Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-20
Die MINOR
LEAGUES HELP
CHECK FEDS"
Organized Baseball Musters Every
Resource to Break Up Strong
holds of Independent Circuit,
BY w. j. McBeth

~ RGANIZED baseball has com
bined its every resource 10
fight back the Federal League
iuva The two greatest minor
leagues have responded to the call to
arms and joined forces with the Ma
tonal and American circuits toward
the common good.
In order TO forestall the invasion of
sacred" territory by the hostile
horde, International League teams
will be placed in Brooklyn, Pittsburg
and Washington, while the American
Association will operate in Cincinnati
and Chicago.
This latest move of the so-called
trust is nothing more than the per-
fiction of a little game of freeze
out" The idea is to break up as
many Federal strongholds as possible.
The great organization, which had
kept closely in touch with every move
Of the revolutionlsts, learned a few
DAYS ago that Toronto and Buffalo
were but pawns for the game of the
independents. Gilmore and his back
ers have all along figured upon
Brooklyn and Washington because o.
the major league prestige of these
cities, it is said.
ne Jersey lily lIduCHIS6 OIL the Iu
ternational League is to be trans
ferred 10 Washington, and will alter
nate in the Capital City with Clark
Griatths scrappy Senators,
IF arrangements can be made with
/ Tim Hurst, who holds an option on
Washington Park. the old home of the
Dodgers some other representative of
The Barrow circuit will be established
there. If not, Ebbets Field will be
utilized to smother Federal opposi-
ton The International League team
in Pittsburg will operate at Schen-
ley Park. and, as in Washington and
Brooklyn, will so arrange a schedule
as not to conflict with the major
league attractions.
President Tom Chiv1ngton has
promised the major league moguls
that he will take care of the Western
wing by placing American Associa-
tion clubs in North Chicago and IN
Cincinnati.
The Association controls a park in
The Windy City, which was secured
In the days when that circuit had de-
signs upon the Stockyards. 1t has not
been definitely decided whether to ex-
pand into a ten-Club circuit or to shift
the st. Paul franchise to Chicago and
come other of the lesser paying fran
chises 10 Cincinnati.
In the same way the club owners
Of the International League will have
"a decide upon the question Of expan-
sion. As three new cities are to be
taken into the Barrow ring, despite
the transfer of Jersey City to Wash
ington membership, two will remain
open unless a ten-club circuit is de-
c!ded upon.
Proyidence's fate would in no wise
stand i'm the way Of existing terri
toral conditions. Frank Navins, who
owns the Detroit Tigers, is master of
the Grays, and he has had such poor
luck with his minor leaguers that he
would welcome almost any change
IF Sammy Lichtenstein, who owns
the Montreal club, would con-
sent to transfer to Pittsburg, that
would settle the matter But Sammy
has held out tenaciously against ali
opposition. But for him Montreal
might have been eliminated years ago.
The Canadian metropolis makes a
rather unwieldy circuit
The International League could
scarcely modest Newark, a champion
snip club Rochester is one of IT'S
best towns. Baltimore is proposed
Federal League fort Buffalo would
be snapped up by the outlaws in
case Of an evacuation.
While the sweeping circuit refo1-
nations have been under way, organ
lied baseball has never for a moment
forgotten the necessity Of beating its
%ould-be contemporary to the very
best playing talent. Every club in
the two major leagues and in the big
minor leagues has sent out agents to
whip the athletes into line. The three
Greater New York clubs have cor
salled practically every star for 1914.
Through its inactivity in the face OF
bl the hustle by organized baseball,
tnA Federal League has lost consid-
cradle material within the past two
weeks. Fully a dozen major league
Fars announced as deserters have re-
newed contracts with their old en-
tloyers.