The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-05
w Orcester for
the Eastern.
CHANCES ARE GOOD.
Formal Application 10 Be
at Today's Meeting.

Eastern league base ball for Worccs-
ter.
1t is what Worcester stands in a fair
way of having in 49,
1t is what the lovers or tho game in
this city and in this vicinity would
most prefer.
The scheme is not new. 1t has been
talked of for two or three years, and
on two or three occasions Worcester
has been on the very verge OF gaining
admission.
Important developments in The stu
alton yesterday make Worcester
membership in the Eastern league more
than mere possibility. It is q prob
ability 1t is not likely that with an
Eastern league team located here
Charles r. Rice would be actively in
terested in its management.
The men who are now after the
Eastern league franchise for Worces-
ter are M. ]. Finn, who used TO man.
age the Newport team of the New Eng
land league, and Billy Barnie, who at
team of the National league.
The circuit committee, mad. UP, with
President Powers of Directors Shean of
Springfield, Kuntzsch of Syracuse and
ONeill of Montreal, meet today in AL
bany, when it is expected that the cir
cult for the coming season will be
practically made up. That these men
VIII have hard task before them is
well known by every one at all con-
Versant with Eastern league affairs.
lt is certain that the league circuit
will be almost entirely re-organized
new cities and new clubs will De Sc
cured, old cities and old clubs for one
reason or another will be dropped. And
worcester will be one of the cities rap
ping upon the leagues doors with ex-
celIent chances for admission.
PRESIDENT Powers, when queried by
me spy, yesterday at his New York
once, regarding Worcester and her
chances OF admission, responded by
sending the following signed telegram:
Inc eastern League circuit commit
Tee, which meets at the Kenmore hotel.
Albany tomorrw (Thursday), will con
slder your city. Worcester is consid
ered by the officials as a desirable CITY
Tor the Eastern League, provided she
can show proper financial backing, and
PRESIDENT Murnane of the New England
League would be willing to waive ter
rltorlal rights to Worcester under the
national agreement Outside parties
nave made application to the Eastern
League for a franchise in your city.
But the New England League was
awarded territory by the national
board. When the board so ruled it was
expected that the New England League
mad local organization at Worcester.
with an office and grounds, which is the
rule in all such cases.
(signedD, p. T. Powers
AS matters now stand, Worcester is
protected territory as is stated in Pres
ident Powers message. That protec-
ton is not held by Charles F. Rice, as
many have supposed, but by the New
England League, through it's recognized
head, 7. II. Murnane. No club of an
other league could locate in Worcester
without the consent Of the New Eng
land League clubs, in which Mr.. Rice
would have single vote. From au-
thentic sources 1t is learned, however,
that those who now desire to get the
Eastern League franchise in Worcester
have made overtures to the New Eng
land League to wave it's territorial
rights to Worcester. These men have
been told upon what condition it would
be possible to get the desired rights
here, so there viii be little difficulty
upon that score.
Any scheme having as its object the
admission of Worcester to the Eastern
league will find many friends among
the present league membership. Both
Springfield and Providence will well
come Worcester with open arms. and
there are other cities that believe Wor-
cester is ripe for the Eastern league
article. At Springfield they have Just
been especially active in working for
Worcester's interests
1t is difficult to tell, just now, what
the circuit will be the coming season.
Buffalo has been admitted to the West
ern league, and is dead to the world so
far as President Powers organization
is concerned. Wilkesbarre, the solitary
Pennsylvania town, is also practically
out of the game that town having al
ready applied for admission to the At
lantic league to pair with Scranton, the
coal town. Toronto, Arthur Twins city,
Ottawa, which got Rochesters fran
chise late last season, and Montreal
are also likely to drop out or be dropped
out with the chances in the order
named.
This would leave Of the old circuit
only Syracuse, Providence and Spring.
field, about which it is expected a com
pact circuit could be built with Wor-
cesteT as one Of the cities. If Wilkes
BARRE BelS INTO the Atlantic league,
President Powers would undoubtedly
find no difficulty in getting Newark.
which clamOred for admission at the
first meeting in New York some time
last month. Rochester is likely to come
in again, which with Hartford or Utica
and Albany as the remaining. cities
would make compact league and one
in which most Of the profits would not
be consumed in eXorbitant travelling ex-
penses.
Provided that the Canadian cities re-
main in, there is fun ahead, and lots Of
1t. Springfield and Boston have both
made up their minds that there is nei-
ther money. glory nor sport in taking
occasional runs up to ottawa, Toronto
or Montreal. and are bitterly opposed
to having league franchises remain in
those towns In fact. so determined are
they on this point that 1t will simply
resolve Itself into an issue between the
two factions, and If Springfield and
Providence loses they will pull out.
With Hartford and Worcester they
would assist in forming a new league
wfAh would not, however, be known
az " New England, although all IL,
cities would be located with the sta ~
on within three for that matter.