The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-12
WESTERN LOOKS SHY
ROURKE'S CROWD GIVES NO EVIL
DENCE OF MAKING
GOOD
SMALL CHANCE TO WIN OUT
Very Little Likelihood of Western
Getting Into Twin Cities-Six-
Town Circuit the Prob
able Result.

The Western baseball situation is be-
coming most beautifully muddled. The
magnates of the two leagues involved
in this little war may know where they
are at, but, from the standpoint Of the
fanatic, everything is way up in the am
bient. The fanatic can only give guess
and then sit down to walt for the finish.
Thomas Jefferson Hickey, president of
the new organization, boldly announces
that there is little danger of the Western
attempting to push into Milwaukee and
supports his announcement with a print
ed statement given to the Milwaukee
papers by W. B. Gross, the owner of the
Milwaukee ball park. Gross in this state
ment is made to say that he will have
nothing to do with the Western league.
Before theoe echo of this announcement
dies out the Western repeats its claim to
a footing in the Beer City, and the fana-
tics are told that President Whitfield is
now completing arrangements with the
same Gross, and that the Gross park is
to be turned over to the Western.
The fanatics can only wait for the fin
ish of the fight. 1t is easy for both sides
to max claims, but it will be different
wren the time comes for the delivery of
the goods.
The Western league may push into
Milwaukee, but at this time a conserva-
tive critic will pay but little attention
to the talk telling about a Western team
in the Beer City The Western is prom
Using many things at the present time,
but when the April showers are turned on
the Rourke following will, unless appear
ances deceive overlook many of these
midwinter boasts.
The Western may begin the 1902 sea-
son with teams in the towns now claim
ed by its Circuit, but it is more than
probable that when spring rolls around
the fanatics who are now watching this
fight with interest will discover that
the Western magnates have decided to
content themselves with a six-club league
"a league that will be a permanent
thing and money maker.
Twins Won't BE In.
st. Paul and Minneapolis are already
counted out of the Western circuit.
President Whitfield, of the Western
league informs the world that his league
still claims territory in these two towns
and lets the would-be investors know
that the Western is ready to receive
bids for the franchises in both st. Paul
and Minneapolis, but with all this strong
talk the league is making little effort
tC award franchises in the Twin Cities.
The Western league club owners know
that their organization cannot afford to
sign teams strong enough to compare
WITH In6 AMERICAN dSSOCldl1Ou lCciIlS anu
they know that it would be plain case
of throwing away money to attempt to
enter St. Paul with team unable to
play with the American association team.
AS for Minneapolis, Hickey's state
ment that the American association
teams are to play on the grounds con-
trolied by Bean last season IS enoagh
to bother the Western fighters They
can secure new grounds in Kansas City,
STR ION
to permit building lew parks in three or
four of the towns of their circuit.
At this time the Western league mag
nsttes look like men who have allowed
their desire for revenge to get the bet
ter of their business sense. The Western
circuit includes towns of a size too small
to permit a successful fight against the
American association. Several towns in
the present circuit cannot support the
teams needed by the Western If the
Western harbors any desire to win out
in this fight.
Several critics anxious to assist the
Western in this fight are deliberately
piling up trouble for the league they are
attempting to help by losing sight of
many important points.
These critics insist that the Western
has the right to enter or remain in towns
occupied by the American league. The
Western certainly has that right, but why
urge this league to push into towns too
big for it when by so doing it must make
the seasons business a losing business.
Future for western.
The Wetern league in the old days was
a success Then st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Kansas City were taken in and nard
times came with these towns. The West
ern now has another opportunity of re
turning to its money-making circuit.
Why should its friends advise it to go
ahead with this war which can bring
nothing but failure to the bottom or the
seasons accounts?