The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-20
AMERICAN LEAGUE
MADE AN ERROR

AAAk~$ AAAN
During it's brief but notable career
Of baseball achievement the American
league made but two practical mis-
takes. one of which at least would not
have been made if the ma~nates them
selves had the opportunity to go over
the same road again, writes Frank
Hough in the Philadelphia Inquirer
Undoubtedly Mr.. Johnson and his as
sociates erred when they entered into
peace negotiations with the National
league before they had club Installed
In Pittsburg, although they believed
that they were acting for the greatest
good for the greatest number. All the
conditions for the success of the Amer
lean league in Pitsburg were favor
alble-tust as they had been in Boston
and Philadelphia. Reliable men with
ample financial backing were not only
ready but anxious to launch the new
club. A plot of ground within eight
minutes trolley ride of Fifth and
Misunderstanding the most centrally
located ground in the cOuntry-could
have been had. 1t was this very pro-
posed invasion of Pitsburg that prob
ably precipitated the peace negotia-
TONS although it is doubtful If the So
called war would have been prolonged
q day longer If the Ameri cans had in
sisted on placing club in the Smoky
city With Pitsburg included the
American circuit would have been an
ideal one. and with a club pretty we'll
up i'm the race would have been one of
most profitable cities in the country.
But he American league hackers, be-
lieving that public sentiment favored
a cessation of hostilties. called the
project off. There is no one in the
American league who was familiar
with the conditions who will not admit
that the expanding young organization
made tactical mistake at that time
After Jennings.
The other mistake was one which
the American league as a league could
not have prevented without being LA
bile to the charge that it was endeavoT-
ing to cripple club member. Hughey
Jennings should not have been permit
ted to become connected with the
American league in any capacity, be-
cause of the double cross he handed it
when 1t was struggling for a foothold
in the first year of its eastern expan-
sion movement. 1t will be recalled
that in 1901 things broke pretty badly
for the Athletics up to the middle of
the season. There was no doubt that
they carried the sentiments and SYM
pathies of the public with them, but
they were not winning, while the Phil
lies were. Something had to be done
to convince the public that they were
trying to do something to achieve bet
ter results. Jennings was either known
personally or by reputation to the
great majority OF local enthusiasts, and
1t was thought that IL he could be
induced to sign with the athletics,
even though he was long past his
prime as player. 1t would be regard
ed as an evidence of good faith on the
part of the Athletic management
Hushey Was Foxey.
Accordingly an appointment was
made by wire with Jennings, who was
then at Cornell, and President johnson
and the writer went up to Ithaca to
meet him. From the very first the
Old Sport was impressed with jennings
lack OF sincerity. 1t must be admit
ted that he did not give Mr.. Johnson
much encouragement, but on the other
hand he did not give him any reason
to believe that he would ultimately
decline his proposition.
He was simply coquetting with John
son for another purpose. using him,
as 1t turned out, as lever to get a
better proposition from the OPPOSITION.
He finally made some excuse to have
the interview postponed until later
hour There was no apparent neces-
sity for this, provided he meant to ac-
cept or refuse Johnson's proposal, and
the Old Sport did not hesitate to tell
Mr.. Johnson that he had his railroad
trip for his pains; that Jennings did
not intend to go with the American
league. and that 1t was good betting
that he was then dickering with a Ma
tional league club All this of
course. was surmised, based upon Jen-
nings Fabian tactics, but the truth of
the deduction was proved later by re-
suits When the interview was re-
sumed Mr. Johnson endeavored to nail
Jennings to one proposition only to be
met BY evasive replies, one Of which
was to the effect that he could not do
business on Sunday, as that would not
be legal The fact that at that time
jennings was studying law at Cornell
explains that luminous legal thought
Mr.. johnson left ithaca later on with
out, however, getting a positive dec
laration from Jennings either way. But
he got wised up a day or two later.
when Jennings was signed to manage
The Philadelphia club.
Failure at First.
Tt win be recalled that Jennings was
i dismal failure with the Phillies and
anaalx dropped out of major League