The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-29
For Worcester
Next Season.
BRAND NEW LEAGUE
or New England Cities is
Now Being Talked.

With the mercury lodging up and
down, between the zero and freezing
notches. the mind Of the general pub
lie does not naturally run TO base ball
or any of the outdoor pastmes, UNI
less it is skating, However, this is the
time of the year when those who pre-
side over the destinies of the game in
their respective Leagues get in their
fine work and lay their plans for the
season that is to follow the winter
stagnation of interest. And to all APP
pearances the magnates have plenty
TO do between now and the opening of
the schedule season. An unsettled
condition is to be found in almost eV-
cry one of the leagues OF any cOnsid-
cradle size. In the national OrganiZa-
tion-the parent body as it WeTe-an
active discussion is taking place as to
whether the circuit in 80 shall in
Guide eight or twelve clubs, and no
one can foretell the result. In the
Eastern League, according to Presi
dent Pat Powers own confession. he
does not know where The league
stands, nor what will be the probable
makeup of the league III 80.
Among the men, who. a year ago,
comprised the franchise holders in the
New England League, a very similar
condition of affairs, only more so.
as the small boy would say. exists
: When the league went TO it's fate imme-
j.. diately after July 4th, last year, it was
the intention of the club-owners to
get together this winter ana start
anew, with the same cities and per-
maps the same league. But as these
men looked more and more into the
situation they became convinced that
the old circuit could not be looked
upon as promising for another year.
one meeting of the club owners has
ALREADY been held il Boston and an
other will be called shortly in the
course of a few weeks. The fate or
the future of what was last year the
New England League, will then be
definitely settled.
As matters stand today, Worcester
is in the New England League. Charles
+. Rice of this city, owning the fran
chise here and being protected under
the national agreement. He intends
placing a nine in the field in SO, and
IS heartily in favor Of brand new
league, preferring it even to the East
ern League. Mr.. Rice was in Boston
Tuesday, and while there had a con-
ference with T. HI Murnane, president
u the n. Il. League ana several other
men interested in base bail in this vi
cinity. 1t was simply an informal run
together to consider the situation in
Its various aspects and to discuss what
steps could be taken to boom the
game in New England. Inasmuch as
nearly all the club owners in the New
England have expressed their views. it
is likely that at the next meeting of
the New England League, the action
taken will be along the lines laid down
Tuesday.
- The concensus of opinion, so far as
II was expressed, was that it was best
tc legally dissolve the New England
League and then organize a new league
-M1tb new name. Some of the best
paying cities in the old organization
would serve as d neucleuS about which
to gather winning league Of eight cit
les. Many places We're suggested as
possibilities, but the idea was freely
oppressed that some of the cities in the
New England year ago, would not
possibly be money makers next sum-
mer. The ideal league, TO the minds
of men most interested, would consist OF
Cambridge and Worcester. Pawtucket
and New port, Holyoke and Springfield
Hartford and New Haven.
But can this ideal league become q
.Feality? 1t is a question that no one
can answer. Springfield is now in the
Eastern League, but the combination
Of losing games and of losing money
has against +ba grain of f11a c11,L