Waterbury Democrat., 1901-10-12
BASE BALL TALK.
Great Hustling by Several Managers
 For the Hartford Franchise.

l For the Hartford franchise. There is some lively hustling in prog
 ress on the quiet for the Hartford l franhcise in the State league, and
 warm conflict for it is promised when
 the league directors meet the last l Tuesday in the month, says Mir Chal- lenger in the Bridgeport Post. The Hartford men who have backed tue game for years in that city and have lost thousands of dollars in the East
 ern league venture, are just waking up to the possibilities of State league
 franhcise, and they are almost sure n apply for it. Among others who would
 like the chance to put team in the Capital city are Manager Thomas Reil- ly of the MeridenS, John Dunn and Dan Shannon of Bridgeport, Manager Frank Reisling of Bristol, Henry II. Jennings of Hartford, formerly or Bridgeport, and Billy Lush and Tom my Leahy.
 There is also some likelihood of an
 attempt to bring in Springfield. Man- ager Jimmy Canavan would not object to locating team i'll the Massachll- setts city. It is said that he is willing
 to dispose of his New Haven franchise
 -in fact, it is hinted that he has had
 an offer-and put team in Springfield.
 The only difficulty about Springfield
 is the known dislike of the State
 league directors to. go outside of the
 state. They all realize that the secret
 of their success in the past has been
 their compactness. To go to Spring
 field would mean the first breakaway
 and they hesitate about doing it.
 The bringing in of Hartford, and
 possibly Springfield, means the drop
 ping of one or two of the places which
 iy, afY 11ie fhn
 making of the league ten club affair.
 This latter proposition is not looked
 upon with favor. Ten club leagues
 have never been successful. There
 are too many tailenders. The distance
 from the top to the bottom is too far.
 The fans don't like it. Eight clubs
 are the proper number as experience has demonstrated time and again.
 But if there is to be only eight clubs
 then there will be some dropping fb
 do. It is not so hard if Hartford IS the noly new entry. It would then be question between Derby and Bristol. and the chances are that Derby would go. Not but what in my judgment, Derby is a good town, but it's failure last year made the directors as whole sour on it and it would be apt to get the ''G. B." before the Bell town. There are no others aside from Bristol and Norwich which would be consid cred in the dropping business. New London comes to mind, but the Wha;- ing town is all right as a base ball burgh, despite it's limited population. But for the fact that it fell into bad ways this year it would have no warm CT friend than Bridgeport, as it has ai- ways been in the past. But things may. change by next season and the town oUain iniY1 ta h1o cornnan1 Anyway it will not be dropped while. Norwich remains, that is certain
 The indications now are that the circuit for next year will be Bridge port, New Haven. Meriden, Waterbury, Bristol, Hartford. Norwich and New London, and it will be a dandy. The addition of Hartford means a whole heap for the league. It means better business for every club. It means more interest, more excitement, more cash. and while every other place in the league is profiting the chaps who get that Hartford franchise will be able to smoke 50-centers and save money. Just give Hartford a team that can hold up its end with any in the league and things will run beauti- fully.
 Delehanty, the Philadelphia slugger, was ill New York yesterday. The | player who does not sign in whichever league will pay him the most money l is a fool" he observed.
 Charley Nichols, the Boston pitcher, | had his nose broken at Webster, Mass, | on Thursday. He was to have played | short with the Bostons against Web | ster, but while practicing ball struck | him in the face, breaking his nose.
 Following the report that George | Davis has signed with the American | league comes one that Joe Kelley of | has signed with the Balti- 1 more American league team. It Is | high time the National league was l making few announcements of Amer | ican league stars secured.
 Pitcher Frank Donohue of the Phila- delphias, who is the treasurer of the | Players association, believes that the Wolverton case will be fixed up with out much squabbling. "A committee of players will wait on the league a1 it's meeting and talk the thing over,'' said he. 'We were treated fairly by | the league last winter, and we will Dc again. If it is proved that Wolyerton signed a contract, then, of course, there is nothing that the Players asso- citation can do. But I don't think he has, and the thing will all be straight ened out, in due time."