Evening journal., 1911-12-22
'sOUTLAWS"
ORGANIZE
United States Baseball League
Names Whitman as
President
WILMINGTON NOT
ON THE CIRCUIT


4 pendent baseball league was launched
last night in the Hotel Imperial
4 which intends to fight organized base
4 ball by establishing clubs in at least
4 six cities which now have major, or
Class AA, teams The league IS TO De
Ir known as the United States League
II Of Professional Baseball Clubs, and
was organized for the ultimate pur-
\ nose. the promoters say, of becoming
i a running mate to the Natlohal anu
\ American Leagues.
The plans for the new league have
q been under way for some time, and the
b men interested in the venture say they
= have enough financial backing to give
Ii organized baseball death grapple FOR
y recognition. The league will consist OF
81 eight cities and in the meeting last
Z night franchises were awarded TO per-
N sons who represent New York, Brook
"a lvn. Washington, Reading, Pa, ana
y Richmond. Va. There are fiye appli-
= cations for the other three vacancies,
coming from Baltimore, Pittsburgh,
Il Cincinnati. Newark and Buffalo. The
81 three cities found to have the best
81 hacking will be taken into the cir
ri cult 1t was said that one of the three
|y will be Buffalo.
The league will make formal appli-
n cation TO the National Commission for
E recognition, though the president eN-
= dressed the opinion that the league
4 ixnows in advance the application VIII
q be rejected.
MNitman the President.
X William Abbott Whitman, of Reading
BPa, was elected president secleeats
n l'ffreasurer of the league, the main OF
Il fces of which will be in Reading, Pa
4 Whitman is prominent in Reading, haV-
Ming been for years associated with that
citv's baseball and political history
lAilIe Is the owner of the Reading Dall
mark which is said to be one OF the
best minor league plants in the couh-
try and, according to Whitman repre-
sents an outlay of $l25,OOO.
Whitman has been dabbling in base
! ball since 1889 and for years was
present Of the old Pennsylvania State
League. He was former member
of the Select Council of Reading. ane
ip the November election this year
was defeated for the Mayoralty by 70
votes. Several years ago he was the
tiDemocratic candidate for Lieutenant
Governor of Pennsylvania. He is a
contractor.
Whitman last night said the new
league is out to do business strictly
on the level. and that it will treat or
ganized baseball fairly provided it re-
ceives fair treatment. He said that
under no condition will his league try
10 induce players to jump their con-
n tracts. He argued that man who
will Jump from club in organized
& baseball also will jump United
! State League contract.
The members at the meeting OBJ
iected to being classed as outlaws.
They say they are an independent Or
ganization, and that if their independ-
cnce will not be recognized they are
prepared to fight for it.
One OF the directors of the league
who desired that his name be with
held, declared that the league will
not recognize the reserve rule of the
big and minor leagues. In other words
the new league proposes to sign big
league or minor league players, pro-
vided they are not under contract
The men present at the meeting
last night were William Abbott Wit
= sman. representing Reading Hugh
McKinnon. representing Washington
Ambrose w. Hussey, Jr., representing
Larazrus, representing Richmond
and a sixth person, who represented
New York, is said to be a prominent
? Wall street man. The Board Of Di-
rectors elected consists of Whitman
Iandgraf Hussey, McKinnon and the
Wall street man.
The organizers would not divulge
4 the name of the man who owns the
New York franchise. It was intimated
that when his name is announced Il
will make a sensation. II was said
he is known in sporting circles from
the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Stock Companies to Control
The promoters say they have or
gan'zed stock companies in all the
cities of their circuit and that money,
e,ed interests hold the stock In the
various clubs The league haI
grounds in the five cities named. 1
was said the grounds in New Yorl
/, " will be conveniently iocated and ac
cessible to the majority OF New
York's inhabitants. No players hav'
fas vet been signed President Wit
man said the league Will play onl,
high class ball.
That the league entertains large
7 ambitions than putting clubs II
cities like Richmond and READING
was shown when the question wa
asked: How do you expect to com
pete with the National and American
Leagues with a circuit containing
cities like Richmond and Reading?
In answer to this question Lano
graf of Richmond said;
"When the American League star
ed It had teams in Kansas City, MI
waukee and indianapolis, and now
i'm New York, Chicago and St Loui
and other large cities. For the pres
= ent we are we'll satisfied with klcf
mon, Reading and Washington. to
wears, Richmond has been clamorin
for frst-class ball. They have Clas
G ball in Richmond, when the tow
is plenty big enough to support a
International League team. When III
: Giants played an exhibition gam
\ there last spring they drew 12,0C
| fans. and the Highlanders' secon
fsA team drew about ten thousand.
Reading the people are getting tire
/ of Tri-State ball, while in Washinl
- ton-well. they have had tailendel
SO long that they would jump at
J chance to see another team"
n President Whitman said that whei
ever it is possible the United State
League will arrange its schedule S
-. ,,ot "a conflict Nxffh other teams