The Washington times., 1913-07-20
ALLOW
TIDE IN ST. LOUIS
Friction Exists Between COL Robert Lee Hedges and Members
of the Team-Change of Ownership imperative.
Press of Mound City Against Him.
By SENATOR" {"

CHICAGO, July 20.-Baseball is in a
bad way in st. Louis, and the fans in
the Mound City do not hesitate a mo-
ment in placing the blame on the shoul-
ders of Col. Robert Lee Hedges, mag
nate OF the Brownies. The Brownies
are suffering from financial Inertia
Colonel Hedges is charged with setting
detectives upon the trail of his players.
and only the scrappy characteristics OF
George Stovall stand as a buffer be-
tween the magnate and the team. Not
until there is new ownership will the
American League have chance to
flourish in ST. Louis.
There is no dodglng the issue-Colonel
Hedges Is unwecOme in the councils of
the American League. Several attempts
have been made to get him out of the
league, but each attempt has failed Tor
one reas IN or another. He has gone
along until now every newspaper in
the Mound City is against him, every
fan beside the Mississippi is hostile to
him, and the Brownies are affected by
this attitude to no mean degree. Moth
ing but the personal popularity Of
George StovalI is keeping the handful
Nothing but Stovalrs personality is
keeping the newspapers from turning
their guns upon the American League In
St Louis.
Newspaper men there claim that ii is
impossible to work in conjunction with
Colonel Hedges. They say that he dou-
ble-CrOsses even himself; that his word
cannot he believed, and that they have
quit trying TO follow his sinuuus path.
They point, for instance, to his con
stant denial OF rumOTs coming from
other cities regarding the Brownies,
ard then is mum when the truth OF
these rumors is eventually proved.
They point to his utter blindness in
dc 8lng with the fans.
The players. being under contract.
have little to say. They don't dare.
But several of the promising young
players on the Brownies are working
for small salary because Hedges fooled
them into signing contracts calling for
- per cent in addition to their last
years minor league figure. This is
causing "A murmur among the Brownies,
too, which is certain to be heard later
on in an cver-inCreasing volume. For
fOrty-fvc days minor Lacquer is al
lowed only his minor league salary plus
3 per cent. Knowing that bali play
ers are ignorant Of the twists in base
ball law, Colonel Hedges impressed
them with his inability to pay more
undeT tIlc law bl lilt ltdBut- nus sam
Agnew, one Of the best CatChers in the
league, works for s., 900 and grumbles in
so doing He has been tipped off since
he signed. The same situation exists
for others of the Brownies.
When Hedges set the Desmond DctcC-
tive Agency on the trail of his players
last year, he came close to starting Il
riot among them. And when the de-
tective's report showed that Bill Hogan
and Catcher Alexander had had 'sev-
eral beers, not to speak OF gin fiZZes -
the smooth-tongued magnate of the
Brownies came close to being hurled
from his office window. Hogan har L
bonus OF $500 coming for observing train
ing rules, but after this sleuth's report
had been read by Hedges. a COMPROMISE
for $500 was the result. OF course, the
Desmond Detective Agency may hax