Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-10

the progress OF the organization OF pro-
fessional league. Their JOY at learning OF
the organization of the Western league was
unmistakable. This merely indicates the
prevailing sentiment. Buck Keith secured
the franchise as was freely predicted. and
he proposes that the local club shall not
take a back seat At the present time
Keth's plans are not matured Negou-
ations are now in progress with the Omaha
Street Railway company, and IL Is likely
that 1t will agree to convert Nonpareil park
at Thirteenth and Vinton streets into suit
able grounds for the forthcoming seasons
games. In order to do this the park will
have to be graded to a level and a com
modious grandstand erected. Its location
commcnds it as the most available place
Midway between Omaha ana South Omaha
it is the logical site, and with the expendi-
ture Of a few hundreds of dollars 1t could be
placed in perfect condition for a ball park.
with the question OF suitable grounds
satisfactorily disposed Of. Mr.. Keith anticl-
pates no difficulty in obtaining liberal
subscription from devotees of the game nee
ossary to establish the Omaha club on a
firm financial basis.
The last attempt to furnish Omaha people
with professional base ball was in 1897.
The season was failure, and before the
summer was over the local team was trans
ferred to St Joseph. The reason for this
failure was not because of a lack Of local
enthusiasm, but was owing to the incapable
management of the team. Fisher, Schu-
mann and O'Brien, who controlled the
franchise and managed the team were
heartily dsliked, and to this unpopularity
can be attributed the non-suppCrt of the
game Since that time conditions have i'm
proved. Last year the interest manifested
in the amateur games played here was re-
markabe. Nonparel park was thronged
at every exhibition. with these encourag-
ing signs Manager Keith is enthusiastic
over the prospects and predicts that Omaha
will turn out the banner crowds of any of
the cities in the new Western league cir
cult next summer.
George Tebeau, the shrewd manager OF the
Denver club, who stole march on the other
base ball magnates at the meeting in this
city Monday by presenting his claim list i'm
mediately after he carried through a motion
that each club should have a claim list OF
fifteen, has consented to release Lew Whist
Ter. Manager Keith of the Omaha club has
already filed his claim list and Whistler
heads the aggregation. Buck has also Billy
Bowman as one OF his prospective stars.
Bowman was with Detroit in 1897 and 1898
and last season his team won the pennant
in the New England league. Buck expects
to secure Bowman as his field manager and
with him will get two or three star players
from the far east. Other men claimed by
him are Ernest Waller Eddie Lawler and
Art Hayes, we'll known to local base ball
fans; Harry Sage of Rock Island, Bob Langs-
ford, better known as LILLY Langtry'
Frank Miller Hoy and McCausland, who
played last year with Denver and Superior;
Mike Flynn and Patsy Flarity of quincy.
National base ball affairs have begun to
liven up to a considerable degree in an
tcpation of the annual meeting which will
be held in New York Tuesday. 1t is prac
ticaly assured that the National league will
be reduced to an eight-club circuit and it
seems certain now that the cities which will
be dropped out in order to make this change
possible will be Washington, Baltimore
Louisville and Cleveland. The franchises
of these cities will be purchased by the |
eight clubs remaining in the league. Some |
opposition to this plan has manifested it
self, but it is expected that this will all be !
brushed away when the magnates get to-
gether in New York. With the reduction of
the national league by the elimination of the
four cities mentioned it seems certain that |
the proposed new American league will be |
ushered into being. How successful a com |
pettor to the big league it will prove is a |
matter of doubt and will continue to be so |
until a practical demonstration is given of |
its success failure. In order for the |
American league to be formed it Is abso- |
lutely necessary that some of the big east |
ern cities support two base ball organiza-
tions. The idea that they will do this is
scoffed at by the magnates interested in the
present national league, but the promoters
of the new organization are equally certain
that their plans will be crowned with sue
cess. Future developments will be awaited
with interest and meantime speculation on
he outcome of the tangled situation will be
rife.