The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-13
Western Critic Says National
Leads American League.
This Is the View of w. @. Shep-
herd of the Denver Times.
AMERICAN is ABOUT IN
Syndicate Their Earnings Is
Good for Americans.
National Thinks This Year Will
Settle the Fight.

Cincinnati. Feb. 13.-Jack Ryder in
the Enquirer says:
Western fans take a keen interest in
the doings of the big leagues and man
age to keep pretty closely in touch with
what is going on in major league base
ball. Whether the conclusions drawn
by the critics who view the big circuits
from a distance are as reliable as those
of the men who are right in the heart
of the doings is not so certain. but the
views of the rank outsiders are surely
interesting. W. c. Shepherd. of the
Denver Times, has decided that the
National League has the call over the
American at the present time. and that
its prestige is growing at the expense
of that Of its rival. He lays this con-
dition to syndicate ball, as much as to
anything else. and he also thinks Ban
Johnson made q damaging admission
when he refused to accept the minor
leagues request for a change in the
drafting rules. This is Shops argu-
ment:
Baseball men who are fell informed
on the inside workings of baseball
teams, salaries, travelling expenses, the
cost Of maintaining grounds and SINH
lar drains on the cash reserve, are of
the opinion that the American League
has about reached the end of its fight
with the National.
Unless the coming season is a very
prosperous one for Ban Johnson's or
ganization great shalxe-up in the base
ball situation is likely before the open
ing of the season of 1906. That is look
ing long way ahead, but there are
strong indications that the American
League is weakening
The only thing that has kept the rival
of the old league on its feet so long is
the fact that syndicate baseball has
been played The teams are under sep
arate management, but they pool their
earnings and their losses and divide.
Boston and Philadelphia have been
very strong ever since the league was
organized and the profits of these teams
have gone a long way toward keeping
the weaker cities in the league.
Naturally the league officials are not
Dragging about the weak spots of the
league, but at a recent meeting Ban
Johnson was forced into q corner and
admitted that Detroit lost $4,000 last
season. 1t is a we'll known fact that
Washington, New York and st. Louis
were even heavier losers than Detroit.
This throws the burden of supporting
the league onto the shoulders of the
Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and
Cleveland teams. All of these made
money but the amounts which Cieve-
land and Chicago could contribute 10
the fund were very small
Unmistakable signs of weakness We're
exhibited by the American League
when the matter of drafting players
from the minors was brought up at the
recent session of the commission. john
son objected strongly to the price put
upon the minors who We're drafted,
which is now 1900. He argued that
such a price was beyond the reason
able worth of the men. The National
held out for the price, and thereby Sc
cured the friendship Of the magnates
of the minor leagues.
JOhnsOn's one reason for holding out
must have been the fact that the teams
in his organization could not afford TO
pay any such prices for their men. If
the Golfers of the American League
were overlooking and the National was
on the ragged edge it is a cinch that
Johnson would be trying to boost the
draft price.
Failing in this scheme his next at
tempt was to limit the number of mi
nor league players that the big leagues
could draft to four.
The purpose of this move was also
plainly evident, as at the price paid the
American could not hope to battle with
the National in securing new talent.
The manner in which the lea CUES have
lined up shows that the National league
magnates are standing shoulder to Shout
der now and have entered upon a fight
which may takes years to win but from
the present outlook means certain vic
tory.
American league teams have a good
STARE of the best players in the country.
enough to make the fight against the Ma