Evening star., 1908-01-27
M1DW1NTER BASE BALL GOSSIP.

With the league openings set for al
most week earlier than had been anti
cipated. base ball followers will have
an opportunity this year to estimate the
value of an early date as compared with
start late in April. Probably it will
be found that while scasonable weather
will prevail in the interior cities. clubs
playing along the Atlantic seaboard Will
again experience difficulty in attracting
paying crowds for the first week or two.
until the sun warns the bleachers.
Some of the wiseacres who have taken
the trouble to look up the records claim
that in majority of years better base
ball weather has prevailed in mid-Aprll
than toward the end of the month. They
do not attempt to explain why TINS Is
So contcnting themselves with the as
sertion that the weather records, pear
out the claim. If this is So and pre-
sumably the magnates arc aware OF the
vagaries of the climate, it would be foliy
to take advantage of the opportunity. At
least the early opening will mean Il
closing of the season in time to give the
worlds championship series better
chance than it has had during the past
two wears The spring training trips OF
the two New York league teams COST
$4,000.
Followers of the American Associa-
tion say that the project of placing
team in Chicago is an exceedingly iiNe
issue despite the recent action OF the nd
tional commission in turning down It's
application to change the circuit. Inc!
admit. however. that the action Will haIu-
lv ba taken this Year. Next season the.
hcpe To be in shape 10 follow thelr, desHes
in the matter and when ready will move
,n.ar,,laS pf what the GDpOSltlOn may tIS
to dictate. o.,,
If it is finally decided not to invade Chi
cago this year ii will be because II takes
time to prepare for war. and 1t Will DC q
case OF not being fully prepared The con-
fiict among the American Association
club owners seems to be merely over ue-
tails and not over the broad proposition
There IS no serious oppoSitin now 10 tle
invasion bur there Is a failure on the
part of the club owners TO get together
on all of the details such as the control
of the franchise. the selection of the pail
grounds etc. If those matters could be
settled today there would be CLUB In
Chicago this year.
Pat Powers president of the National
Association. says: There is no base ball
blacklist. end we invite Harry Pulliam Or
any other person to prove that the Ma
tional Association is trying to make use
of such n weapon"
The clash between the National COM
mission and the National Association is
called a tempest is a teapot by Mr.
Powers. He says that the minors have
never contemplated barring cut players
who have been reinstated by the commits
sion This being the case. says Powers.
there is no occasion for the minor league
officials to formally consider Pullman's
protest OF an injustice which has not been
perpetrated. While admitting that the
ball players and the press have been al
lowed to labor under a wrong impression
for two months. Mr.. Powers contends
that the National commission has not
acted fairly toward the National Assoc;a-
citation of the supreme court of base
BALI for the manner in which he claims
the rights of the minor leagues have
been neglected.
There is no occasion for Secretary Far
rell to reply to Pulliam's trade. said
Mr. Powers land | don't expect him to
lower his dignity by answering an un-
the National Association has oversteoDed
the rights it is supposed TO possess under
the terms of the national agreement. ]
d not admit that the commission has
any right to prevent our organization
from Furnishing minor league offenders.
We settle many cases in our various
lea CUES. The National commission is
practically q court of last resort. and has
no business meddling in our affairs IN
less appealed to.
"The situation at present is becoming
intolerable for US. and in the near future
we hope to effect legislation and pass
amendments to the agreement that will
prevent these clashes OF authority and
unolea asant Incidents.