The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-30
ALL STAND BACK.
Topeka Baseball Association Out
of Business.
President Sheard and Secretary
Logan Own Franchise.
HAD TRANSFER MADE.
Vas Made Out in Their Own
Names.
Say They Will Run Things to
Suit Themselves.

THE franchise for the Topeka base
ball team of the Missouri Valley League
was made out to T. E. Sheard and w.
F. Logan about two months ago and
we are going to keep it, and run the
team next year just as we are now do
ing. There will be no meeting of a
board of directors this fall, because
| there really is no board. When Mr..
Logan and myself found that nobody
would join in and help make the team
a success, about two months ago, we
had the franchise made out in our
names. 1t belongs to us. I'm not going
to resign, nor is Mr.. Logan. We would
be fools to give up pow what we have
worked so hard to make successful. The
franchise is ours and we will keep it.
If anybody wants to get into the To-
peka association they will nave to buy
their way in"
That was the rather newsy state
ment made by President Sheard of the
Topeka team this morning. 1t is news
to the directors, news to the town, and
news to everyone. 1t was generally
thought that the franchise belonged. to
the board of directors elected early in
the season, 16 in number. Later an ex-
ecutive board of six took control elect
ed to do so by the original board, Sim
ply as a subcommittee. Then when the
to take interest and left the whole thing
to Mr.. Sheard and Mr.. Logan, they
very quietly set to work and had the
franchise made out in their names.
They now own it.
TT is locked up in my DESK said
Mr.. Sheard when asked regarding the
matter. 'iIt is going to stay there, too,
he replied.
Originally the franchise was made
out in the name of the Topeka Base
ball association. Along during the first
week in June Mr.. Sheard sent it to Kan
sas City to have it made out in his
name and that of Mr.. Logan. That
means that he and Mr.. Logan now own
it completely and that anyone VINO was
either membero of the board ofdirectors
or interested in any way. is completely
are now the whole thing.
1t would be hard to estimate the ex-
act value of the franchise today. It is
worth at least 81 900, and without ques-
tion more Two months ago, it could
have been had by anybody for the ask
ing. Now it is a valuable piece of pro-
perty and will be so for some years to
come. rs
When asked why he transferred own
ership to himself and Mr.. Logan, Mr..
Sheard replied: When 1 saw how the
interest was falling off there along IN
June, and none of the directors would
turn out to the meetings, made up
my mind that if 1 should ultimately
make success of this Topeka baseball
team. /
the victory. If 1 was to shoulder the !
thing, and work at it hard, as l have
all summer without a cent of compen- |
sation, as has also Mr.. Logan, L felt
that I was entitled to whatever success
was made. If it had failed, was will |
ing to bear that too"
So that settles it. Sheard and Logan
will run baseball in Topeka There will |
be no board of directors meeting this
fall Mr.. Sheard and Mr.. Logan will |
put their heads together and make the |
plans for 1905 themselves, and carry |
them out to suit themselves.
When asked about next years plans,
President Sheard said: I'VE have
not definitely formed them yet We are |
with a number of men to run
the team on the field. Good managers
are scarce, but we will have one. At
the present time we have applications
galore from good players from all over
the league. We will have rafting
good team next year Just put that in
Logan or myself will give out any
names until the season is over. That
would disorganize our present bunch
and we don't want to do that We de-
sire to finish the season as strong as
possible.
Just how the remainder of the people
who helped organize the Topeka asso-
citation will take the action of Mr..
Sheard is still to be seen. A number of
those most vitality interested in the
baseball association and the Ball Park
have been sitting up nights.
asSiduously studying our plans whereby
he two organizations were to be Joined
and put under a new directorate, which
was to have probably consisted of
Frank Grimes. w. E. DrechseL Dr.; j.
A. Berry, Tom Sheard, and w. F. Lo-
gan. All this time. the last two were
lying back in their chairs,
.aking life easily, with the franchise
safely slowed away in their inside. vest
complete ownership of the
Topeka team and all that pertains