The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-09-23
THE LAST SAD RITES
devoted Fans Wearing Sack
cloth and Ashes.
SIGN DEATH WARRANT
AND OGDEN TAKES UTAH-IDAHo
LEAGUE REMNANT.

TIE ignominiOus death of the Utah
Idaho league season, and perhaps The
league itself. at Ogden last Tuesday is
d matter of regret. That it should
come just at a time when the teams
were beginning to pick up the fine
points Of baseball and keep scores down
10 an average that would comma re-
dlorably with contests in the National
or American associations. after pIayine-
more or less ragged ball all summer
makes it particularly a disappointment
As is usually the case, the result was
effected by few obstinate heads and
one oversight. The latter was; the fail
ure of the executive officers OF the
league to demand forfeit bond bind
ing each team to play out it's schedule
Under the rules, or the lack of rules
any team could Withdraw from the
league on any preIext and suffer no
penalty. Ihat made 1t an easy matter
for Mrssrs. Risley, Shannon. HOPKINS
Pendergraft and others, tt q mainstavs
Of the Rio GTande nine to pull ont
when they saw no chance of winning
anything but defeat, and thus force the
league into disbanding.
But the most surprising incident of
the demise. and the direct cause of IL
was Manager Rand's bold attempt last
Monday. For some reason he had the
management of the POcateIlo team. in
stead Of Mr.. Trapp, and what in the
name Of common sense possessed Rand
that he should try to ring in a quar-
tette Of Rio Grande men. mis- game be-
ing with Manager Gimlin, is a riddle
the fans are trying to solve. From anv
standpoint ii was ridiculous There he
was. on the ground with ten POcateIlo
players, ali in uniform, il is said and
ready To play He certainly demon
sITated lack of confidence in his men
" Tel n
Manager Girnlin of course protested
He was right. He pointed out in black
and white the provision of the league
constitution that no players of anv
team shall play with any other team
than that to which they belong. And
Mr.. Rand made the startling plea that
the Rio Grandes had Gfsbanded .
Father Gimlin. who played ball uer.
hapS before Mr.. Rand was out of kills
demanded the certified release of Shan
non. Risley. Hopkins and Pendergraft
which. Of course. were not avaiIabIe
This settled it Rand was obdurat re
and there was no game.
Then came the funeral sermon from
President Horn, unfolding Mr.. CIimIin
in his stand. declaring the season at
an end and giving Ogden the pennant
with deserved percentage of 500
President Horn did the right thing in
censuring the two deserving teams. he
might have rubbed it in a little more
vigorously, the circumstances Justify
ing il.
The Short Line managed pretty well
10 keep out of wrangles by a strict adj
herence TO the rules all summer. the
one exception being in their last game
when they played Risley and Hopkins
against the Ogden team over Manager
HHnHn protest They gained nothing.
President Horn giving the game to the
visitors and decreasing materially the
Short Lines averages.
The season has been on the whole
quite satisfactory It is the nearest
approach to perpetuating baseball as q
game that Salt Lake has experienced
Next year. it is hoped. there will be
other rules and an expansion of tbs
league and something to hold down the
soreheads and children who want tC
play horse before the season is at ar
end.