The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-21
President ShiVeIy Pleased With
Baseball Situation.
Says Western Association Is In
Excellent Condition.
PAYS TOPEKA A VISIT.
Says the Local Club VIII Open
at Oklahoma City.
Intimates That Webb City May
Buy Out Pittsburg.

Topeka will probably open up the
season next year on April % at Okla
homa City with a series of four
games" said President D. NJ. Shiveley
of the Western association this morn
ing. He was here to consult with the
management of the Topeka club re-
garding some business affairs.
But we want to open uD at home,
said President Sheard. for we opened
away from this city last year"
THAT is true" replied Shiveley, "but
you must remember that we will play
40 games this year and will conse-
Quently begin earlier The climatic
conditions in Oklahoma are infinitely
more adapted to baseball at that time
of the year than they are in Kansas
1 think that we will arrange the sched-
ule in such way as to take the opening
as far south as possible. You will not
lose any money by opening up at
Oklahoma City. That town and Guth-
RE are the hottest sporting places you
ever ran up against. / am pleased
beyond words in their acquisition to
the circuit The keenest rivalry in the
Both will be money makers to the
league"
what about the circuit?" was
asked Of Mr.. Shiveley.
We'll" he replied, you know of
course that it now exists of Topeka,
Joplin, Springfield, Sedalia, Leaven-
worth, Pittsburg, Guthrie and Okla
homa City Wichita wants franchise
very badly. Ted Price, who ran a
team at Enid, Okla, last year, wants
TO get control of it, and is a hot ia
vorite for the place. 1 do not have
this officially, but I understand that
Pittsburg has made an offer to Webb
City. Mo, to sell its franchise. If that
is true it will likely be taken UP by
somebody. Webb City wanted to buy
out Fort Scott. I told the promoters
at the mining town that they should
not spend any money until told them
to, for the selling lies in my control.
You never saw as good a little sport
ing town as Webb City. The men who
are backing the deal there offered me
the money for a franchise, 1 to name
the terms. They said they were ready
to build a park right in the town and
would commence the grading as quick
~ as a franchise was transferred to
them That is the kind of a bunch l
am dealing with over there
''Who do you think will be the next
in % was asked.
LAS things look now. Pittsburg will
sell out, and its franchise will go
either to Wichita or Webb City"
How about Sedalia or Leavenworth
dropping out? Talk has ernanated
from both places that fa, change might
Nothing in it, replied Shiveley
"At Leavenworth a new stock COM
pany has been organized and there will
be no change There is nothing in the
gossip about Sedalia. PittSburg is the
out of the circuit. A number of people
at Fort Scott had planned to hold a
meeting on Monday to organize a
stock company and run the team next
in Kansas City, and after naming his
price 1 sold his franchise to Guthrie -
How about the umpires for next
year,"
at will hove Tir,,,,,1v paaooD Iooc11
again. Arthur GoIdsby, who ran a
team in Topeka several years ago, filed
an application for a, job and I shall
give him a trial. He ought to do. To
make up the other two I shall write to
the managers of the league and have
each suggest men whom they think
would do"
What about the plan to make a
four game schedule. that is, the play
ing of four games for a series at each
town ?"
THAT will be DONE" replied Shive-
ley, for the first month, and then will
go back to the three game series. We
shall have doubIe-headers on every
holiday. There will be no double
headers for the first thirty days of the
season to comply with the agreement
rule which calls for such observation"
''Will the association be advanced to
class G, giving it salary limit of
very likely" was the reply. "such
action seems to be favorable with all
the managers and think that it will
be done.
'Everywh ere,' said Shiveley. ''the
league is in good shape. look for a
great season. Percy Chamberlain is
boosting me for the presidency of the
Western, but I'm not paying any at
tention to it. 1 am running the West
ern association 1t is growing up to
proportions that the managers can all
we'll be proud of. The year of 1905
will be our greatest"