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,£ DEVOTED TO BASE BALL, TRAP SHOOTING AND GENERAL SPORTS Title Registered in TJ. S. Patent Office. Vol. 52 No. 11 Philadelphia, November 21, 1908 Price 5 Cents The American As Association and sociation and the Assume a Stand Eastern League Which, Unless Withdraw From Reversed, May The National End in Outlawry. BY FRANCIS C. RICHTEE. new leagues "being organized «nd added to The eighth annual meeting of the National the membership of the Association, and the ©Association was held at Chicago November organization amply proved its ability to 10 to 12 simultaneously with a meeting of take care of minor league interests without the National Commission, minus Chairman major league assistance or advrce. In the Herrman, who was unable to attend. Fall of 1902 a truce was placed upon the Messrs. Pulliam and Johnson, of the Com major league war by the Cincinnati Peace mission, with the aid of Secretary Bruce, Treaty, and by August of the fpllowing year disposed of a number of pending cases the new National Agreement now in exist and also investigated the Chicago ticket ence was formulated and adppted. by the scalping scandal of ,the recent World©s Ser two major leagues and the Jtatioaal Asso ies. Decision in the latter case was with ciation was invited to become a© party there held for the time being, though responsibil to. The National Association* delegates, ity for the scandalous incident has been Powers, Sexton and Farrell, at.-tba Buffalo fully located. The National Association P. T. POWERS, J. D. O©BRIEN, meeting, August 25, 1903, ©refused to sign meeting unexpectedly developed into a sen- the Agreement without a conference with Rational one, a situation developing which President Eastern League. President American Association. the National Board. At a special meeting is jeopardizing the solidarity and prestige of the National Board August 30, the Na of the representative minor league organi P. T. Powers, President of the seceding Eastern Joseph I). O©Brien, President of the American As tional Board instructed its committee not League, and also President of the National A^socia- sociation, which, in alliance with the Eastern League, to sign the new National Agreement without zation and thereby hangs a tale, for the tion since its organization, is.a veteraii of base ball. has withdrawn from the National Association, was complete comprehension of which we deem He started in the game a quarter of a century ago the foremost champion of the two leagues in the certain conditions, including National Asso it necessary to concisely review the causes as a minor league manager and lie lias served the long internal struggle between the seceders and the ciation representation in the National Com thereof and the conditions which have led National game in all capacities as team manager, National Association. Mr. O©Brien has been in base mission. Nevertheless, at a meeting -held club owner, league president, and head of the greatest ball only a few years, but in a short time has made in Cincinnati, September 10, the minor up to an inevitable result. minor league organization known to the sport. He his presence felt and has come to the front rapidly. league committee in lieu of certain amend THE ASSOCIATION©S BEGINNING. has always been identified with "organized ball" and Mr. O©Brien is a native of Milwaukee, where lie was it is with the greatest reluctance, and only as a born 35 years ago. Until recent years he was de ments for the independence of the National The organization of the National Associa matter of loyalty to his league, that he has followed voted to commercial pursuits and also figured con Association, waived the right of representa tion of Professional Base Ball Leagues was his Eastern League in the radical step it has spicuously in Wisconsin politics. He has always been tion on the National Commission and Presi the result of the National League©s abroga taken. Needless to say that he is hopeful of, and a lover of base ball and his firm friendship for Presi dent Powers signed the National Agreement, tion of ^the old National Agreement in Sep striving for, a peaceful solution of the present serious dent Charles Havenor brought him into base ball. a proceeding which aroused great resent problem confronting "organized ball." It was a great He has been Mr. Havenor©s friend and counsellor ment in the American Association and East tember, 1901, the senior league deeming hardship for him to even temporarily withdraw from ever since the American Association Was organized itself hampered by pro.tection of the minor the National Association "which has ever been to him and three years ago he was elected president of©the ern League. leagues in its war with the American League, as "the apple of his eye." A full sketch of Mr. American Association, in which position he has CLASS A HARDSHIPS. which had broken away from the National Powers© eventful career appeared in "Sporting Life" served his organization well and has achieved a na of March 14, 1908. tional reputation. Their opposition and resentment -was Agreement in order to enable it to ex chiefly due to the fact that the National pand to national proportions through the Association©s adherence to the National invasion of National League cities and the doing either in the near future or at the friends of the game exerted themselves to Agreement placed that body under National capture of National League reserved play Commission jurisdiction and subjected all ers. The abandoned minor leagues, by ad end of the ten-years agreement. The original heal the breach between the new league and members were as follows: Class A East the Western League and bring the new of the leagues and clubs to wholesale drafts vice of Editor Richter, of "Sporting Life," ern and Western Leagues; Class B New of players at prices ranging from $750 and through the efforts of Messrs. Hickey, York League, Western Association, Indiana- league into the National Association fold. for Class A players to $200 for Class D Sexton and Powers, held a meeting in Illinois-Iowa League, Southern League, Pa Through the efforts of Editor Richter, of players, payment to be made in two instal Chicago, September 6, 1901, effected a tem cific Northwest League, Connecticut League, "Sporting Life," President Powers and ments, with privilege of returning any play porary organization, made Thomas J. Hickey New England League; Class C Texas Manager Barrows, the American Association er before payment of the second instalment. president and appointed a committee to League and Pennsylvania League; Class D was induced to make application for admis This gave the little leagues a market for formulate details of the organization and Cotton States League, Iowa-South Dakota sion to the National Association, and at two their players, but worked havoc with the a, new National Agreement of their own. League, Mis-souari Valley League, North Caro meetings of the National. Board in New clubs of Class A, who were thus compelled The National Association as it now exists York and Chicago, Fall of 1902, the differ to sell their star players in mid-season to was organized permanently for a term of lina League. ences between the American Association and AMEBICAN ASSOCIATION©S START. obviate their later drafting at the com ten years, and the present National Agree the Western League were adjusted by a paratively insignificant drafting price. Thus ment was adopted, at a meeting held in New Before the season of 1902, George Te- compromise suggested by President Powers, in effect the Class A clubs were bound to York, October 24, 1901, with P. T. Powers beau and President Hickey, of the Western under which the rival clubs were left to be disrupted from season to season, and to as president and J. H. Farrell, as secretary. League, organized the American Association. fight it out in Kansas City and Milwaukee, make matters worse, the major leagne©privi- THE BASIS OF ORGANIZATION. / Through differences with W. A. Rourke, of and the American Association was admitted lege of also gleaning the best players of Omaha, and Van Brunt, of St. Joseph, the to the National Association. At the same the smaller leagues by draft left the Class , was the old National Agreement, revised promoters of the American Association were time a serious row in the Southern© League A leagues little or nothing to reap and com to suit minor league needs (as they then driven into outlawry, President Hickey was was adjusted by the re-admission of the pelled them to re-purchase often at. in appeared). The draft system, classification relieved of his Western League headship and Memphis Club, which had been expelled for creased figures or to borrow, such players of le©agues, reserve system and salary limit expelled from the National Board, his place harboring St. Vrain, an ineligible player. as they needed to replenish their depleted were retained and amplified. The adminis being taken by, James Whitfield, of Kansas In the following year the Kansas City and ranks from the major leagues. To make tration of affairs was intrusted to a National City. The American Association invaded Milwaukee clubs of the Western League went the burden more onerous such re-purchased Board of five league presidents, and the Western League and Western Association to the wall and the Western League was and borrowed players extorted major league original Board consisted of Thomas J. Hick territory by placing clubs in Kansas City, compelled to abandon those, cities, leaving salaries, thus making the application of sal ey, M. H. Sexton, William Meyer, W.

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