Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-23
STIFF Il SAVED
FEDERALS vi 7 H
100000 CHECK
St. Louis Magnate Put Up Large
Sum at Recent Meeting for
Signing Of Players.
Bv Bill Bailey.

~HICAGO, Jan. 23.--It was Otto
sufel St Louis magnate and
his check for 100000 that
saved the Federal League on Sat
urday And you can wager the ram
lily plate on that
Magnates in organized baseball and
those In the Federal League may tell
YOU that the future OF the third
league depended upon whether or
ganized baseball or the Federals Sc
cured the 2b feet of ground on the
North Side lot
Forget 1t. That wasn't the big
point 1t wasn't question OF wheth-
er the Chicago club had grounds or
not that threatened the future OF the
league when Charles Weeghman de-
manded a showdown. II was ques-
ton of dollars and cents. And II
might be mentioned that the ball
players who are being signed to-day
are affixing their signatures because
Stifel not only displayed that 500 900
check in the Saturday meeting. but
because he placed 1t in the hands
Of the Chicago magnate.
This story comes from the inside
And by that is meant from one or
the men who sat in the meeting. He
was there when Weeghman made his
demand to be shown And he was
among those present when Weegh-
man was shown.
HERE is what happened. When
Weeghman and William Walker,
his partner in the Chicago club, went
into that meeting he was dissatisfied
He was Of the opinion that he was
about the only fellow who had made
good. Every man in the organiza-
ton had agreed to get at least five
major league players for his team
Weeghman and Tinker had theirs
But some of the other fellows didn't
have theirs. That naturally made no
hit with the Chicago owner So he
arose and delivered himself of an
ultimatum. He remarked that ball
players were easy to secure and that
If any team didn't have the required
number that II was because the own
ers thereof didn't care to exert them
selves. OF course, there was one
other reason. The Chicago maRnate
intimated that the other reason Was
because the magnates didn't cars to
cut the tie strings of the money bag.
THIS speech was resented. Some
OF the magnates arose and said
that they were quite willing to un-
loosen, but that they didn't know how
to go about it. This occasioned a
great guffaw on the part of the Chi
cago crowd Weeghman, Walker,
Tinker and others said that signing
big league ball players was the cas-
lest thing in the world provided
that the owners were willing to put
up the money. Mr.. weeghman fol-
lowed by saying that he had gone into
this thing heart and soul and that
he had lot of money tied up. Also
that he had his private opinion of
any fellow who didn't have a bunch
of stars. Also that his opinion was
that the fellow who said he was
willing to pay. but didn't have the
stars was -four flushing"
Which aroused the ire Of the St
Louis magnate Also the ire of one
other. Whereupon Mr.. Stifel arose
and remarked that he was quite will
ing to place In the hands of the Chi
cago magnate q check for 500, 600.
Said money was TO be used in signing
ball players of the major league cal
iber and said players were to be
turned over to the st, Louis club first
and after a team was recruited for
that territory that the additional big
league fellows were TO be distributed
among the other clubs of the league.