Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-13
TIE OMAHA SUNDAY BIZ
OMAHA. SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 10. 1910.
JUDGMENTS

president. Whether ne n right in these
assertions he is certainly taking the proper
stand 20 denounce the system OF syndicate
ball. Some suspicious ones whisper that
Mr. johnson himeelf owns stock In every
American league team except Chicago. and
that the league as a whole owns the wash
ington club. Neither OF these charges ever
has been subjected TO the test of proof.
70 that as they stand they are but gossip
ana may or mag not be true. The base
ball world has. however. sufficient ground
for believing that the virus Of syndicate
base bail has been Injected into the body
Of the National league. There are strong
evidences 70 Indicate that the Chicago and
philadelphia ownerships, Il not Identical
are at least related Charles p. Taft and
Charles W. Murphy admittedy own the
cubs. and Taft admittedly owns the Phia-
delphia grounds, and Murphy admittedly
engineered the deal BY which Fogel became
president Of the Quakers and Luderus was
shifted from Chicago 70 Philadelphia when
athe latter needed a first baseman and
Foxen was a. dexterously slipped over to
Chicago. OF course these are only straws,
but straws are said to show the way the
wind IL blowing. sometimes. At any rate,
IL would take a lot OF proof 70 convince
many people that Murphy and Taft are not
large stockholders in the Philies. Also
Barney Dreyfuss OF Pittsburg Is said 70
hold a lively interest In the Boston team.
Now, Johnson's proposition is to apply to
base ball a principle that law has applied
TO big corporations In buslness-eompel
every team ownership 20 publish a list OF
its stockholders. Il should be done, and
Murphy Taft and Dreyfuss should be
among the first 20 insist that Il be done
that Is, Il they are not engaged in syn
dicate base ball and care 20 have the fact
known. Certainly II would be an effectuaI
way OF clearing their skirts IL shows
johnson off to excellent advantage for him
to make the proposal, and at once dis
counts the charges against him. Johnson
Is right-base ball cannot afford such a
system. It cannot endure under IT, Il
cannot afford anything thet is not open
and above board, and wherever Il discovers
such thing Il should destroy H. II busl-
ness OF commercial character can stand
the searchlight OF publicity. base ball
should and base ball must II II expects to
progress. There isn't any adequate argu.
ment 70 be advanced against the plan OF
publishing a list Of stockholders, and the
man or management that attempts such
an argument will be there and then placing
himself or itself In a hole and inviting sus-
picion. Already that suspicion hangs over
tho Philadelphia club a. a result last year
Of FOgels refusal to make known tins
names OF his hackers when he was charged
with being Murphy-Taft stool pigeon
Then again, the fact that Taft owns the
Philadelphia grounds goes long way to-
ward confirming the opinion as to this
joint ownership OF teams. why would tn,
Chicago owner care to buy the Philadelphia
grounds II he did not already own or IN.
tend to own the club? The johnson plar
should be adopted in both big leagues
johnson declares he will force its adoption
IN the American and make war II the Ma.
tional refuses to adopt IT, Let the wal
so ON. SSH
Pa Rourke before leaving for the BIG
meeting in Chicago. expressed the belief
and hope that Topeka would be retained n
the league. That is a popular wish 10,
peaa is IN the circuit as It stands natur.
ally, and should, with proper management
be made to pay. Without diBparaging Dicl
Cooley. It can fairly be said that Topeks
), was not properly managed last year II
Nmay be said that Dick needed funds ans
was poorly supported. Granted. The fac
remains, and funds. for the sake OF argu
ment' may be accorded place as an ele
ment In proper management But we be
! with ample funds and a good team vii
make 80 Of IT, Kansas is anre via
base ball enthusiasm and certainly is CAP
ital should have some OF the spirit Coole,
raided his team to the extent that whei
the season was closed only two men on, tn
club at the beginning Of the season wer
with Il at lie close. No comment need b
made on such a condition a. this. For tn
rest Of the Western league, Il Il stands a
II was this year, things ought to be good
They could OF course, be improved at De
Moines, but with a team fighting Tor
first division place, Desf Moinea may b
relied on True. Higgins Is unpopular an
& IL not impossible to buy the frannhis
away from him. But before anybody ca
count reliably on the Western league cir
cult, he will have 10 await development
with the American association Some bi
things are liable TO happen that may ex
pand the greatness OF the Western IeRgu,
Il looks like the st. Louis Browns owner
ship mas made a wise selection Of man
ayers In Bobby Wallace the veteran Short
stop Wallace knows the game as well as
can be known and he has played It a
pitcher, third baseman ana shortstop a
we'll as Il can be PLAYED Added TO- thes
qualities he knows how 10 govern hlmse
80 well that in an bis professional careei
beginning IN 1898. he has never been put OF
the diamond for Kicking he is not
kicker man with that sort Of record
sure to have q strong pun with the Umpire
and a powerful influence with the player
under him. Roddy looks like the right ma
IN the right place.
President Fogel OF the Philadelphia teal
has been quoted az saving he wante
Johnay Evers as his manager Tor next ses
son. He probably could want away, ID
Evers says be is q fixture ~ Chicago q
long as Chance wants him and for tins
matter he would have q sweet dime tryin
80 get away from the Cubs Il he WAS ev.
anxious TO- our guess Is that Re
Doom viii manage he Philnes next yea
and that this entire mess between n
Quakers and Cincinnati win be- nicely al
tusted long before the time arrives z,
play
aSrpor Ban d 70 be the real manager
the Rourkes next season. and he Is vii
Pa now az Chicago, getting Ia on n
ground floor OF the 6idinga