which would have daunted a
man with less fixity of purpose.

Having brought forth this new condition in Base Ball, which was so just
that its results almost immediately began to make themselves manifest,
the owner of the Cincinnati club devoted his time and his energies to
the endeavor to place a championship club in Cincinnati. He never was
successful in that purpose, although his ill fortune was no greater than
that of his predecessors.

The time came that Mr. Brush learned that the New York Base Ball Club
could be purchased. He obtained the stock necessary to make him owner of
the New York organization from Mr. Andrew Freedman, but before he did so
another Base Ball war had begun between the National League and the
American League, a disagreement starting from the simplest of causes,
but which, like many another such disagreement, resulted in the most
damaging of conditions to the prosperity of the pastime.

As had been the case in the prior war brought about by the organization
of the Brotherhood League, Mr. Brush fought staunchly for his rights.
Prominent National League players were taken by the American League
clubs, and this brought retaliation.

At length the National League opened negotiations to obtain certain
American League players and succeeded in doing so. Among these were the
manager of the Baltimore club, John J. McGraw, who felt that he was
acting perfectly within his rights in joining the New York National
League club. Directly upon his acceptance of the management of the New
York club Mr. Brush became its owner and the era of prosperity was
inaugurated in New York, which was soon enjoyed by every club throughout
the United States.

In its first year under the new management the team was not in condition
to make a good fight, but the next year it was ready and since then has
won four National League championships and one World's Championship.

In the spring of 1911, at the very dawn of the National League season,
the grand stand of the New York National League club burned to the
ground. A man less determined would have been overcome by such a blow.
Nothing daunted and while the flames were not yet quenched, Mr. Brush
sent for engineers to devise plans for the magnificent stadium which
bears his name and which, on the Polo Grounds in New York, is one of the
greatest and the most massive monument to professional Base Ball in the
world.

In connection with this wonderful new edifice of steel and