Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-17
,pccial Dispatch to The Star

Spccial Dispatch to The Star.
PHILADELPHIA. September 16.-'Take
nothing for granted in base ball.
The above Is President Harry Puliiam
choice motto hung in conspicuous places
around league headquarters In the 81.
James building in New York think that
Mr. PuIliam has II dead right. and after
reading the very wise saying / picked up
n paper and read a long dispatch from
Louisville announcing that George Tebeau
and Wiley Watkins were the prime movers
in a scheme to form a new league with the
American Association for the neuclus. Now.
what could be more natural than for two
base ball promoters to figure out a
stronger league with idea Of getting
the money. for that is just what Watty and
George are In the business for. and the
more fun they can stir up the better are
their chances to trim the man not thor
oughly posted on the nice part of the game
That is the history of the game. and will
continue to be. too. The story from Louis
vile was misleading and was not intended
to be straight 1t named Washington
and Cincinnati as two of the cities to be
invaded by the new organization. The fate
OF the Union Association and later OF
Kelley's Killers In Cincinnati would he
tame reading compared to what would hap
present popular management is IN charge.
1t might be a different proposition in city
like Pittsburg. where Barney Dreyfuss is
continually throwing water on a smoIder-
ing volcano. George and Watty will never
invade Cincy. and Mr.. Hermann knows
this better than any one else.
The pair of western promoters will travel
over the &llcgheneys and hit Washington,
Baltimore. Brooklyn and one other city
not yet given out. Taking Baltimore would
mean a hand-to-hand scrap with the East
ern League; Brooklyn would mean scrap
alone with Charley Ebbitts with Ned Han
lon doing a quiet smile on the side and
both major leagues delighted, but when
it came to Washington the real trouble
would begin. For the first time in years
the capital city has men behind the club
satisfactory to the ball fans With the only
available grounds and a chance to see the
greatest stars in the profession at low
prices Washington is doing nicely. The 10
cal press are represented in the club and
with a swell dividend coming this fall, and
a better club than for years. George and
Watty would have no more show in Wash
ington than a butterfly would have in an
empty molasses barrel
can see where Kansas City Minneap-
oils. ST. Paul and Milwaukee VIII fit in
nicely with a reorganized Western League,
while Louisville. Columbus. Toledo and In
dianapolis would be better off with four
good cities to the east.
In looking about for these four cities.
Watty and George have figured out their
chances.
Baltimore is a poor base ball proposition
at the best. while Washington Is one of
the very best things in the base ball busi-
ness. team doing fairly well can make
good money in the capital, while only
pennant winner can live in Baltimore.
Washington is a natural major league city.
while Baltimore has never shown dis
position to back the sport with up-to-date
ball grounds.
The American Association might come
east and take Baltimore, Buffalo and take
two cities from what is left of the East-
ern League 1t seems a shame to think
that promoters can openly talk of dis
rupting base ball leagues while still con-
rected with the association that all are
members of in good standing. The lack OF
unity in the Eastern League has brought
all this about and the American Associa-
tion is using the Powers league in good
style, being better politicians and more
willing workers. The major leagues have
nothing to fear, while the minors outside
of the class A leagues are not interested
for a second. George and Watty Will sit
up and scheme. They have their all in
vested in the business and must keep NOV
ing. for base ball propositions change with
the sun and moon, and the wise ones nave
ever in mind the Pu1liam motto: Take
nothing for granted in base ball.
Not long ago President Ban Johnson sent