PHILADELPHIA, JANUARY 24, 1914 BASE BALL WAR FURY Organized Ball Magnates and Managers Still Hard at Work Getting Their Valued Players Under Contract, While the Independent Federal Leaguers Are Straining Every Nerve to Secure More Star Players for some time. "I called up Owner Far- rell about it last week," he explained, For a week preceding the Chi "buf was told Chance did not want Ford, cago meeting of the independent so I didn©t interfere." Johnson said Ford Federal League the activities of drew $5500 a season for two years when that organisation had apparently he was practically useless to his club. dwindled to such an extent as to He added, Chance intended to trade him give some color to reports from the before the Winter was over. West that the independents were Since that meeting predictions have been publicly ut The Chicago Park Coup tered by Organised Ball men that CHICAGO, Ills., January 21. The the Federal League would collapse effort to gain possession of the North. in the near future; possibly ivithin Side plot on which the Federal League a week. To this the Federal is to play ball here, was won by the Fed Leaguers have replied ivith defiant erals yesterday, according to President assertions of intention and ability Gilmore and Charles Weeghman, head of to carry out their plan of estab the local club, when the latter delivered lishing a third major league; and a large amount of cash to the holder of in seeming confirmation of their a lease on a strip of land which, if held claims there has been a pronounced by an enemy, would have made all play renewal of the player-quest at ing impossible on the field. The Federal least, and a show of activity along Leaguers outgeneraled and outbid repre the other lines in league building. sentatives of organized ball in the effort Meantime, the proponents of Or to get the strip, they said, but President ganized Ball are not idle Hither, as Johnson, of the American League, denied will be seen by the latest news dis all knowledge of an attempt to balk them. patches of the base ball war given President Johnson, however, said that below. opposition of nearby property owners might prevent the opening of the Fed eral©s season here. At the same time he said he hoped for the "good of base ball" More Players Signed By Federal League that the Federals would begin their sea son, though he pronounced absurd any; Special to "Sporting Life." hope that the league would succeed. CHICAGO, Ills., January 21. While representatives of organized base ball Brooklyn Signs More Players again predicted its early demise,.the Fed NEW YORK, January 21. "Nap" eral League yesterday continued collect Rucker has signed a three-year contract ing major league ball players, signing to play with the Brooklyn National three pitchers as well as completing a League Club, according to Vice-President quartet of umpires. The pitchers signed Edward McKeever. Rucker was supposed are Russell Ford, of the New York Am to be negotiating with Manager Joe Tin ericans, who will be with the Chicago ker, of the Chicago Club of the Federal Federals,; Howard Camnitz, of the. Phil League. Five additional members of the adelphia Nationals, who will go either Brooklyn team havo signed contracts, it to Indianapolis or Pittsburgh, and Edgar was announced today, President Charles Willett, the Detroit pitcher, who was H. Ebbets securing the signatures of signed by Mjordecai Brown, manager of several, together with Rucker, in other the St. Louis team. Negotiations with cities, while Alien, pitcher, and Fischer, ,A1 Demaree, New York Nationals© pitch- catcher, signed with McKeever here, Al ©er, were ended soon after they were be ien for two years and Fischer for three. gun when Demaree informed Joe Tinker J. Carlisle Smith, third baseman, and over the telephone that he had already Heckinger, catcher, accepted terms for signed a Giant contract. The Federals one year, and McCarthy, catcher, for also made an offer to outfielder Wolter, three years. i of the New York Americans. With the signing of Steve Cusack, the former Na FORREST L. CADY Henry Signs With Washington tional Leaguer, who was with the I. I. I. League last year; Monte Cross, the form Catcher of the Boston American League Club WASHINGTON, January 2.1. After er star infielder, and C. C. Bush, once a conference today between Manager a big league umpire, President Gilmore©s Griffith, of the Washington Americans, staff includes four veteran arbitrators, and John Henry, Washington©s catching William Brennan having signed on Mon mainstay, it was announced that Henry©s day. Virginia League umpire, Harry signature had been affixed to a two-year Mace, has also been signed. President contract, carrying a material increase in, Gilmore announced last night that ©36 salary. It was also announced that How major league players are now under Fed ard Shanks, left fielder, had signed for eral League contracts. another season. President Johnson©s Flat Notice Still Hankering For New York NEW YORK, January 21. J. C. CHICAGO, Ills., January 21. When Federal Leagues. What I have just said him by our league to jump without warn President Johnson, of the American Hammond is the name of a New Yrork League, was informed by catcher Sweeney is only my personal policy, but I firmly ing. Neither do I care to call any of man who was reported to have been con that pitcher Ford had signed with the believe that my club owners will treat them here to talk them into deserting the ferring with the Federal Leaguers in Chi Federal League he angrily said: "I will jumpers the same way. I do not wish to new league if they have already signed." cago yesterday regarding a proposition to not take a single man back who steps J talk personally with any man who thinks President Johnson claimed to have known locate a club in this city for the coming over the line dividing the American and I littlft enough of the treatment handed of Ford©s dickering with the Federals Continued on the third page.. SPORTING LIFE JANUARY 24, 1914 C. RICHTER, EDITOR THOMAS D. RICHTER, ASSISTAN H EDITOR Brooklyn©s Better Brief owith Tinker were he to come back into played in and around Brooklyn, and talk THE the elite. almost as interestingly about the clubs as NATIONAL COMMISSION CHIEF THE PROPOSED ELEVATION they do about the Superbas. It is certain of the International League to the status that a minor league club located at Eb HAS NO FEAR of "major" did not meets with any en bets Field would soon secure a paying thusiasm hereabouts, but the proposition clientele, immediately perhaps, so that Ed Now That Nearly All of the Play to transfer the Montreal or other weak McKeever is not far wrong in advocating Declares That the New Federal sister to Ebbets Field, there to play when the innovation. ers Are Safe Under Contract- the Superbas are traveling, is getting a THE TRAINING PLANS. League Has Already Shot Its lot of support. There are many obser In just a month from now the clans President Ebbets Hopeful Still vant Brooklynites, Ed McKeever among will be gathering for another trip to the Bolt, and Will Soon Be Added them, who are confident that this burg South for Spring campaigning. Among of Regaining Joseph Tinker. ought to have all season base ball. It the Brooklyn tourists will be a young to the Things That Were* is pointed out that Brooklyn now has local pitcher named Gerard Neyenhouse, within 80,000 of the 2,000,000 mark in who will get a try-out from Manager BY ABB YAGEB. population, which surely justifies the Robinson. Neyenhouse has a great rec .BY JACK EYDEB. BROOKLYN, N. Y., January 20. A confidence that it can support two clubs, ord for box work with the Flatbush A. C. CINCINNATI, O., January 21,-^ period of contentment has succeeded the especially if they don©t conflict. Hence last year, winning 28 out of 30 games President Herrmann, back yesterday the cordial greeting given to the proposi from many strong semi-pro, clubs. Gerard eon of dismay following the backsliding tion to bring an International League from a visit in Chicago, the home and of Joe Tinker. Player is a husky youth, a pocket edition of Pat hot-bed of the splurging after player has come to Feds, reports that said terms since Prexy Ebbets league is on the verge of and Manager Robbie start blowing into the middle of ed on their swing around Latest News By Telegraph Briefly Told next week. It will be a the country, so that now big blow, including mag Brooklyn will surely have SPECIAL TO "SPORTING LIFE" nates, press agents, and a base ball team at Eb the few ball players who bets Field this year, al GRAHAM HEADS TRI-STATE LEAGUE DETROIT CONTRACTS FLOCKING IN have been unwise enough though a few short weeks PHILADELPHIA, Pa,, January §1. The mag DETROIT, Mich., January 2L Th« signed eon- to fall for the siren call nates of Lhe Trl-State League met here yesterday tracts of pitcher George Causa and Paddy Buu- of coin promised, but never ago it looked as if the gor and accepted the resignation of President Charles man, second baseman. have been received by the geous rotunda would have F. Carpenter, after unanimously agreeing to pay Detroit Club, according to official announcement to be delivered. The Feds Abe Yager to remain closed or Robbie him $1500 in lieu of continuing his term, which yesterday.