Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-10-06
BuRNE|SIER
ASKED TRANSFER
Winona. Directors Claim he
Wanted: Franchise Switch
ed to St. Boniface.
EXHIBIT
FROM SECY. FARRELL
Latter Wires Them that the
Northern League President
Made Request for Change

That President John Burmeister Of
the Northern league has requested the
national baseball commission to trans,
fer the Winona franchise in the old
Northern, to st. Boniface, Man. is the.
contention Of the owners of the wi.
mona club. who declare they were ap-
praised OF the fact through a tele-
gram from Secretary Farrell.
story follows:
President John Burmeister has just
shown the Winona baseball directors
another side Of his nature and in the
last few days local magnates have
been staggered by the colossal nerve
OF the Northern league executive. The
hrst blow fell Saturday when the di-
rectors received a wire from Secretary
Farrell of the national comuittee
which reads as follows:
"Winpnas Baseball Club:-Letter
just received requesting transfer Wi
mona protection to st. Boniface.
y. H. Farrell, Sec'y."
Win0na Owner.
The above wire was the first inklinR
that anyone had requested the trans
fer ct the Winona protection to St.;
Boniface. 1t was another sample Of
the underhand methods employed by
the magnates who gathered in the Sc
cret meeting in Minneapolis. which
resulted in the ousting of Winona and
Owner Pulford of Winnipeg from the
Northern. But President Burmeister
acknowledged one thing when he ask
cd for the transfer Of the' Winona
protection to st. Boniface, and that
was that Winona really owns some
thing to transfer.
GTa Nh Nor<horn
This 10 another example Of the
league executive. A few days ago he
came out with the statement to the
effect that there was no Northern lea
que nj that being the case, Winona
did not have a right or vote in the new
league. Now he is asking. for the
transfer Of the protection to St. Boni-
face.
This first sample of Burmeister's
nerve, was not enough to floor the
Winona officials and a few Of them
gathered for a short conference, as
a result Of which the following tele-
gram was sent. to Secretary Farrell:
Wire answer. We will consent to
transfer of our franchise to st. Boni-
face provided ownership remains In
name of Scott Laird, president Wi
mona Baseball club
The following telegram was receiv-
ed In answer to the above:
president Burmeister requested
transfer. consult him."
Trouble :Forecasted.
That was the first act Of the little
drama in which President Burmeister
as president of anon existing league
took the initiative Winona officials
however. we're NOT IN he caupht s1eep.
ing and before the matter is settled
they promise to make things more
than interesting for President Bur-
meister and the officials who gather
ed in secret In Minneapolis last week.
How the league executive could ever
expect to get away with anything so
gigantic as his new air-castle is built
on, cannot be understood down in this
neck OF the woods.
The following is q copysof another
message sent to Secretary Farrell:
Send us copy requesting. transfer
our franchise to st. Boniface. Ask
ing preparation Of our case after we
receive copy of Burmeister's letter"
Then came the blow which nearly
counted for a knockout.
A resume of Burmeister's letter fol-
lows:
Letter reads: Would like protec-
ton fee paid on Winona to apply to
city Of st. Boniface. Also on players
reserved. Nothing. further"
This has aroused the union direc-
ters to renewed efforts and they. az
satisfied until President Burmeister
and the men who took part in the
meeting in Minneapolis are ruled out
of Organized baseball.