The Washington times., 1915-12-18
History of Baseball
Peace Is a Brief One
First Talk of Composure Between Factions origi
mated at Series Between Red Sox and PhiIies
in Quaker City Ten Weeks Ago.
BY KIRK C. MILLER.


Almost two years ago to the day the
baseball world saw the beginning of
an awful warfare which has all but de-
molished Americas national pastime.
Tho very fabric OF the game has been
threatened. IL not seriously scared. by
the insiduous attack OF an outlaw or
Panization known as the Federal
League. Players have been induced to
leave good berths in organized base
ball for higher-priced ones with the
FederAls and the unceasing expendi-
ture of money by the infringing parties
has been the chief weapon with which
the grand old game has been harassed.
The National, American, Federal. and
some few minor league heads who are
now In session in New York are sitting
for the purpose of effecting a recon-
ciliation OF the injured interests, and
In their aoility to reach an armistice
lies the future OF the game.
The manner in which James Gilmore
and Charles Weeghman, of Chicago;
the Ward brothers, Of Brooklyn, one
OF whom. Robert. has passed away
since the beginning of baseball strife
Philip Ball. of st. Louis; Harry sin
clair, of Newark; Ed Gwinner, OF Pitts
burgh and Ed Hanlon. of Baltimore,
have co-operated In forcing the organ
lied magnates 10 recognize the EederaIs
Is astounding from a financial stand
point, but that they have been resp ~
slble for setting the game back y %NI
ten years in popularity in the eytSi
the American people Is deplorab bic IUr
the game.
The alert fight which they have con-
Quoted and the alacrity with which they
have stuck to their task of being rec
ogniZed is rewarded 10y the Willingness
OF the .. r. men to now entertain n
now in progress avail nothing, the out
laws have still more money to spend
in their purpose and a closer vigil will
be kept with view to further wrecking
the two major examinations.
The story of tile Federal's invasion Of
the baseball field. step by step, 10 an
old one from the very beginning down to
the fling of the suit by the Federals-
the suit to snnnl organized baseball on
the grounds that II Is combination III
restraint of trade. Perhaps some of the
details relative to the bringing about
OF peace would be more timely now.
Prohs oly the Nrst oHer of peace from
any quarter developed at the last
, worlds series games between the Bog
ton Red Sox and the Philadelphia Ma
tionals. At one of the games in the
Quaker city. Harry +. Sinclair and GER
tain Federal League officials met Far
Johnson. Colonel Rupert and others Di
the American League CLIQUE: Peace
conditions were discussed, but nothing
came OF the meeting.
shortly after this the National League
maze oVertures to the Federal League.
Ii was proposed that Sinclair should
buy the New York Giants. ! he value
placed upon these holdings by Harry y.
Hempstead did not suit the purse of the
Oklahoma oil king. Barney Dreyfuss al
TINS time made spirited objection IN the
scheme.
The Cleveland club. Of the American
League. fell into bad ways. Charles A.
So:1ers. a man who made Johnson's o.
| gariZation twelve wears ago. found hin;-
had to quit Certain interests In tho
| Federal League controlled the bankers
| who dictated terms to Somars.
Ban Johnson ut frst would net roccg-
nize the OUTLAY circuit. He :noIn1, thH
pinch at Cleveland. however. The Fed
eral League people had heen dickerins
| with the National Leaguers for some
weeks without any result. Harry r.
Sinclair. the mainstay OF the 'nde-
pendents. finally grew tired. lie de-
, clared himself. He said he would follow
| the load of Johnson or nobody.
II was proposed SIX weeks ago that
| Sinclair buy the New Yorl, Giants. The
after after s the New S% "E York YANKEES .n' He " hat
| chance to get one-thi"d interest
| from 'tuppcrt and Huston. But agar
thu tariff was too high. lie called on
all negotiations.
Thc present situation was nrecipitate
| because cf Ban Johnson's Gas,rs t. Ait
| the gallant i'Cht made nv the Interna'
! tionnl League. I'D Barrow's circuit
! sEouldered the principal brunt of the
| battle. Barrow was assural that hC
| YOU'D have a fnal voice ~ whatevcl
peace terms might be accepted.
/ Washington itself has only smiled a
| the report which was circulated yester
| dav to the effect that George Ward, o
! BROOKLYN. would operate a team here il
! the international League, and that tn
| local American franchise would go &
, BROOKLYN The officers of the club ant
Clark Griffith himself have denied tn
! possibility of such change, and tn
! baseball public on all sides yesterda.
and TODAY was heard to scoh at tn
| proposal.
| II is impossible to conceive the goo,
| to be brought about. and II Is yer,
| plain to see that the people would no
patronize a minor league club afte
/