Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-30
Talked of Plan For Rearrang-
ing Iowa State League Cir
cult For Next Year
THE THREE LEAGUE AFFECTED
Proposed to Drop Some of the Iowa
Towns of the Three | League Which
Would be Absorbed by the Iowa
State Leasue-other Sporting Items
Of Interest.

A Springfield, ILL.,, paper publishes
report to the effect that Manager
Frank Donnelly, of that city, favors an
Illinois Indiana league in 1905. leaving
the Iowa towns now represented N
the Three-I League to join a state
league. The Springfield paper says:
"As the Iowa league reports harmony,
prosperity and continued interest, the
live. 1t was known last winter that
Davenport, Cedar Rapids and Dubuque
were not averse to entering the Iowa
league and thus avoid the long jumps
to the central Illinois territory. BY
dropping three or four OF the smaller
towns and admitting the three present
members of the Thlee-I and possibly
Rock Island, the Iowa league could be
made one of the most compact of the
minors in the country. and the travel
Ing expense item would be very small.
$50
Burlington is a first class town and
has been mentioned as a successor of
Rockford in the Three-I. keokuk and
would likely remain in the proposed or
ganiGation. After disposing OF the Iowa
clubs, the next question relates to the
Illinois and Indiana clubs. 1t 10 an
open secret that the long jumps to
Dayton and Grand Rapids have been
eating up the profits OF the league,
and that there is desire to retrench.
BY a consolidation with the ThreeI
eague an ideal Illinois-Indiana organ
ization could be perfected. The four
cities of Bloomington, Peoria, Spring
field and Decatur, could hardly be ex-
celled in point of base ball enthusiasm,
while from standpoint of juxtaposi
ton and rivalry there is no superior
quartet of cities In the country. For
the Indiana end Of the league the
cities of Terre Haute, Evansville. Fort
Wayne and South Bend. or possibly
Marion, could be counted upon
In some respects this arrangement
would be ideal, and there is every
reason to believe that the Iowa State
Circuit would be strengthened. The
dropping out of some Of the towns that
have not been drawing the best patron
age. and adding the cities of Cedar
Rapids, Dubuque and Davenport,
would make the circuit equally rs
compact, and better In every way. The
league on the other side of the river
would likewise be benefited as its mile
age would be lessened and the travel
ing expenses cut down corresponding
ly. The Iowa circuit with Davenport,
Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Burlington,
Marshalltown, Ottunwa, Waterloo and
Keokuk. should prove a winner in view
of what has been done by the Iowa
State League this season.
Walter Holcomb, manager of the
Boone club, has been released by the
directors. but they are anxious to have
It understood that their action was In
no way reflection upon Mr.. Hoicomb
Or his services. MIR. HolcoUo is a
perfect gentleman" said one of the di-
rectors, "and we have no criticism of
his management, but we felt the sam
could get along without this extra
man and we desire TO retrench as much
as possible without weakening the or
ganization. While the team is home
the directors will look after the man
agement and in fact they will have di-
rect supervision OF the team while
away"
According to reports yesterday
marked the beginning of the end" in
the ill-starred Northern League. Word