Evening journal., 1918-10-10
Threatens TO TAKE
BACK BOSTON CLUB
Caffney Gives Owners I'm
til Monday to Pay
Indebtedness
FOR HOUSE CLEANING
IN THE LEAGUE

When the baseball races were shu
down by the government on Septembe
Of this year It was predicted tina
several big league clubs would be un
able to Withstand a period OF war idle
ness and would go under financially
The first crack is likely TO take place
in Boston. where the National League
club is about to go on the rocks.
James L. Gaffney, former owner Oi
he club and a contractor Of New York
said yesterday that he would take back
the franchise next Monday unless the
present owners Of the club met their
obligations. There is a considerable
sum due Gsffney for rental Of Braves
Field. while the present owners also
are behind in the payment OF interest
on bonds held by Gaffney and ass0-
states.
The Boston Nationals had been sail
ing along on half a rudder for some
time and their finances were not in the
best condition oven before General
Orowder issued his famous Work or
Fight order.
Percy Haughton resigned az president
OF tho club to accept a commission as
Major. In the chemical welfare service.
The club since then has been without
a real executive. its affairs having been
left I'm the hands Of Walter Hapgood,
It's business manager.
The Boston Nationals are owned by
|, syndicate OF New England bankers,
who purchased the franchise from Gaff-
uey in 1916, thinking they had made a
niEHnNpTnn
they had taken over a blOOmer. The
club lost money continually from the
lime the new owners took charge and
has been on the market for the last
two years. But In these war times there
are few baseball purchasers. Efforts
were made TO sell the club back to
Gaffney at a considerable loss, but Gaif-
ney would not buy it.
Even during the 1917 season the n
nanclal difficulties OF the Boston club
were common baseball gossip. The club
continually struggled under its big
overhead charges. In his enthusiasm
over the 1911 Braves, which won the
worlds series in four straight games
from the then supposedly lnylnclble
Athletics, Gsffney built Braves Field,
with its 1900 seating capacity and Inn
mense playing field. in Allslon. STALL
ings had promised 10 win the cham
pionshlp for the next 1--WE years after
that.
When Gaffney sold the club in 1916 |
he retained possession Of Braves Field |
and was paid a big rental. With the
high salary paid Stalllngs and the in
creased operating costs in baseball the
clubs indebtedness TO Gaffney grew
so that the club now Is
on the point OF revertlng TO It's for
mer owner.
Gaffney was one OF tho few men 10 |
make a big financial success OF base |
ball in recent years. lie bought the |
club in 1919 when it was an habltual |
tail ender and had fallen TO its lowest /
ebb in the estimation OF Boston fan |
dom. By winning The worlds series |
In 1915 with a club that was last I'm
midseason. the club almost overnight
became one Of the best drawing cards
IN baseball
on Labor Day. i9ii. playing with the
Giants at home, the club played 10 over
0OO0 people IN morning and afternoon
,ames, using the American League
at Fenway' Park. When the
hub was sold I'm 1916, Gaffney and his
associates were said TO have received
Iouble the amount they paid for n.
In The event that Gaffney gets back
n the National League he favors a COM
,leie house cleaning. lie believes that
when baseball comes back after the
war 10 needs a new set Of governors
10 regain It's hold on the public.
Especially does he favor the reorgsn-
zstlon Of the National Commission and
would favor one man commission. lie
also believes the National League made
4 bad blunder in permitting the reslg-
nation OF John X. Tener, the strongest
president the league yet has had and a
man IL cannot replace.