The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-16
NEW BALL LEAGUE
Letter From Winfield Tells Of
the Prospects.
1T WILL BE A WINNER
Mr.. Alexander Kept Busy
Answering Questions.
WILL BE A WINNER

The baseball article which was pub
! lished in the Eagle a few days ago has
| started the fans throughout Oklahoma
| and Kansas. Mr.. ]. E. Alexander, who
| is the originator and promoter has re-
! ceived numerous letters, all Of them
speaking favorably and encouragingly for
a six or eight team league He has been
| invited to enter Wichita in league COM
posed of Junction City, Topeka, Atchin-
| son ,Leavenworth and Emporia. Mr.. Al
exander does not think it would be adj
visable to enter this league because the
| expense of railroad fares for twelve or
fifteen men for such long distances would
probably swamp any club even though
! the attendance be excellent.
Mr. Alexander has got the ball to roll
! ing in Kansas and Oklahoma league with
the very bright prospects of success and
he does not propose to go into any other
league.
The following letter from Winfield gives
a clear and succinct idea of the situation:
Winfield, Kan, Jan. Il, 1898.
To the Editor of the Eagle:
L read an article in one of your late
issues apropos the formation of 2 Kan
sas-Oklahoma baseball league, and being
not only interested in the matter, but
having some experience with the subject
I take the liberty of adding to your re-
marks in the line of agitation as well
as the pleasure of making some sugges-
Mo nd al
standpoint, which may be of benefit to
those interested in the game through this
section, the coming season.
The first suggestion is that transporta-
ton is the greatest expense of such an
organization and should be curtailed as
far as possible.
The second is salary. There are plenty
of players of just such a class that in
the past two years have gone from the
Kansas league into the National, West
ern and Texas leagues and the Western
association and played stellar parts in
their various positions that are eager and
willing to play for a guaranteed salary of
from $50 to $50 a month, according to po-
sition, and expenses. Strike your aver
age.
ton, Winfield, Guthrie and Oklahoma City
as certain of being successful in the line
of short jumps and paying patronage.
Yet, in a months time, with a good team
Wichita should eclipse either Of the cities
in the matter of attendance. In these
three Kansas towns there could not have
possibly been more enthusiastic crowds
in attendance upon the good games
played there in the short time the three
teams played ball last season. And with
proper management Wichita could easily
be brought back to where she was few
years ago as first-class ball town.
Newton has the nucleus of first-class
team and also ball park, so that she
undoubtedly will be in the field early with
a good team while Winfield could today
put up a team that with local players
could beat any team of home players in
the state. The two latter towns are
certainties for any argument in the base
ball line early in the spring.
Arkansas City is dead one on this
score. With a poor team she was so kicked
and buffeted about the diamond last sea-
son that recovery from the shock is not
probable for some time to come. Down
the line Ponca City could stand a game
occasionally on an ''off day" while Perry
promises to be i'll good financial shape
for the coming season and has never had
a losing team and woul be a money maker
for a series of games every week or two
and although the followers of the game
there are winners, she could not support
a salaricd team.
Guthrie has new uniforms and para
phernalia as well as enclosed grounds,
and while the game was slightly crippled
in that city in &c by the alleged double
crossing through some of the players,
yet there is no question but that she
surpassed the Kansas cities named in the
matter of attendance and patronage.
With any sort of guarantee of fair play
Guthrie can be counted on to enter the
circuit with a good team.
OF all the Kansas and Oklahoma ball
towns. three years ago Oklahoma City
was far and away the best. Here is city
that could now. with a manager Of
brains, he paying a Texas league salary
limit yet with the imposition of man
ager with a penchant for poker and booze
and ignorance on the question of salary
and baseball generally. the season of SO
proved so disastrous that it is doubtful
she could be revived for the coming sea-
son. Shawnee is an excellent ball town
and would support a good team, but that
she interferes with the proposition of
being out Of the line of cheap transpor-
tation, yet she could successfully play a
share of her games in Oklahoma City
,Cr4rer,,
Ell Reno would not support a team, yet
would be far ahead of Enid.
\ circuit organized as suggested could
play their series through the south and
follow each other through the northern
cities OF Topeka, Junction City, Emporia.
Atkinson and the cities composing the
northern circuit, where transportation
after the first jump would be compare
lively nothing. And follow the custom
Of playing of the championship between
the northern and southern winners.
Il is TO be hoped this subject viii be so
agiJated and properly encouraged that
we can have frst-class baseball through
southern Kansas and Oklahoma the-com-
ing year. Yours. HINDOO