Evening journal., 1914-04-13
PULL
Their Lid OFF
Outlaws Get Busy Today in
Season That Promises to
Prove Memorable.
TINKER'S TEAM
IN FINE FETTLE
BY HAL SHERIDAN.
Written for the United Press).
iai 20 the runnninn md aun .li.l1.


Written for the United Press).
List TO the weeping and wailng.
Hear the loud cries OF pain,
As deep from the old sock or pocket.
The dollars are dug out again.
Back in the days of December,
When doubters we're betting their all.
They didn't believe that in April,
The Feds would be mailing the ball.
NEW YORK, Arril lS.-They're of
today, them there Federal Leaguers
with their millionaires, hopes. and play
ers lured away from the big tent by the
glitter Of gold and smile OF James A.
Gilmore, organized bascbals pet aver
sion. The Feds cracked their season
Of 1914 really their first as a league
that looks ike a real one. at Baltimore
today. Buffalo and Baltimore staged
the opening encounter and the rest Of
the league will open up in sections.
Brooklyn win open at Pittsburg to.
morrow. Thursday the last bit Of
the lid will be pried of and Chicago
win meet George Stovalls aggregation
in Kansas City while indianapolis is
engaged at st. Louis.
The Federals are breaking A on their
career after one Of the stormiest win.
ters in the history Of baseball. After
rounding up a choice selection of hand.
picked miilionaires, President Gilmore
started after major league players with
money. Dollars dropped-as Bin
Shakespeare, noted sport writer Of
other days has said--like a gentle rain
from heaven. Only, this shower grew
until IL became a downpour and every
baseball PLAYER who was not under cor.
| tract hoisted an umbrella upside down
and went out 10 view the clouds. That
they found the water fine is evidenced
/ by the fact that ball parks have been
constructed and the Feds are starting
their pennant scramble today.
The real turning point in the fortunes
Of the federals was the signing Of Jo(
/ Tinker, former Cub shortstop and man
/ ager Of the Cincinnati Reds. This
came after the famous deal whereby
Tinker was acquired by Charles Ed
bets Of Brooklyn, for $4,000. He ouil
bled over the salary Tinker was to re
ceiye, however. As a result Of his dec
sion TO refuse Joe few hundred dollar.
more season the Feds grabbed him
and made baseball a war which has
cost the American and National Leagues
more than half million dollars in
players who jumped after Tinker, and
advances In salaries necessary to hold
others in the organized ranks. BY se.
curing Otto Knabe, the Phillie third
baseman. the Feds put over another
strong punch and as their purse strings
I loosened more and more their raid on
the big league teams went on with more
} .l.nI
boosted TO unheard Of levels as a result
of the Fed invasion.
Many former big league stars are in
the Federal rank. but the most prom
inent men who performed in the liz cir
cult last wear and then jumped are
Brennan, Doolan. Seaton. Knahe, Nnlrh
and finneran. Of the philiies; Wilson,
/ Crandall and Hartley. Giants; Node,
/ Bridwell and Miller, CUBS; RaTidan and
Quinn. Braves; Evans and Suggs. Car
dinals; Brown, Packard, llprseit and
Esmond, Reds; Ford and Zeider. Yam
J KEGS; Hendrix and McKechnie, Pirates;
Falkenberg and Knapp, Cleveland Maps.
Others have taken the kangaroo route
70 the fsls ard the case of Catcher
killifer Of The Phillies, was carried 10
the courts. Piteaers Blanding and llah-
Ter jumped the Cleveland Maps out re-
turned 10 the fold az did Kirkpatrick
Of Brooklyn; Bill Bradley, manager cf
the Brooklyn team, was formerly wi.n
Cleveland. but has been out OF the big
show for some time. II was torrid
winter during which the Eel nagnates
skated about the country on mystci nus
missions and talked o. money. 4 siiong
bluff was made .hat a team was 10 be
placed in Toronto, hTt when tic show
down came this was found 10 he only
blind 10 cover up the operations looking
toward the selection Of an eighth city.
Gilmore came 10 New York with the
big meeting Of the National League on
and quietly arranged 10 put n club in
Brooklyn while the organized forces
were fussing and turning down a prop
osition 10 put an International League
team there in order - "ccver up" the
territory.
Charles Weeghman. restaurant owner
Of Chicago, backing the Fed team in
that city. was Gilmore's chief hacker
! and advisor in the negotiations Of the
winter. Reported attempts to lure him
away By selling him a team in the
American or National Leagues were cir
culated repeatedly during the war
months. but Weeqhman refused TO fall.
, On one occasion the Feds were reported
on the verge of going on the rocks.
Weeghman was said 20 have demanded a
showdown that he might know just "
much money and how many players
other clubs had. If he made such a
demand, he was satisfied, and stuck 90
; the ship. With the Wards OF Brooklyn,
I Weeehman and other interests Of great
! wealth in the league, the success Of the
! new organization now apparently de.
, pends only on the grade Of baseball
1 the teams produce. Many closely ns-
sociated with the national game he-
I lieve the Federals will be taken into
. Z organized baseball before another year.
EASTLAKE BOYS LOSE.
, NEWARK, Del. April 49, - TIL,
Z Newark club Of the Tri-Counts
!. ! League defeated Faeflakp oF Tbs