The San Francisco call., 1913-11-28

MYSTERIOUS
BASEBALL
DEAL On
Agent, Under Cover, Tries to
Buy Property to Enlarge
Recreation Park
By JOE MURPHY

An agent has been dickering with
the property owners on Fourteenth
street who own flats adjacent to the
right field fence of Recreation park
in regard to the disposal of their
holdings. The party who is said to be
carrying on the negotiations is a
property owner in Fourteenth street
who has land to sell and who is act
ing as an agent for baseball interests.
| J. Cal Ewing has another year s
lease on the Valencia street holdings,
.. but he stoutly maintains that there
Will be no more baseball played in the
Valencia and Fifteenth street lot, as
far as the Pacific Coast league is con-
cerned.
Ewing claims to have leased the
grounds at Masonic avenue and St.
Rose street and that the Seals will
open up the season of 1914 In their
new home. Very little progress has
been made in getting the new ball
park ready, as Ewing had to delay
work owing to being stricken
with an attack of illness, which
caused him to be confined to a hos
pital for several days.
He is expected to report at base
ball headquarters today, as there are
| bids for the grading of the new
grounds to be opened. Ewing says
that he wants to getswork started, and
there is likely to be some activity on
the part of laboring men in the vicin-
Iity OF Masonic avenue and st. Rose
street in a few days.
The negotiations for the purchase
of the flats in Fourteenth street have
been going along very secretly and
the property owners are not aware
who the prospective purchaser is, be-
| ing told by the agent that it is q
baseball syndicate which is planning
| to buy up several lots and enlarge
the field.
There has been talk OF an outlaw
league breaking into the field The
rumor got its foundation in the south,
and the Los Angeles papers devoted
| much space to the report
| Ewing claims to have the right to
Recreation park for another year, as
his lease does not expire until 1915.
However, he stoutly maintains that
| the Seals will never again play on the
Valencia street lot as long as he Is at
the head of the club.
| Further, Ewing states that all the
| improvements on the grounds are the
property of the Recreation Park Base
ball association. and that the grand
| stand and other improvements will be
carried off the lot when the lease ex-
pires.
= y
Ernie Johnson Is sure to hold down
short for the Angels during the COM
! ing season. as the little fellow has
made a great impression with the
southern fans. 1t Is doubtful IL Dillon
would remove him even If he succeed
| ed in getting back Joe Berger from
| the White Sox. Last season was John
sons first year III professional ball.
| He was turned over to the Angels by
| the White Sox. who picked up the lit
| tie fellow from the prairies near Chi
cago. For man playing his first year
| in professional ball, johnson showed
| a world OF class.
| y X
| Allen, the outflelder whom Henry
Berry of the Angels secured from the
| Washington club OF the American
| league, is sweet hitter II figures
count. He played last season with the
| Toronto club of the International
| league.
| BY the way, Toronto Is one Of the
| greatest ball towns in the country, il
| Umpire Bill Phyle knows anything.
| Il think Toronto, for the size OF it,
turns out bigger crowds proportion