JOHNNY KLING MAY
JOIN CHICAGO CUBS.
IF CHANCE ACCEPTS HIS TERMS,
HE WILL LEAVE AT ONCE.
Asks Higher Salary Than Last Year
and Unconditional Release
at the End of the
Season.
JOHNNY KLING.
Would Rather Play Billiards in Kansas City
Than Join the Cubs.
Providing Manager Frank Chance of the Chicago Cubs accepts the terms dictated by John J. Kling, the world's greatest catcher, it is very probable that Kling will leave Kansas City within the next twenty-four hours to join the Chicago team. Despite Kling's ultimatum to quit the game forever it was learned from a reliable source last night that he will return to the Cubs if the proposition he made to Manager Chance over the wire is accepted by Chance and President Charles W. Murphy of the Chicago club.
Kling received a telegram from Manager Chance asking him to join the Cubs at once as the team needed his services. The Cubs were at that time in Pittsburgh. The telegram was lengthy and the full contents were not disclosed, but it is known that Chance begged Kling to return to the team and help the Cubs in their fight for the championship. If the team is successful this year it will be the fourth straight pennant for Chicago. Manager chance has found Moran is not able to handle the receiving department of the game and he needs Kling.
But before Kling joins the Cubs President Murphy must accept a proposition which it is very probable Murphy will try to turn down, unless it is an utter impossibility to get Kling without accepting it. This, according to the information of the writer, is that Kling receive several thousand dollars more than he did last year and that he be given his unconditional release at the end of this season, which will wind up his contract with the Cubs.
When Kling first stated that he would quit baseball there were few bugs in Kansas City who believed him and some made bets with John that he would return to the Cubs. In case he returns he will have to buy a lot of hats and cigars.
One of Kling's reasons for not joining the team before was that he could not leave his business for want of a capable manager here. He has now engaged Charles Ferris, a competent billiard man, to handle his business and he is in a position to return to the game.
