hot shots into the old league
target. He called Hermann good and
hard. but Garry had combined with the
king of base ball plotters and was tied hand
and foot.
Schettsline was still holding out, but was
weakening. when James Potter appeared
on the scene and went after Schetts Pot
ter is a large stakeholder in the Quaker
club, and soon had the modest Schetts
back in line Barney Dryfuss offered Bos-
ton a few ball players In trade, and Mr..
Soden came down by the fire escape, finding
the play was lost Then all but Brush and
Hermann quit. Those two went on rec
ord as against Pulliam. and Pulliam had
won victory out of defeat. He had rele-
gated Mr.. Hermann to the lowest rank in
base ball diplomacy, hisAreputation gone as
leader and lesson taught
And there was Garry Hermann the
open-hearted good fellow. caught with the
goods and trimmed for fair
all.
Hanlon Goes to Cincinnati.
Then comes base bali deal that looks
about weak the NAV da fr daxx
Pulliam. Ed Hanlor, who for three years
has managed taf-end club, is given a
$1,000 salary to go and manage a Cincin-
matt club; Joe Kelley was put on the market
even to the American League. and good
old Cincy had succeeded In making more
base ball history but no advance in the
way OF securing a ball team BROOKLYN
picked up Pat Donovan for player-rnan-
ager, who had been out OF the game for a
year. at a swell salary and Charles Ebbetts
had nnaily reached the height of the real
rel, the New York magnate. says that Han
lon has too much money to make a sue
eessful manager. Give man a pot OF
money and he will never again succeed in
working hard for another man. says Far
reii, and / think Mr.. Hermann win find
his deal for Hanlon a bad blunder.
James III. Hart was delighted at the
treatment he received from the minor
leagues. Mr. Hart was constantly I'm
pressing the small fry that he was an hon.
est man In base ball. and the boys may ask
him TO prove the charge when the annual
meeting comes of In Chicago next month.
Charley Murphy. the new man from Chi
cago. made hit with his keen wit and
happy replies.
The minors held very important meet
Ing. that VIII be continued at Chicago and
presages good times for all. The major
leagues treated the youngsters very hand
somely, and the warning elements among
the class A boys must have seen the full
strength Of class under them in the minor
association.
Watkins was in mIx-up with Hermann
OF Milwaukee. but Watty delivered the
goods and helped land the rlums from the
majors.
Altogether the meeting Of tina baae hal
men was . pronounced succsse.