The sun., 1909-11-29
CURRENT SPORTING GOSSIP
ORGANIZED BASEBALL AROUSED
BY MURPHYISM.
HeydIer-Ward c controversy stirs Up Bitter
Feeling with Much Talk OF HOstIIitIes
.i. Can the. National League stand for
4 Another WAr?-JOhns W.. LangfOrd

A4ua 8uC SNAhu
Another War?-JOhnsOn vs. LangfOrd
The entire Am erican League Is behind
Ban Johnson In mis- open warfare upon
-Murphyism. which. according to many
close observers. may disrupt organized
baseball and bring on a fight to a finish
which may exterminate the National
1.egane. Johnson's opposition to the cleo
ton OF John NJ Ward TO the National Com
mission in the place of John A. Heydler is
said to be wholly due to the fact that
Murphy. the Chicago magnate. Is the head
and front of the anti-Heydler combine.
Garry Hermann and johnson are Close
friends, and the former while ready to fight
10 the last ditch for Heydler says that
Ward In a capable man. honest and a good
follow who would be an acceptable National
League chief. provided Heydler should de-
eide TO withdraw his candidacy. but that if
Heydlsr intends to remain in the race he
can have the Cincinnati clubs vote II il
10 the only one cast in his favor.
As Heydler will stick Hermann will
have chance to test his baseball power in
deadly grapple with Murphy h Co. Herr
mann and Barney Dreyfuss. realizing that
4 johnson and the American League are
behind them. are ready to play bold game.
Controlling the Cincinnati and Pittsburg
clubs respectively. they are reasonably
sure OF the Boston Clubs support and may
also have the st. Louis club In line In a few
days. This leaves Murphy in control OF the
Chicago and Philadelphia clubs. with John
T. Brush. an advocate of Ward. declar-
ing that he Is not pledged to vote against
Heydler and c. II. Ebbets OF the Brooklyn
club on record as being a sure voter for the
former New York manager. IL can he seen
"A that ono vote can elect Heydler or cause
. deadlock unless present conditions are
changed.
fHerrmann and Dreyfuss. controlling four
. n(tl|,1 haya In fhair IN Il fha
N National League without injury TO them
SELVES They can resign from the National
League to find places for their four clubs
IN q new major league arrangement. With
5obnson ready to declare war because OF
Heydler's defeat and Murphy's triumph
ftsts probable that the first hostile move
would be the admission of the Pittsburg
worlds champions end the Cincinnati
i, Reds 20 the American League. That would
y intrease the circuit to ten clubs is follows.
"a New York, Boston. Philadelphia. Washing
ton and Pittsburg in the Fast Chico 90.
Cincinnati, Cleveland. Detroit and ST. Louis
4 IN the West.
Deals might be put through by which the
BostoD Americans would absorb the Doves
while the st. Louis Browns and the Cardi-
nais would be consolidated This circuit
K While trifie unwiell-, would corner practi-
caily all the best players, for In the event of
n fracture OF the National Agreement
there would be no strings tied to star ball
y tossersl as In times of peace end the highest
bidders would get the cream OF the talent.
M There is no doubt that such a state of
affairs would result in wholesale raid Of the
Il Chicaso Cubs. with biz inducen ents held on,
sSsp' our own christy Mathew5oHV on might light
4 Sf the Polo Grounds, the High derS. Tor
fnstAace, In order to go ahead with the re-
nhfayorable conditions MURPHY and his
Trends probably would stand to lose 81
sSot mirht cause he ssTposed ssw SN NnrSSK ISsK
backers.t to think carefully before taking the
Hsrrmsnn and breyi1ss therefore vii
come to the National League meeting IN
crowd II war is desired. il the answer Is
In thu affirmative 1t will mean that Murphy
psssident instead OF Heydler in direct
oppoeition 20 the wishes of Pan johnson and
s csb Lffsgs enems ne3 t Unless bsss
viii be split which VII produce a Herr
With the backing Ct organized minor leagues
all over the country un - Murphy can
steal the support OF the small circuits.
n man hght which deadIocked the National
League nearly ten years ago has there
been such bitter feeling m the old organi-
n patton, National League m lgnates always
have been at logRerheate. but generally
sfSs % CHICAGO cubs. however, we've Fers tcere Sas S
M BEEN more serious trouble. vet Murphy
N has gone ahead with high hand. laugh
e1d always hurling defiance in the direct ton
The baseball public knows how Johnson
and the American League had the National
Ieague beaten TO a stan Ist.ll when Garry
H isid the plans Tor the greatest prosperity
the game has ever known. IL was Herr 4
mann's intervent!on which actutly pre-
vented the eXtermin alton Of the Old circuit.
n hermann enjoys the respect AMI con-
ndence OF johnson and the Amerlcan
u Is unfortunate. baseball men say. that
Ward has the backing OF, the unpopular
element in the National, League. He is
competent and his record is clear lie
hcs not sa,s sought @ ct hfyder Ss m Pos
accept the once II ele' tel Brush and
Ebbets are his spons1rs. for they ,sug eested
\ q Murphy candidate, but at The same time
the faet remains that even Murphy, Is m
able e glve pla4s PIE reason "hy heydIer
Heydler has had only a few months to
Re has played no fayorites. The fact
that he is indorsed by his follow members
Of he National Sommb,s9,9n an herrmarn ,
port OF the Baseball Writers of America
apparently makes hun, hard man 20 over,
N throw, As natural sequence bLscbi all
men are waiting for an answer 10 the dues-
viii Murphy. backed by Charles p. Taft
"A and bis SUPPOSED allies. Brush and Ebbets,
K stsnd for a baseball war involving tremen-
dous 6nancial lossesI
The American Association and Eastern
res que leaders who have been talking of
forming new major league for two years
are waiting to see which way the cat viii
Jump. They can play two different games.
They can make a combina ton with either
the Murphy or the hermann faction.
In the West several prognostiCators have
figured out q new major lea que circuit in
H two ways II the Lending minors should
\. make a combinatio with Murphy, Brush
a Co. a circuit could be made up of New
r. York, Brooklyn. Philadelphia and Balti-
Ia mora in the Fast. with Chicago. Buffalo
Milwaukee and Toledo or Columbus in the
NJ West. Another arrangement. 1t IL set
forth, would be circuit including Boston
Providence. Baltimore and Washington
IN the Fast and 81. Louis Milwaukee
II cleveland and Bufalo in the West, leaving
the American Lea que circuit made NJ Of
Boston, New York, Philadelphia. Tits
burg. Cincinnati, Chicago. ~, Louis and
!. Detroit. There Can be any number OF new
com bnations II the ma aGnates go to war.
Having posted a $4,000 forfeit with a
n Boston stakeholder. sam Langford and his
mann ger, Joe Woodman, pToba bly, will
hear from Jack johnson to-day The