Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-03-06
No Base BALL IN WHEELING.
l0freyson Transferred the Local Fran
chlse to Grand Ranids.
20 says Financial Remuneration
0s q stronger Argument With
HIM Than Sentimental Letter
rom forreyson to the Register
Inc Matter Was Brought Up at
:. .oais-Some History in Con-
nection With the Deal.

matter Was Brought Up at
y. Louis-Some History in Con-
nection With the Deal.
nc hardest blow which professional
pdse pail received in Wheeling. was
Tue granting of the local Interstate
iranchise to Frank w. Torreyson, one
u the Big Three controlling the Day
ION Grub. The deal was contaminated
IN THIS city last fall and the trans
ACTION looked so peculiar. that a great
many local fans" have placed little
confidence in Torreyson since that
lint II Will be remembered that the
irahchlse was given to him, in the face
oi the TACT that better cash offer was
MADE by a Wheeling man, and there
was popular clamor aere at that time
lor local ownership of the local club.
MT. Iorreyson dld very little to
strengthen the team, and patrons OF
Inc game witnessed the same quality
OF base ball to which they were accus-
TONED under the VIGOROUSLY incompe-
tent management by the Coyles. Mr..
Iorreyson's excuse was that it was too
late In the season to spend money on
strengthening the team, yet he coolly
asked for better patronage on the
strength of promises for the lsoXt sea-
son. Throughout his connection with
the local club, he has been actuated
IN everything he did, by pecuniary mo-
tlves. This he frankly admits. But
there are some persons who will go
farther, and allege that he was Mig
gardly, and that a more liberal policy
would have yielded more substantial
returns.
Mr.. Torreyson broadly intimated at
the close of the season that Re might
transfer the club to another city, and
he cannot be done an injustice
through the presumption that he spent
a goodly portion of the fall and early
winter in looking about for another
city in which to locate. 1t is granted
that he had considerable trouble in Sc
curing location for a ball park in
this city, but he is directly RESPONSE
BILE for most of it. If he had been in
Wheeling earlier, he might have set
tied the ground question before Grand
Rapids thought Of making a bid for
the franchise. Instead, he widely ad-
vertised the fact that he was willing
to entertain any proposition for its
purchase. Grand Rapids had been
forced out of the Western League, and
speculative base ball men there very
naturally st~rted negotiations for the
berth in the Interstate League.
During all this time, an honest eff
fort was being made in Wheeling to
secure grounds. The street railway
company made a better offer to Tor
reyson than has ever before been
made to base ball manager in Wheel
ing The street railway company was
hampered by the delay over the Belle
= Isle Pa lTlaatter, but assured Mr. Tor
reyson that grounds would be furnish
ed here 1t became apparent vecently
that the Belle Isle quarrel might be
prolonged until the opening of the
playing season, and negotiations were
opened with the Giles heirs md had
progressed to such a point that only
the signature of the parties Eas nee
essary to insure the club the very best
location in Wheeling, Meanwhile, the
offers from Grand Rapids became more
tempting, and Torreyson paid a visit
to the Michigan town, where he was
told stories about prospective wealth
which would have double discounted
the tales OF Marco Polo or the exag-
gerated yarns about the Klondike.
Torreyson decided to locate in Grand
Rapids. and so expressed himself to
reporters in that city Then he came
To Wheeling. and found everything
ready for him, the only necessary
thing being his autograph on certain
nauers. 1t was at this juncture that
Torreyson gave his exhibition of high
and lofty tumbling. He was freed to
turn a backward somersault and he
did it. He had to invent an excuse
for the Wheeling people. end he hid
behind the other two-thirds of the Big
Three. Charlie Power presented the
question at the National League meet
ing in st. Louis. and the transfer to
Grand Rapids was sanctioned.
The exact situation was understood
here two or three days ago, but the
reported throw-down of Wheeling was
confirmed yesterday in letter from
Torrevson to the sporting editor of the
Register, in which he said, among 9th
er things:
president Powers would wait no lons,
or and to-day we had to decide and
Grand Rapids got the decision Now, /
feeI that there is a certain amount of feel
inp that will be let loose regarding the
n1ve hut | want to tell you some of the
thi,,rs that forced US to decide as We did.
Nan know myself and partners worked
hard 10 get a desirable ground IN Wheel
{jno and made four trips there which
nost ms at least $150to. The railway
comnany kept delaying the matter from
tsn,a TO time. in hopes that Belle Isle
$arls would be built. Had this delay not
have been we would now be located IN
W9baeljne as we had our plans all made
~ the division Of our interests at a Ger
rain price But just at the last moment,
when the railway company was ready to
oct MS grounds the Grand Rapids mat
Tar came in front of US
.This town is a good one, ana WITH iVV :
ooN population and Sunday p5se pan as
smred was something that looked very
good and the Wheeling FRANCHISE then
became a more valuable piece OF properly,
ana we then could not settle on former
basis. and each of my partner demands
were s1ch that | could not get their IN
terasts So IL came that we must settle
on q citv and divide our interests after
Wards myself favored Grand Rapids
y,han saw / would not get the entire
mntter settled according to our first
agreement - all no ,a,,,..
and saw gave Wheeling a throw down,
i.lf.,re Won do think the matter