The Washington times., 1914-01-27
All Three Organizations Headed
by Business Men Drawn
From Various Places.

three leagues, you will come to the con-
clusion that the success Of big league
baseball rests in the baseball wisdom
of the presidents and the managers.
combined with the financial gameness
of the various owners. The financial
strength of the outlaws have yet to be
tried. The baseball wisdom of their
managers are as yet unknown. How
ever, being unknown, their brains must
not be discounted. You never can tell.
Ban johnson was Cincinnati sporting
editor possessed of a brilliant dream.
He had sufficient nerve and business
sense to push his dream through to a
reality. John X. Tener, machine poll
tician with an excellent reputation, had
the leadership of the National League
presented TO him on silver platter last
winter.
James Alexander Gilmore served as
commissary sergeant in the Philippines.
! He went to the Spanish war in an Hi
nois regiment, and after being a maIa-
ria victim for thirteen months, Joined the
Forty-thlrd Regiment of Volunteers
and went to the Philippines. Twenty
two months in the islands cured him,
and he returned to enter the coal bust
ness in Chicago, branching out in the
business of manufacturing Yentilators
and ventilating engines. He is a busi-
ness man OF known ability. He has
shown nerve in various ways.
Why shouldn't he be respected fully
as much as Ban johnson, former sport
ing editor. or John b. Tener, old-time
pitcher. and now politician in Pennsyl-
Yania?
Il had the Chicago Federal League
club last year." says Gilmore land my
friends and 1 dropped $4,000. But we
got that much back in experience. We
may have to buy more experience be-
. I,a l.
the Federal League is composed of
game fellows, who think they have a
right to be in baseball, and they will
stick"
II will be recalled Immediately that
Charlie Somers. mine owner and
manufacturer, made the success Of the
American League. He was the man with
the dollars, and financed the Boston,
philadelphia and Cleveland clubs in the
American League. Without him Ban
Johnson's boasted efforts would have
been as nothing. Charlie Somers, a game
business man, brought the league
through to victory.
The success of the Federal League
rests with the public. Despite the
claims OF those men on the inside,
the public is sore at many of them.
Can you say that Rob Hedges or
Schuyler Britton have friends in st.
Louis? Isn't Charlie Murphy hated by
everybody in baseball and detested in
his own city of Chicago? Gerry Herr
their bumps for their short sightedness,
the rams all swinging the hammer lusti-
ly.
Frank Farrell is far from being popu-
lar in New York, and the most unpOp-
ular man ever connected with baseball
IN boston mas just been scalped by Ban
Johnson in time to save the situation.
say what you will, the major leagues
would be improved by the resignation or
many OF their magnates.
The public doesn't care merry hama
for the owners. II the magnates are
good sports, willing to spend money on
improvements at the parks and pur-
chasing needed material for the clubs,
the Ians are cOntented. They don
care particularly whether John Jones
is president or treasurer But they
certainly do want to know II Walter
Johnson got his raise and is salts
fled.
The Federal League managers mean
much to the success of the venture.
Joe Tinker, Otto Knabe, and George
StOval havo led the raid upon the
forces OF organized baseball with con-
rSiderable skill. Nevertheless, the stars
reve been against them. The promise
made by the members of the Players
Fraternity not to sign with anybody
worked a hardship upon the outlaws
But for that promise many a big
Lacquer would have jumped during the
early winter.
The battle line OF the Federa's doe
not look strong. They are gathering
the bad actors, the spawned stars of past
days, bushers who never came up or
who have gone back to the grass.
But il isn't for organized baseball
men to laugh too loudly even now. They
are living in glass houses and stones are
dangerous. II the outlaws finish this
season and still have the financial
gameness necessary some of them may
be found in the ranks OF the big leagues
with all their past faults forgotten.