The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-08
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STICKS 70 WHEELING.

TaIo tho Interstate Franchise 10 sag
NAV or Hay CIiy-The Only Question IL
the Securing OF Good Grounds, Witch
Is Certainly NotR Dlnieult nattsr.
From the following letter written to
the Intelllgenoer by Manager Frank
". Torreyson, OF the Wheeling club, It
viii be seen that the prospects for pro-
fessIonal ball are bright, Mr.. Torreyson
admits having received excellent Of
fers from Bay City, but says he has
faith in Wheeling and win shortly
move in the direction OF securing a
good park for '9S, a matter that Is not
difficult of accomplishment, as the
Belle Isle Park Association Is willing
to enter into an arrangement with Tor
reyson for the use OF the handsome
grounds to be placed on the schmul-
bach property at the north end of the
Island. Says Mr., Torreyson;
Sporting Editor OF the IntellIgencer
sIR:--I received your telegram last
night and answered, telling you / would
write particulars to-day. II you had
read the' Dayton notes IN last weeks
Sporting Life you would have seen 4
statement of about how the matter
stands regarding the Wheeling fran
chise.
A week or two ago four men from
Saginaw and Bay City called on me
and stated that they were anxious to
get their two cities in the Interstate
league, were willing to buy two fran
chlses and they understood that we
had no ground In Wheeling and
thought they could buy the FRANCHISE.
] told them at once that did not
care TO sell the franchise, as / made
base ball my business, and, having
what l thought would be good chance
TO make money next year, intended TO
stay in the business. They then asked
me to consider the matter OF locating
the team in Bay City or Saginaw, pro-
missing me $1,000 in cash and good
grounds and grand-stand complete. free
OF any rent. providing they could Sc
cure a franchise for the other city.
They talked of buying the Fort Wayne
franchise. which is for sale. But they
want to have both towns secure clubs
or else ueither OF them cared to be rep
resented. They offered me $500 cash at
the opening OF the season. $500 July l.,
and $500 when the season was complet-
ed.
This, OF course, was an elegant prop
osItlon, considering that Sunday games
are played in each city, and averaged
5000 people last year in the Michigan
league. OF course began to think the
matter over. but decided / would do
nothing until / had plenty Of time to
see how things turned out In Wheeling.
understand that the street car
company has bought the stands OF the
old ground and that they will locate
grounds at Belle Isle park. had talk
with Mr. Wright last foil about
grounds in that part OF the Island and
he said that he was sure that the mat
ter could be arranged as he was at that
time endeaVorlng TO effect deal that
would make II so they could offer US an
inducement to play there. So / suppose
that the Belle Isle park was the deal
that he had reference to- There are
some other parties in Wheeling who
were also considering the matter Of
having the grounds located where they
would benefit from II. But up TO the
present time no location or deal has
been made by any one. The Saginaw
and Bay City parties said they would
hold the proposition open until January
i, Tor me. SO II anything turns up that
| cannot be comfortably located In
Wheeling, can so there. ! have not
the least fear that things can't be ar
ranged In Wheeling. and don't want
In leave the town, as ] believe Il Will
be n winner with n good club and this
!. Of course, propose to give them.
may be in Wheeling inside OF a coll
pie OF weeks and then everything will
be known. have decided on one thing
and that Is that the public shall have
a decent ground and stands or else !
won't give them any. 1t Is my opinion
that the poor seating accommodations
mad great influence In keeping the bet
ter class OF people from attending In
larrer numbers than they did.
YOU CAN BE SURE OF ONE
THING. AND THAT Is THAT / WILL
NOT DESERT WHEELING FOR ANY
OTHER TOWN, IF / CAN SUCCEED
IL GETTING GOOD GROUNDS.
would also like 90 play Sunday ball
Nnntn, rs Int emu = county ~ VI lifn
Tor innocent amusements such az base
Inll. for Sunday. Youngstown, Mans
field and Springfield. in addition TO last
Yeats Sunday towns, will play the
coming gear and ! can't see why
Wheeling should not, especially II the
uames are conducted In quiet, order
~ manner.
have not yet done very much to-
ward next years club. except that /
have resigned Bill Taylor and Catcher
Donehue. who was with us last year,
but who only caught one or two games
at home. Donchoe's work on the last
western trip was phenomenal and the
people ere predicting him rs the best
catcher In the league next year. The
Dayton people claimed the services OF
Miller and Bates. but the league decld
cd Ia my favor The players themselves
say they thought they were only loan
cl 10 Wheeling. So 10 make mntterH
satisfactory nll around, traded Miller
and Bates 10 Dayton for the release OF
llemphlH, who was held In reserve by
Dngton. this year, having reported and
only stayed two days, when hc Jumped
his contract to play Independent ball at
Saginaw All Wheeling fans Will re-
member the great work Of this man fin
80 when he was member Of the sng-
nav team, lie II the fastest man IN
the league. barring Martlo Hogan: and
Will most likely play next year / have
uiru nbont completed arrangements for
The Aanlug Of Nick Altrnck the South
paw from Cincinnati. 10 pitched Tor the
Elcholasyllle KY. tenn Inst year and
his great work won the championship
ut the hinr Cram tongue, for that cite
lie won sixteen out ~ seventeen games
that he pitched for them After coming
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