The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-22
Steps Are Taken to Secure a
Franchise.
Topeka Wants Place in Missouri
Valley League.
1T WILL GO THROUGH.
Little Doubt About Success of
Venture.
VIII Cost About $500 to Get
Started.

At meeting of young men at the
Topeka Athletic association rooms Mon
day night President D. M Shively of
the Missouri Valley Baseball league ap-
peared and set forth the requirements
which Topeka will heve to meet in order
to become a member of that organ1za-
ton during the coming season. No or
ganization was formed and conse-
quently no plan of action has been
adopted further than that the matter
will be taken up with the Topeka Elks'
lodge Wednesday night The Elks, who
are the patron saints of Topeka field
athletics. have manifested an interest in
the proposition to locate Topeka as
league baseball town. DIR. Shlyely, VINO
is coroner of Wyandotte county besides
being president of the league, will ap-
pear before the lodge Wednesday night
with the understanding that the ques-
ton of Topeka's application Will be then
definitely taken up and decided.
The past history of league baseball IN
Topeka has not been such as to encour-
age excursions into that department of
athletics so that while there is much
real interest in the present undertaking
individuals are coy about linking their
names with it at the outset. II a sue
cessfl1l season of baseball should be
plaved by a Topeka league team there
would probably be no further trouble
Gus AlbertS the man who has kept 10
Del1a before the Missouri Valley league
and was responsible for last nights
meeting figures that it will cost about
$500 to put a league team in the held
for the first game If the games, pay
any returns the team am VII WI be apie 10
OF this amount $500 is to be deposited
with the league treasurer as a guar
antee that the schedule will be played
out. The rest will go for suits, bats,
IoJ od salaries. AlD0TtS mas
the promise of a baseball park when
he says won't cost anything. although
it would be worth 81 900 to the team.
If the team plays out its season IN good
faith it viii get back it's deposit OF
$500 Topeka will have to hurry up
with the first installment $10O) OF its
guarantee deposit, if she is to get INTO
the league The second 800 must be
paid by January 49, and the last by
February Is. AT last nights meeting
enough to cover the first payment was
promised, although no subscriptions
We're taken AIberts, who has spent a
lot of time during the past two years
sounding baseball sentiment in Topeka,
said that subscriptions of five and ten
dollars could be secured to the amount
of u thousand dollars in very short
order This would come principally
from among the young office and busl-
ness men of the town. A1bertS is un-
willing to start subscription paper
unless he can give subscribers some
for their money. Alberts has been
professional baseball man for years,
and expects to make money at ump1r-
ing or managing if team is put out
by Topeka
According to DR. Shively's statement
last night a team of twelve members
is allowed by the league, their total
monthly salaries not to run over $500.
This rule has been adopted by the
league, and an infraction of it means
forfeiture of the guarantee bond and
the franchise. On this basis the pitch
erS would receive about SIS per month
and the other players less Cheap men
can be had as some of the league teams
last season had men playing for as low
as $50 per month. The length of the
season has not yet been positively de-
cided. It will begin about May Is and
will last four months and half, APP
proXimately, during which time each
team in the league will play 60 games.
Ten per cent. of the receipts of each
game is turned over to the league as
a fund for the assistance of any team
that is having financial troubles. The
rest of the receipts are divided equally
between the two teams playing. The
Topeka joins the league there will
probably be about thirty games played
here.
THE MANNER OF ORGANIZATION.
ton to present to the Elks. They can
settle that for themselves. As one
or even on a partnership, the stock COM
pany idea has been suggested Shares of
ten dollars each could probably be sold to
the amount of $1,000 or 81 500 with little diff
ficulty, manager to be selected by the
stockholders. Gus Alberts' idea is that
to every person who subScribeS for stock
shall be given gate tickets to the value CT
his subscription. This seems to be the
most feasible plan yet proposed, as the
offers of subscriptions of from $40 to 50
have been frequent. Between now and
Wednesday night the dozen enthusiasts
who were at the meeting last night will
work their friends up to the idea of at
tending the Ellzs' club meeting, which will
be open to the public about $50 O'Clock,
and to be ready with little money to
contribute toward paying the first INSTALL
ment of the guarantee money
DOES NOT MEAN SUNDAY BALL.
The location of league team in To-
peka does not necessarily carry with it
A1berts and most of the other men would
like to see. Topeka entertains deep
seated prejudice against Sunday sports
and the precautiOn has been taken to ar
limits, where it can not be lnterfered
with by city ordinances. But President
Shively said last night
IF Topeka does not want Sunday base
ball a schedule will be arranged by which
all the Sunday games can be played away
from home. I believe that Sunday bail
would pay better than anything else, but
i it can be so arranged that Topeka can
have games on holidays"
There VIII be no difficulty about get
/ the Missouri Valley league agreement,
/ and Gus AIberts has his pockets full of
4 letters from men who want to play pro-
fessional ball. After the first season If
/ team is drafted by the larger leagues, tfe
/ team losing will receive 500 to cOmpen-