Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-11-12

CHICAGO, Nov 11.-Eastern league
and American association representa-
tives caused a sensation at the annual
meeting of the National Association
of Professional Baseball clubs in this
city today by Withdrawing from the
session.
The two boiling sections had pre-
scented a resolution asking that they be
given control of the national board
of arbitration and that the Western
and Southern leagues be reduced from
class A to class B. This resolution
was voted down by the meeting.
President OBrien of the American
association then petitioned that the
American association and Eastern
league be allowed to withdraw from
National association and request per-
mission to negotiate with the Amer
lean league and the National league
for a special working agreement.
The petitioners insisted upon imme-
diate action and when their petition
was Overwhelmingly defeated the
two factions withdrew from the meet
ing. They declined to make any state
ment other than that they did not
propose to be governed by a great
number of 'bush leaguers."
Their next move, it is said, will be
to confer with the two big leagues
American and National-with the hope
that they may be given permission
to act as a special body-really.
third major league.
Rumors, which could not be con-
firmed, had it that the American as
ISOLATION had not given up all idea
of invading major league territory
and that designs were held on Pitts
burg, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Chi
cago. If there is anything in these
rumors, it goes without saying that
the American association has nothing
to hope for from the national commits
sion.
I'VE have done nothing more serious
than to withdraw from the meeting"
said President O'Brien of the Amer
lean association. 1--WE have not with
drawn from organized baseball nor
have we severed connection with the
National association by our action.
We have not become outlaws.
Technically, it was the attempt of
the Eastern and American factions to
reduce the board of arbitration from
seven to five members, and to obtain
three of the five votes, that aroused
the greatest antagonism in the con-
vention, there not being more than
five ballots out of the poll of p favor
ing the measure. The small leaguers
supported the Southern and Western
leagues.
When the two big leagues had asked
for everything they wanted and had
been refused, they bolted the meet
ing. Efforts were made to secure the
aid of the Pacific Coast league for
the secessionists, but it could not be
learned that this move attained sue
cess.
While these events were moving for
ward, the national commission trans
acted business on its own account. 1t
was stated unofticially that the Chi
cago National league team would be
reprimanded for unbusinesslilIe meth
DDS in disposing of tickets in the
worlds championship series.
A separate meeting was held today
by the Western league, at which har-
mony prevailed. The cities of Wichita
and Topeka, Kas., were voted into
membership in the Western league, in
creasing the number OF cities in that
organization from six to eight.
Dick Cooley. formerly of the Boston
Nationals, win lead the Topeka club,
and Frank Isbell, the great first
baseman of the Chicago White Stock
ings last summer, win head the
Wichita team.
The action of O'Brien and other Sc
cessionists in Withdrawing from the
national association was not unexpect-
ed, as OBrien has been putting up a
fight for a long time to place the Amer
dean association and Eastern league, in
a special classification so that they