Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-26
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Speclaf DfBpach Inc Stdr
NEW YORK, October 26.-Because some
Of the players who promised to go with
him have suddenly backed out, Promoter
d. A. Fletcher. who says he is organizing
third major league, has practically
decided to call off his proposed tour OF
the country with two all-star teams. The
crushing defeat of the Cubs in the world S
series has convinced Killing, Brown and
Overall that the plan to play exhibition
games in Kansas City under Fletcher's
management will not pay, and they have
decided to withdraw. This leaves Bresna-
han. Konetchy, Magee and Hoffman
among those still ready to play for
Fletcher in spite of the national commits
sions edict. Ty Cobb has repudiated
Fletcher and SO have Lajoie, Mike
Mitchell, Nap Rucker, George Gibson,
Christy Mathewson, Tommy Leach and
others, who say they are not looking for
trouble and are also convinced that the
new league is a bubble of hot air.
Mathewson laughed when asked about
Ffetchers scheme yesterday.
why, Fletcher is false alarm, said
the Giants great pitcher. He promised
me big money If | would pitch for one of
the all-star teams under his management
at Kansas City. ] told him by wire that
road ticket from New York to Kansas
City I'd accept. But he didn't send the
fare, so / concluded not to GO
The Cincinnati papers are making a
fuss over this Fletcher movement. They
are demanding to know who are behind
this promoter who says he Will pay bo-
muses. of 5000 and $4,000 to players
who jump their present employers in the
National and American leagues. AS far
ha Lon m shown
a dollar in real money yet, although he
says he will have $3,OOO,OO behind him
when he announces his plans In few
weeks. Fletcher has been hobnobbing
York Of late. and it is said they have Of
fered to build ball parks on different
Long Island and Bronx sites. but base
ball men do not regard this news as a
cause for alarm They say New York
fans will not welcome an invasion with
the Giants and Highlanders established
firmly in popular favor, and that out
law ball will not attract much attention
I'm this neck of the woods. Players who
are doing business with Fletcher admit
that there's no money In sight and that
they have received only prOmiSeS-thingS
that do not pay rent or buy winter coal.
The fall of the Cubs has brought to a
focus the real condition of the team
When the Cubs played their last series
with the Giants at the Polo Grounds. in
September, one of their followers said
that some of the men were ready for the
scrap head. and he mentioned Reulbach
Brown. Steinfeldt and Sheckard. Now
comes a wild protest from Chicago fans
against the further retention of these
men and a corresponding demand for
new talent. Overall, who f1zzled in the
worlds series. says he doesn't want to
pitch any more. Tinker declares that he
will never play shortstop again and Will
cover third base instead. while even
King. the once great catcher, seems to
have lost his nerve. King is blamed for
the ineffectiveness of the Cubs pitchers
and is also scored for his weak batting.
For many years base ball students have
insisted that tirst-class pitcher is more
than 60 per cent of a successful teams
strength. Without effective pitching nc
series between the Athletics and Cubs
and the Giants and Highlanders served to
illustrate this point more clearly than be-
fore Coombs and MatheWson were the
winning factors. Coombs pitched in three
games for the Athletics and won them
all Mathewsop Officiated In three games
for the Giants, from start to finish, and
won them all, at the same time saving
Drucke from defeat in another contest
The Cubs were trimmed chiefly because
overall and Brown did not show their
usual pitching skill, while the Highlanders
we're beaten partially for the reason that
their star boxmen, Ford and Vaughn, did
not come up to the requirements.
The Pittsburgs won the worlds cham
pionship from the Detroits last year be-
rause of the great pitching of Babe
Adams. When the Cubs won these honors
Brown, Reulbach and Overall were in
,-iucibIe II was the wonderful pitching
If Matty and McGinnity that enabled the
Giants to beat the Athletics in 1905. Go