Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-11-13
BASE BALL TALK.
All Towns Getting in Line for
Next Season.
oHANaEII THE O1Rou1rsuaeEsrEp

Another Scheme to Drop the Iuinois
Cities From the western Association
Spoken of-Fofmation Of . New Lessvs
Advised.
All towns expecting to have q
place in the Western Base Ball as,o-
citation next season are on the hustle.
And Rock Island, while it has been
heard from, should not allow inter-
est to lag or We will be left out in
the cod. such as was our lot
couple Of dozen moons back.
And then . scheme-evidently
Matched in Hawkeyedom-is being
agitated to leave Illinois out OF the
Western association circuit next
year. While such talk is idle and
absurd, it is no more than due the
cities Of this state, which have con-
tributed SO largely to the support
and success of the Western associa-
ton in the past. to resent this bare
faced proposition. Iowa has the
sorehead, an attack of which was
superinduced by being compelled to
put up a forfeit before being ad-
mitted to membership in the West
ern association. Now three towns
OF Hawkeyedom imagine they have
mortgage on the association
and want to sidetrack every town on
the other side of the g river and
run things to their own liking.
The Iowa idea is to have the asso-
citation composed thusly: Cedar
Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque and
Burlington in the east, and Sioux
City. Omaha, Lincoln and St. Joseph
in the west. Des Moines seems al.
most sure OF place in the Western
league, however, in which case the
idea is to take Ottumwa into the
tolls.
Expenses Too Great.
The Iowa folk make the charge
that the railroad expenses to reach
Rock Islaad. Peoria, Rockford and
Quincy are too great. II such deal
although it is idle to think of
such a thing-gces through it
has been suggested that q state
league composed of Rock ISL
and. Bloomington. Peoria. Rockford,
Joliet and Springfield be formed.
Not much. Let's hold on to the
Western association, which the Hi
nois towns have helped keep on its
feet too long to submit to being
kicked out. especially through the
influence of those Hawkeye burgs.
All agree that next season will be
the most successful in the history Of
base ball; so let's all get to talking
it over and prepare to do our part
toward maintaining first class team
next year.
Holly Souders, who pitched the
past season with the Peoria club, has
been signed by New York.
Manager Dugdale, of Peoria. is
getting his men together for next
season. On his list already are:
Collins. Fisher, Frances. Burke.
Schau6. Ward, Wadsworth, Multi
gan, Gilmore and Roach.
Frank c. Lander, of Rockford,
who. when President Hickey, Of the
Western association, refused to COM
pute the averages OF the players OF
the Western association. undertook
the job. has completed the work.
In the batting, Mcfarland of Louis
vile. who was loaned to Quincy, led
with an average Of 1867. Kreig. of
Rockford, was second, with $50.
Only Is men in the association went
over the 500 mark. Dolan, Of Du-
buque. leads the pitchers; Johnston.
OF st. Joe, second, and Smith of Du-
buque and Horton. Of Rockford, lead
the catchers; Armstrong. of Burling-
ton, second. Eagan. OF Burlington,
leads the second basemen; Holdings.
worth. Of Burlington, the shortstop.:
Tony E'terqnest, Of Dubuque the
third bssemen. and Jones. of It. Joe,
and Kreig. Of Rockford, the first
basemen. The leading outfielders
were Johnston, Of st. Joe; Souders,
of Peoria; Mcfarland. OF Quincy;
Connors, Of Peoria; Van Buren,, of
Cedar Rapids. aud ferg uson, Of