The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-08
JUDGE KAVANAUGH REVIEWS SITUATION Affairs of the Southern League
 Are Explained MONTGOMERY WILL STAY Captain Crawford Is Willing to Stand for the Losses at Shreveport.
 League Changes Not Pro
 babIe Next Season.
WILL STAY

Memphis, August 7.-(Special.) l.)-Follow- baseball writers and managers and mo- guls interested in the welfare of base ball in the south, that there would be no change in the Southern league circuit which forms the present organization, of- ficial utterance to this effect has been made by no less parsonage than Judge w. M. Kavanaugh, president of the South ern Baseball association and the man whose word will settle for time at least all prospecting and forecasting for the chain of clubs to comprise the 1905 cir cult.
 Judge Kavanaugh says that Little Rock and Shreveport will be included in the 1905 Southern league and that there is hardly a possibility of change be- ing made from Montgomery to Chatta- nooga or a change of Alabama base from Montgomery to Mobile.
 Association Has Power.
 It is true that the constitution of the Southern league gives the league a right to dispense with the membership of any club provided a three-fourths vote Is cast to abandon any city. The clause In sec- tion 10 of the league constitution provides for the official to drop on the head of any member of the league, holding fran chise, provided business reasons' can be shown. In legal circles any act of this kind is regarded as one that might not be upheld in a court of justice especially in the face of the franchise which Judge Kavanaugh has caused to be drawn up and issued to each present franchise hold CT in the league.
 q am not speaking officially when l say that there will be no change in the circuit from Montgomery" said President Kavanaugh. But 1 will say that neither Little Rock nor Shreveport will be mlss- ing from the league next year. Of course it Is for the clubs themselves to decide and If an owner of a franchise sees At to dispose of his holdings at a profit there Is nothing to prevent him from doing so, but Shreveport and Little Rock will be in and this is final"
 As to Shreveport.
 Capt. w. T. Crawford owner of the Shreveport franchise, who was here re- gently at the league meeting, had not even heard of the rumors which asso- clated his club with Brush League" in 1905. and was inclined to dismiss the re- port with a laugh. A man of great finan- clal means with baseball as his hobby and with a self confession of being willing to foot the annual bills of $l0,000 loss at Shreveport, Capt Crawford Is regard ed as being fully able and capable Of carrying out anything he might attempt 'The enwspapers are guessing" said Capt Crawford. "No vote taken by any league could hold good In court of equity if any holder of any franchise In the Southern league would show that franchise which provides against any con- spiracy of a majority of club managers voting to abandon city. There is noth- Ing to 1t. Shreveport will certainly be ready to play ball as long as the South | ern league wants to continue"
 | According to President Kavanaugh At lanta and Memphis have shown the great. est increase in public patronage this year, while Little Rock and Nashville have been the cities where the greatest gate deficit Is noticed. Numerous rain post ponements at Little Rock, coupled with ? general stampede all over Arkansas to visit the Worlds Fair. Is given as a cause for the Little Rock slump while two pennant winners in three seasons played l at Nashville may explain their slump. Montgomery has shown a 20 per cent. in- crease over 1903.