The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-09-25
AN UNPROFITABLE SEA SON,
The Base Ball Association in Debt
Next Years Club,

The members of the base ball asso-
citation held meeting Saturday
night and heard a report of the
financial condition of the organiza-
tion. Few of the members seem to
have realized how greatly the expen-
ditures were exceeding the income,
and the report caused somewhat of a
sensation among those who have not
done any figuring for themselves. In
Guiding over $500 due the old associa-
tion, the debts of the new one
amount to nearly $1,000. A large
part of this is for unpaid salaries and
board bills. Another meeting was
called for this afternoon at four
O'Clock to consider the matter, and
devise ways and means to pay the
salaries of the club at once, in order
that it may be discharged today or
tomorrow. One plan is to take up an
immediate cash assessment on the
sixty members, and another is to bor-
row the money. 1t is felt that the
members of the club have been faith
full and should be paid promptly.
The business men will probably be
asked to assist the association in rails
ing the Indebtedness, as some of
those who have proftted the most
from the games and the maintenance
of club here have paid the least.
There is already talk of organic
ing a club for next year. A good many
things have been against the financial
success of the association this year,
which would not be expected next
year. First and principal has been
the fact of it's being a presidential
year, attracting attention from ball
playing. Capt. Messerlys transfer of
the old club and the consequent inter-
mission before another club could be
organized has been another cause.
Another year the season would not
be opened so early and continued so
long in the fall. Every other anna
teur club in the state has been dis
banded for some days, and it has been
next to impossible to get games this
month.
The players intend to 60 to their re-
spective homes for the winter, and
all are willing to return next year, as
they like Mankato and want to be in
good club, which is the only kind of
club our people would have.
Partridge will be with the league
team next year, but has warm heart
for Mankato and if he should be re
leased or have any spare time would
come to this city. Those who are
talking of organizing next years club
say that they will probably sign
Jones, Keas, Schwartz, Phillips, Pet
tijohn and Maryott. They will also
sign Bobby Brush, of LIE Mars, Iowa,
and a man for shortstop who is recon-
mended by Maryott. There would
then be only two places to fill. This
would release Noyes, Berg and Brown,
who has already returned to his home
in Iowa. Noyes is an excellent pitcher
and good all around player, and
his place would be hard to fill. Berg
is only fairly good pitcher and is
weak at the bat.
Ii the plans are carried out, Man
katO will have a club next year Sec
ond to none.
The new Mankato club has played
thirty-two games, and has won twenty
and lost only twelve. The last three
lost at Winona, where Often
umpired, might as well have
been given away, as there was no
chance to win them. Often, whose
true name is Boswell, was one of those
who deserted with Messerly, and has
had it in for Mankato ever since the
scoring he received from the grand
stand when the Winonas played in
this city. The Winonas backed out Of
an engagement to play the return
games in St. Peter and this city, al
though the purse was raised to 5000
and the division of the gate receipts.
This was virtual admission on the
part of the Winona club that it had
stolen the games in that city and was
afraid to meet the Mankato club else
where. The Mankato club is the bet
ter of the two.