The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1910-05-28
START TALK OF THIRD
BIG BASEBALL LEAGUE
PHILADELPHIA REPORT, IF TRUE,
MEANS BITTER FIGHT BE-
TWEEN MAJOR oRGANl-
ZATloNS.

ESPITE the suspicious opening of
the baseball season in the big
- leagues, there is a cloud in the
sky OF the national pastime. While said
cloud has not reached threatening
magnitude it is of sufficient size to
make certain magnates sit up and
take notice.
1t is third big league cloud!
The report came first from Phila-
delphia This is the way it read:
The report is current here that
Henry C. Osterman, formerly a car
manufacturer of Chicago, is seeking to
establish a third major league base
ball circuit and that he already has
pledged other capital in addition to
his own in support of the enterprise.
Johnny King is mentioned for berth
in the new organization.
There has been talk for two or three
years that plans were on foot to or
ganize a third major league. The
American association clubs once or
twice before, have been put forward
as the nucleus for a big league. OF
course another league would mean a
bitter fight 1t would cost lots of
money, and whether the public would
support three major organizations is a
question. Mr. Osterman was quoted
in Chicago paper as saying that he
had no intention just now of attempt
ing to break into the big field, but he
said he might be willing later, If he
gets enough experience in his semi
pro venture in Chicago, to invest more
money in baseball property. Mr.. 0s-
terman is connected with Jiggs D9na-
hue the former White Sox player, IN
his semi-pro team in Chicago, having
purchased Ansons park on which ST.
600 has been spent for improvements.
Pittsburg, home of the worlds
champions, Detroit, where the Ameri-
can league champions dwell, CleVe-
land, Cincinnati and Washington are
the only cities that have one team in
the big leagues. OF course Brooklyn
has only one team, but Brooklyn is a
part of Greater New York, and that
gives the metropolis three clubs.
Naturally then, it might be expected
that the cities to be invaded by a
third major body would be Pittsburg,
Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and
Washington. Where would the other
clubs be located? Would the new
league promoters attempt to break
into Chicago, which has the Cubs and
Sox; St Louis with its Browns and
Cardinals, or Philadelphia with the
Phi1Iies and Athletics? Boston is q
good baseball town, but the Hub has
two teams, and one of them, because
of the inferior article of baseball it
has given patrons, has suffered from
poor attendance. No new league would
attempt to break into Boston without
the strongest kind of team.
Getting grounds would be a harder
matter in several Of these cities than
procuring players. Land Is valuable,
and it must be close enough to the
center of the city to pay.
There are plenty of players in the
big leagues who are not satisfied, and
with proper inducements in the way of
salaries, might become outlaws, for of
course the new league would be thus
regarded, and accept berths with such
an organization
Two great catchers, for instance,
would surely be available right now.
No doubt Johnny King would gladly
shake off all connection with the Chi
cago Cubs and gladly join new ma
jor league. King probably could get
the necessary backing to become
magnate. At least he would be a
manager-player.
Then there's big Larry Mclean Of
Cincinnati. After the trouble he has
had with Griffith does anybody doubt
that Mclean would jump to a new
league? OF course there would be a
legal battle over the players, and
everybody knows what such things
cost. The new league would have to
sign many of the old players, and not
a few stars. The old league would
fight with all its might to make these
men live up to their contracts. The
new league could not expect to be
classed as major organization if it
entered the field having only players
from the minors.
It seems safe to bet that there will
be no new major league clubs in any
of the cities of the old organizations
soon.