The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-20
BASEBALL AFFAIRS.
Season Will Continue Till the End,
Says President Colt.

President Colt said yesterday the West
ern League would continue the season to
the end. This action of the League officials
is due to the refusal of the National League
to allow the clubs in this League
to reserve their players for next
year unless the mel were paid for
the full season. AS the reason for the de-
sire of the weak clubs to quit was the heavy
salary list, in the face of poor business this
announcement afforded poor consolation. for
the League. This virtually means the
League will quit business sooner or later,
as several of the clubs are heavy losers,
and, under the ruling of the big League,
they must continue to the end or step down
and out for good, so far as this season is
concerned. An additional reason for this is
the lack of funds in the League treasury
for the support of losing clubs.
Last year, when the Grand Rapids team
was in the hole, the League took money
from the surplus fund and paid off the
debts of the club and practically assumed
ownership of it. This year there has been
no such fund at the Leagues disposal and
at the meeting in Chicago, Monday, the
different club owners were asked to agree
to the payment of the Indebtedness of the
Omaha club out of the guarantee fund This
fund is made up of forfets from each club
to continue the season to the end. and is
supposed to accrue to the club or clubs re-
naming ready for business after the break
up of the League. When the scheme was
preached, President Colt sat on it hard,
saying he would never consent to any part
of this money being diverted from the pur-
pose 1t was originally posted for. AS this
was the only money the League had at its
command, the Omaha clubs debtors would
have Jared badly had net private parties
assumed the obligations.
In spite of the handwriting on the wall,
President Colt maintains Indianapolis does
not want the Cleveland franchise and
wishes the League to continue. AS Lotus
apolis is broke, with a team no one takes
any Interest in, and st. Joseph an expert
distress signals hoisted by Vanderbeck in
Detroit show the way the baseball wind is
blowing, All these teams will need money
to complete the season, which they must do
to hold their players. and the League has
none to give them. When and what the fin
ish will be- time alone will tell.
President Colt in a conversation yester-
day, said the report of the transfer of the
Columbus team to Dubuque was altogether
wrong Dubuque is Loftus's home, and at
the request of his fellow townsmen he
agreed to play the three ST. Paul games in
that city, instead of in Columbus. Dubuque
even in the Western Association. was never
while Lotus will probably rake in a few
much-needed dollars during the three days
on the strength of his personal popularity
he would be a bigger loser in the end by
changing permanently to the Iowa town.
Thursday will be bootblacks and news
boys day at the ball park. President Colt
has invited all the youngsters to the game
and the street-railroad company has
agreed to carry them to the grounds free
of charge. The boys will meet down town
and board the cars in a body. The pitcher
presented by Minneapolis on that day will
need to have nerves of iron when the
youngsters get steam up for action. The
game will be called earlier than usual to al
low the boys to get back to the city in time
to sell papers.
While indulging in horseplay yesterday
McNeeley threw the ball at Frank Fore
man, on the coaching lines who picked up
a bat and sent the sphere to the center field
corner. Letcher went after it and stumbled
into a hornets nest, which caused him to
beat a precipitate retreat AS the ball was
needed in the game, Umpire Cantillon or
dered Bill Phillips to get it, saying,
You're better acquainted with those bees
than Letcher, Bill" Phillips got it without
trouble.
The officials of the club have at last de-
cided to let Hoffmeister go. He was given
his last chance yesterday on his own state
ment he was fielder. His work was
enough TO put len-year-Old boy TO shame
and while his batting is of the phenomenal
order, his fielding makes him useless to
any team. Pittsburg has him under con-
tract and Manager Watkins has been noti-
fled of the action of the local club.
Minneapolis is after her old manager,
Walter Wilmot. and the report was circu-
lated yesterday he had signed. Manager
Allen tried to get him for the Indianapolis
left field but Walter wanted something
near so per cent. of the gate receipts to sign.
Frank Butler, the Columbus left fielder
who was injured by the explosion of giant
cracker July 4, left this city yesterday
after long treatment in the City Hospital
He will rest at his home In Savannah, Ga.
and hopes to play ball again next year.
Reilly and Scott made fine catches of diff
ficult hits yesterday. Reillys was a hot
liner, while SCOTS was a backward run
ming catch.
George Carey. of the Millers. said yes
terday his club was not going TO be
strengthened in any way this season. If the
fans of his town know this, the poor at
tendance is explained.