Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-13
Next Three Days Important
to Base Ball.
WAR RUMORS RIFE
TAYLOR CASE MAY DISRUPT THE
MAJOR LEAGUES.
Local Athletes at Johns Hopkins Meet
Cuban Auto Race-Playing for
Squash Championship.

The next three days should furnish plenty
of news for the close followers of base ball,
as the magnates of the two big organiza-
tons are gathering In New York Tor the
annual meetings. Tomorrow the natonai
commission will get together ana try 10
settle up the Jack Taylor case, on Wednes-
day the National League magnates hold
their schedule meeting. and on Thursday
the American League will discuss the sea-
sons dates The illness of Magnate Drey-
fuss may delay matters somewhat, but the
chances are that the three days will be
crowded with important business.
A special from New York says that the
Taylor case Is the chief topic of converse
ton around the hotels where the base ball
magnates gathered last night. The case of
the pitcher Is believed by well-informed
base ball enthusiasts to be the rock on
which the league may split If Taylor Is
whitewa5hed by the National, to the
Pittsburg game. then Comiskey will insist
on a thorough investigation by the national
commission of the charges made by Hart
in reference to the 1903 post season series.
If the National League blacklists Taylor on
the PittSburg case the American League
will consider 1t the sentiment of the
tional that the pitcher also guilty of
the onenses charged by Hart This, of
course, will elicit aggressive action by the
johnson organization. with resultant fric-
'ioai anu pOSoipIe VI tic
agreement.
While Puliam and Brush maintain a
dense silence as to the probable action of
the Taylor case, yet some hints that have
come from the National League camp lead
10 the blief that that body has decided to
convict Taylor of the charge of crookedness
in game at Pittsburg last summer and
throw him overheard.
The league leaders Brush Hermann and
Hart, have come to the conclusion that
they can cleanse their own hands thor
oughl y, and at the same time discredit the
american League, which will then be
placed In the position of having profited in
the 1913 post season series at Chicago
through Taylor's dishonesty. The result
cannot be other than a bitter struggle be-
tween the leagues and possible war dis
dstrous In Its results. 1t is held that the
National League Is all prepared for such a
war; ana Is determined to exterminate It's
carefully laid. the national having at la at
realized that 1t could not check the advance
OF me vigorous American League.
In doing this the National is said to have
secured the cooperation of the minor
leagues or America. The sudden change of
ATTITUDE on the part of the National to-
Waro the minors. in which all the demands
of the minors were acceded to and tina
evident relish of the Nationals over tho
stubborn refusal of Johnson to grant these
demands, Is a straw showing the direction
OF the wind Pat Powers is said to have
swung the little leaguers in line for an Of
iensive and defensive alliance with the
National against the American The East
erH League, which has steadily grown In
Importance. is to be put forward as the
party OF the second part in a new national
agreement to include the National the
Eastern (under a new name) and all the
minors They figure that this union will
ne STRONG enough to eventually shut the
american out of business. An American
League player could never get into any
other league, minor or ma ior and this it IS
held, would deter any of the national
agreement players, major or minor Jump
ing 10 the American for big money The
competition for year or two would be
ierce. but the Nationals figure that the
johnson league could not stand the pressure
more than two seasons and would be glad
10 .uit
When the scheme was outlined to Frank
Farrell. president of the Highanders. he
SAID: If they try any such scheme as
that they would get the fight of their lives
We might organize a few minor Leagues
of our own. If they try any funny business
with the Taylor they will strike
snag; that's all | have to say"
Brush and Puliam refused to talk on the
matter. Other things of interest will come
before the meetings. The Americans want
nine games for the post-season champion
snip, While the Nationals want seven
HE adoption of schedules and the draft
Ing price for minor league players will come
up, but the Taylor case is the pivot on
which The entire situation turns.