Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-23

~HICAGO. Jan. 23.-1t was Otto
Stifel st. LoBis magnate and
his check for 100000 that
saved the Federal League on sat :
urday. And you can wager the fam
lily plate on that.
Maenates in organized baseball and
those in the Federal League may tell
YOU that the future of the third
league depended upon whether or
ganjzed baseball or the Federals Sc
cured the 25 feet of ground ON the
North Side lot.
Forget II. That wasn't the big
point. It wasn't a question of wheth-
err the Chicago club had grounds or
not that threatened the future OF the
league when Charles Weeghman de-
inanded a Showdown. 1t was a ques-
ton of dollars and cents Ana II
might be mentioned that the bail
players who are being signed day
are affixing their signatures because
Stifel not only displayed that 500, 600
check in the Saturday meeting. but
because he placed il in the hands
of the Chicago magnate
This story comes from the inside.
And by that is meant from one OF
the men who sat in the meeting. lie
was there when Weeghman made his
demand to be shown. And he was
among those present when WEIGH
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
Neeghman and Tinker had theirs
But some of the other fellows didnt
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 magnate
intimated that the other reason was
because the nsagnates didn't care 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
10 70 about it. This occasioned a
great Euffaw on the part of the Chi
cago crowd Weeghman. Walker.
Tinker and others said that signing
big league ball players was the cas-
Test 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 a 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. Stlfel arose
and remarked that he was quite will
ing to place in the hands of the Chi
cago magnate check for 100000.
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 We're To he distributed
among the other clubs of the league.