The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-08
LATE SPORTING NEWS.
Topeka Will Probably be in the
Western Association
Some of the Big "Fans" Moving
in That Direction.
A Guarantee of $4,000 is Required
800 of Which is Already Secured.

In all probabilities the base ball fans
/ OF Topeka will have an opportunity of
! witnessing first-class base ball games
during the season of 1898. Not since
the days of the famous "GoIdsby's
Golden Giants have the old guard of
pase ball roOters had a chance of sup
porting team that was up to the
( standard of excellence that suited their
critical taste. The fans still talk over
the wonderful work of Conway and
Gunson and Sullivan and Kenyon and
now Holiday used to tell Sneed that
the balls won't jump on the grass,
Jackey" and of the throws that Perry
WeFuen used to make. The fans who
SUN remember how base ball used to
De played in Topeka during the paIny
days talk over the games in the same
way that the old soldiers fight their
DattleS Ger again"
Willard n. Hail. w. J. Black. H A.
Auerbach, Bennett r. Wheeler F. E.
NlppS, James R. Wick and others are
at the head of a movement to have To-
peka in the Western Association next
season At present the association is
represented in four states Iowa has
TOUR Cedar Rapids, Burlington, Des
MONIES and Dubuque. Illinois is repre-
sented by Quincy, Peoria and Rock
1ord, and Missouri has st. Joe as her
OnIy representative. The hope of T J.
hickey, president of the Western As
soclatlon, is to have four clubs in the
west, VIZ: Omaha, Lincoln, St. Joe and
Topeka, and in the eastern division to
nave Cedar Rapids, Burlington, Peoria
ana either Davenport or Rock Island.
Dubuque, Quincy and Rockford will
probably surrender their franchises
ana DeS MOines will enter the western
league. By having four clubs in the
west and four in the east it would cut
down the expenses and make the cir
cult more compact.
Cedar Rapids has a population of 49,
O2O' and during the past season the at
tendance at the games averaged 425
the admission being % cents. The club
paid out and had money left in the
treasury. Topeka with a population
twice that of Cedar Rapids could un-
dOUbtedly do the same. The attendance
at the games in Topeka last year av-
eraged about 300. With a much better
club the average attendance could cas-
lily be brought up to 500.
A paper has been signed by % we'll |
known business men, each pledging |
himself to the amount of $25, making a |
total of $500. The amount to be raised |
is $4,000 and it is thought by the pro- |
mOters that they will meet with no op- |
position but that the additional 81 800 /
can easily be raised. A cash bond of |
$500 has to be put up as a guarantee of |
good faith and binding the club to play
out the season. The salary limit of the |
clubs of the western association is $500 /
per month for the entire club.
Belden Hill, manager of the Cedar |
Rapids club is anxious for Topeka to /
be in the association during the coming
season. He and the other Cedar Rap
ids representatives are working to that
end. Dick Cooley and Jimmy Manning
have offered their assistance to Topeka
and will do all they can to help the new
club.
A meeting will be held in the office of
James r. Wick tonight to organize the
and elect officers. a commit
tee will be appointed to canvass among
the business men and increase the
already subscribed to the re-
quired $4,000.