Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-09-16
NEWARK CLUB TO
CHANGE HANDS,
IT IS RUMORED
Denial of Offers to
Buy Team Made
by Owners.
OCTOBER | SET AS TIME
FOR DEAL, IT'S CLAIMED
Declare h. Clay Smith, Part
Owner, Wants to Quit
as Magnate.

A rumor originating in New York
today has 1t that there will be a
change of ownership In the Newark
Club of the International League by
| October l. Whether 1t will be the en-
! tire club that will be sold or a por-
ton of the stock is the question which
viii, be decided on or before October
]. according to the stories emanating
from the big city.
The club is Jointly owned by four
men. President Joseph J. McGinnity,
who has acted as manager for three
seasons; Henry Clay Smith. a Chi
cago business man of wealth. who
originally backed McGinnity when
the club was taken off the hands
of Frank Farrell; Vice-President
George L. Solomon and Charles H
Ebbets. The latter is president of
the Brooklyn National League Club.
Say Smith Wants to Sell.
The story which cropped up today
had 1t that Mr.. Smith wants to sell
his stock, but that Ebbets, Solomon
and McGinnity are not ready to buy
his portion of the stock
There is said TO be an agreement,
made last spring, In which none of
the four magnates could sell out un-
til the close of the present season,
and that at the end of that time It
would be the privilege of any one of
the other three owners to get the
first chance to buy or obtain a buyer
for the retiring owners shares.
According to the same agreement
o failure to accomplish this task
within a stipulated time up 10 Oc-
tober ! would give the dissa atisfied
owner the privilege of selling the en-
tire club for the highest offer.
Claim Offers Refused.
1t is said that an effort was made
to induce President John T. Brush
of the New York National League
Club, to buy out Ebbets and Solomon
President Frank Farrell, of the New
York American League Club. was
also approached, but refused to
listen, II is said.
When Manager and President
Joseph McGinnity was interviewed to-
day he dismissed the story with his
customary promptness and denied
emphatically that he had made any
overtures to interest either of the two
New York magnates In his behalf in
order to purchase the stock of Eb-
bets and Solomon. Furthermore, Joe
denied that he had received any offers
for his holdings.
President George l.. Solomon
on his arrival in Newark today de-
clared empha tically that to his knowl-
edge II. Clay Smith had made no
offer or effort to sell out, and also
stated that neither John T. Brush or
Frank Farrell, the New York mag
mates. had been approached. Solomon
further stated that It was all a night
mare or a pipe dream. and that to
show how smoothly things were run
ming on the inner workings of the
club he and Ebbets had already been
discussing the training trip plans for
next season and that 1t had been
agreed that the Tigers train with the
Infants wherever the Dahlenites go.
The mysterious jumps the Iron
Man" has made while his team has
been on the road have given rise to
speculations which cannot be far
amiss. 1t Is known that Joe mas been
in New York quite frequently of late
and il is further stated that Presi-
dent Charles II. Ebbets has laid down
an ultimatum in which he offers TO
buy out McGinnity ane Smith or else
1T
pair
While it cannot be said that there
are two factions in the club, strictly
speaking, 1t is natural that Solomon
has a leaning toward Ebbets, because
the latter backed George when he
took over portion of H. Clay Smiths
holdings last winter. On the other
hand, McGinnlty leans to Smith, who,
1t is supposed, has tired of being a
magnate and desires to withdraw his
capital.
COmiskey Involved.
Smith Is said to have tried TO sell
out to Charles Comiskey, owner of the
White Sox.
No word has been received from
Chicago, but II Is possible that Comis-
key may make an effort to find a
buyer for Smiths shares, providing
he does not take them himself. At
present Comiskey is interested in two
other minor league clubs
While McGinnity spoke the truth
when he. said he had received no
offers for his holdings 1t Is possible
that he may be approached by a bust
ness man in the near future.
Summing up the situation, 1t ap-
pears that McGfnnity is the one who
does not want to sell and that Smith
has retained his holdings here out of
his friendship for McGinnity, but is
now ready to quit. Ebbets may be
willing to buy out McGinnity, but Joe
Is said to be trying to obtain a buyer
for Ebbets's share, as well as Smiths.
II seems certain that there will be
some change, and in the very near
ff1turQ