DEVOTED TO BASE BALL, TRAP SHOOTING AND GENERAL SPORTS Titla B*dstered in U. S. Patent OlHce. Copyright, 1909, by The Sporting Life Publishing Company. Vol. 54-No. 17 Philadelphia, January 1, 1910 Price 5 Cents LYNCH LAYS HIS LINES! The New President With the Press and of the National to Probe to the League Starts at Core the Under Once to Establish Cordial Relations

SPECIAL TO "SPORTING LIFE." forfeited to the Giants, it is EW York City, December 27. understood that the little Westerner ©Is sure Thomas J. Lynch, the new presi of a re-engagement on the staff. All that dent of the , comes President Lynch has heard of Mullin has been N down from New Britain every complimentary to the kid . President morning to the League headquar Lynch will begin to sign his umpires next ters in the St. James Building and month. The double system will be con goes back to New Britain in the tinued, and it is believed that all of the veterans will be on the job. afternoon. He states, however, that with ——————. the New Year he will make his home per manently in this city, as he could not stand BONUS FOR CUBS. the wear and afford the time of spending live hours daily on trains, especially as he expects to be on the road most of the time Conditional Contracts Offered to after the season opens keeping tab on the Brown and Overall. work of his umpires. Lynch has already made himself as solid with the local press- Special to "Sporting Life.'' gang as ever was. Chicago, December 25. Few of the Chi cago Cubs will have their salaries raised next VALUE OF THE PRESS. season. President Murphy, of course, will The reporters have learned right off the boost ©s pay, but the rest of bat, and before Mr. Lynch is fairly settled the men who think they are entitled to in in his perch, that he is their friend, and creases will have to be satisfied with bonus that during his administration they are go contracts. ©©Big Jeff©© Overall thought he ing to get the best of care. In speaking of ought to draw down more money in 1910 the relations of the press to base ball Mr. than he did last season, and President Mur Lynch said the other day: phy sprang this scheme on him: "You win "The door is always open to the boys. No star- 30 games and I©ll give you $500 extra." chamber proceedings with me. John Heydler knew Overall says that he never did win 30 games how to treat the reporters, and if I become as popular in the National League in any one season, with them as he has been I will be well satisfied. One and doesn©t expect to do so in the next cam reason why, in my opinion, the greatest consideration should be extended the base ball writers is this: paign, even though 14 more contests have They have made the game. The clever wordpa inters been tacked on to the schedule. President of the game hare kindled public interest and kept it Murphy promised $1,000 extra to Brown if warm. Reduce base ball writing to a dry and busi he won 35 games in 1910. Mordecai is think ness-like basis, with nothing but bare description and ing the matter over, and may close with bald scores where would the crowds be? Cut down Charles W. on this basis. to a few dyed-in-the-wool fans, that would be all. Changes for the better, all wrought through the good work of the base ball writers, mark all departments A LEAGUE VACANCY. of the game. The crowds are fairer, less biased, less partisan than 20 years ago. The game owes a great The Steubenville Club Drops Out of the deal to the men who write about it, and I propose to RICHARD J. EGAN, give their claims the fullest recognition." Second Baseman of the Cincinnati National League Club. Ohio-Pennsylvania League. Asked regarding © ©policies and systems of Special to "Sporting Life."_ administration" Mr. Lynch said: "Oh, those Richard J. Kgan, the clever young second baseman of the Cincinnati National League Club, Youngstown, O., December 27. President things will shape themselves as the Winter Was born at Portland, Oregon, June li.S, 1884. He first played professionally with the Spokane Club, in the Northwest League, in 190o. When that league disbanded he went to Peoria and Sam L. Wright, of the Ohio-Pennsylvania progresses. For a little while I will content League, is in receipt of a rather unwelcome myself with learning the business of the office played the remainder of that season and in the seasons of 1906-07. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Club in the Fall of 1907 and was turned over to Harrisburg during the Winter. He holiday gift in the shape of news of a circuit from John Heydler, and with getting popular did such fine work for Harrisburg during the 1908 season that he was recalled by the Cincinnati vacancy. Steubenville will not be in the with the newspaper boys." Club and finished that season with the Keds. This year he displaced Miller Huggiris as the Ohio-Pennsylvania League next season. Sharon CLEAN BALL CAMPAIGN. regular second baseman of the Cincinnati team and made his calling and election sure as one looks like the one best bet. Akron will re On Wednesday last President Lynch sent of the star infielders of the National League. tain its franchise, but will have new owners. the following letter to each of the six veteran These developments in the Ohio-Pennsylvania umpires of the National League staff Hank Leaeuu were made known here to-night. D. O©Day, Bob Emslie, Steve, Kane, James K. J. Sinclair, of Steubenville, because of other Johnstone, William Klem and Charles Rigler. business alliances, refuses to be the angel an unhappy time of it at best, and that he is avoid, such happenings that the new president of the team hereafter. Marion is too far New VorU, December, 22, 1903. nway from the circuit to be given considera "rtear Sir As a National League umpire. I want going to try and see if he cannot work out is anxious to sort out the ringleaders of the you to answer, to the best uf your ability, this Ques some scheme whereby there will be less fric troublemakers. tion. tion: tion between the referees and the players. THE LEAGUE UMPIRES. "Where did most of your trouble with the ball The National League president, however, is Jake Beckley©s Reference. players last season come from, the teams playing the Of the National League umpires Hank game, the ooachers, the managers or tho players not going- to tell his arbitrators to be less Jake Beckley, the Methusalah of base ball, itting 011 the bench? lenient with the kickers than they have been O©Day now is either in Cuba or en route to is now a breeder of poultry in Ohio. Jake "As your answer will have important bearing on in the past. From his own experience as an his home in Chicago: Bob Emslie is in St. has made up his mind to retire from the gome reforms for both umpires and players (hat I umpire Mr.- Lynch believes that much of the Thomas, Ontario; Charles Rigler is studying game and has gone into his new business oft wish to make iu the running of the game on the dia trouble to which the officials, are subjected law at the University of Virginia, in Char- a big scale. Recently he wrote to Cincinnati mond nexl. season, I want you to give this question lies beneath the surface. He believes that lottesville; Billy Klem is recuperating in for ii big shipment of grain. The grain deal careful study and report to me at your earliest con- in some instances the more guilty are per Lakewood; Steve Kane is in Louisville, and er was cautious. "We can©t find your name tenience. Yours truly, mitted to go unpunished, as the result of Jimmy Johnstone is in Newark. While no in Dun©s or Bradstreet©s,©© he wrote. "Look T. J. LYNCH, President. nagging from the bench, which heats the um letter was mailed to Mullin, the chap who had in ©Spalding©s Base Ball Guide© any issue President Lynch says that an umpire has pire into a state of resentment. It is to the nerve to declare the last game at the of the last 20 years," wired Jake in reply.