Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-09
WESTERN READY 10 LINE UP
Circuit Complete and Msgnates Prepare to
Adopt the Schedule.
MILWAUKEE, AND KANSAS CITY IN LIST
wsr with American Association n
Two Towns Decided On-PrOs-
poets for season Are
, Considered Good.
Never mind.

NeNeT mAu0.
\ Another week Of waiting has brought
base bali seven days nearer and the in
svlta6le announcement OF the plans Of the
Western league. One very hopeful sign is
noticed. Myself and Van Brunt' has been
~ quiet as a mouse during the last fort
night, while the real brains Of the league,
W. A. Rourke and James Manning. have
been putting In the hardest kind Of licks to
get the circuit into shape. II is now an
ncunced that Des Moines and Peoria are
both certain to be In the fold. These. with
Milwaukee and Kansas City. will make up
the eight-club circuit and the war with the
American association will be on. In this
II IL we'll to look at the conditions. Amerl-
can association hackers scout at the idea
OF the Western league presuming TO COM
pete for public patronage and base ball
eminence. Western league men grimly
smile and go ahead. They are determined
to hold to Kansas City as their territory
and have gone Into Milwaukee as a retalia-
tory measure for the invasion Of Kansas
City by the American. Unless some sort Of
compromise. which does not seem even re-
mOtely probable. should be effected, a test
Of strength is Inevitable. As the champions
Of old we're wont to pray after taking oath
to the Justice Of their cause. May God
show the right"
Unfortunate, indeed. is the condition
which makes base ball depend on the sur
vival OF the httest. Most of its patrons
prefer the harmonious conditions which
prevailed for the four or Ave years prior to
1901. So long as there is to be a fight,
though, Omaha fans will cheerfully meet
their share Of 1t, for this toHn has a repn-
tation TO sustain. II has been maligned and
misrepresented In places where such treat
ment IL least 20 be looked for, but 1t has
always stood loyalty back Of its team and
may be depended upon to do so stili. Man.
ager Rourke says his ambition is to put
base ball on a solid footing In Omaha.
Permaneney Is his aim. He wants a park
that will be a credit to the city and a team
that will be looked up to all around the
circuit. His choice of the Western league
was made after due elaboration and be-
cause. In his judgment. the American asso-
citation will not be permanent. Having
chosen, he has quietly worked to make his
choice a winner. While Burns Of Colorado
Springs and others kept the typesetting
machines busy recording their views and
opinions and plans and the lks,"Papa
BIZ was saving wood and saying nothing.
He has now gon to the front to aid in the
49, Va ComBtcAAhB Nuc CHNull anu SUCCESS
crowned his efforts. ?
With an even break in Kansas City and
Milwaukee,. the Western Is in as good POSI-
tion - the American. Omaha and Denver
will easily do as we'll as Indianapolis and
Louisville; Colorado Springs and St. Jo-
seph Will furnish patronage to equal Toledo
and Columbus. and Des Moines and Peoria
won't have to hustle very hard to keep up
their end against st. Paul and Minneapolis.
II isn't the population OF the town that
counts In base bail; it's the number OF
people who register at the bog once. The
two Minnesots towns have always been
notorious laggards In this respect, while
Des Moines has turned out fairly good
crowds. What Peoria will do remains to be
seen Columbus and Toledo are expected
to give the game unusually good patronage
during the coming season. We know that
Sc. Joseph and Colorado Springs will sup
port their teams we'll. Omaha and Denver
have made records that we're never beaten
at either Indianapolis or Louisville. Last
season the paid attendance at Omaha
averaged over 1000, per game all through
the season, and Denver was not far behind.
This throws the orux Of the hght on Kan
sas City and Milwaukee. II h not expected
that either Of these towns will support two
teams. Kansas City had q taste OF Il back
in the sos n isn't especially anxious to
have the dose repeated. Milwaukee has
been In many leagues. but has never cut
much figure in any. What It viii do In
two leagues at once Is beyond the dope
book.
Speculation as to the outcome Is use
less ; Omaha is fortunate indeed TO have