Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-08
BY Frank G. Menke.

|
of 1901 and 1902, one finds a
striking parallel in the baseball war
fare Of those days between the Ma
tional and American Leagues and
the battle now being fought between
the Federal League and the Organ
lied Baseball Crowd.
1t was on January 20, 1901, Just
after they concluded their annual
meeting in Chicago, that the Ameri-
can League leaders announced they
were minor leaguers no longer, and
declared war on the National League,
then the supreme power in major
league baseball.
Same Tactics u.ed.
Just as organized baseball to-day
is pooh pooling the idea of the Fed
eral League landing anywhere but in
the scrap heap, SO did the National
League people, back in 1901, pooh
pooh the threats and ambitions of
the American League.
When the American League first
declared war, the National League
gave little more consideration to 1t as
rival than the organized crowd to-
day Is giving the Federal League.
i
ment from American League leaders
that they had u big bundle of money
at their beck and call and that they
were willing to risk 1t all in base
ball war.
Call 1t All Bluff.
"Bluff-nothing but bluff" COM
mented the National League people.
Wen give that American League
Just one year-that's adjust one
year. 1t takes money to run major
league baseball organization. Per-
haps the American League has mon
ey behind it. but not enough to win in
any prolonged fight"
Sounds a lot like the talk that's
being heaved to the four winds these
days, doesn't It?
Not only were the National Leag-
uers sure in 1901 that the American
League would be failure, but many
of the newspapers at that time voiced
the opinion of the National League
people They trotted out facts and
fgures-tust as they are doing to-day
to show that another league could
not succeed.
The National Leaguers, back In
| 1901 felt sure that the American
| League could not make any real
showing, nor a real bid for public ia
| vor, because the National League had
| the baseball stars--and the American
Leaguers didn't. Which Is exactly the
same line of reasoning the organized
crowd is using now in attempting to
show the Iublic that the Federal
| League 1an not succeed.
| Baseball Is popular with the pub
| lic," declared the National League,
but not SO popular that 1t will sup
| port two major league organizations.
| Whatever patronage the public gives
| 1t will give to us We have the stars.
The American Leaguers have only
minor league players What fan would
pay money to see American minor
leaguers perform when he can see
major leaguers perform for the same
amount IF money!"
Use Same Arguments.
A plausible argument-so plausi-
BILE that the Organized Crowd Ia us
ing it to-day as 1t did thirteen years
ago.
Just about that time came the re-
port that Jerry Nops, the Brooklyn
pitcher, had jumped to the Baltimore
American League team. At first 1t
was not credited-as was the case
when Joe Tinker and Miner Brown
jumped to the F'ederals. When the
Leaguers made light of the fact
when speaking for publication.
We don't care" they said. "Nops
is about through as a pitcher any
way, and we can get along very well
without him. What If a few other
fellows jump. They won't hurt US.
We can weather any storm. The
American League can't succeed, and
those players who jump to that
league will never get another job in
the National League
That sounds familiar, too, doesn't
it7
When the American League first
declared war in 1901. il realized, as
does the Federal League to-day. that
to succeed 1t not only must develop
It's own stars, but secure some of
the big drawing cards of the rival
organization. And, just as the Fed
erals are doing to-day the Americans
sent agents hither and thither in at
tempts to lure players to their ranks.
Success Came Slowly.
Success didn't Immediately crown
their efforts. The players were as
skeptical OF the American League in
1901 as they are of the Federal
League to -day.
The players, of course, were per
ANt1iy NIlAAiib " jump - bAAF9 Ntlt
sure they would get their salaries
regularly. The American League.
setting an example for the Federal
League, guaranteed the salaries Of the
first ones to jump. and signed the
players up on three, four and five
year contracts.
The leaping act OF the first few
players who left the National for the
American League didn't influence
other National League players to
jump-not right away After Nops
jumped one or two others followed
his example. Then there was a lull
in the leap frog business. This
caused the National League to assert
that the American League had about
shot its bolt"
Sounds like something we've heard
quite recently, doesn't IT?
You remember what happened
don't you? A short time before the
1901 playing season opened Lave
Cross, shortstop OF the Brooklyn
team, announced one sunshiny morn
ing that he had received q mighty fine
offer from the Americans and had