The Washington times., 1921-11-03

IL is understood that he authorized
an agent here to close his part OF
the transaction. but the new angle
is OF such Importance that II has
been made the subject of considera.
BILE cable correspondence. 1t is prob
able. therefore, that Cohan has re-
quested a delay until his return.
The Brooklyn club is one of the
| most valuable baseball properties In
I The major leagues. The team, which
Won the National League pennant in
1920, has apparently gone 10 seed
| and must be reconstructed. but the
! real estate belonging to the club is
valuable property.
The grounds for Ebbets Field was
! purchased about ten years ago for a
nominal sum. 1t is now in the center
of one of the best residential sections
OF Brooklyn and worth probably close
to million dollars.
The club has made money for the
past three years, but 1921 was dis
appointing season in many ways, and
vt is said that friction has developed
between Charles II. Ebbets. president
OF the club, and the McKeever broth
ers, who bought in several years ago.
Ebbets. II is said, is willing TO retire
after a career OF more than thirty
years with the Brooklyn club. during
ticket seller to president.
A Valuable Property.
In fact, the gray squire of Flatbush
stated recently that he would sell If
prospective buyers would meet what
he called a fair price. Two or three
years ago the Brooklyn club-fran-
chise, players and real estate-was
rated at 81 800, 900 and probably could
not have been bought for less than
S2,000,0 900. With the advent OF Sun
day baseball the property became
even more valuable.
Cohan made a thorough investiPa-
ton before opening negotiations. He
has always been a red-hot baseball
fan, as his father, the late Jerry CO.
han, was before him. AS a boy,
George and his father were regular
attendants at big league games in
New York. George formerly was
Yankee partisan. but in late years
has patronized both Manhattan clubs
regularly. There are few days dur
ing the season that Cohan does not
drive over from his palatial Long
Island home to see a ball game at
the Polo Grounds.
1t is said that the present owners
of the Brooklyn club are willing to
turn the Dodgers over to new manage
ment but are not anxious to dispose
of the real estate. In other words,
they are willing to sell the team and
franchise and give the new owners
u long lease on Ebbets Field.
Where the Hitch May BE.
Cohan approaches the deal from the
standpoint of a sportsman and is not
figuring on the real estate end of it.
However, he may not care to make
an investment of more than a half
million dollars in an abstract base
ball property without being amply
protected in the matter of grounds.
This may be where the deal is halted.
While the Ebbets regime has not
always been popular in Brooklyn, it
has been a real baseball administra-
ton. During basebalrs lean years
there Ebbets had his entire resources
tied up in the Dodgers. He had no
other means to tide him over the bad
seasons. and more than once was on
the point of being forced out.
The Mckeevers bought in al a time
when the Dodgers were chronic sec
ond division performers. They vir- |
tually controlled the club for several
years though Ebbets remained as
president and directed the team
through managers he selected.
The invasion of Brooklyn by the !
Federal League was 2 blow that |
nearly wrecked the Ebbets admins
tration. Backed by the Ward mil. !
lions the Federals built a fine base !
ball plant at Washington Park and :
waged war on the Dudgers for two |
y ears.
At one time, so the story goes. Eb-
bets refused An offer for his hold !.