Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-29
O'BRIEN RETAINS The OFFICE
President Of American Base Ball AsssOia-
ton Will serve Another Year.
DIVISION AMONG THE STOCKHOLDERS
Four clubs Favor His Retention and
Four Against It-No Change
in Circuit Next
Year.

CHICAGO Dec 2S-Members Of the
American Base Ball association. at their
annual meeting here today. became in
volved In a dispute. and the final outcome
was that President Joseph n. OBrien will
retain his office by holding over. as the
league is equally divided in the contro-
versy.
The dispute today started in the board
of directors meeting. Mike Kelly. who.
as president of the st. Paul club last
spring, was elected chairman OF the board
of directors claimed that he still was at
the head of the board and that his term
did not expire until the end of the base
ball year, some time in January. Accord
ing to the constitution of the American
Base Ball association Kelly ceased to be
a member of the board of directors when
the st. Paul club sold his release to the
st. Louis American league club a few
months ago, and the membership on tho
board of directors of the American associa-
ton reverted to the st. Paul club.
Three Members withdraw.
When the directors met today Kelly took
the chair, but George Lennon. owner of
the st. Paul club, presented his credentials
of representation for the St. Paul club,
and Kelly was voted out and withdrew
from the meeting, along with Watkins of
Minneapolis and Bryce of Columbus Te-
beau of Louisville, Havenor of Milwaukee
and Lennon of st. Paul, the other members
of the board, then proceeded to elect Of
ficers for the ensuing year. and George
Tebeau, owner of the Louisville and Kan
sas City clubs, was elected chairman, and
Lennon was made secretary.
When the board of directors had finished
their business President O'Brien called the
regular meeting to order but the only other
member of the league besides himself who
answered the call was j. Ed Grille of
Toledo. The meeting was therefore ad-
journed without any action being taken
on the election of president, and OBrien
will remain at the head of the organization
until the next annual meeting The meet
ing is equally divided on the election of a
president Those opposed to OBrien are
watkins of Minneapolis. Bryce of Co
lumbus, Grille of Toledo and Ruschaup
of Indianapolis. The other four club own.
ers in the association want O'Brien at the
head
No Change in Circuit.
Today's controversy is not expected to
cause any split in the association and the
makeup of the organization will be the
same next year as last.
This controversy" said Mr.. Grillo of
Toledo tonight, ''is nothing more or less
than a dispute between the club owners
as to which faction shall have control of
the association and name the president
We stand equally divided on the PROPOSE
ton and as Mr.. O'Brien is now president
Of the association he will remain in that
position until such time as those opposed
to him can muster another vote AT nresapt
there Is no indication that such a thing
can be brought about, and Mr.. O'Brien is
secure in his position rs long as he wishes
to retain it.
There is no truth whatever in the re-
port that there is likely to be a split in our
association. When the times comes for ar
ranging playing schedule for next season
Mr.. OBrien will call a meeting and the
schedule will be adopted. and when the
season opens all the teams now in the
organization will be on hand to play ball. q"