Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-05
TALK OF SOME NEW LEAGUES

In less than two weeks the 1901
season of the Cotton States league will
have closed, the pennant winner will
have been decided on, the percentage
> sof games lost and won, and there will
remain but one more meeting of the
league directors for the season. in
which the pennant for the season will
be awarded and the business for the
season will be closed up. Then will
arise the question of the league cir
cult for the season Of 1905, the mana
gers for the various clubs and num-
erons other things preparatory 10 the
opening Of the next season.
Several important matters face the
coming directors meeting. and or
these decision hang the future of the
league. There is q strong probability
that there will be no such circuit in
the Cotton States league next season
as this ~ every previous meeting
Of the league directors the question
of throwing Pine Bluff ont Of the
circuit has been talked Of and represent
tatfEes of the local association have
had to fight strongly in order to be
retained as one Of the clubs N the
league. This year perhaps the repre-
sentatiyes Of the local association Will
| not make such a strong fight. Al
rady the local directors arc Debating
among themselves whether or not thew
| really want to keep a team in the cir
| cult The matter i. the guarantee
fund to the other teams which visit
Pine Bluff during the season has a.
ways been a bone of contention. At
present the guarantee is $50 per
game and ever team manager that
! has visited Pine Bluff this season
says this guarantee will not pay trav-
cling expenses, much less help toward
the salaries of the players and the
general expenses of the team. Pine
Bluff has always been recognized as
one Of the hest towns in the circuit
if not the hest. but when the enaran-
tee will hardly pay the railroad ex-
penses and hotel bills the managers
are up against a proposition.
Pine Bluff now has the pennant
practically assured and one of the prin-
cipal reasons for spending the money
with which to win the rag was be-
cause the local directors wanted to
leave the league with the highest hon
ors. At the league meeting next fall,
When the question of the road guaran-
tee is brought up again, Pine Bluff
Will probably gracefully withdraw
nom the league. 1t has cost the local
directors at least $4,000 above the
gate receipts to put winning team
into the field this season and this
st,ooo will rot be easy to raise next
season. 1t would be cheaper for Pine
BUN to get out of the league than to
stay in it, and Pine Bluff may get out
"ilhout giving the other teams the
pleasure of disbanding the league in
order to get her out Pine Bluff has
hVe-year franchise in the Cotton
states league but if the Cotton States
tasne were to disband at the close of
'"'s season the five-year franchise
would amount to but little.
with this condition of things con-
fronting the fast little league there
arises another question which is be-
ing seriously discussed at this place
r'he Bluff wants baseball and is 60
ing TO have it. There are other towns
eiose around here which want baseball.
oo' and they are live hustling towns
would a circuit composed of cities
VI the west side Of the Mississippi
.''ef not pay better than circuit as
"e Cotton Safes league is now? AL
auaer La, Hot Springs, Ark, Tex
a'hana, Ark, anl four cities in Texas
want baseball. A circuit composed of
uese towns ought to at least make
eApenses the first year. Surely the
.'fcult would not go as deeply in debt
tae Cotton States has done this