The Washington herald., 1912-05-28
OUTLAW LEAGUE
KICKOTHRBUGKET,,
FOUR CLUBS LEFT
Washington, Chicago, Reading and
Cleveland Teams
Blow.
PLAY BENEFIT GAME TO-DAY
By G. w. SWAN.

The United States League Is now on
the rocks.
Yesterday afternoon ten ball players,
members Of the Washington club Of the
outlaw League, Travelled to Union League
Park, eager to face the Cincinnati out
Mt in the second game OF the series,
only to md that the Ohio aggregation
had hit the trail for Richmond and left
nothing but a broken bat.
Last night several dispatches from New
York stated that the Chicago team had
refused to play, as no salaries had been
paid and there was no real money in
sight The Cleveland team has already
kicked the bucket, and it was rumored
last night IN the metropolis that the
Ready crew was on the warpath. With
only four clubs left, two in the East and
a pair in the West, the United States
League will never blossom.
Meeting To-day.
A meeting Of the magnates will be held
this afternoon in Pittsburg. II is under
stood, from the wire stories, that St
Louis inanciers are willing to take over
the Cleveland club to that place II all
the other clubs in the league will post
1900 forfeit With interest in New
Work. Washington, Pittsburg and Read
ing dead II looks os II Witman's PROPOSE
ton is hard aground upon the rocks.
Unless there is some real coin put be-
hind the league within reaching dis
tance there is no chance for the outlaws,
as ball players will not hang around.
work in the hot sun and pay their own
expenses in these days.
F. L. MOckabee, who succeeded Al
breght as the Washington owner, appears
to have been used as the dumping ground
OF the league. Games have been can
ceIled. transferred, and shifted without
consulting him in the least, and that he
will demand a guarantee from the league
before anOtehr game is played-should
there be any-is a known fact.
Mockabee made arrangements with the
Pittsburg club to play the series, sup
posed 10 start Thursday TO Pittsburg,
and II was learned last night that Presi-
dent Whitman. OF the league, who also
owns the Reading club, had taken that
series for his own team, as q big guar
antee mad been posted for the four
Schedule the Trouble.
games.
In all fairness to Mockabee, II must
be said that he has done his best to
straighten out the tangle but he is in
over his head. and there is little hope.
Whitman, or who ever made up the sched-
ule, booked too many conflicting dates
with the big league clubs, and that killed
what chance the circuit had.
Richmond IS the only city in the league
which has been bringing in any real
money to speak Of, and with but two
teams in the league, that is an imposSi-
bility. Buffalo and Brooklyn have been
spoken Of as the cities after teams,
while St Louis and Detroit may secure
the Western franchise.
A benefit game will be played this aft
ernoon between the local United States
Leaguers and the Giants. so as to give
the Senators at least a small part Of
their salary. as the games played, with
the exception OF Sunday, failed TO draw
enough people to fill even two rows in
the grand stand. Jefr Pfeffer, the former
big Lacquer, will pitch for the locals,
while Owen will be held in reserve. The
game will be called promptly at 40
o'clock