The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-11
SAVANNAH SHOULD FEEL SPECIAL
PRIDE IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC


of officers was then gone into. Mr..
c. w. Boyer was elected president,
with the understanding that he would
see that Charleston had a hacker, Mr..
Felix Kohler, vice president, and the
president of each of the clubs in the
league was elected a member Of the
board of directors.
After the transaction of a few other
matters, an adjournment was in order
In December it became apparent that
the league was about to fall through.
The Columbus club had failed to ma
terialize. Augusta was also backward
and Savannah seemed to be hopeless
" out of it, Mr.. Reeves and his asso-
ciates having failed to meet the re-
quirements.
A meeting was called to be held here
on Jan. 9. At that meeting the final
details were perfected and the league
as it stands to-day was crys-
talized Macon and Jacksonville were
represented by the same gentlemen
who were present at the first meet
ing. Mr.. Ashenback represented
Charleston: j. Con Strouthers, Augusta,
and ]. ]. Grim attended in the interest
of Columbia, the Columbus FRANCHISE
having been transferred to that city
after several Intellectual attempts had
been made to interest Columbus ball
lovers.
How savannah Got In.
All had plenty of backing except Sa-
vannah. Unforeseen accidents made it
impossible for those who originally held
the franchise to put up the backing,
and it was turned back to the league.
II was then that the proposition was
made to allow President Boyer to ac-
cept the Savannah franchise,an and in con-
sideration of that, to reduce his salary
from 81 500 to $500. This proposition
met with the approval of all, and Mr..
Boyer was elected. Since that time all
know how smoothly matters have gone.
In ball players the league has been
unusually fortunate. 1t drew Largely
from the Cotton States and Southern
League. The remainder of the men
were drawn from the independent
teams throughout the Eastern ana
Northern states.
What the League Promises.
The league has been bountifully
blest with good pitchers, the slab
artists comparing most favorably with
those in the Southern. In fact many
Southern League pitchers which join
ed the South Atlantic forces failed to
make good. Notable among these
were Cy Terrence, Wild Bill Clarke
and some who finished the season.
but who were far from being among
the top notchers.
With the success that has attended
the opening season the league now
faces a season of promise financially
and fast ball playing. There is no
longer a tendency on the part of play
ers to hold back in the fear that the
league is but for a day, and already
players of national fame are begin
ming to cast their eyes this way, and
next year will find several notables
playing or managing teams in this cir
cult.
Many Changes In Teams.
At the commencement of the season
Macon, unquestionably, had the best
team. At the wind up Savannah was
easily the best. So much for the en-
couragement in a financial way which
induced the arrangements of the teams
to take on higher salaried and more
experienced men. Out of the original
twenty-one men signed by Savannah
only four finished the season with the
club. Two of these were pitchers.
The constitution prescribes that the
annual meeting of the league shall be
held within ten days after the close
of the championship season. In ac-
cordance with this the meeting will be
held in Savannah on Sept. 20 at Presi-
dent Boyer's office.