Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-09-21
MUCH FOR BASEBALL
Organization of Minor Leagues
Means Salvation of ths
Game.
so SAYS PRESIDENT POWERS
A Declaration of independence
Coming Meeting in
New York.


citation under a national agreement of
their own means much to base ball >,
says President Powers, of the Asso-
citation of Professional Base ball
Leagues, of which the Three-I is a
part. at is the first time in the his
tory of the game that the m nor mag
mates got together without wearing
the collar of the National league
was pleased and astonisbei at the
clever manner in which the minors
went about their work. All thought
of eff iating with either of the mai or
leagues was cast to the winds. There
was delightful air of freedom about
seemed needed from the old league,
which has for years acted as self
constituted adviser, judge and bene-
iciary. President Powers, of the
Eastern league, was a conspicuous
igure in mapping out The future of
he new organization. President Sex
on, of the Three-I league. President
Farrell. of the New York State league
md President Lucas from Portland +,
)re were also well informed and
offered many suggestions that were
woven into the new nationsl agree
ment.
This new agreement will mean
everything TO the minor leagues and
positively The salvation of the game
Every man present was thankful tn at
they could come together and offer
up baseball declaration of indepen-
York next October every one of the
eighty odd clubs is expected to send a
delegate. What a treat this will be
for the New York newspaper men,
who are bound to see such rich char
acters. The Gothamites should have
care, for these baseball men from
the minor leagues can deal from the
bottom or the middle when it comes
60 looking out for themselves. Most
of them have stem service on the field
as players and umpires, and all are
arp to see point.
Players Bave to Behave.
Briefly here is what the meeting
accomplished: Organized with n
name that meant more than minor
leagues; put the players in a positio n
1ndb hhoy NOAO III
bad fix If they failed to make good
With the MAJOR leagues.
The board of control will be COM
posed of live men chosen fIom differ
mt sections of the country, who will
iecide all disputes and not have to
Wait for ages, as in the past, for the
National league to act. The leagues
md players are classified in the mat
er of salaries.
There will be protection among all
the minor leagues, so that the smaller
leagues will have as good a chance to
i've as the higher classes. The organ
ization will have say in the making
If rules, what ball they will play with,
and will pull in harmony tor the bet.
5erment of the small fry"
Hickey Plans Changes.
T. j. Hickey, president of the West
ern league, was in Kansas City last
week in consultation with Manager
Tebeau, of the Kansas City team. Mr..
Hickey thinks that there will he a
stronger association next year. Some
of the present cities in the league will
be dropped. but the president can't
say vet which onos. The transfer of
the Milwaukee American league team
to St. Louis, he said, il accom- piish
would leave an opening in that city,
and it is more than probable that the
brewery town will be placed on the
Western league circuit. indianapolis
and Louisville ere two other good
cities that are being considered by
Western league magnates. Ii thee
towns can be secured it will mean
pro bably, that Denver, Colorado
Springs and possibly Des Moines or
st. Joseph will be dropped next sea
son.
Fate of sookaIexIs.
Flat on his back, unable to move
either hand or foot, and coniirmo d
cripple from rheumatism. lies Louis
Sockalexis, who became famous as a
star of the Holy Cross baseball team,
where he played three years. His Ca
was dazzling. He is dragging out q
painful existence in the modest home
of his father on a little Island in the
Penobsoot river in Maine. not far
from Old Town, which is set apart as
an Indian reservation. For months
Sockalexis has been suffering from
rheumatism. Little hope is given
that he ever will be much better.
Richardson's Good showing
Richardson. formerly with Terre
Haute. played his first game on the
initial bag for st. Louis yesterday.
His record is one hit and nine put
outs.
Graham At Atkinson.
Oscar Graham went to Atkinson to.
day to pitch for an amateur team
there.
Carpenters to Play.
The carpenters of Rock Island aud
Moline are to play q game of ball to-
morrow afternoon At Twelfth street
park. The game will be called at
O'Clock.
Impossible to foreses an accident.
Not impossible to be prepared for it
n